‘Evensong’ means evening prayer or ritual. It’s roots are from the ‘vespers’ which in archaic language means ‘evening’.

Join Singhamanas for a spacious practice of poetry, chanting and meditation. This is a beautiful way to start your evening, transitioning from work into whatever awaits you. Connect more with your practice in daily life whilst building connections.

This event is open to everyone. Please note there is no ‘teaching’ as such, but this is an opportunity to practise together and meet with others.

Tuesdays and Thursdays 5pm-6pm – Arrive from 5pm for a 5:15pm start.

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Upcoming Events

“What would it be like to turn all that we do into practice? How different would we experience the world, ourselves and others?

Come and experiment in Sangha Works – turning the ordinary into the extra-ordinary! We start with a check in, before choosing a task to work with as practice from cleaning the centre, to cleaning rupa’s and shrine materials, to light gardening work. We can offer sitting down jobs and more active jobs. We also get to connect with each other and dwell in active, off the cushion practice in the centre.

Just turn up! Or get in touch with Alice beforehand if you have any questions: caretaker@bristol-buddhist-centre.org

Upcoming Events

The theme for 2021 was ‘Tools for Building a Sustainable Practice’

This theme was used to shape the community night which involves talks, discussion, meditation as well as ritual and other delights!

6 Jan: Tools for Building a Sustainable Practice

13 Jan: Advayamati shares his experience of building a sustainable practice… partly through cycling!

27 Jan: Losing and finding ourselves in the service of others with Amaladipa

11 Feb: Guided Stupa Visualisation

14 Feb: The Final Letting Go (Paranirvana)

24 Feb: Intermediate Level Meditation

24 Feb: Focus and Awareness in Meditation

24 Feb: Stillness and Movement in Meditation

3 Mar: Beauty and Truth in Life

10 Mar: Twenty Points for Dealing with Overwhelm (1 overview)

17 Mar: Balancing the Five Spiritual Faculties

31 Mar: Twenty Points for Dealing with Overwhelm (2 faith)

6 Apr: The Tyranny of Perfectionism & the Distrust of Authority

6 Apr: The Enchanted World

15 Apr: The Four Myths

30 Apr: Stepping Down from our Aloneness

5 May: Twenty Points for Dealing with Overwhelm (3 meditation)

5 May: Twenty Points for Dealing with Overwhelm (4 wisdom)

5 May: Uncontrived Mindfulness with Vajradevi

14 May: The Five Spiritual Faculties with Achalavira

9 Jun: Triratna – A History and Distinctive Emphases

22 Jun: The Four Myths and the Parable of the Raincloud

7 Jul: The Questions of King Malinda

7 Jul: The Anatomy of Awareness (meditation series)

10 Jul: The Anatomy of Awareness (meditation series)

21 Jul: The Anatomy of Awareness (meditation series)

22 Jul: The Anatomy of Awareness (meditation series)

27 Jul: The Anatomy of Awareness (meditation series)

7 Sep: First Steps into a New World

14 Sep: The Burning House (series)

21 Sep: The Burning House (series)

28 Sep: The Burning House (series)

6 Oct: Animism and Openness

6 Oct: Dreams and Generations

12 Oct: A Warrior with a Big Heart

12 Oct: Changing India, Changing the World

12 Oct: Breaking Free from Caste

12 Oct: Dr Ambedkar and the Dharma Revolution (further conversations)

19 Oct: Why I Can’t Meditate

19 Oct: Practising with Pain and Love

15 Nov: The Faculty of Wisdom

A beautiful forest canopy appear in the shrine room at the Bristol Buddhist Centre. Those attending the retreat dwelled in this ‘mango grove’ to hear Buddhist teams and and reflect on their practise within the community (sangha).

Talks:

Befriending Your Mandala of Being for the Benefit of Sangha

Chaos, Doubt and Ambivalence

Breath as the Ground of Sangha

The Field: Interpenetrating Nature of Sangha

Job description

Bookkeeper for the Bristol Buddhist Centre
The individual in this post will take responsibility for providing an effective financial service for the Trustees and
management of the Bristol Buddhist Centre. The work includes

1. Maintenance of accounting records, currently held in Paxton (cloud based accounting software)
   including bank reconciliations.
2. Cash flow management to include ensuring that all financial commitments are met.
3. Creation and management of annual budgets.
4. Monthly financial reporting to Trustees.
5. Ensuring adherence to Charity Commission regulations.
6. Creation of the monthly payroll, using Brightpay (cloud based software).
7. Annual review of risk management policy to include recommendations to Trustees.
8. Liaison with the independent examiner to produce year end accounts.
9. Undertake regular reviews of suppliers of key items to ensure the Centre is receiving best value for money, while
   meeting our ethical standards.
   Qualifications:
   Preferably AAT qualified, but consideration will be given to applicants with at least 3 years relevant experience.
   Experience:
    Budgets
    Year End accounts
    Gift Aid
    Charity Commission regulations and reporting
    Payroll

Skills:
 Good attention to detail
 Accurate record-keeping
 Computer literacy, especially familiarity with spreadsheets, databases and accounting software
 Multi-tasking and organisational skills to manage different financial duties, including the ability to prioritise tasks
in order to meet deadlines
 Good interpersonal skills
 Good communication skills

Personal Circumstances:
 A mitra, ideally training for ordination.
 Desire to make work a spiritual practice
 Openness to learning about self and others through work
 Desire to contribute to team development and growth, and ability to work effectively with other team members

The post holder will become part of the Heart Kula (Admin team plus the Chair and Mitra Convenors). This involves
engagement with the various, day to day team tasks involved in effectively running a busy Centre. We are a team-based right livelihood and recognise the importance of deepening our spiritual friendships with each other and working together harmoniously and collectively in order to serve the Sangha.
You would be encouraged to join a support team for at least one regular class or event during the week, be in a mitra
study group and in regular communication with at least two Order members.

The post is for 16 hours per week. The current rate of pay is £9.30 per hour, based on the real living wage. In addition,
an annual retreat allowance of up to £1,500 pro rata is available. Leave for retreats or holidays are 32 days, including all
public holidays. These are annual allowances running from January 1st to December 31 st each year and cannot be carried forward.

The closing date is Mon 25th October; interviews will be held in the following week.
We are looking for someone available to start by the first week of January 2022. If you wish to apply for the post or have an informal chat about the role email Bhadra@bristol-buddhist-centre.org & info@bristol-buddhist-centre.org

Your application should detail your experience and also why you would like to join the Right livelihood team at the Bristol Buddhist Centre. Please enclose your CV and details of two referees.

Bristol Buddhist Centre Vision Statement

1. The BBC endeavours to be a place for human transformation through following the radical path of the Buddha.
2. We are a Triratna Centre and part of the world-wide Triratna movement founded by Sangharakshita and so
   offer clear pathways into a deepening system of Dharma training, in line with Sangharakshita’s presentation,
   supporting spiritual growth at all levels of involvement.
3. We recognise and place great emphasis on spiritual friendship and the practice of Sangha to support our
   practice of the Dharma.
4. We are committed to ensure we practice and promote the radical spirit of dana in all our activities.
5. We are committed to creating a vibrant culture of imaginative, creative and artistic exploration expressed
   through our programme and our building.
6. We are committed to creating a community that is racially and socially diverse.
7. We are committed to engaging with environmental issues in line with our Buddhist values.
8. We are committed to ensure the wellbeing of our community by clearly applying our safeguarding policy.
9. We work collectively to ensure we create a community that is effectively governed, efficient, sustainable and a
   well-resourced charity exemplifying Buddhist principles, benefitting the people of Bristol and beyond.

Contact: bhadra@bristol-buddhist-centre.org and (CC in) info@bristol-buddhist-centre.org to apply or ask any questions.

Sunday 12th September | 11am – 5pm | hybrid event

Termas, Bardos and Transformation:

Padmasambhava and the realm of the in between

As we return hesitantly or enthusiastically from our enforced retreat… what do we carry from that experience? A day of Talk, vision quest and ritual celebrating the magical exemplar, Padmasambhava and the in between realm.

To book an in person place email Esme on info@bristol-buddhist-centre.org by 4pm on Friday 10th.

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86046297139