Dharma Night

Thursday’s are the main evening of the week where people with different levels of experience can come together. These sessions are open to anyone who has completed an introductory course and would like to learn more about Buddhism. A new format will give more time to each topic so we can go more in depth, benefiting those who already have an established practice too.

Every 7 weeks there is a new topic to explore, with guest speakers and Puja’s still happening regularly. Each session is stand alone and runs from 7:15pm-9:15pm, doors from 7pm. No booking required.

COMING UP

Dharma Night Theme: The Tibetan Book of the Dead; magic or superstition? Finding the core dharmic principles in this inspirational teaching

The Tibetan book of the dead is one of the most famous teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, involving intricate, highly symbolic and ritualised practices around death and dying. How do we as living, non-tibetans make use of this set of teachings? What questions does it pose about life, death, how we practice and what we can do with our minds and hearts at times of crucial transformation. Join Dharmashalin as we explore this and other questions.

7 March: How to practice at times of great change
14 March: A journey through the Bardo(s)
21 March: An invitation to the luminosity of mind

28 March: MITRA CEREMONIES!!
4 April: Inspiration from the five Buddha Mandala with Samachitta

NEW! Dharma Night Theme: Metta as a Path to Insight

Join Singhamati for an exploration of the deepest reach of the metta bhavana – insight practice.  Through talks, led meditation and discussions we will explore and reflect on the Buddhas teaching on loving kindness, awakening our hearts on the path.

11 April: The Buddha’s teaching – a path with heart
18 April: Mindfulness and metta – are they different?
25 April: The power of intention
2 May: The dance of effort and receptivity
9 May: A path to insight

You can catch up with some of the talks given at Sangha Night on FreeBuddhistAudio and some also on YouTube

Building connections: 3 guys sat round a table chatting with other people in the background.
Relaxed atmosphere: 2 guys on a sofa talking with each other, one has tattoos up his arm
3 young people having a picnic in the garden, laughing

Sangha Night was running for 7 years, and now we have some new ideas, to make the evenings even better. Starting in 2024, Thursday nights at the Buddhist Centre will be a little different. Thursday’s Sangha Night becomes “Dharma Night: The Buddha’s teaching for everyone”

What will change?
The main difference is that instead of mostly stand alone sessions there will be a series of four or five sessions on a particular topic – so that we can get into more in depth.
A new topic launches every seven weeks, seven topics in total through the year.
Every series starts with an introductory evening to the theme which is timed to follow the end of the previous introductory course.
Each series will have one order member hosting for those weeks, but they may not lead every session.
“Guest nights” will happen once every 7 weeks – where you can meet Order members from out of town or locals you don’t know so well.
Pujas (devotional rituals) will happen once every 7 weeks – sometimes this will be a mitra ceremony
Soirees will still happen twice a year around the solstice

What will stay the same?
Most importantly, the primary intention of the evening is still to build connections between people
Evenings will include presentations and discussions.
Evenings will still be stand alone to allow that lovely Thursday night flexibility.
This is a good next step for people completing introductory courses