Welcome to Bristol Insight Meditation. Our aspiration is to build a community that nurtures wisdom and compassion: for ourselves, for others and for the world we live in. Through our groups and activities, we support the practice and study of Buddhist Insight Meditation also known as Vipassana (literally translated as ‘seeing deeply or clearly’). This is the practice of developing a calm and mindful investigation into the nature of experience, leading to wisdom, compassion and the end of suffering.
Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn,
a cool breeze in summer, snow in winter.
If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things,
this is the best season of your life.
Chinese Zen master Wu Men
To have an unclouded mind and to see a little more deeply into life is perhaps what Insight meditation is all about. Bristol Insight exists to support us in the endeavour to see with a greater clarity and to respond to life with a deeper appreciation.
We offer a range of regular activities, a programme of day retreats and occasional longer courses to support meditation practice. Our longstanding association with Gaia House, a well-known retreat centre for Insight Meditation, means we regularly invite their teachers, as well as those from other linked traditions, to lead our own retreat days and courses. These are reputable, highly experienced teachers who commit to a code of ethics.
Our approach emphasises inquiry, experiential exploration and mindfulness amongst many other influences. It is not important to hold particular beliefs or to consider yourself a Buddhist to attend our activities and events, all are welcome. If you like the sound of what we do, then please feel free to come along and check us out.
In general, as you go round the website, just click on the pictures for more information.
Upcoming Events
Sangha walk – Sand Bay near Weston-super-Mare
This is a fairly easy coastal walk of about 5 miles which should take us about 2 hours at a gentle pace. We will start the walk at the car park at the Sand Bay Kiosk(click for map), from where we will walk inland via Sand Farm and across open countryside, visiting the ruins of … Continued
Cultivating care and wisdom with Zohar Lavie
The Buddhas teaching includes all aspects of human life. In this day retreat we will explore how to apply these teachings of compassion to our engagement and our relationships, looking particularly at our caring roles.How can Dharma practice resource us as we act in the world, and how can the care we share with others … Continued
