07 August Meditation
14 August Threefold puja
21 August Zen Poem with Chris
28 August Practice discussion
Meetings in August 2024
07 August Meditation
14 August Threefold puja
21 August Zen Poem with Chris
28 August Practice discussion
The Aberdeen Buddhist Group will be open for meetings every Wednesday evening this July. Many thanks to those who have made donations or set up standing orders in response to our recent appeal. These will allow us to afford the rent at the Quaker Meeting House this month. If you would still like to contribute, our bank details are at Contributing to the group.
We have made some changes to the format of meetings. One is that we will finish earlier – at 9 pm – to make it easier for people who have to catch buses or travel from a distance. The other is that not all evenings will have a pre-arranged talk or theme, but we will always be open for members to meditate together and the kettle will always be on. The monthly practice discussion on the second Saturday of the month will remain a fixture.
Themed meetings arranged at present are:
3rd July – Planning – continuing the discussion about reorganising the group.
17th July – Practice discussion, led by Graham.
24th July – Threefold puja, followed by discussion.
The 26th of June meeting will be a planning meeting. Having lost a number of key members recently we are reconsidering all aspects of the group in order to make a fresh start. We had a very positive meeting this week with lots of ideas but we would like to continue the discussion before making firm decisions next week. All perspectives would be useful, including regular attenders, people who haven’t made it along for a while for whatever reason and potential new members.
The Aberdeen Buddhist Group runs on the basis of dana or generosity. People leading evenings give their time for free but it costs us £30 per week to rent the Quaker Meeting House and we have occasional costs such as hosting this website. We ask people coming to meetings to make a contribution, but in order to keep the teachings available to all we leave the size of that contribution up to the individual. For many years those contributions have gone into a dana bowl – a bowl put out at the end of meetings for cash donations. Now, however, we are finding that lots of people do not carry cash and donations have gone below a sustainable level. It seems we need to find a way of continuing the tradition of dana in the age of contactless cards and banking apps.
If you would like to help the group continue to offer the dharma and support practice in Aberdeen, but you don’t often make it to meetings or you don’t carry cash for donations on the evening, an alternative is to make a bank transfer or, better still, set up a standing order to the group. As with cash donations, the size of this is entirely up to you. Our bank details are:
Aberdeen Buddhist Group
Bank of Scotland
Sort code 80-05-16
Account: 00184161
Thank you!
03 Apr The Anapanasati Sutta – a practical guide by Alan
10 Apr The Hindrances by Alan
17 Apr Practice discussion led by Nigel
24 Apr Building Blocks by Nigel
06 Mar Gladdening the Mind by Alan
13 Mar Meditation led by Graham
20 Mar Practice discussion by Alan
27 Mar The Eight Worldly Winds by Nigel
03 Jan Open for meditation
10 Jan New Year’s Resolutions by Nigel
17 Jan Practice discussion led by Alan
24 Jan Burns and the Buddha by Alan
31 Jan Introduction to meditation I
07 Feb Introduction to meditation II
14 Feb INTRODUCTION: Buddhism in Eight Words
21 Feb Practice discussion led by Nigel
28 Feb Talk by Lucy
04 Oct The ten fetters by Alan
11 Oct More on meditation by Nigel
18 Oct Practice discussion led by Alan
25 Oct Monastic vows by Lucy
01 Nov Seven factors for awakening by Nigel
08 Nov Friendship and community by Alan
15 Nov Practice discussion led by Nigel
22 Nov Talk by Alan
29 Nov Talk by Lucy
06 Dec Buddhism for eight year olds by Alan
13 Dec Practice discussion led by Nigel
20 Dec Birds, boats and Buddhism by Chris
27 Dec CLOSED
What did the Buddha teach and can it still help our lives today?
This short series of talks introduces Buddhism as a practical, testable path, aimed at improving and even completely transforming our lives. Each meeting will consist of a short introduction to meditation followed by a talk.
13 September Buddhism in Eight Words
An introduction to key concepts in Buddhism
20 September Schools and Sources
The diversity of Buddhist schools and text can be bewildering. What do we need to know and what do we not? Is there a common thread that unites the different schools?
27 September The Social Teachings of the Buddha
The Buddha is often thought of as the teacher of a purely personal path of transformation, but he had a lot to say about the organisation of society too. This talk introduces this neglected aspect of Buddhism.
Venue: Quaker Meeting House, 100 Crown Street
Times: 7:30 to 9:30 pm
Cost by donation.
All welcome – no need to book.
Change Your Mind
An introduction to simple meditation techniques, how to sit comfortably for meditation and how to set up and sustain a regular practice. With members of the Aberdeen Buddhist Group.
Saturday 9th September, 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Venue: Quaker Meeting House, 100 Crown Street (next to Shirlaw’s Motorcycles)
Free of cost
Place are limited – to book a place call Nigel on 07903 667548.