Poppy Damon, Varsity, Cambridge, UK: ‘Whether one believes in a religion or not and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn’t anyone who doesn’t appreciate kindness and compassion.’ Dalai Lama
When I was 14 I skipped school. It wasn’t to go drink VKS in the park like other ‘kids my age’. I went see the Dalai Lama speak at the ‘Burswood Dome’ in Western Australia, a venue graced by the likes of Elton John and boasting a humungous casino complex. In light of his recent visit to Cambridge and the very valid and interesting discussion that it has caused (for once)…
meditation in the UK
A Buddhist blog by kids, for kids
Children from the The Dharma School in the UK, Europe’s only Buddhist-based primary school, have set up a blog to present their experience of Buddhist pracice.
At the school’s blog<, pupils from Years 3 to 6 are creating a series of podcasts and blogs about meditation and mindfulness as part of an ICT project with teacher Ross Young. As most of the information online about meditation is written by adults (and primarily for adults) the kids wanted to relay their experiences and perspectives in a way they felt would be accessible to children their own age.
You can subscribe to receive regular updates and podcasts (via itunes) and check out their “how to” guide to meditation, ideas for mindful activities to try at home, “mindful mind skills”, poems about meditation, favourite books, “wicked websites”, “what’s cool about our school”, their radio show and podcasts and much more.
Please enjoy, subscribe, comment and share!
It’s great that school-age children are learning meditation and mindfulness. It’s even better that they’re teaching it!
Update: Dharma Primary School was the first primary school and nursery in Britain to offer an education based on Buddhist values. It celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2015. It was an independent school and nursery based in East Sussex, on the south east coast of England. The 14th Dalai Lama was a patron.
The Dharma Primary School educated around 80 children in a large historic house in Patcham, Brighton. Children of all abilities and backgrounds were eligible to attend. There were generally 10–20 children in each class with a teacher and an assistant.
The school closed in July 2020.
Battle-weary troops find rare comfort in Buddhism
Ian Drury, Dail Mail, UK: Buddhism is experiencing an extraordinary upswing in popularity in the [British] armed forces.
Since 2005, the number of servicemen and women practising the religion has risen from 200 to 3,800. Around 2,800 are Gurkhas, whose home nation Nepal has pockets of Buddhism.
But the other 1,000 are British, with many converting since they joined the military.
According to spiritual leaders, the reason behind the phenomenon is that Buddhism allows service personnel to escape the stresses and strains of military life.
Sunil Kariyakarawana, the Buddhist chaplain for the armed forces, said: ‘Buddhism has a different perspective …
Archbishop of Canterbury: meditation is the key to living in this insane world
John Bingham, The Telegraph: Dr Rowan Williams said people in the modern world were struggling with “chaotic” emotions as a result of living in an “insane” consumerist society driven by advertising and the banking system.
He called for a revival of centuries-old monastic traditions to help people become “properly human”.
His call came during an important address to the Pope and the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church from around the world at the Vatican last night.
Benedict XVI invited Dr Williams, as leader of the Anglican Communion, as well as the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, to address the Synod of Bishops …
Teenager credits meditation with helping her on way to singing success
Rob Pattinson, Ormskirk Advertiser: A talented teenager has made it through to the regional finals of a national singing contest – with a little help from meditation.
Amy Wilkinson began singing while at primary school at St Michael’s in Aughton.
The 14-year-old, from Narrow Moss Lane, Scarisbrick [West Lancashire], entered Britain’s Got Talent last year but missed out on a chance to sing for the TV judges.
But, undeterred, she entered the Open Mic UK competition and, having performed a version of the Noisettes track Never Forget You, she has successfully made it through to the regional finals on October 14, where she will …
British priest bans ‘spiritual’ yoga from church hall
USA Today: A British priest has banned yoga from the parish hall because it is “a Hindu spiritual exercise” and therefore “not compatible” with Catholicism, according to news reports from the kingdom.
Cori Withell told The Mirror that with just 10 days remaining in the two-month instruction, St. Edmund’s Church in Southampton canceled her yoga and Pilates classes. She said a parish secretary explained that the hall must be used only for Catholic activities.
The decision to ban yoga or other non-Catholic activities rests with individual priests and is not official Catholic Church policy, the diocese said.
St. Edmund’s priest, Father John Chandler, and …
Civil servant fired for claiming meditation course on expenses
A leading civil servant who was sacked after she claimed hundreds of pounds on expenses to pay for a meditation course is suing the Government for £1m.
Dr Angelika Hibbett said she endured ‘workplace stress and bullying’ from bosses while working at the Home Office in London after she suffered from mental health problems.
She was fired for gross misconduct after it emerged she had put in a claim for £390 to pay for a ‘relaxation and meditation’ training course to combat her depression.
The Government has refuted the allegations and claims that Dr Hibbett who earned a salary of £63,000 was ‘defensive …
Buddhist centre plans for derelict Southampton pub
A Buddhist group is trying to turn a boarded up derelict Southampton pub into a meditation centre.
The Plume of Feathers Pub in the St Mary’s area of the city has been boarded up for several months.
The Triratna Buddhist Order’s Southampton group has submitted a planning application to develop the pub in St Mary Street.
Leader Dharma Modna declined to comment on the proposal until the planning application had been heard.
Local councillor Sarah Bogle said: “I think it’s a really novel idea.
“I was surprised, to be honest, when I saw the planning application but also I thought why not?
“It’s …
Silence is golden: how keeping quiet in the classroom can boost results
Encouraging pupils to keep noise to a minimum has substantial benefits and should become a valuable component of all children’s education, it is claimed.
Dr Helen Lees, from Stirling University’s school of education, said that “enforced silence” was seen as a punishment and often acted to suppress children’s natural ability.
But she said that teaching children about the benefits of “strong silence” – deliberate stillness that gives them the opportunity to focus and reflect in a stress-free environment – can have a significant effect on pupils’ concentration and behaviour.
The conclusions are made in a new book – Silence in Schools – to …
Campaigners urge Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) to believe in time for silence
Ian Swanson: CAMPAIGNERS say MSPs should be made to carry out “silent meditation” in the Holyrood chamber once every three weeks – to reflect the fact that a third of Scots are non-religious.
Holyrood adopted regular Wednesday afternoon “Time for Reflection” slots soon after the parliament was first established 12 years ago, in contrast to the behind-locked-doors prayers said in the House of Commons. Guest speakers from many different religions have taken part.
But the National Secular Society (NSS) claims the parliament has ignored the fact that about one third of the Scottish population “cannot be said to be religious in any way”.
Norman Bonney, NSS council member for Scotland, said: “The…Read the rest of this article…