The path to happiness (4 weeks)
Starts week commencing 29 September

The meditations on this 4-week course cover some of Buddha's most profound and inspiring teachings. In each class we will gain practical experience of a different meditation and an understanding of how they can bring harmony to our busy and complicated, modern lives.

The course includes Buddha's teachings on the ultimate nature of reality - or emptiness. Through the clarity of Geshe Kelsang's presentation, these profound teachings will have an immensely positive effect on our daily lives.

"The main point of meditating on emptiness is to reduce and finally eliminate both types of self-grasping. Self-grasping is the source of all our problems; the extent to which we suffer is directly proportional to the intensity of our self-grasping. For example, when our self-grasping is very strong, we feel a sharp mental pain when others simply tease us in a friendly way, whereas at times when our self-grasping is weak we just laugh with them. Once we completely destroy our self-grasping all our problems will naturally disappear. Even temporarily meditating on emptiness is very helpful for overcoming anxiety and worry."

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Eight Steps to Happiness

Courses in London and the UK
Weekend Retreat in Derbyshire
John McBretney - Fri 17 to Sun 19 Oct, Derby
Get away from it all and experience a relaxing weekend retreat at the beautiful Tara Buddhist Centre, set deep in the heart of the Derbyshire countryside. On this weekend course we will have a wonderful opportunity to learn how to develop and maintain a relaxed and peaceful state of mind, using a very simple yet immensely meaningful meditation. Find out more.

Book online

Learn to meditate in half a day
Sat 25 Oct, Golders Green
An excellent introduction to Buddhist meditation, this course gives clear and practical guidance on how to meditate, and covers some of the essential teachings of Buddhism. As well as experiencing the benefits of meditation for ourselves, we will leave with a clear understanding of how meditation helps to solve our daily problems and improve our experience of happiness. Find out more.

Book online

Tara Centre in Derbyshire

Opening Ceremony For New Centre in Epping
Duldzin Dragpa KBC: Opening Ceremony
With Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab - 25 Oct, Epping
Open to everyone, this event marks the opening of a new Kadampa Buddhist Centre in Epping. Falling on Je Tsongkhapa Day, Gen-la Khyenrab will preside at a special Offering to the Spiritual Guide puja. Find out more about the event.

Dorje Shugden

Special International Event in France
NKT International Fall Festival
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - 31 Oct to 7 Nov, Paris
Open to everyone, the 2008 NKT International Fall Festival is a very special opportunity to receive the empowerment of Prajnaparamita from Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso for the very first time in the west. Find out more.

Prajnaparamita