Welcome

Welcome to the Buddhist Council of Wales site. Here you will find details of events, information and news relating to the organisations which are members of the Council and also to other Buddhist organisations – a resource for all Buddhists in Wales.

Friday 20 June 2014

Satipanya Buddhist Retreat, Powys


The Satipanya Buddhist Trust is grounded in the Buddhist Tradition of Theravada as practised in South-East Asia.

Satipanya is located in Powys, Wales, in UK, south of Shrewsbury and near the Shropshire border.

Upcoming courses include:

Eleven Week Summer Course Mahasi Tradition

Sat. start dates: 05, 19, July; 02, 16, 30 Aug. 13 Sept. End: Sun. 21 Sept.

Eight Nights minimum from Sat pm to Sun am

A challenging course easily modified for beginners. Can stay for more than one week. Start on one of the listed Saturdays. Alternative Sun. possible for established meditators.

Day Retreat

Sat. 18 Oct.

Kick Start/Top up. Day long Arrive 09.30. Finish 17.00 Please bring food to share.

Weekend Retreat

Fri. 24 Oct. @ 17.00

Sun.26 Oct. p.m.

Weekend.  An easier schedule with opportunity for discussion. Day retreatants also welcome.

For further information please visit the website

Saturday 14 June 2014

The Awakened Heart Sangha

The Awakened Heart Sangha (AHS) is a mandala of students, teachers and supporters continually evolving around the core principle of Openness Clarity and Sensitivity and the path of Awakening for all beings.

The Awakened Heart Sangha runs regular non-residential courses and residential retreats that are open to everyone, whether you are just making a tentative exploratory visit or whether you have been studying and practising for years. These events offer the opportunity to come together to practise intensively, to receive teachings from Lama Shenpen or other teachers, and to share mutual inspiration and support.

For information about current courses please see the Calendar of Events






Friday 13 June 2014

Natural Heroism teaching at Aro Ling Cardiff

Natural Heroism—and the martial arts associated with this principle—enable us to discover ourselves as heroes and heroines. We can discover strength and fearlessness, whilst also embracing gallantry, gentleness and honour.

Ngakma Sang-gyé will demonstrate the physical practices associated with Natural Heroism. She is a practitioner of Tactile Responsiveness Therapy—Tibetan Massage—and has over 20 years experience massaging people from all walks of life and levels of fitness and health.

Ngakma Sang-gyé will be teaching at Aro Ling Cardiff at 10am on Saturday 21st June. 

Saturday 7 June 2014

NATO SUMMIT 2014 PROTESTS IN WALES (August 30-5 September)

NATO SUMMIT 2014 PROTESTS IN WALES (August 30-5 September)

60 WORLD LEADERS MEETING AT CELTIC MANOR, NEWPORT


At this year's summit the US will be pressuring European governments to increase their already huge military budgets at a time when poverty and inequality are soaring. NATO expansion has contributed to a dangerous crisis in Ukraine threatening a regional war. The week of action will open on Saturday 30 August with a mass march through Newport. There will also possibly be an multi-faith vigil, details to be confirmed.To add your name or your organisation to the statement below please email

NO MORE WARS:

PROTEST THE NATO SUMMIT

No to NATO. No to War. No to Austerity.

Statement issued by No NATO Newport 03.02.2014


Wales could see its biggest protests in a generation as 60 world leaders meet at the Celtic Manor in Newport for the NATO summit on 4th -5th September to plan their war on the world. Previous summits in Chicago and Strasbourg saw thousands protest war, austerity and global inequality.

From August 30th people will flock to South Wales for international actions including a weekend march and Counter Summit, week-long peace camp, and protests on the summit’s opening day.

NATO is the nuclear-armed military alliance binding Europe to US foreign policy, a foreign policy post-Iraq increasingly unpopular around the world. It is also the military alliance currently occupying Afghanistan.

War is the enemy of the poor. The world’s 85 richest people have as much as poorest 3.5 billion. The annual sum needed to end world hunger is $30 billion while the US Military’s budget is $530 billion per year.

Money into war is money out of our communities. In the UK, 500,000 people had to resort to food banks last year. While public services are slashed, one day of war in Afghanistan could fund 100,000 nurses.

This autumn the powerful will make their voices heard at the NATO summit. We must make sure that the voice of the millions around the world who need peace and justice is also heard.

Supported by - Stop the War Coalition, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), People's Assembly Against Austerity, Public & Commercial Services Union (PCS), Student Assembly Against Austerity, Black Triangle, Anti-Defamation Campaign in Defence of Disability Rights, Veterans for Peace UK, Child Victims of War, CND Cymru, Plaid Cymru Youth, Green Left, Wales Green Party, Rhondda Cynon Taf UNISON, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg/Welsh Language Society, Swansea Community Palestine Link, Swansea Action for Palestine, Swansea University People & Planet, Disarm Swansea University, Cardiff Stop the War Coalition, Aberystwyth Peace & Justice Network, Bro Emlyn for Peace & Justice, Bangor & Ynys Môn Peace & Justice, Plymouth Stop the War Coalition, Newcastle Stop the War Coalition, Newcastle Palestine Solidarity Campaign, North East People's Assembly, Food Not Bombs Wales, South Wales Anarchists, Socialist Resistance, Socialist Labour Party, Socialist Party Wales, Newport Against The Bedroom Tax, Newport People's Assembly, Wrexham People's Assembly, Cardiff People's Assembly, RCT People's Assembly, Cardiff Trades Council, Merthyr Trades Council, Newport Trades Council, Torfaen Trades Council, Cardiff Left Unity, Cymru Wales IWW, Yr Aflonyddwch Maw

Initial Signatories include - in a personal capacity - Rt Rev. Dr Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales; Jeremy Corbyn MP, Chair, Stop the War Coalition; John McDonnell MP, Chair, Labour Representation Committee; Jill Evans MEP, Plaid; Bethan jenkins AM, Plaid; Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM, Plaid; Simon Thomas AM, Plaid; Pippa Bartolotti, Leader, Wales Green Party, Dr Derek Wall, International Co-ordinator, Green Party of England & Wales, Jack Mcglen, Equalities & Diversity Coordinator, Green Party of England & Wales, Andrew Murray, Unite the Union, Chief of Staff, Paul Mackney, Former General Secretary, UCU, Co-Chair, Greece Solidarity Campaign, Mark Campbell, UCU National Executive Committee, Marianne Owens, PCS National Executive Committee, Darren Williams, PCS Acting Wales Secretary, John Davidson, PCS Scotland Committee, R&C Assistant Group Secretary, National Editorial Board , Steve Ryan, PCS Wales Committee, Belinda Robertson, Robertson, Unite Wales, Regional Women's and Equalities Officer, Joanne Galazka, Unite Wales, Unite Community Co-ordinator, Ramon Corria, Secretary, Cardiff Trades Council, Roy Davis, President, Caerphilly Trades Council, Richard Morse, Secretary, Torfaen Trades Council, Terry Evans, Secretary, Policy Development & Campaign Committee, Cymru Wales UNISON, Ian Thomas, UNISON, Senior Steward, Cardiff and Vale Health Branch, Martin Chapman, UNISON, Senior Steward, City and County of Swansea Branch, Comrade Jamie Von Insole, NUJ, South Wales, Alan Milne, Wirral West Constituency Labour Party, Cllr Sue Lent, Deputy Leader, Cardiff Council, Cllr Darren Williams, Cardiff, Labour; Cllr Dilwar Ali, Cardiff, Labour; Cllr Jonathan Evans, Cardiff, Labour; Cllr David Groves, Cardiff, Labour; Cllr Daniel De'Ath, Cardiff, Labour, Cllr Iona Gordan, Cardiff, Labour, Cllr Garry Hunt, Cardiff, Labour, Cllr Chris Davis, Cardiff, Labour, Cllr Siobhan Corria, Cardiff Labour, Cllr Mary McGarry, Cardiff, Labour, Cllr Cecilia Love, Cardiff Labour, Cllr Susan Elsmore, Cardiff, Labour, Cllr Ray Davies, Vice-Chair CND Cymru, Caerphilly, Labour, Cllr Peter Foley, Bridgend, Independent, Emma Hughes, Co-editor, Red Pepper, Asa Winstanley, Journalist, Associate Editor, Electronic Intifada, Emily Trahair, Editor, Planet - The Welsh Internationalist, Andy Worthington, Journalist & Author of "The Guantanamo Files" & "The Battle of the Beanfield", Jonathan Neale, Author & Climate Activist, Johnny Void, Blogger, Jonny Jones, RS21 Website Editor, former Deputy Editor, International Socialism Journal (2009-13), Tom Fowler, Website Editor, Radical Wales, Kelvin Mason, Peace News, Dr Lina Dencik, Lecturer, Cardiff School of Journalism; Professor Christopher Norris, Philosopher and Literary Critic, Mab Jones, Comic Poet, Stevie Krayer, Writer, Lindsey German, National Convenor, Stop the War Coalition, Dr Kate Hudson, General Secretary, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), Chris Nineham, Vice-Chair, Stop the War Coalition, Prof Dave Webb – Chair, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), Betty Hunter, Honourary President, Palestine Solidarity Campaign; Roger Cole, Chair, Peace & Neutrality Alliance, Ireland, Joe Lombardo, Co-coordinator, United National Anti-war Coalition (UNAC), USA, Joanne Baker, Coordinator, Child Victims of War, Rob Griffiths, General Secretary, Communist Party of Britain, Hanef Bhamjee OBE, Secretary, Action for Southern Africa/Formerly Wales Anti-Apartheid Movement,Dr Carol Norris MBE, Jill Gough, National Secretary, CND Cymru, Robin Gwyndaf, Is-Lywydd Cymdeithas y Cymod yng Nghymru / Vice-President of the Fellowship of Reconciliation in Wales; Jane Harries, Cydlynydd Cymdeithas y Cymod a Chrynwraig / Coordinator of the Fellowship of Reconciliation in Wales & Quaker; Dr John Cox, Vice-Chair, CND Cymru, Ben Griffin, Ex-SAS, Veterans for Peace; Chris Cole, Drone Campaign Network/Drone Wars UK; Adam Johannes, Secretary, Cardiff Stop the War Coalition; Ross Saunders, Secretary, Cardiff Against The Cuts; Phil Steele, Bangor & Ynys Môn Peace & Justice; Lotte Reimer, Aberystwyth Peace and Justice Network; Wendy Lewis, Cor Cochion/Cardiff's Red Choir; Paolo Fiora, FFCHS, Freedom From Covert Harassment surveillance; John McArdle, Black Triangle, Dee Murphy, Swansea Community Palestine Link, Uma Sims, Secretary, Cardiff Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Harry Rogers, Bro Emlyn for Peace & Justice, Hayley Kemp, Plymouth Stop the War Coalition; Roger Nettleship, South Tyneside Stop the War Coalition; Stuart Evans, Treasurer, Welsh National Rights Movement/Mudiad Hawliau Cenedlaethol Cymru; Alan Thornett, Socialist Resistance; Peter Davies, Cymru IWW; Simon Hales, Derbyshire Green Party member, Peter Edwards, Cardiff SWP, GMB member, Len Arthur, Left Unity Wales, UCU member, Rob Abrams, Disarm Swansea University, Liz Screen, Socialist Labour Party Wales; Jan Underwood, UCU member, Bangor; Rev. Rufus Maychild, Iseum of Pandora; Dr Tomasz Pierscionek, Academic Clinical Fellow in Psychiatry, Editor, London Progressive Journal, North East Regional Council Executive, BMA; Aaron Kiely, NUS Black Officer; Fiona Edwards, Secretary, Student Broad Left; Sam Dathi, Organiser, Student Assembly Against Austerity/National Officer, Stop the War Coalition; Tom Costerton, Organiser, Student Assembly Against Austerity; Ally Rooms, SOAS Stop the War; Marienna Pope-Weidemann, Counterfire; Clare Birkett, SOAS Counterfire; Ruairidh Paton, SOAS Counterfire; Glenn Page, National Chair, Plaid Cymru Youth; Aled Morgan Hughes, National Secretary, Plaid Cymru Youth ; Daniel Roberts, Director of Policy and Campaigns, Plaid Cymru Youth; Cerith Dafydd Rhys Jones, Director of Press and Communications, Plaid Cymru Youth; Peter Gillibrand, Chair, Carmarthenshire Plaid Cymru Youth, Local Plaid Cymru Youth chair for Carmarthenshire; Sebastian Power, , Former Co-Spokesperson, Federation of Young European Greens, Green Party International Committee, Young Greens of England and Wales Committee

Kalpa Bhadra Buddhist Centre, Llandudno



Kalpa Bhadra Buddhist Centre, Llandudno.

Meditation Courses for a Calm and Peaceful Life

Day courses in June

A Different Way of Life
Saturday 14th June, 10.30-4.00pm, £25 per person.
Modern Kadampa Buddhism teaches us how we can use our everyday experiences as an opportunity for spiritual growth. On this course you will receive invaluable advice on how to transform every aspect of your life so it becomes more meaningful and happy.

For further information, please visit the website.

Monday 2 June 2014

UK Dzogchen Community - Kunsel Ling Retreat Centre Hay-on-Wye

The UK Dzogchen Community - Kunsel Ling



The Dzogchen Community U.K. bought 'Kunselling', an old stone farmhouse with a sunny courtyard and outbuildings in an idyllic Welsh valley, not far from Hay-on-Wye. Rinpoche first stayed at Kunselling in November 1998 and consecrated it as an authentic, sacred site for the practice and continuation of the Dzogchen teachings, naming it 'Kunsel Ling', meaning 'The Place of Total Luminosity'.

For further information please visit the UK Dzogchen Community Kunsel Ling website. 

Events in July at Kunsel Ling


Dance of the Song of the Vajra Deepening Course with Cindy Faulkne

From Sunday, 06 July 2014 - 10:00 To Thursday, 10 July 2014 - 14:00



Who can attend: Dzogchen Community members who have received transmission from Chogyal Namkai Norbu

This course, taught by Cindy Faulkner, is not suitable for beginners. It is necessary to have learnt the steps before. Cindy became a student of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu and the Vajra Dance in 1996 and has been authorised to teach since 2005.


Vajra Dance Pracice
 
From Friday, 11 July 2014 To Sunday, 13 July 2014



Vajra Dance Practice and webcast coinciding with the inauguration of the Vajra Dance Hall in Khandroling USA

Summer Karma Yoga and Vajra Dance 

From Monday, 14 July 2014 To Sunday, 20 July 2014



This year's Summer Karma Yoga week for Kunselling.

The usual benefits relative and absolute are on offer i.e. free food and board / good way to accumulate merit.


Shitro Retreat with Jakob Winkler

From Thursday, 24 July 2014 To Sunday, 27 July 2014




The program will include Shitro explanations, practice, and sessions of Yantra Yoga and Vajra Dance.

Description: Shitro, the practice of the peaceful and wrathful manifestation is a tantric practice with a close connection to Dzogchen. This practice is used for purifying our obscurations and we can apply it for the same purpose for the benefit of the deceased. Based on the Bardo Thödrol, the "Tibet Book of the Dead“ which is nowadays wide spread. It came to Tibet by Padmasambhava and was revealed as Terma or 'treasure teaching' in the 14th Century by the tertön Karma_Lingpa.

The practice used is from Mingyur Dorje (1645-1667), a student and teacher of Karma Chagme Raga Asya (1613-1678). Chögyal Namkhai Norbu has chosen that version for his students, because it is very essential and easy to use.

Participants need transmission of that practice to participate or sincere interest. In that case they can receive the transmission later from Rinpoche e.g. through webcast.

More information on pricing will follow shortly.



Jakob Winkler has been practicing Tibetan Buddhism since the mid-eighties. He met Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in 1989 & in 2002 he was authorized by him to teach the base of the ‘Santi Maha Sangha’. Jakob holds an MA in Tibetology, Indian art history and social anthropology (the topic for his master's thesis was "Death Ritual in Tibet". He works as an editor for Buddhist publications, as a Tibetan language interpreter for Buddhist teachings & as an international instructor for Santi Maha Sangha. Today, he lives in Bonn, Germany.

Sunday 1 June 2014

Meditation Classes in Carmarthen

Meditation Classes in Carmarthen - Kadampa Buddhism

Classes cover these areas: Llanelli, Gorseinon, Pontarddulais, Llangennech, Ammanford, Kidwelly, Burry Port, St Clears, Llandeilo, Lampeter and Aberystwyth

Tuesdays 7:00pm to 8:00pm - with Malcolm

3 June to 15 July

Trysordy Community House
Aalton Farm (in front of Aalton House)
Llansteffan Road
Johnstown
Carmarthen SA31 3QU
Trysordy is over a cattle grid, 100 yards down a tarmac track on the left hand side of road heading out of Carmarthen
Map to Venue- please use this as SatNav systems don't get the location quite right.

Find out about what to expect at a meditation class and about the courses

You do not need to book in advance- these are drop-in classes
Facility fee: £5 per person or £3 unwaged (Please note we are a registered charity-1039234 and this fee covers the running costs; the teacher and the assistant do not receive payment)

For further information please visit the Meditation in Wales website