The basement at Bridge House was flooded over the holidays and the electric supply and the heating was damaged. Currently we do have an electric supply to the centre itself but there is no lighting on the stairwell or in the toilets and the lift is out of action. The heating isn’t working either so the building is very cold indeed.

As a consequence – and from both a comfort and safety perspective – the trustees feel that the centre is not in a safe or usable state and all classes at the start of next week are cancelled.

*The Landlord is hopeful that all utilities will be restored by Wednesday teatime and, provided that this is possible, Friends’ Night will happen as normal on Thursday evening. However, uncertainty remains, so please watch your inbox, our Facebook page  or the website news section from Wednesday teatime onwards for another update.

Just to be clear:
No morning meditation on Sunday 3rd January
No teatime drop-in meditation or study on Monday 4th January
No newcomers’ class on Tuesday 5th January
No lunchtime meditation on Wednesday 6th January
There MAY be a Friends’ Night on Thursday 7th January, and a Younger Sangha Night on Friday 8th January but please await a further update for confirmation.

Please bear with us (and samsara!) while we get the centre back to normal.

In the meantime wishing everyone a very happy, peaceful and fruitful New Year

Date/Time
Date(s) - 05/01/2016
7:00 pm - 9:15 pm

Learning about Meditation and Buddhism

Most Tuesday Evenings (with occasional breaks)
Starts at 7.00 p.m. Finishes 9.15 p.m.
This is a drop in event and no previous experience of Buddhist meditation is required. If you have already learnt to meditate this is also an opportunity to deepen and build a regular practice and connect with other people.
Each evening will consist of a guided meditation and an introduction and exploration of the Buddha’s teachings and their relevance to our lives.
You are welcome to attend whenever you can, for as many weeks or months as you like. This is a rolling programme so if you miss some weeks you will be able to catch up on what was covered at another time.

Over a number of weeks we shall explore the following areas:

Meditation and mindfulness
Introducing our four main meditation practices. Mindfulness of the body and its senses, the Mindfulness of breathing, the cultivation of kindly awareness (metta) and just sitting. We will also explore mindfulness in our everyday lives.

Buddhist practice in the world (ethics and action )
Exploring what we value and care about. How can we strengthen our connection with these values and express them in our lives and actions?

The Buddha and his teachings ( Dharma)
Who was the Buddha? What did he have to say and what relevance has it to our lives? An exploration of this through talks, discussions and workshops looking at the life of the Buddha and his teachings.

Cost: Classes are run on a drop-in basis. There is no charge but the centre relies on the generosity of the people who use it. If you can, please help us to make mindfulness, meditation and Buddhism available to everyone by putting a donation in the dana bowl or by taking out a regular standing order to support the centre.

Booking: No need to book – just turn up on the evening by 7.00 pm

Date/Time
Date(s) - 05/01/2016
7:00 pm - 9:15 pm