Emaho! We Doubled Our Sangha
It's always nice to be able to start with good news and here at the Centre the number of ordained sangha has just doubled as we say goodbye to Joe and hello to Nangdrak - pictured above, with his hair even shorter than when he left the Centre for Samye Ling! Make sure to say hello if you see him when you visit, which we hope will be soon.
Among other good news, we have Gelong Thubten giving a whole weekend of teachings based on his latest book - Handbook for Hard Times - which you may not be totally surprised to hear can be bought from the Tea Room. Definitely one for your diary, with full details below.
While our regular Introduction to Meditation courses are very popular, not everyone can make it here on a Wednesday evening so, for the last time this year, there will be a one day course on Saturday 16th December. Check the website for full details and feel free to add it to your diary now.
And finally, I can't believe we're here already but... I've already got details of courses in.... January 2024! For all of those who are interested in learning Tibetan, at whatever level, we have a course for you. Join Drukthar Gyal for:
Beginners' Tibetan Language, 2nd term from Wednesday 17th January
Lower Intermediate Tibetan starting on Friday 19th January
Study the Chenrezig text in Tibetan from Friday 19th January
And now for the rest of the newsletter.
Best wishes,
David Bates
Newsletter Editor
A Guide for Hard Times - with Gelong Thubten
We are delighted to announce that on the weekend of the 25th and 26th November, Gelong Thubten will be giving teachings based on the practices in his latest book "Handbook for Hard Times: a monk's guide to fearless living". Gelong Thubten will explain some of the Buddhist teachings on working with life’s challenges. Regular meditation helps us to transform our thoughts, emotions and reactions, and our experiences of suffering can become steps on the path to liberation.
Topics will include:
exploring our fears and how to become more fearless,
establishing a daily meditation practice,
working with suffering, developing compassion and
practicing forgiveness.
We will look at how to meditate on negative emotions - to transform them - as well as how to work with pain, sickness and difficult relationships. A key focus will be the practice of tonglen, or taking and sending, and how to bring an attitude of fearlessness to our most challenging issues and situations. This course is suitable for beginners as well as the more experienced, and will consist of talks, meditation instruction and sessions, as well as questions and answers.You can find full details of this event on the website.
Introduction to Meditation - with Joelle Peeters
This is your last chance to join our popular Introduction to Meditation course this year which will run over four Wednesday evenings, from the 8th - 29th November inclusive, from 6.30 - 8.00 pm.
The course is led by Kagyu Samye Dzong London Resident Joelle Peeters. Joelle is a long-time Tibetan Buddhist practitioner approved by our organisation to lead and guide meditation practice at the Centre. This course is for people who are new to meditation and will introduce the techniques and understanding to establish an ongoing and fruitful practice of calm abiding meditation. It will include posture, relaxation, breathing, and walking meditation and other relevant aspects of practice.

For full details of this course and to book your place, please visit the website.
Chenrezig Practice Day on Lhabab Duchen
Saturday 4th Nov, 10.30 am – 4.30 pm
You are invited to join us for a day of Chenrezig practice which is dedicated to world peace and the happiness of all beings. Lhabab Duchen is a 'Wheel Day' which signifies the Buddha’s Descent from Heaven, where he taught his mother to repay her kindness.
It is said that the positive effects of dharma practice on Wheel Days are multiplied many hundreds of times, so it is an ideal time to join in this day of practice. Everybody is welcome to attend all or part of the day.