May Newsletter 2026
- KSD London
- May 4
- 5 min read
Dear all,
Welcome to the May Newsletter.
Volunteering at the Centre - thank you to all those who responded last month to our call for weekly reception cover.
We are also looking for one or two full-time residential volunteers who wish to live and practice in a Buddhist community and who are reliable and hardworking. Full details and an application form can be found on the website.
If this is something you're considering, you may want to read an account of what it's like to be a full-time volunteer. On our community blog - among other articles, there is an excellent one by Sarah Sheehan which you can read here.
The 6th UK Kagyu Monlam will take place at Samye Ling in Scotland from the 20th - 26th May, during Saga Dawa, the most auspicious month in the Tibetan calendar, where the anniversary of Lord Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment and Parinirvana all occur. Full details and booking details can be found on the monastery website.
Lama Yeshe Rinpoche's July visit to KSDLondon - the full programme is now available on the website for both the weekend of the 11th - 12th July, and the 18th - 19th July, including details of a Refuge Ceremony and Bodhisattva Vow. Registration is open for bookings.
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche was planning to visit KSDL this summer. Unfortunately, due to health issues, he was advised to cancel his teaching tour for 2026. We wish Rinpoche a swift recovery and hope he will be able to visit next year.
Coming soon:
We invite you to join us in KSDLondon on Saga Dawa, Sunday 31st May. We will have a full day of practice starting with Green Tara puja and various Monlams throughout the day. Please bring food to share. Full details on the website.
We are excited to share that this year we will be holding a Summer Raffle (to be drawn by Lama Yeshe Rinpoche on Sunday 19th July) and a Quiz Night on Thursday 16th July, both giving you the chance to win some fantastic prizes. For more information about the exciting prizes and how to enter both draw and quiz, just click on the links above!.
Simply Meditation Days - this month we have two of them, taking place on Sundays 3rd and 24th May. They provide an excellent opportunity to experience the power of group meditation. Feel free to join in any or all of the sessions during the day. Full details on the website.
The Tibetan Doctor will next be available in KSDL on the weekend of the 23rd - 24th May. To make an appointment for a consultation please contact Doctor Soktsang directly. If you want to check Dr Soktsang's availability in 2026, the dates of his attendance at the Centre are available on the website.
Finally, I hope you're able to enjoy the forthcoming Bank Holidays, not to mention warmer weather, and for all those Star Wars fans out there, let me give you the annual greeting of "May the Fourth be with you!".
All the best,
David Bates
Newsletter Editor
Lama Zangmo's Upcoming Courses
This month's teachings by Lama Zangmo are as follows:
The Foundation in Buddhism Series continues with a day on the Noble Eightfold Path on Saturday 9th May. The Noble Eightfold Path comprises the three essentials of Buddhist training, ethical conduct, mental development and wisdom.
The Meaning and Benefit of Refuge - Over two Thursday evenings (7th and 14th May) Lama Zangmo will explain what it means to take refuge in the Three Jewels, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and will introduce the refuge prayers used regularly in the Centre.
A Letter to a Friend on Saturday 16th May. If you wish to join, full details can be found on the course page on the website with links to register for the course.
The great Indian Buddhist master Nagarjuna wrote his celebrated Letter to a Friend as a gift of advice to a South Indian king, and it has since become a monument in the Indian shastra tradition. The instructions combine a practical approach to daily conduct for both the layperson and the ordained, and this is a great opportunity to study the text in depth.
Tibetan Film Season at Kagyu Samye Dzong London in Partnership with Tibet Film Festival London - from 21st May
In Autumn 2025, the Tibet Film Festival London successfully held the fifth edition of their unique Film Festival dedicated to Tibetan cinema. The closing film screened at the historic Rio Cinema in Dalston, Mola: A Tibetan Tale of Love and Loss featured a guided meditation and Q&A with Lama Zangmo. Building on our collaboration, KSDL will be hosting Tibet Film Festival London for a curated weekly series of Tibetan film screenings at KSDL beginning on 21st May.
Founded in 2009, the Tibet Film Festival is a global platform dedicated to showcasing the work of Tibetan filmmakers inside Tibet and throughout the diaspora. This unique festival takes place in Zürich (Switzerland), Dharamsala (India), Berlin (Germany) and London (UK), with plans to expand with festivals in Paris, Washington DC and New York this autumn. The festivals are coordinated by dedicated teams in each city made up of volunteer curators, producers, translators and editors.
Please join us for this weekly film series for a curated selection of some of Tibet Film Festival London’s favourite films.
28th May: Spotlighting Tibetan Women Filmmakers
4th June: Enlightened Vision
11th June: The Diaspora Lens
For more information about each event, and to book your seat, just follow the links above.
Awakening our Potential - with Sarah Wass
On Sunday 17th May, Sarah Wass will lead a one-day experiential workshop using the exercises from the book ‘Taming the Tiger’ which details methods and guidance given to us by Akong Rinpoche during his lifetime.
The workshop will introduce some of Akong Rinpoche's Relaxation exercises alongside his visualisation ‘Awakening Our Potential’. This is a visualisation that supports us to recognise and reside more fully in our intrinsic qualities of wisdom and compassion, the essential goodness that is within ourselves and all beings.
Places are capped at 20 for this course. This class will include relaxation exercises and lying down. Please bring a yoga mat and blanket if you have one or you are welcome to borrow a mat from the Centre.
Sarah has a background working as an art therapist in public sector provision in the UK and has been practicing the methods of Tara Rokpa since 2004.
For full information, and to book your place, please visit the course page on the website.
From Victorian Library to Tibetan Buddhist Centre: A Historical Journey
How did a 19th-century symbol of Victorian education transform into the Kagyu Samye Dzong Centre?
Join us at 6.00 pm on Thursday, 18th June, for an evening exploring the "hidden history" of this iconic building. We will trace its fascinating evolution from a hub of municipal knowledge to its current life as a sanctuary for meditation and peace.
We are honored to be joined by Patrick Kingwell, a renowned local historian and author specializing in Southwark’s heritage. With decades of experience in local planning and heritage restoration, Patrick offers a unique expert perspective on the architectural and social shifts that have shaped our neighborhood.
This talk is a highlight of the Bermondsey and Beyond Literary Festival 2026, a celebration of local stories organized by Big Local Works. As a community hub and charity, Big Local Works is dedicated to empowering Bermondsey residents through employment support, benefits advice, and cultural initiatives that bring our history to life.
Please book your seat via the event page on the website.
