All Courses, Retreats & Events
(white) Awareness is Revolutionary Course
When as Dharma practitioners we work together to explore our racial conditioning, it can deepen our practice and open new ways of connecting with ourselves and with others. With greater awareness and understanding, we can co-create sanghas that have higher levels of racial fluency, cultural competency, and the ability to name and heal from harm caused by the racial construct.
This particular program, “(white) Awareness is Revolutionary” is designed for people who present as white, and who seek to explore the work of undoing racism within a Buddhist framework. Does that word “white” make you cringe? We get it! We will unpack that together, along with how it might connect with other ways we have been conditioned, such as class, gender, sexuality and more. Let’s move from horrified anxiety to compassion, and from fear to wise action. We are in it together.
Ananta and Padmadharini plan to facilitate a NY/NJ (w)AIR group in 2024, meeting once a month on-line, likely starting early February. The schedule will be determined based on finding a regular time that works for everyone who signs up -- so please do signal your interest by applying and we will get in touch with you.
Below you can listen to three testimonials from former participants who are now part of the team. Upayadhi has also offered a video overview of the course.
Emptiness and the Nature of Mind: Meditation Intensive Led by Tejananda with Upekshanandi
Join us for a deep dive into the nature of the mind and emptiness through a meditation intensive with Tejananda and Upeksanandi.
(More) Reflections: A Writing and Meditation Day Retreat with Yashobodhi (Online International Triratna Event)
We invite you once more to take part in a day of exploration and practice through meditation and reflective writing with Yashobodhi and others. We will gently delve into our experience following writing prompts and working with images and metaphors.
Entering the Mandala: Mindfulness and Imagination with Vidyamala and Vishvapani (Online International Triratna Event)
Vidyamala and Vishvapani invite you to join an exploration of mindfulness and imagination through talks, meditation, creative activities, discussion and shared ritual, particularly focused on the richly evocative symbol of the mandala.
This Home Retreat with Triratna’s Buddhist Center Online is an opportunity to live for a week with mindfulness, kindness, poetry and creativity, even in the midst of our daily lives.
Mindfulness of Breathing: The Stability of Earth, the Water of Inspiration (Online International Triratna Event)
Focusing on the shamatha elements in Anapanasati.
Reflections: A Writing and Meditation Day Retreat With Yashobodhi (Online International Triratna Event)
Join Yashobodhi and others for a day of exploration and practice through meditation and reflective writing, brought to you by The Buddhist Center. We’ll be using images and metaphors in meditation and follow writing prompts to gently delve deeper into our experience. There will also be a chance to interact with other writers in small breakout groups.
Forces for Good: Challenging Emotions as Portals to Liberation | A Home Retreat with Balajit, Singhashri, & Viveka (Online International Triratna Event)
What if all emotions, including those we sometimes find challenging, had something important to tell us about ourselves, others, and the world?
🧘♀️ 🧘♂️ Seven days of meditation, soulful exploration, and strong, supportive friendship: a gently held space to go deeper into experience and practice.
Meditation retreat led by Balajit, Singhashri, and Viveka.
The Dharma of Dreams: Cultivating Dream Awareness in the Buddhist Tradition (Online International Triratna Event)
Join Arthabandhu and other dreamers for a three-week course exploring the many realms of dream and sleep, and their significance in the Dharma life.
The Poetics of Awakening: A Home Retreat With Paramananda & Bodhilila (Online International Triratna Event)
What does it mean to really wake up? Join Paramananda and Bodhilila for seven days of meditation, soulful exploration, and strong, supportive friendship: a safe space to go deeper into experience and practice.
The Breath of Change: The Ancient Art of Letting Go and Accepting (Online International Triratna Event)
Hosted By: Yashobodhi
Saturdays: December 10, 17, 24 and 31
Sundays: December 11, 18, 25 and January 1st
Online via Zoom - see session times below
Event Description:
This holiday season, The Buddhist Centre Online will again host our annual event offering Tonglen practice with Yashobodhi. If you want some space and peace over Christmas and New Year, join us for 'The Breath of Change.’ You will be in excellent company!
Before we can let go suffering it needs to be received into awareness. Tonglen, a Tibetan word for sending and receiving, is a meditation that is timeless, yet utterly suitable for the challenges of any time. There are plenty of challenges in our world and practicing Tonglen can help you relate both to your experience and to the experience of others.
Difficult times can be the base material for compassion. Let’s look after ourselves and others by turning towards our struggles–and extend a hand and a breath to others during the holidays.
Attend any or all meditations in Zoom.
This event will be recorded and may be published online for others to access. Only the leader's video will be used unless by permission. Private conversations in breakout rooms will not be recorded.
Session Times:
Saturdays: December 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st
Sundays: December 11th, 18th, 25th and January 1st
This event involves sessions at different times to allow maximum participation internationally across time zones. Feel free to attend as many as you wish.
Sessions on Saturdays December 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st: USA PST 11:00 | México 13:00 | USA EST 14:00 | IE & UK 19:00 | Europe CET 20:00 | India 00:30 | Australia AEDT 06.00 (Sunday) | New Zealand NZDT 08:00 (Sunday)
Sessions on Sundays December 11th, 18th, 25th and January 1st: USA PST 01:00 | México 03:00 | USA EST 04:00 | IE & UK 09:00 | Europe CET 10:00 | India 14:30 | Australia AEDT 20.00 | New Zealand NZDT 22:00
Event Registration:
Register at the link below.
Payment:
Suggested donation for the whole series.
£90 / $125 / €100 or £10 / $15 / €12 per day
Get one ticket and come to any session you wish!
This event is offered by donation rather than charging a compulsory ticket price. We want to do this because know many are struggling financially through the pandemic. The amount we suggest reflects the huge amount of work and love that goes into putting on events we hope will benefit everyone attending. If you can, please donate today to help us continue with our work, support Dharma teachers who very generously lead events with us, and support others to attend who cannot afford to pay. Thank you!
About the Host:
Yashobodhi went on her first Buddhist retreat in the mid nineties and has been teaching Buddhism, meditation and mindfulness in different settings for over 15 years. She regularly leads retreats in the UK as well as internationally. She is originally from the Netherlands, but has lived and worked in the UK since 2010. She left her full-time position at the West London Buddhist Centre in 2018, but still teaches a weekly class, now on Zoom. In the last few years she has been teaching mindfulness and meditation in a range of contexts and continues to do so online post-pandemic.
Moving Through the World with an Open Heart (Online International Triratna Event)
Hosted By: Jayachitta
Sunday, December 4th, 2022
4:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST
Online via Zoom
Event Description:
Tonglen is a meditation practice centered around compassion in response to the sufferings of the world. The word 'tonglen' means "to send out and to receive". The practice is closely related to the training of the Bodhisattva, whose heart opens unconditionally to all life and all living beings.
Pema Chödrön says: "All sentient beings without exception have...an inherent tenderness of the heart, its natural tendency to love and care for others. But over time, in order to shield ourselves from feeling pain and discomfort, we have erected solid barriers that cover up our tenderness and vulnerability."
In these uncertain times, full of change and, sometimes, fear, how can we remain open and become still when we are truly aware of the sorrows around us? How can we, without closing ourselves off, be fully present here in this moment, and experience that we too are a part of the world?
This day retreat is an introduction to Tonglen's practice in a form that involves the body and voice. We will be using movement improvisation and meditation. No prior experience is necessary. You can expect to experience joy on this event!
The morning and evening sessions will give the context to the main practice, which will be introduced in the afternoon.
This day involves three sessions to allow maximum participation internationally across time zones. Feel free to attend as many as you wish.
Session Times:
First daily session (1.5 hrs): USA PST 01:00 | México 03:00 | USA EST 04:00 | IE & UK 09:00 | Europe CET 10:00 | India 14:30 | Australia AEST 20:00 | New Zealand NZST 22:00
Second daily session (2.5 hrs): USA PST 05:30 | México 07:30 | USA EST 08:30 | IE & UK 13:30 | Europe CET 14:30 | India 19:00 | Australia AEST 00:30 (next day) | New Zealand NZST 02:30 (next day)
Third daily session (1.5 hrs): USA PST 10:30 | México 12:30 | USA EST 13:30 | IE & UK 18:30 | Europe CET 19:30 | India 00:00 (next day) | Australia AEST 05:30 (next day) | New Zealand NZST 07:30 (next day)
Event Registration:
Register at the link below.
Payment:
Suggested donation for the daylong retreat.
£20-35 | $25-45 | €25-40
Get one ticket and come to any session you wish!
This event is offered by donation rather than charging a compulsory ticket price. We want to do this because know many are struggling financially through the pandemic. The amount we suggest reflects the huge amount of work and love that goes into putting on events we hope will benefit everyone attending. If you can, please donate today to help us continue with our work, support Dharma teachers who very generously lead events with us, and support others to attend who cannot afford to pay. Thank you!
About the Host:
Jayachitta has been a Buddhist since 1981, and has lived and worked with other Buddhists for much of that time. She has a deep love of performance as a gateway into the infinity of human expression. Explorative improvisation, movement and clowning are very important to her as supportive approaches to spiritual life, because these are based in physical expression and play. Jayachitta sees this kind of practice as an interactive way of entering and exploring the space that one discovers in meditation.
Emptiness and the Heart Sutra: A home retreat with Tejananda & friends
Join Tejananda and friends for a deep dive into the nature of reality and love.
Seven days of meditation, lively exploration, and strong, supportive friendship: a space to explore why the wisdom of emptiness is, precisely, compassion.
Come to any sessions you wish on this Home Retreat–catch up online with all the teachings throughout the week!
Ten Ways to a Better Buddhist life: Essential Wisdom from the Deer Park
Led by Parami and friends, Sept 16 - 22
A home retreat based on the Dasadhamma sutta. Seven days of meditation, lively exploration, and strong, supportive friendship: a space to formulate your own path towards a better life.
Doorway to the Deep: A day retreat on meditation
Led by Singhashri, Sept 10
An online meditation retreat, diving deep. The sessions will be a mix of presentation, practice, interaction and inquiry, and may feature breakout groups.
The Burning House: A course for Buddhists and Eco-Activists
Led by Shantigarbha, Sept 1, 8, 15 & 22
How can we wake up and respond to the climate and ecological emergency?
This course follows Shantigarbha’s recently published book, The Burning House: A Buddhist Response to the Climate and Ecological Emergency and explores the most pressing question of our times.
Reading Circle: Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition
Would you like to read a transformational book written by a Buddhist author about race over the summer? Would you consider doing this as a community, within a supportive online ‘Reading Circle’ with other Triratna sangha members?
We are offering the opportunity to explore a wonderful work in a spacious format over these Summer months and early Fall: Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition by Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad. The author has generously offered to meet with our Reading Circles for Q&A at the end of the cycle!
The Earth is Our Witness: Loving Self and World Through the Climate Crisis
Triratna Earth Sangha groups are emerging at different Buddhist Centres around the world. Join us online for a 5-day Urban Retreat leading to a Dharma celebration of Earth Day 2022.
We’ll be connecting, meditating, studying, and creating ritual space together, online and at Buddhist Centres.
Led by members of the Triratna Earth Sangha, including Parami, Tejopala, Shantigarbha, Santacitta, Akasharaja, Akuppa, and Sarvajit.
What is this retreat about?
- Supporting you to be inspired and positive about your personal Dharma practice in relation to action around the environment.
- A space to unite all Buddhist practitioners who also want to care for the earth, with the Dharma as our shared basis.
- Looking at our emotions and thought processes around the environment—and how to transform them when they feel difficult. Dharma eco-activism should never promote unskilful mental states!
- Encouraging connection in small groups where we can explore our environmental actions in relation to Dharma practice and our mental states.
Broaden our sense of positive concern for the earth. It’s not just about climate! All life counts in an ecological approach to the Dharma.
What can I expect?
- Five consecutive days in April 2022, finishing on 22 April, which is Earth Day.
- We will offer three online sessions a day: morning, afternoon and evening.
Follow-up and practice review session for participants in June as part of Buddhist Action Month (BAM).
- Attend at home or at your local centre, where participating.
- Dedicated web spaces for the retreat—get free resources and share your own inspiration with others taking part!
Triratna Day: What the World Needs Now
About this global Festival Day
Triratna Day 2022 will focus on our contribution to the world: a vision of truth, communicated in a culture of kalyana mitrata (“beautiful friendship”), for the benefit of all. The day will be an experience of that, especially of being part of a global network of friendships for the good.
We’ll have four events—meditation, talk, a seminar and a puja—hosted from Adhisthana, Berlin, and the Americas. Translation will be available for some sessions. And our symbol will be Bhante Sangharakshita’s Thousand-armed Avalokitesvara thangka. ‘Avalokitesvara in the World’ is the name of the £1 million appeal that FutureDharma will launch at the event.
Join us for a very special day, and a unique chance to explore with experienced Order Members around the world what it means to be part of a global spiritual community.
The program runs all day, starting in the morning UK time. Everything is recorded, so you can make your own schedule with the sessions. We will join the last session live, which runs at 11:30am EST.
Truly Amazing is this Dream-like World: Exploring our Dreams Through the Dharma
Myriad visions and various feelings-
all appear before me.
Truly amazing is this dream-like world,
Oh, what a wonder,
What a marvel!
Empty is their nature,
Yet everything is manifested!
– Milarepa
About this weekend:
Arthabandhu will help us reconnect with the magic of our dream lives and show how dreams can be part of a rich Dharma life. Just to start to be able to recall our dreams releases energy and deepens our awareness of ourselves, but we can go further by actively bringing mindfulness, loving kindness and ethical sensitivity into our dreams.
We’ll be exploring these themes through talks, discussion, meditation and ritual. On the first day we’ll prepare to go into the night with open hearts and see what comes from the dream world. The following day we’ll have the chance to share and reflect upon our experiences, including looking at what may potentially block our capacity to dream or ability to dream creatively. We’ll be learning together about the value and uses of dreams and dream states in our lives, exploring the practical things we can do to integrate our dreams with our practice of the Dharma.
What to expect:
Day 1:
Meditation followed by an introduction the theme of dream awareness
Teaching followed by a mindful siesta exploring the value of becoming aware in these in-between states.
Practice and dream themed puja
Day 2:
Meditation, followed by dream circles
A mindful walk. Closing ritual.
Marking the Change of Time: A Day of Meditation and Reflective Writing
About the day retreat
As the clocks spring forward or fall back, here is an opportunity to reflect on the past and ponder the future with Yashobodhi.
And what better way to do that than in the here and now, in the company of like-minded friends?We will be following a series writing prompts that allow us to reflect on our lives, where we are and how we got there.
What have we learnt? What was important? And what not so much…?
In this way images, patterns and thoughts can emerge that may show us a thread to follow into the future.
What to expect
We will explore and practise through meditation and reflective writing. We will also interact in small breakout groups to give spoken words to our experience and be kindly witnessed by others.
This day consists of two sessions that can be attended separately. To get the most of the day, it would, of course, work best to take part in the whole day.
In the first session we will focus on the past. In the second we will looking towards the future. Both parts of the day will finish with a short ritual.
The Myth of Meditation: Restoring Imaginal Ground Through Embodied Buddhist Practice
Seven days of meditation, soulful exploration, and strong, supportive friendship: a safe space to go deeper into experience and practice.
About the retreat
With his deeply grounded approach to Buddhist meditation and practice, Paramananda offers an approach that is a challenge both to the way we experience ourselves, and the way in which we see and ‘be’ in the world.
He guides us in rooting meditative experience in the body, turning towards whatever comes up in a kindly and intelligent way, and seeing through to another way of understanding and being in the world.
During this retreat, Paramananda will invite some friends to co-host the ritual space of practice.
What to expect
The sessions will be a mix of meditation, poetry, presentation, practice, interaction and inquiry. One session each day will feature breakout groups.
There will also be a private community message board for all taking part in the retreat.
Past Events
