by Vessantara | Aug 23, 2016 | retreats
My plans for 2017 are now shaping up. I’ve been commissioned by Windhorse Publications to write a book about some aspects of meditation. Writing requires quite a bit of focus, so I’m reducing the number of retreats that I shall be leading next year....
by Vessantara | May 27, 2016 | Uncategorized
I’ve just heard that there have been some cancellations for the retreat for Order members that I’m doing at Rivendell from the 17 – 24 June. The theme is The Four Immeasurables — so lots about the open heart and positive emotion, as well as...
by Vessantara | Apr 2, 2016 | Uncategorized
I recently gave 4 talks on sangha nights at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre. They were on Aspects of Going for Refuge, and you can find short descriptions of them and the audio recordings on the Free Buddhist Audio site. It’s been a while since I’ve given...
by Vessantara | Mar 14, 2016 | Uncategorized
In February I led the fourth of a series of retreats for Order members at Adhisthana on our System of Spiritual Practice. This theme of this one was Integration, and we focused on deepening motivation and inspiration for practice, and I used meditation on the breath...
by Vessantara | Feb 4, 2016 | Uncategorized
I’ve just finalised details of a series of talks in Cambridge. They’ll be from the 23 Feb – 15 Mar. They will be part of the Tuesday sangha night programme at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre. Each evening will start at 7.30 with a short meditation,...
by Vessantara | Jan 15, 2016 | Uncategorized
I have just done a short video appeal on behalf of the Abhayaratna Trust. The trust was established to help members of the Triratna Buddhist Order who are in need of financial help. In some cases they may be in very serious financial hardship; in others they may be...
by Vessantara | Oct 2, 2015 | News
A short look back at the year so far, and some of the highlights, plus a couple of lowlights… What has had the most impact on me has been the Dharma tour of New Zealand and Australia that I did with Vijayamala from February to May. It had been 15 years since...
by Vessantara | Oct 2, 2015 | News
Back in May I wrote saying that I was thinking seriously about how to use my time over the coming years.The last 2 or 3 months have been busier than I expected, so my reflections about the future are still rumbling on, without reaching any final conclusions. This...
by Vessantara | Oct 2, 2015 | Website
It’s been many moons since I’ve given this site the attention it deserves, but at last I’ve managed to carve out the time to take care of it: fixing broken links and adding material. In particular, I’ve added a couple of pujas that I use on...
by Vessantara | May 26, 2015 | Uncategorized
I’ve recently completed a very intensive period of teaching, and can now turn my mind to planning for next year. I’ve already signed up to do two more retreats for Order members at Adhisthana in 2016, to complete the series of five retreats on The Mandala...
by Vessantara | Mar 26, 2015 | Uncategorized
In late January I led a retreat for Order members at Adhisthana, Triratna’s new(ish) central place in the UK. It was part of a series of 5 retreats that I’m doing there, in which I’m exploring all the aspects of our mandala of spiritual practice....
by Vessantara | Oct 8, 2014 | Uncategorized
I’ve just written an article for Shabda looking at how we as an Order respond to unusual meditative experiences, and to people whose main ways of experiencing are non-rational: in terms of imagination, intuition, energy or mysticism. These kinds of people...
by Vessantara | Sep 11, 2014 | Uncategorized
At the recent European Order Convention at Wymondham I did a short appeal for the Abhayaratna Trust. The Trust is set up to help members of the Triratna Buddhist Order who are in need. Some Order members struggle to meet their basic living costs, while others...
by Vessantara | Jul 17, 2014 | Uncategorized
It’s taken a few months, but at last the recordings are available from the retreat on Spiritual Receptivity that I led for Order members at Adhisthana in February. It was a really good retreat with over 50 people. A lot of my retreats are either for Order...
by Vessantara | May 24, 2014 | Website
Over recent weeks Satyadarshin has completely revamped this site – both what you see and some of the behind-the-scenes stuff as well. He has given the site a whole new look, and sorted out various problems and issues. The result is something that is much cleaner...
by Vessantara | Apr 8, 2014 | Uncategorized
Last week I calculated that I was entering a period in which i would only have ten weeks of programmed events in the next twelve. Basically it is one good thing after another, with the occasional two or three days to draw a breath, do some washing, repack and...
by Vessantara | Mar 31, 2014 | Uncategorized
Welcome. This site reflects different aspects of my Buddhist life. You’ll find articles on meditation and Buddhism, as well as details of all my books, plus my teaching programme and various other things. Just browse the headings and see what you find. And below...
by Vessantara | Mar 13, 2014 | Uncategorized
During the recent retreat that I led at Adhisthana on Spiritual Receptivity, I discussed how little Sangharakshita has said about Just Sitting (formless meditation) over the years. In the recent compilation of his discussions of meditation, which runs to over 700...
by Vessantara | Feb 17, 2014 | News
I recently gave a talk about rebirth at a Men’s Order Weekend at Adhisthana. It’s been uploaded to FBA and to Vimeo. Audio https://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/audio/details?num=LOC1925 Video https://vimeo.com/85773334 Available to all. It’ll be on...
by Vessantara | Jan 27, 2014 | News
This month I’ve been staying put in Cambridge, with a couple of forays to London. It has been a busier time than I’d hoped, as I’d wanted to do some writing and have some space before February when I launch into more teaching and events again....
by Vessantara | Dec 5, 2013 | News
Update: Vijayamala and I have now finalised details of two more small retreats for Order members in August and September. One is on Just Sitting and Insight; the other on Training the Mind in Bodhicitta. If you’re interested, you’ll find details here....
by Vessantara | Nov 4, 2013 | News
Update: You will find my five talks for the International Urban retreat, mentioned below, here at thebuddhistcentre.com. You may need to register (it’s free). The last couple of months have been rich and full again. After a bit of time at home, in mid-September...
by Vessantara | Sep 10, 2013 | News
I have now updated my teaching schedule to include everything currently planned until the end of 2014. In particular I’ve added in a retreat for Order members at Adhisthana in February. It will be on Spiritual Receptivity, with a full exploration of Just...
by Vessantara | Jul 11, 2013 | News
I’m currently finalising my programme for next year. In 2014 I will continue leading retreats and seminars in Triratna. (You will find the first few confirmed events here.) However, I shall not be doing quite so many events as this year. (In 2013 I am on...
by Vessantara | Jun 27, 2013 | News
Over the last four weeks I’ve led three very enjoyable retreats: one at Vajraloka in North Wales, and two at Rivendell in Sussex to the south of London. The Vajraloka one was for Order members and was called Mirror of the Mind. I had advertised it to make it...
by Vessantara | May 16, 2013 | News
Another very full two months since I last wrote. Over Easter I was in Germany, seeing Dagyab Rinpoche. In the mid-1980s I asked Sangharakshita for a particular meditation practice, and he passed me on to Dhardo Rinpoche, one of his teachers in India, who in turn...
by Vessantara | Mar 22, 2013 | News
It’s coming towards the end of March, and since I last wrote I’ve had another 3 weeks of retreat, plus leading a course in Cambridge and a day in London – and this is the quiet time of the year! Last month I spent a week in Norfolk at Padmaloka on a...
by Vessantara | Jan 13, 2013 | Uncategorized
I had a very full time over the last few weeks. Over Xmas/New Year, I led a 2-week retreat for men at Padmaloka retreat centre in Norfolk, on the theme of the Mandala of the Five Buddhas. That went very well. It was very good to lead a retreat at Padmaloka again,...