Shambhala Meditation Group

Meditation & Buddhism in the Bristol Meditation Group

Shambhala is an international community of practitioners of meditation in the Buddhist and Shambhala traditions. The Bristol and SW UK Shambhala Meditation Group offers meditation instruction for beginners, newcomers, and advanced students, Buddhist and Shambhala teachings, and a place to meet for people who would like to open their hearts and minds.

Wednesday evenings: 7.30pm – 9:30pm For meditation instruction please arrive a little early if you can. We finish the session with tea and biscuits from 9.30pm until around 9.45pm. If you would like to attend but can’t make the whole session, you are welcome to stay for as long as you are able. Second Sunday of each month: City Retreat Day, 10am-4pm Open to all, an opportunity to practice for longer. Meditation instruction is available for newcomers. You are welcome to attend the whole day, or just the morning or afternoon session

As human beings we are always looking for ways to live in our world with dignity and decency. Shambhala is a community of people practicing the Buddhist and Shambhala traditions of enlightened living, as well as other contemplative disciplines.

Buddhist and Shambhala Traditions

Buddhism is an ancient teaching based on the practice of meditation and study of our minds and lives, to awaken our true nature, enlightenment. The Shambhala teachings, taught by the Buddha to the first King of Shambhala, are teachings on how to live in the world, with an open heart and a fearless-awake mind. The ground of both these teachings is the practice of Mindfulness/Awareness meditation, and we offer thorough training in meditation in our Shambhala Centres and programmes.

Contemplative Disciplines

The spiritual path and our practice of meditation are not an escape from the world, but a way to wake up to the world and appreciate its wealth. Therefore, in addition to meditation, we also use other forms of contemplative disciplines such as art, archery and photography to work with our minds and experience the world fully.

Our Community

Inspired by the teachings of Buddha, as well as the modern teachers Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and the Sakyong Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche, we engage in regular meditation practice as well as other contemplative disciplines. Members of our community of practitioners seek both to deepen their understanding of meditation and apply this understanding in their daily lives.