CHELTENHAM ZEN
  • Home
  • Beginners
  • Mindfulness
    • Introduction
    • Video course
    • Practising mindfulness
  • Early Buddhism
    • Introduction
    • Jhana
    • Insight practice
    • Brahmaviharas
  • Zen
    • Introduction
    • Koans
    • Silent Illumination
    • Energy practices
  • Teaching
  • Articles
    • Index
    • Writings
  • Audio
  • Mailing list

Teaching

I offer weekly classes, courses and events in Cheltenham - there's something to suit every taste!

During this time of Covid-19, your safety is paramount.​ See the Safety section at the bottom of this page for details of our Covid-Secure measures.

  • My weekly Zen class is open to all levels of experience but is particularly intended to support your on-going meditation practice.

  • I will be assisting my teacher Leigh Brasington at a 10-day residential jhana retreat at Gaia House in August. Jhana practice is an ideal way for experienced meditators to go deeper - see below for details!
 
  • I also run day retreats and other events covering a range of topics. Right now I don't have any in the calendar, but if you'd like to be kept informed of future events, please join my mailing list here!
 
  • From time to time I also teach structured courses - a six-week beginners' course, which follows the structure of Pathways of Meditation; an eight-week Mindfulness for Health and Well-being course; an eight-week Zen for Insight and Grounding course; and a four-week heart-opening course, focusing on the Brahmaviharas. At the moment my available teaching time is fully booked with private and corporate courses, but please get in touch if you're interested in one of these courses. All courses are available online via Zoom, subject to finding a time slot that works for us both.
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Zen class

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In this weekly class we explore the wide world of Zen. Classes typically begin with an opening meditation to settle the mind, followed by a talk exploring some aspect of the Zen path, and concluding with some movement and meditation practices which put the teachings into action.

The class, which runs on a donation basis, explores a wide range of themes from week to week, drawn from a mixture of Zen and the early Buddhist tradition.

We have a small, friendly group of regulars, and newcomers are always welcome. Each session is self-contained, and instructions are tailored to the experience levels of students in the room that week, so you can start any time. Come along and give it a try!
Wednesdays, 7.45pm-9pm, at the NEW OrangeYoga location of Crescent Bakery (studio 3). Classes will continue to be live-streamed via Zoom for those who can't make it in person.

Booking is essential: please see the OrangeYoga website to sign up.
  • For in-person classes, book here.
  • For Zoom classes, book here.

No charge, but donations to support the studio and the teaching are gratefully received.
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10-day jhana retreat

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The jhanas are deep concentration states which can arise during samadhi practice. The experiences of bliss, joy, contentment and equanimity which result are not only interesting in themselves, but also give rise to a mind which is substantially quieter, clearer and sharper than usual, and thus tend to accelerate and deepen one's insight practice as well.

This August I'll be assisting my teacher Leigh Brasington with a 10-day residential retreat at Gaia House in Devon. Leigh is an internationally renowned jhana master whose teachings are well known for their clarity and accessibility - this retreat is a wonderful opportunity for anyone looking to deepen their established meditation practice.
August 19th-29th, at Gaia House, Devon.

For more details and booking, visit the Gaia House website.
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Other events

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Currently no other events are planned due to the physical limitations of the Covid-Secure environment at the studio. If you'd like to be kept informed about future events, please sign up to my mailing list and I'll let you know when something is coming up!

Your safety is paramount

 My classes follow current government best practice to ensure a comfortable experience for everyone.
  • We follow OrangeYoga's Covid-Secure policy, published on their website. I'll explain the procedures at the start of each class if anyone doesn't know them already.
  • Masks are optional. If you feel more comfortable wearing a mask you're welcome to do so, but be aware that others in the class may not.
  • For the time being, I'll keep an upper limit on class numbers to ensure that there's plenty of space in the studio. If you prefer to sit at least 2m away from the other students, this will be possible.
  • You can now use the studio props if you're happy to do so. If you prefer to sit on the floor, you can either use the studio's equipment or bring your own. If you prefer to sit on a chair, we have seven in total available, so there should generally be enough for everyone.
  • Movement practices will be tailored to the space and number of participants. 2-metre spacing will be maintained at all times during movement practices.
  • Home
  • Beginners
  • Mindfulness
    • Introduction
    • Video course
    • Practising mindfulness
  • Early Buddhism
    • Introduction
    • Jhana
    • Insight practice
    • Brahmaviharas
  • Zen
    • Introduction
    • Koans
    • Silent Illumination
    • Energy practices
  • Teaching
  • Articles
    • Index
    • Writings
  • Audio
  • Mailing list