Finding the Path - A 6 Week Introduction to Buddhism and Meditation
2026-09-15 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | Cardiff Buddhist Centre, 12 St. Peters Street, Cardiff, CF24 3BA
This course introduces the core teachings of Buddhism and gives you practical tools to start or deepen your meditation practice. Across 6 Tuesday evenings and one full Saturday, you’ll see how Buddhist philosophy applies to the modern world and how it can help you find a path of real change in your life.

It will run for 6 Tuesday Evenings, 7:00-9:00 pm, starting 15th September and you also get free entry to our Going Deeper Day retreat on Saturday 17th October, 10am-2pm.

We’ll explore questions like:

Who was the Buddha, and what did he really teach?

What values lie at the heart of Buddhism?

How can I bring Buddhist principles into my daily life?

How can meditation help me live with more clarity and ease?

Along the way, you’ll practice meditation, learn from Buddhist teacher Vishvapani, and take part in group discussions that bring the teachings to life. Learn across 6 Tuesday evenings, starting 15th September and finishing 20th October, as well as a full day on Saturday 17th October, allowing you to go deeper into Buddhist practice.

Free bursary tickets are available for anyone who wishes to attend but is unable to afford the event.

Padmasambhava Day
2026-09-20 10:00 - 14:30 | Cardiff Buddhist Centre, 12 St. Peters Street, Cardiff, CF24 3BA
A Day of Celebration for Guru Padmasambhava

Once a year, the Triratna Buddhist community gathers to honor Padmasambhava, the great tantric master credited with bringing Buddhism to Tibet in the eighth century. Legend has it that he tamed the local spirits and elemental forces standing in the way of the dharma, clearing the ground — quite literally — for Samye, Tibet’s first monastery, to rise. His example of fearless, unshakable practice still speaks to modern life today and he is remembered with deep devotion in Buddhist teachings as Guru Rinpoche, “the precious teacher”.

The day will start with a morning meditation at 10am, followed by a talk exploring Padmasambhava’s role at the founding of Samye Monastery. Discussion groups will explore the relevance of his teachings in our own practice, and the morning session will conclude with a guided ritual ceremony, open to newcomers and long-time practitioners alike. The Festival Day will finish with a vegan lunch at 1:30pm, so please bring something to share if you can.

Led by Padmasimha. Free event, no need to book, suitable for all.

Don’t Believe Everything You Think! - Weekend Retreat with Vajragupta
2026-10-09 16:00 - 2026-10-11 14:30 | Adhisthana, Adhisthana Retreat Centre, Coddington, Herefordshire, HR8 1JL, United Kingdom
Sometimes our own mind can be our worst enemy. It cycles round and round in useless, repetitive, judgemental or obsessive thought.

But our mind is also our greatest friend. If we get to know our mind, and learn how to work (and play) with it creatively, we can dream great dreams, see new ideas and possibilities, imagine and empathise with the experience of others. Our minds can be broad, deep, and luminously creative.

On this weekend retreat we’ll introduce the Buddhist understanding of mind. There’s a mode of mind called “papanca”: amplified, proliferating, exaggerated thinking. We’ll see what drives that mode of mind, how we can slow it down, and how the more natural creativity of our minds can start to emerge.

The retreat is suitable for a first retreat for newcomers as well as regular sangha members who have been attending the Centre for a while. It will include meditations, reflections, as well as teaching and discussion. We don’t have to believe everything we think! And we can learn to trust our mind’s more reflective and creative mode of thinking.

Led by the Centre’s President Vajragupta, this retreat is also a chance to relax and make connections with other members of the Cardiff Sangha, all in the beautiful surrounds of Adhisthana Retreat Centre. Open to anyone who has attended the Cardiff Centre and has knowledge of the two main meditations taught by Triratna, which can be learnt at our free drop in meditations. Suitable as a first retreat or for more experienced practitioners.

You can arrive on the Friday from 4pm, with dinner on the first evening at 6pm. We’ll be finished by 3pm on Sunday.

Bursary spaces are available to part, or fully, fund the cost of this retreat, for anyone wishing to attend but unable to afford the cost. To find out more about getting a bursary space, email connect@cardiffbuddhistcentre.com.

Going Deeper - A Day Retreat
2026-10-17 10:00 - 14:00 | Cardiff Buddhist Centre, Cardiff Buddhist Centre, 12 St Peter’s Street, CF24 3BA, United Kingdom
A day retreat is an opportunity to go deeper with meditation and Buddhist practice. On this day there will be several periods of meditation, time for silence and an opportunity to have guidance and teachings from Buddhist teacher Vishvapani.

Suitable for?

Anyone who has learnt the two meditations taught at Triratna Centres – mindfulness of breathing and lovingkindness/ metta bhavana. They can be learnt at our free, weekly drop-in meditations.
