Meditation In Canterbury

Our public meditation takes place every Wednesday at 8pm, in the Elgar Room, at the Friends Meeting House (6, The Friars, Canterbury, CTI 2AS) email us at canterbury@dwbuk.org for more information. Beginners and experienced meditators welcome.

In the Karma Kagyu lineage we have a practice orientated approach to the highest of Buddha‘s teachings; who advised his students to not just believe in anything but always check things out and make one‘s own experiences.

Meditation is like a laboratory for working with mind: accepted information is turned into experience. We use precise methods that are authentic and timeless and they effectively develop our body, speech and mind in a way that brings lasting benefit to all beings and ourselves. Increasingly, as one gains more distance to the disturbing emotions and transforms them into liberating insights, one becomes able to apply the highest view, also called "pure view", in all life situation and experience ever growing joy, compassion and wisdom.

Our public meditation is that of the 16th Karmapa, who specially gave it to be practised in the West. As it is actually a form of advanced guru yoga, it skillfully develops all aspects of mind. In the meditation, Karmapa is not seen as a person, but as a symbol of infinite space and the mind of all Buddhas. Similar to other meditations in the Diamond Way tradition it consists of the calming, the building up and the dissolving phase. First you calm the mind by focusing on your breath, then you concentrate on a certain Buddha form which represents the aspect of yourself that you wish to develop. In the dissolving phase you dissolve the Buddha form and melt your awareness with it, thus becoming one.

We practice this guided meditation every Wednesday at 8 pm, one meditation session lasts for approximately 45 minutes. Afterwards you are welcome to socialize with friends.

Everybody is welcome and meditation sessions are free. If you are coming for the first time, please get in touch, we'll arrange for one of our experienced people to meet you at around 7.15 pm to have plenty of time to ask questions and get an introduction to Buddhism and meditation.