About Our Buddhism and Meditation Programme in Brighton
The Bodhi Garden runs an extensive programme of daily meditation and/or study groups, and regular day retreats and weekend workshops. Talks and teachings from experienced teachers from across the traditions also occur regularly.
Our weekly programme is now largely established by five or six resident groups, representing a variety of traditions within Buddhism. However, alongside the meditation classes, we have also offered activities such as psychotherapy workshops, hatha yoga sessions, and 'art & mindfulness' classes.
Since its inception in 2001, the Bodhi Garden has welcomed teachers from Amaravati Monastery, Amida Trust, Chithurst Monastery, Gaia House, Insight Meditation Society (USA), Kanshoji Zen Temple (France), London Buddhist Vihara, London Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Maitrikara Tibetan Buddhist group, Network of Engaged Buddhists, Rigpa, Samatha Trust, Samye Ling Monastery, Satipanya Buddhist Retreat, School of Buddhist Dialectics (Dharmasala, India), Serene Reflection Meditation Centre, Shambhala International, and Sharpham College for Buddhist Studies and Contemporary Inquiry.
Both through the weekend events and the resident group programme, the Bodhi Garden has become the centre of an emerging vision of a predominantly lay 'sangha' which has neither one tradition, nor one teacher, as its focus. Instead, the Bodhi Garden is an inter-traditional space, supported by those that benefit from it, as it in turn supports us.