Introductory Sessions
Every Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday
Our introductory sessions on Saturday morning are very popular. Also the Thursday Night Friends and Newcomers evening and Tuesday Lunchtime Meditation.
Whether you’re interested in learning to meditate, developing mindfulness or want to know more about Buddhism, these sessions are a great place to start.
There is no need to book. Just turn up a few minutes before the start. Everything you need is provided including tea and biscuits. There is no charge but we do appreciate your generosity.
Each year we run several short courses for beginners. See below for full details of the courses on offer.
Short Courses
Many people have benefited from our short courses. These provide a structured introduction to Buddhist beliefs, ethics and practise. As part of these courses, you will be introduced to meditations that help cultivate loving kindness and develop mindfulness.
The courses generally run for small groups over a series of six Wednesday evenings. The Part 1 course provides a basic introduction and, if you want to take it further, the Part 2 course helps to deepen understanding and practice.
Several courses run each year. Join our mailing list to hear when courses are announced or check out our courses page.
What is Buddhism?
“To help the world become a better place we need to become a bigger person. We need to train ourselves in becoming wiser, more courageous, creative, empathetic and committed”
Basic teachings
The basic teachings of Buddhism are:
- nothing is fixed or permanent
- actions have consequences
- change is possible
- there is an interconnectedness at the heart of things
Living a life based on these teachings means to act with a kind and open heart. We are encouraged to try the teachings for ourselves and only practice what we find helpful.
Buddhist practices, such as meditation, help us to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. Over thousands of years, Buddhist practice has created an incomparable resource for all who wish to follow a path that leads ultimately to Enlightenment or Buddhahood.
Buddhism is for all people irrespective of ethnicity, nationality, or gender.
There are around 350 million Buddhists including many Westerners. They follow many different forms of Buddhism. All traditions are characterised by an understanding of non-violence and tolerance. All take their spiritual guidance from the historical Buddha.
The Ipswich Buddhist Centre is part of the Triratna Buddhist Community (formerly Friends of the Western Buddhist Order) founded by an Englishman called Sangharakshita in 1967.
Learn to Meditate
Meditation is a way of becoming calmer and more alive to our moment-to-moment experience. With increased awareness, we are able to leave behind limiting states of mind and the suffering they bring.
A regular meditation practice builds-up like drops of water filling a pot. We gradually free ourselves from self-limiting habits and states of mind. Meditation supports us to live the life we would wish.
We teach two simple but profound meditation practices – part of a compete system of practice – that are as old as Buddhism itself:
- Mindfulness of Breathing, which calms our mind and gathers our awareness into the present moment.
- Metta Bhavana, or ‘development of loving kindness’, which helps us to develop friendliness for others and ourselves.
