Sangha Summer Fair. 25th – 30th August
This event has already happened.
PROGRAMME
You are invited to come along to a rich mix of events offered by local Order Members and mitras that build into a week long retreat. Come for a day, a single session or of course the whole week. Each day will have a slightly different theme coming out of ideas around Individuality and Spiritual community. There is a full and varied programme each day. Breakfast and Lunch will be provided each day but must be booked in advance through Bhadra: Bhadra@bristol-buddhist-centre.org or sign up in Centre.
Please bring vege dinner to share 6pm each day
| MONDAY | Event |
| 7.30 – 9pm With Naravira and Bhadra | Introduction. Dedication |
| TUESDAY | Theme: Individuality and self awareness |
| 7.30 – 8.00 am 8.00 – 8.30 With Bhadra | 2 Meditations |
| 10.00 – 10.30 With Bhadra | Talk: What is individuality |
| 10.30 – 1.00 With Naravira | Exploration of Ind’ + self awareness |
| 2.30 – 6.00 With Shantigarbha | NVC and awareness |
| 7.30 – 9.00 Special 100 year celebration | Live stream special puja from Adhistana |
| WEDNESDAY | Theme:Group dynamics and spiritual community |
| 7.30 – 8.00am 8.00 – 8.30 With Chandranishta | 2 Meditations |
| 10.00 – 10.30 With Simhanada | Practical Madyamika (See info below) |
| 10.30 – 1.00 With Simhanada | Practical Madyamika |
| 2.30 – 4.30 With Naravira | Discussion following on from morning |
| 5.00 – 6.00 With Emma | Gentle Yoga & Relaxation Session |
| 7.30 – 9.00 With Bodhipushpa | A quiet evening of Breath, poetry and meditation |
| THURSDAY | Theme: Spiritual Friendship |
| 7.30 – 8.00 am 8.00 – 8.30 With Bhadra | 2 Meditations |
| 10.00 – 10.30 With Bhadra | Talk: The Imaginal Realm and relationship |
| 10.30 – 12.30 With Bhadra and Naravira | Facilitated Sharing circle |
| 2.30 – 4.30 With Bhadra and Naravira | Facilitated Sharing Circle |
| 5.00 – 6.00 With Naravira | Meditation |
| 7.30 – 9.00 With Hartley | Ecstatic Dance Session |
| FRIDAY | Theme: Beyond Individuality |
| 7.30 – 8.00am 8.00 – 8.30 With Chandranishta | 2 Meditations |
| 10.00 – 10.30 With Naravira | Talk: Third level of consciousness |
| 10.30 – 1.00 With James | Body and breathwork |
| 2.30 – 4.30 With Sthiramitra | Death cafe |
| 5.00 – 6.00 With Hartley | Mantra chanting |
| 7.30 – 9.00 With Bhadra | Vajrasattva Puja |
| SATURDAY | Theme: Trusting the Inner Guide |
| 7.30 – 8.00 am 8.00 – 8.30 With Bhadra | 2 Meditations |
| 10.00 – 10.30 With Bhadra | Talk: The creative process |
| 10.30 – 1.00 With Bee | Making intuitive mandalas |
| 2.30 – 4.30 With Dharmamrta and Bhadra | Resting into life and love (see below) |
| 4.30 – 6.00 With Dharmamrta and Bhadra | Dance session |
| 7.30 – 9.00 With Naravira and Thea | Arts Cafe: A rich inspirational evening |
Additional Information for events:
Wednesday 27th August 2025 • 10:00 – 1:00 Applied Madhyamaka workshop with Siṃhanāda
The individual in community: resolving the paradox
The central theme of this retreat is the relationship between individual and community. Familiar terms, maybe too familiar. For how well do we truly understand them and their interrelationship?
In this workshop, Siṃhanāda will lead a critical inquiry into “individual” and “community”. This begins with a brief review of how these terms have traditionally been defined within Triratna. This is followed by active participative small group exercises and a plenary in which we will attempt to see how far our understanding can be further expanded through the practical application of Madhyamaka “Middle Way” philosophy.
Open to all. This is an accessible and (hopefully) entertaining approach to the practical uses of Buddhist philosophy. It is very likely to provoke surprising insights.
Friday 29th August. 2.30 – 4.30. Death Cafe with Sthiramitra
A Death Café is where people, often strangers, gather to eat cake, drink tea and
coffee to get over the taboo about talking about death and dying and enjoying it.
The objective is to increase awareness of death with a view to making the most of
our finite lives, to normalise death and to see it as part of life and inevitable as
mortal humans.
A Death Café is a, facilitated, group directed discussion of death with no agenda,
objectives or themes.
Please note: It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling
session.
The Death Café model was developed by Jon Underwood based on ideas by a
Swiss man called Bernard Crettatz in 2011.
Saturday 30th 2.30 – 4.30 :Resting into life and love
To simply rest into our lives and indeed our meditation, just as it is. Simple and yet profound.
Dharmamrta will share a little of her recent experience of the possibility of opening more fully to life through ‘deep rest’.
We will then have a poem and the open sharing circle in the time honoured fashion.
Do please join us.