Religion and spirituality
Buddhism
Buddhist meditation and other activities in the City of York.
Faith Adviser: Peter Harvey
Email: p.harvey@yorksj.ac.uk
Many York students have visited the groups listed below, some for only 1 or 2 meetings, while others have become long term regular members.
Please select the menu options below to learn more.
Buddhist places of worship
Groups in York
Samatha Trust, York
From October to June this group runs a course of weekly meditation classes with talks and discussions. It teaches a systematic form of mindfulness of breathing, along with loving-kindness, mindfulness of walking and some chanting. The Samantha Trust is a lay Theravada group with roots in Thai Buddhism.
Meeting: We meet on Zoom Thursdays at 7.30pm, from mid October. Please email Peter Harvey if you are interested in joining the class (b.peter.harvey@gmail.com), in order to get the Zoom link. It is best to attend from the first week, but you can certainly join later. All are welcome.
Once it gets to the end of February, though, it is no longer possible for new people to join this course of guidance and teachings.
Contact: Peter Harvey (York St John Buddhism Faith Adviser): email: b.peter.harvey@gmail.com or chaplaincy@yorksj.ac.uk
Telephone: 01757 335 021
Mobile: 07905 772 672
York Buddhist Centre is part of The Triratna Buddhist Community, a worldwide movement founded in 1968. Triratna draws on the entire Buddhist tradition, making the Buddha’s teaching accessible to many in the West. Our teachers are practising Buddhists who strive to incorporate the ideals of Buddhism into their daily life.
We offer courses in Buddhism and meditation in a friendly, supportive environment.
Meeting: please see our website: https://yorkbuddhistcentre.org/ for meetings and courses.
Contact: enquiries@yorkbuddhistcentre.org
17 Walmgate, York, YO1 9TX
York Sangha practises in the Plum Village tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, following his emphasis on mindful living and engaged Buddhism. Our sangha is open to people of all faiths, or none, and we welcome newcomers.
Meetings: Monday eve. 7.00pm to 9.00pm (exc. holidays), and Thursdays from 10.30am to 12.30pm, either at St Bede’s Pastoral Centre Conference Room (21 Blossom St, York, YO24 1AQ), a short walk from the railway station, or on Zoom. The Sangha follows a core programme with shared facilitation.
Inc. guided and silent meditation, walking meditation, readings and contributions from the group, sharing experiences of the practice. Refreshments are shared during the evening. The Sangha hosts occasional ‘Days of Mindfulness’ and support retreats. A local weekly newsletter is sent to all members.
Website: https://plumvillage.uk/group/york-sangha/ and www.plumvillage.uk
Contact: yorksangha@gmail.com
Facebook: yorksangha
This group are affiliated to Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Leeds, which follows the teachings of the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism as practised by His Holiness The Dalai Lama. They have a teacher who visits fortnightly and in the intervening weeks they have group meditations and discussion.
Meetings: For details of meetings, see: https://www.facebook.com/jamyangbuddhistgroupyork/
Contact: Rowena Field email: rfield151@yahoo.co.uk / Telephone 01904 656504 / Mobile 07552472491
Website: jamyangleeds.co.uk
Tibetan Buddhist, Nyingma-Kagyu lineage, leader Lama Shenpen Hookham.
Meeting: In a spacious peaceful setting in Heworth, York. Meditation and discussion sessions; monthly celebratory meal (Full Moon Feast); occasional quiet days.
Contact: For details of current programme, contact: Meditation facilitator, Damcho Pamo (Jane Reed)
email: janereed21@gmail.com
This group are part of the Kwan Um School of Zen, a network of Zen Centers and groups in the UK, Europe, Asia and America, founded by Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn (1927 to 2004). The group is led by authorized Zen teacher Lizzie Coombs.
Additional events are announced on our website.
Meeting: Mondays 7.00pm to 8.30pm at Millers Yard, York and online via Zoom: chanting Evening Bell Chant, Heart Sutra and Great Dharani; two 30-minutes sitting meditation periods with walking meditation in between; Four Great Vows; Kong-an (koan) and consulting interviews during sitting; meditation instruction for newcomers; Monthly dharma talks
Additional events are announced on our website.
Contact: Lizzie Coombs: kuszyork@gmail.com
Website: yorkzen.com
Part of the Wild Goose Zen Sangha, founded in this country by Fr Patrick Kundo Eastman Roshi (RC priest and Zen Master) as part of the international White Plum Asanga.
The York Group leader is Chris Collingwood, an Anglican priest, who received transmission (authorisation) as a Zen teacher from Kundo Roshi in 2016.
Meetings: each Friday at 6.15pm to prepare for a 6.30 to 8.00pm sitting Zazen Meditation in our Zendo at the "St Bede's Pastoral Centre" 21 Blossom Street (YO24 1AQ)
If you would like to join the online sits, please use the contact page.
Contact: Chris (christopherpcollingwood@gmail.com) Mobile: 07876 896 590. Or from the contact page.
Website: https://www.yorkzengroupwgzs.org/
This meditation group meets weekly during school term times to practise Chan meditation and to discuss relevant texts and books on the subject. Chan is the original Chinese form of Zen.
Meeting: for current details, contact Sian Thomas at sianyorkchan@gmail.com.
Website: www.westernchanfellowship.org
From the Japanese Nichiren tradition.
This group are an international society for the creation of value. SGI members follow the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, a Buddhist monk, born in Japan in 1222. They chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to overcome suffering and reveal our innate potential. Their motto is: Trust through Friendship, Peace through Trust. They aim to foster these humanistic principles, particularly through local discussion meetings.
Website: https://www.sgi-uk.org – click on Local Community, for York details
This cultural and fund-raising organisation regularly brings speakers on Tibetan Buddhism to give talks in central York. It has organised meditation retreats led by a Tibetan Lama and visits to Tibetan Buddhist religious events outside York.
For details of York group: https://www.facebook.com/TibetSupportGroupYork/?locale=en_GB
