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Dalai Lama calls for end to violence in Burma/Myanmar
Monday, April 29, 2013
Read on for links to statements by the Dalai Lama and other leading Buddhists, plus sources for following the news from Burma.
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Children’s volunteers needed for Gaia House family retreat this July - UPDATED
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Gaia House now has enough volunteers to run its annual family retreat from the 27th-30th July, with teachers Caroline Jones and Chris Cullen. Many thanks to all Londoners - and everyone else! - who volunteered. We wish you a great retreat.
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The Jatakas: early Buddhist folk tales
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
The Jatakas are early Buddhist texts that tell stories of the Buddha’s past lives, both human and animal. Once seen as literally true, today we can read them as illuminating legends embodying Buddhist values, that may be enjoyed by both adults and children. They also tell us much about the culture of early Buddhism and the way some of its first texts were created.
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Gaia House spring and summer programme
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Gaia House’s programme this year includes a young people’s event and a retreat focussing on living with illness and loss. As usual there are also many retreats for people of any age and any life situation.
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London’s Buddhist art collections
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Traditional Buddhist sculptures and paintings can provide inspiring images of the awakened mind, even for the most secular, westernised practitioner. In London we’re lucky to have several important, free public collections on offer.
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New on the website this month
Sunday, March 10, 2013
In the last few weeks we’ve added a page for those new to insight meditation, links to the most important sites about mindfulness-based therapies, extra links to teachers’ websites, and more. If it’s a while since you’ve visited, you’ll also find some new events for our 2013 programme.
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Follow that teacher
Sunday, March 03, 2013
In London we’re fortunate to have a great number of visiting teachers, letting us sample the wide range of different approaches possible within the insight tradition. However if you find a teacher who really resonates with you, it can be hugely beneficial to focus on understanding their approach and putting it into practice. What are the options for doing this?
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Breathe, you are online
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Some decades ago Thich Nhat Hanh wrote a book called Breathe, you are alive. More recently, he coined the slogan “Breathe, you are online” to encourage mindfulness while working on the computer. All of us are likely to find it challenging to maintain presence, clarity and wise intention while online. Here are a few resources which may help.
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Review: Tricycle magazine, spring 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
The spring copy of Tricycle, the wide-ranging Buddhist magazine published on paper and online, has arrived. As usual it contains much of interest to insight meditation practitioners, with pieces by Sharon Salzberg, Tara Brach, Gina Sharpe and Andrew Olendzki, plus writing by thoughtful practitioners and significant figures from beyond the insight world. Tricycle counts Stephen Batchelor among its contributing editors and is always a good read.
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“Encouragement, inspiration, fun and a love as wide as the world”
Saturday, February 09, 2013
As you may have heard, teachers and practitioners at Gaia House have recently set up DANCE - the Dharma Action Network for Climate Engagement. Rachel Davies, retreat manager at Gaia House, who we have been privileged to work with on several occasions, explains the inspiration for this new initiative.
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Shaving her head for other meditators
Sunday, February 03, 2013
Insight meditation has generally been made as freely available as possible, and Kestrel O’Conally’s fundraising headshave follows in this tradition, allowing access to Gaia House retreats for people who would otherwise struggle to afford them.
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SanghaSeva 2013 programme
SanghaSeva was founded by Nathan Glyde and insight meditation teacher Zohar Lavie to offer retreats combining meditation with service to others. For 2013 there’s a second collaboration with London Insight in May as well as a full programme of events in the UK, Israel and Palestine, and India.
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Qigong in Devon and London
Monday, January 28, 2013
Brad Richecoeur’s recent day of giqong and meditation got our 2013 programme of retreats off to a great start. Please read on for details of classes and retreats, in London and Devon, by Brad and other teachers in the same tradition.
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Responding to sleepiness in meditation
Thursday, January 17, 2013
The Central London Sitting Group this week held a session discussing approaches to sleepiness or tiredness in meditation. Many useful experiences were shared - please read on for a summary.
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All about Sharon Salzberg
Saturday, January 12, 2013
On 27th-28th April this year Sharon Salzberg will be lead a weekend on compassion for us. The retreat will take place at King Alfred School, and you can come for one or both days. Please read on for a brief biography of Sharon and links to writings and talks by her.
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