Discover how the Buddha’s teachings can liberate us from anxiety and fear. Often, it is our resistance to reality that keeps us feeling trapped and confused. How can we break free from this all-too-human pattern? Talk given at Adhisthana on the Autumn Birmingham Sangha retreat.

Singhamat gives an inspiring, heartfelt evocation of the power of the Metta Bhavana. Woven through this talk are poems, personal stories, alongside clear and powerful dharma teachings. Not to be missed...

A short introduction to the why, what and how of the seven-fold puja.

Two personal talks on the theme of living with abundance.

Short talking evoking the importance of abundance in our Dharma lives. Includes an evocation of Ratnasambhava

Maitrīsārā explores the second fetter, doubt and indecision which Bhante calls vagueness. The antidote is clarity but also faith. This wide ranging talk weaves together both theoretical and personal themes and differentiates between wholesome and unhelpful doubt. It explores why we might get stuck in doubt, and how to work with it. The talk draws on a sutta from the Samyuta Nikaya about what feeds doubt. And what therefore counteracts it.

Jnanasiddhi gave an inspiring and practical talk sharing her extensive understanding and experience of peace making. She illustrated different approaches of peacemaking in relation to the five aspects of the spiritual path. And focused on how we can create the conditions within ourselves - through our practice - to contribute to harmony with others.

As part of Dharma Day 2023 at the Birmingham Buddhist Centre and marking the 25th anniversary of the opening of the current centre, Balajit gives the second of a two-part talk on the 3rd and 4th of the Noble truths. The Buddha said that the whole of his teachings fits within the footprint of the four noble truths. Balajit explores the ways in which we can change our relationship to contraction and suffering by getting to know the deepest longing of the heart.

As part of Dharma day 2023 at the Birmingham Buddhist Centre and marking the 25th anniversary of the opening of the current centre, Dharmashalin gives the first of a two-part talk on the first two of the 4 Noble Truths, evoking the miraculous communication of the Buddha’s dharma.

Akasaraja gives a personal account of his relationship to climate activism, exploring some of the ways in which Buddhist ethics and practice can best inform how we approach activism.

Akasaraja gives a personal account of his relationship to climate activism, exploring some of the ways in which Buddhist ethics and practice can best inform how we approach activism.

Here we have a talk given by Balajit in celebration of Padmasambhava Day 2022 at the Birmingham Buddhist Centre.

Vijayasri explores confession's illuminating and transformational properties through the Mahayana sutra, The Sutra of Golden Light.

At Birmingham sangha night, Kalyanaprabha introduces us to the world of the Mahayana. Through the Sutra of the Golden Light, we discover what a sutra is and even why it is relevant to us today.

Sinhavachin is a Birmingham-based Order member practising since the early nineties. Sinhavachin is interviewed by Balajit in which they take an autobiographical journey through politics, accountancy, the arts, involvement in a pioneering Buddhist business and experimentation with residential community life.

Roz explores the golden thread of poetry that has the capacity to draw both inward and outward. Roz evokes the ability of poetry to act as a spiritual friend that we can turn to again and again for connection and transformation.

At Birmingham Sangha Night and as part of the Transforming Self and World Series, Matty explores Triratna’s emphasis on the arts in the dharma life through Coltranes's masterpiece "A Love Supreme".

In this sangha night talk, Maitrisara introduces the sangha night theme for the year: Transforming self and World. Taking inspiration from Sangharakshita’s 1995 book Transforming Self and World: Themes from the Sutra of Golden Light, Maitrisara explores what that theme means and where it comes from. Reflections on how we approach the challenges of the world in a skilful way and with and Buddhist perspective, and finally introducing some of the various ways in which the theme will be evoked during the course of the year.

Back in 2016, Vipulakirti led the Birmingham Buddhist centre Sangha in recording several beautiful mantras that he has composed over the years.

Inspired by the expansive qualities of Ancient Gregorian Chant these recording are designed to help the listener learn both the mantra and the associated harmonies.

The recordings were originally recorded by Ben Grey and have been remastered by Zac from the Free Buddhist Audio team.

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Here are a few notes from Vipulakirti himself:

Each of these mantras has a second harmony part, or in the case of the Amitabha mantra, two harmony parts. However the basic mantra, the part you hear first on each recording, can stand alone and I suggest that where there is no one confident to sing the harmony part then just the mantra alone is used. It may be, however, that if the harmony part is sung just by a single person it will be effective, at least in small situations.

Each recoding consists of a few rounds of the basic mantra followed by a few rounds of the harmony part (or parts in the case of the Amitabha mantra) then a few rounds of the mantra and harmony together.

These mantra tunes have been written with the following principles in mind:

That there is a constant and frequently repeated rhythmic pattern.

That the melody and rhythm are simple enough to be comprehended in a short time and that having been learned no thinking is required to maintain them.

That the melodies don’t have a strong ‘flavour’. Too strong a melodic ‘flavour’ can be undesirable since it can trap the mind in a particular emotion and therefore not be ‘open-ended’ enough . Perhaps it could be argued therefore that on a single note (monotone) is the best way to chant a mantra and this may be so. For the busy working city dweller however, the ‘leg-up’ of a tune can be a big emotional help.

The point about flavour can best be illustrated from examples in the Christian tradition. Ancient Gregorian Chant doesn’t have a strong flavour, it is quite ‘expansive’ and ‘open ended’ like the clear blue sky (even though by unfortunate association this might not seem the case to ex-Catholics!), whereas tunes like Crimond sung to ‘The Lord’s my Shepherd’ and ‘Abide with Me’ have a quite overpowering flavour and are not so conducive to ‘infinite possibilities’.

I am very grateful to all of those at Birmingham Buddhist Centre who gave of thier time to take part in the chanting of these mantras and in particular to Taragita who got everyone together and co-ordinated the event and to Ben Gray for making the excellent recording.

Dharmashalin explores how we can honour all the different aspects of our being through the exploration of myth.