MONDAY EVENING: In-depth study – Foundation Programme

  • Time & dates

    IN-PERSON OR ONLINE

    Monday 7pm to 9pm

    September 2 – October 14 (no class Sept 23)

    November 4 – December 9

    Contact shantidevaeducation@gmail.com for further details

  • 4-week trial

    Four session trial (£40) – includes four Foundation Programme classes and any other classes or courses you wish to attend during this 4-week period.

    • You can attend in-person or online
    • Try out the course by attending a 4-session trial, then decide if you wish to join the programme
    • Contact shantidevaeducation@gmail.com for further details
  • Venue & parking

    KMC Reading, 9 Bath Road, Reading, RG1 6HH.
    Free parking onsite.

  • Info at a glance

    Here is some basic information about the course (more will be given during the trial):

    • Enrolment is required (this is not a drop-in class)
    • You can attend in-person or online
    • You can try out the course by attending a 4-session trial, then decide if you wish to join the programme
    • The programme lasts about 12 months (this will cover part 2 of How to Understand the Mind)
    • The cost is £40 per month (this includes free access to many of our other classes and events)

With Resident Teacher Gen Kelsang Nyingpo

Study book: New Eight Steps to Happiness by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

About the Foundation Programme: The next step…

Why not take the next step to deepen your meditation practice?

Foundation Programme (FP) is an ongoing, weekly course on Buddhism and meditation. The course is suitable for anyone with interest in deepening their understanding of Buddhist meditation and wisdom.

The Programme consists of a dynamic combination of teachings, meditation and discussion, all of which enable us to go deeper into the layers of meaning within each book that we study. All of this helps us to make real progress along our spiritual path. Each class consists of preliminary prayers, guided meditation and reading from the book with commentary and discussion.

Benefits of the Foundation Programme

  • Increased personal insight, wisdom and experience of Dharma (Buddha’s teachings)
  • Studying and meditating more effectively following a specially-designed programme and qualified meditation teacher
  • An opportunity to discuss and ask questions
  • Help, support and friendship from like-minded people
  • Gain the ability to integrate Buddha’s instructions into busy modern life.

How do I start?

On Monday September 2nd we will begin the study of New Eight Steps to Happiness.

When you join the Foundation Programme, you commit to studying one section of the book. This can take differing lengths of time, depending on which book is being studied.  New Eight Steps to Happiness part 1 – will take approximately 8 – 12 months to complete.

What to expect

In each class there are guided meditations, teachings on the book, and discussion in pairs. Every fifth or sixth class is a group discussion, which enables students to ask questions and clarify the meaning of the text.

What are we studying?

New Eight Steps to Happiness by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche

Pure happiness can only be attained through developing our mind…Through improving our qualities of love, compassion and wisdom we can gradually eliminate all our suffering and problems, and eventually attain the everlasting joy of full enlightenment.

A detailed and practical explanation of one of Buddhism’s best-loved teachings, Eight Verses of Training the Mind, by the great Bodhisattva, Langri Tangpa. Clear methods are simply presented for transforming all life’s difficulties into valuable spiritual insights, for improving our relationships, and for bringing greater patience, empathy and compassion into our daily life. These methods have inspired generations of Buddhist practitioners for almost a thousand years, and brought lasting peace, inspiration and serenity to countless people. Now, with this book, Venerable Geshe Kelsang shares the immeasurably rich insight of this ancient wisdom to help us find greater happiness and meaning in our busy, modern lives. With this revised presentation, The New Eight Steps to Happiness, Venerable Geshe-la re-introduces us to the essential practices of Training the Mind. He not only challenges our entire understanding of the world, but also challenges us to transform ourself into the greatest being we can possibly become!

Everyone, whether religious or non-religious, is looking for happiness all the time and wants to be free from problems and suffering permanently. We can fulfil these wishes through understanding and practising the instructions given in this book