Sunday Evenings from 20.00 - 21.00
2026 dates may change. NB Time is either UTC or GMT/BST
05 July : 02 August : 06 September : 04 October : 01 November : 06 December to 03 January
The Buddhist Calendar runs on the ancient Moon cycle and it has always been
customary to use the Full Moon days as a time to reflect upon the Dhamma
and renew our commitment to the Refuges and Precepts.
There will be a short talk on one of the subjects listed below. Then 30 min. sitting. We shall end with a short reflection on the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. Then people can take the Refuges and Precepts at whatever their level of commitment. We will finish with
prectising Metta and reading and chanting of the Metta Goodwill Sutta.
We shall celebrate the Full Moon on the nearest Sunday since this is one evening most people would be available. I've also got to fit them in with my teaching schedule.
A reminder will be sent a few days before, but do put the dates in your diary anyway.
Hope to see you on screen!
Full Moons and Subject Matter
Refuges and Precepts with Metta
Most Recent
2026 May 31 The Buddha's use of Similes
What we know now as right brain left brain, the Buddha intuited. He realised that some people understand better when given a simile. Even difficult concepts were elucidated with the use of simile.
2026 May Upadana Clinging
Upadana : Clinging, Grasping is a key moment in Dependent Origination. There are four Clingings and there's a different way to deal with each of them. This constitutes a path to liberation.
2026 April Adhitthana : Determination
Determination, resolution, commitment is one of the Ten Perfections. Without perseverence the great goal of liberation cannot be attained.
2026 March Dullness and Lethargy
Why Dullness and Lethargy, that belongs to the Five Hindrances, needs to be taken as important as Wrong Desire, Aversion, Restlessness and Remorse, and Sceptical Doubt.
2026 February Polarisation
What are the causes of polarisation and what is the perspective of the Buddhadhamma. What can we do about it? How do we use our vipassana to undermine the biases within us.
2026 January The Necessity of Joy.
Joy is one of the Four Illimitables and of the Divine Abodes. It is important for many reasons and is to be culitvated. The way to do that is similar to cultivating Metta.
2025 November Practising the Five Remembrances
This is practising the Five Rememberances that we have talked about ov er the past three or foiur years: the contemplation of sickness, ageing and death; impermanence and the loss of all we love; kamma. This exercise can eventually be a simply 3-5 minute repetition of the sayings, gently repeated into the heart, best done very morning. PDF Copy of the phrases.
Metta
2022 Dec 11 To Love or To Be Loved. That is the question! How to deal with lonliness. Video Stream/Download
2021 Dec Love and Relationship. Love is a very big subject! So I've chosen a few qualities: care, kindness, forgiveness and the importance of good companionship. Video Stream/Download
2024 December 08 Forgiveness.
These are my notes with further links: Notes on Forgiveness
Forgiveness is fundamental to purify the heart. Resentment is a poison. Guilt, shame and remorse can be healed. We owe it to ourselves to be able to ask for forgiveness and make amends, to forgive without revenger and to forgive ourselves. Video Stream/Download mp3
The introduction: Stream/Download mp3
The practice: Stream/Download mp3
2023 Dec 17 (actual Full Moon 25!) Looking at the Karaniya Metta Sutta which is the one we chant and is a regular in Theravada Countries. It means: What needs to be done in order cultivate Metta. There is a course by Andrew Olendski, former Director of the Barre Centre of Buddhist Studies where he develops the different virtues. Here's the link: Karaniya Metta Sutta Video Stream/Download audio
The Perfections Parami and other Virtues.
2025 October AN 3.67 From Kathāvatthusutta: Topics of Discussion How to act in a discussion. This discourse tells how we can judge who to talk to: how they abswer question, how they conduct themselves and how the follow the protocol of discuss.
Books
Non-Violent Communication. Marshall B. Rosenberg
Difficult Conversation. Stone, Patton and Sheen
Bad Arguments. Ali Almossawi
2023 Apr 02 Joy
We often hear about suffering and the end of suffering. We practice metta. But what about joy? How do we increase our joy? And what are the dangers? Video Stream/Download mp3
2024 Jan. 21 The importance of Tranquillity Passaddhi: How developing calmness has salutary affects on the body, our emotional and thought life. And it's importance in the BuddhaDhamma with its inclusion especially in the Seven Factors of Awakening. Video Stream/Download mp3
2023 Jul 02 Patient Forbearance. The Buddha sees this virtue as the highest austerity! VideoStream/Download mp3
2023 Jul 30 Equanimity - The most important of virtues. It is a Factor of Awakening. It keeps all virtues from falling into their near enemy. It stops us falling into the error of the |Four Wordly Conditions. But it also has a subtle enemy!Video Stream/Download mp3
2022 Jan 16 Resolution and Joy
Unfortunately, the technology failed. It's a long story. However, the talk pointed to three qualities needed to realise a resolution. There has to be a real motivation, a longing, a strong desire. Or the obstacles that come up will simply undermine the resolve. These obstacles are to be seen as teachers and strengtheners. And finally, perseverence, patient endurance and perseverence. When an resolution is fuliflled and even on the fulfilling there is joy, rejoicing and celebration.
2022 Feb 20 Sympathy, Empathy and Compassion : in what way do they differ. Can sympathy be sincere? Video Stream/Download mp3
2023 June 11 Fear and Courage. How do we tackle fear and strengthen our courage? Six areas to investigate: physical, social, moral, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. Video Stream/Download mp3
2023 Aug 29 Full Moon on Sept. 03 Compassion and its Subtle Enemies. Since the whole of the Buddhadhamma is to undersyand Dukkhu, suffering and unsatisfactoriness, compassion has pride of place among the virtues.But it can be undermined by defilements we may not always be aware of.
Apologies! I tried to cover too much ground. However tit will appear as a Tip on the Newsbyte. Video Stream/Download mp3
2023 Oct 01 'Good Friendship, Companionship, Good Comradeship is the Whole of the Spiritual Life.' What does this actually entail? Does the South African Social Philosophy of Ubuntu help us to understand it more deeply? Video Stream/Download mp3
2021 Gratitude, Generosity and Renunciation The viruous circle that leads to liberation Video Stream/Download mp3
2021 Spiritual Faculties & Factors of Enlightenment, focusing on Confidence Video Stream/Download mp3
2021 Nov 10 Perfections. There are Ten Perfections and obviously too many to deal with in such a short period, so I have concentrated on Generosity, how Gratitude (not on the list) plays an important role and how we are thereby developing Renunciation. These three virtues offer us a path to liberation! (Strange acouistics - I was a friends flat.) Video Stream/Download
2022 Jul 17 Need, Sufficiency and Greed - With coming downturn in the economy around the world, fear and anxiety are boud to arise. We are attached to what we own and to oiur lifestyle. By contemplateing what we actually need at physical level and then to consider what we need at a social and personal, emotional level, a lot of the fear and anxiety can be undermined. Contemplating the Four Requisites of a monastic help to ground us. Video Stream/Download
2025 Apr 06 Renunciation. Renunciation is embedded in the Noble Eightfold Path within Right Intention. It is concerned with letting go of our cravings and attachments, with regaining our agency, our control over oiur selves. This is not a deprivation, but a relief! Video Stream/Download Renunciation pdf
2025 September Hope Aspiration Expectation Why does hope get bad press in the Discourses. What is the role os aspiration and why is expectation so ruinous to the Path of Liberation.
The Buddha
2021 Buddha Day – sharing with Pain Dei Ciliegi in Italy again -the Nine Qualities of the Buddha.Video Stream/Download mp3
2022 May 15 The Buddha and War. – sharing with Pian Dei Ciliegi in Italy again. The BUddha was not a pacifist! Video Stream/Download mp3
2023 May 14 Celebration of the Buddha Was the Buddha an athiest? Does the idea of a God enter into the Buddha's teaching? Is there anything that transcends the materail and mental worlds? How might we define the Buddhadhamma as religion? VideoStream/Download mp3
2024 May 19 The Buddha's Alter Ego
Some wise men, soothsayers, who came to the birth, said the baby would become a Fully Self-awakened Buddha or a World Conquering Monarch. The Buddha offers us a myth about such a monarch and with his own personal involvement in the politics of the day, is offering us an example of how we should be engaged in society. Video Stream/Download mp3
2024 October 13 Is the Buddha a Humanist? Humanism values inquiry over religious beliefs,
human potential rather than divine intervention.
Does the Buddha fit in?
Talk by Noirin Sheahan
Read by Margaret Groome
ScriptVideo Stream/Download mp3
2025 May 04 The Buddha as a Teacher. The Buddha tells us the speculative thinking will not help oiur process to liberation. In the Discourse on Malunkyaputta MN63 shows how he came to convince Malunkya that his desire for answers that were metaphysical were of no use. Video Stream/Download
Nibbana
2025 June 08 What was the Buddha's great disovery? Happily, he tells us in his Victory Verse. Then there are statements he makes that assure us there is a Transcendent State. Video Stream/Download The Buddha's Greatest Discovery doc
2025 July 13 Kevaddha asks a Question Where do the Four Elements: earth, fire, water and wind are exstiguished without remainder? The Buddha gives a surprising reply.
2025 August 10 How do we undermine and eventually extinguish the Housebulder? In the previous to two talks, we saw what was the chief cause of our delusion and what Nibbana was. We look at two ways in which we can practice.
Understanding how extinguish the Housebuilder.doc
Contemplations
2024 April.24 Contemplating the Unpleasantness of the Body. The Buddha recommends the contemplation of the body as unpleasant, repulsive to undermine our wrong relationship to it. But it must be balanced by recognising its preciousness. One way to do that is to thank it. Video Stream/Download mp3
2024 June 23 The Unattractive Nature of the Body
The Buddha teaches a contemplation of the body so that we accept it as it is, doing away with aversion or disgust towards our animal nature. Instead he wants us to devevlop a attitude of gratitude and care towards it, acknowledging this life ot be a precious gift. Exercises dveloping a wise relationship to the body. Video Stream/Download mp3
2024 November 10 Contemplation of Kamma
A reflection on and the contemplation practice of Kamma.
I own my actions. I inherit the results of my actions. I am born of my actions. I form relations through my actions. I live dependent on my actions. Whatever I do for good or for ill, I shall inherit the results. Video Stream/Download Karma and Rebirth
2023 Nov 26 The Five Regular Contemplations. These are Sickness, Ageing, Death, Renunciation and Kamma. This a pdf with the Discourse and Contemplations. Video Stream/Download mp3
2022 Nov 06 The Contemplation of Death. The Buddha says: Monks, mindfulness of death — when developed & pursued — is of great fruit & great benefit. It gains a footing in Nibbana, the Deathless, has Nibbana, the Deathless as its final end. Video Stream/Download
2025 Feb 09 The Eight Worldly Winds The Buddha offers us eight ways in which we can view the ups and downs of our lives. They are there for us to reflect up and eventually develop the right attitude and the right understanding so that we are no longer afftected by them. Video Stream/Download The Eight WordlyWinds : A Questionaire.
Various Teachings
2025 October AN 3.67 From Kathāvatthusutta: Topics of Discussion How to act in a discussion. This discourse tells how we can judge who to talk to: how they abswer question, how they conduct themselves and how the follow the protocol of discuss.
Books
Non-Violent Communication. Marshall B. Rosenberg
Difficult Conversation. Stone, Patton and Sheen
Bad Arguments. Ali Almossawi
2025 Mar 09 The Paradox of Fear Fear is an unwholesome mental state. What is its origin. How do we deal with it. But fear is also a protector. When is that so? Video Stream/Download
2025 Jan 12 Dukkha - the Buddha grounds his teaching on this word. There is no one word to cover it's meaning though it is usually translated as Unsatisfactoriness, better than Suffering. It is helpful in our practice to know the different ways in which we cause suffering for ourselves. Video Stream/Download
2024 Feb. 25 The crucial role of Desire and Intention. The Buddha makes a distinction between desire and the intention which it is empowering. What then is the process by which we come to do, say or think. And what is the role of the self? Video Stream/Download mp3
2024 July 14 The Four Great Elements
The The Four Great Elements: Earth, Water, Fire and Wind are the basis of all our physical experience. They can be used to see the two Characteristics of impermenance and not-self. Video Stream/Download mp3
2024 August 18 The Specific Law of Conditionality
The Specific Law of Condionality explains how events happen and how it is not possible to predict the future. It underpins the Wheel of Dependent Orgination and has consequences for kamma. Video Stream/Download mp3
2024 September 15 The Dangers of Indulgence
What are the dangers of indulgence? Can we separate the excitement of indulgence from happiness and contentment? What is the role of the intention? What's the meaning of renunciation? What are the fruits of renunciation? Video Stream/Download mp3
2023 Jan. 08 The Four Bases of Power : The Four Bases of Success belong within the 37 Factors that lead to Liberation (Bodhipakkhiyadhamma). Usually referenced for extrasensory powers, but also includes the necessary qualities to rid ourselves of defilements. They can also be used as reflections to achieve any goal we set ourselves. Video Stream/Download mp3
2023 Oct 29 The Spiral Path How to dig ourselves out of misery and spiral towards freedom. Talk by Noirin Sheahan, read by Margaret Groome. Video Stream / Download audio
2021 Four Noble Truths - The basic platform upon which all the teachings are based, centring on the meaning of Dukkha. Video Stream/Download mp3
2021 Dukkha (Unsatisfactoriness and Sila (Morality and Ethics) - The Buddha, centring his teaching on Dukkha, lays out the moral and ethical rules we must follow to be liberated from that very same dukkha. Video Stream/Download
2021 Dependent Origination, the Role of desire and the only Choice. A quick revision of the teaching and looking at desire and where the escape from suffering is to be found. Video Stream/Download
2021 Kamma and Rebirth. What is personal karma? Is there such a thing as Social Karma? Where does Rebirth fit in. Video Stream/Download
2022 Oct 09 Identity and Not-Self. Our self-knowledge is limited and so we suffer when we identify with our roles, opinions, apprearance etc. Working with such suffering awakens joy in the Buddha's teaching of Not-Self. Talk by Noirin Sheahan, read by Margaret Groome Video Stream/Download
Ordinary Daily Life
2021 Right Livelihood Can we broaden out the definition to include all we do in our lives so that what we do serves our purpose of becoming liberated from Dukkha? Video Stream/Download
2022 Sep 11 Rest for Autumn. This a good time to re-energise our practice in daily life. Video Stream/Download
Various People
2023 Feb 05 Bahiya of the Bark Cloth tells the story of how a mendicant beomes fully liberated on meetng the Buddha. The cryptic teaching was enough to release Bahiya from delusion. Video Stream/Download mp3
2023 March 05 Following on from last month, a reading and explanation of the whole of the Discourse on Bahiya of the Bark Cloth. This also containcs the inspired verse of the Buddha relating to Nibbana. Video Stream/Download mp3
2024 Mar.24 Upali is converted to the Buddhadhamma MN56 The Jain, Upali, a householder goes to dispute with the Buddha as to whether actions of the body are more blameworthy than actions of the mind when commiting unwholesome actions. Video Stream/Download mp3
Current Topics
2022 Aug 14 Climate Emergency and the Role of the Dhamma Video Stream/
2022 Mar 20 Non-Violence v. Pacifism Stream/Download mp3
2022 Apr 17 Noliberalism and Mindfulness Video Stream/Download mp3
2022 Jun 19 Social Conditionng or Karma - Our social conditioning is a given, but even so we have to take responsibility for it and cleanse it any unwholesomeness. VideoStream/Download