Hopefully you are all rested and recharged after the summer holidays. But if you’re suffering from Festival burn out, fear not. We have a revitalising programme of courses and events to relax, restore and re-energise health of mind and body.

For details of our weekday programme of Meditation Sessions, Pujas, Qigong, Yoga and Pilates classes see our Weekly Programme. And for information on all monthly Buddhist teachings and other special events see Courses and Events.

The first of these will be Teachings, Special Events and Celebrations of KSDE’s 7th Anniversary on September 29th and 30th. This starts on the Friday evening with a highly recommended public teaching by Lama Yeshe Rinpoche on The Alchemy of the Dharma, and concludes on Saturday evening with a screening of Akong – A Remarkable Life, an award winning film about our founder, Akong Tulku Rinpoche. As these events are likely to be very popular, please book early if you wish to attend. Everybody is welcome.

Drupon Rinpoche, who was expected to teach at KSD Edinburgh on October 15th is regrettably not coming at this time. Hopefully Rinpoche will be able to come next year.

Meanwhile, for those who are unable to attend Drupon Rinpoche’s full courses at Samye Ling, Rinpoche will be giving a one day teaching there on Saturday October 7th on Methods of Cultivating Kindness.  This is part of the 4th Anniversary events being held to honour Akong Tulku Rinpoche. Further information is on the Samye Ling website.

An additional event to our existing programme will be KSD Edinburgh’s participation in Doors Open Day on Sunday September 24th, 2pm to 5pm. This has come about at the invitation of the Cockburn Association who organise the event to celebrate Edinburgh’s iconic buildings.  As such we are honoured and happy to participate. However, we could do with a little help from our friends! See below.

A huge thank you to everyone who has ever volunteered their help at Samye Dzong Edinburgh! And now an invitation to anyone who can help us get the Centre ready for the upcoming Open Doors Day on the September 24th and the Anniversary Events with Lama Yeshe Rinpoche on September 29th/30th.

VOLUNTEER DAY – SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 17th, 2-5pm

Volunteers enjoying an al fresco tea break

Jobs include, cleaning the exterior building and courtyard, weeding, sweeping etc. (please bring a trowel or similar useful tool if you have one),  as well as making the interior spick and span.

In addition we also need people able to help out on a regular basis with Admin, DIY, and General Upkeep so do let us know if you have an afternoon a week to spare.
Please drop us a line if you can assist, either on September 17th, or on a more regular basis. We’d love to hear from you!

A poem by Ani Rinchen Khandro, AKA Jackie Glass, a Mancunian

The blood of Irish, Catholic immigrants

And Russian, Jewish refugees

Flows through the veins of this Buddhist nun,

A seeker of wisdom, compassion and peace,

Whose path has encircled the world and alights

Now in Edinburgh, where it has stayed.

But my heart cries out for Manchester,

For Manchester’s where I was made.

And I weep to see your suffering,

Caused by minds deluded by hate,

Yet tears of sadness are mixed with pride,

Seeing what makes my hometown so great.

Strength and kindness in adversity,

That brave, indomitable spirit,

Bred by love that welcomes diversity,

All embellished with pithy, street wit.

Mancunia, Mancunia!

That fortress of Northern souls,

Your red brick streets and fields of dreams,

Bear witness to impossible goals.

In grief we stand united,

United we’ll rise from the ruins,

Like so many who’ve gone before us,

For in Manchester, that’s how we do things.

Greetings one and all, and welcome to the new Autumn Term at KSD Edinburgh. We hope you’ve had an enjoyable summer and are now recharged and ready to avail yourselves of some of the great courses, teachings and regular Dharma practices on offer.

We re-open this Monday September 5th with a new look weekly programme so do check information on all Pujas, Meditation sessions, Qigong and Yoga classes.

We also have some exciting monthly events lined up, including a weekend of teachings, meditation and celebration of our “official opening” with Lama Yeshe Rinpoche over the last weekend of September. And in October we are fortunate to be hosting Lama Drupon Rinpoche for more of his precious teachings. Please note that all monthly events need to be booked online so do book early to be sure of your place.

Saturdays in September, 10am to 4pm – Filling, Sanding, Painting and Cleaning
And finally, just a wee heads up to anyone willing and able to lend a hand. Why not throw on your old clothes and come join us in putting the finishing touches to our beautiful new Centre in readiness for the official opening celebrations!

We look forward to seeing you at KSD Edinburgh in the new term for any or all of the above and much more.

May all beings be happy and create the causes of happiness.

Inauguration of the new KSD Edinburgh Dharma Centre at 25 Bernard Street , Leith on May 21st 2016, on the Anniversary of The Buddha’s Enlightenment.

Shrine Room preparations and volunteers re-fuelling in the run up to the inauguration on Saturday May 21st. Work is ongoing this week and help is always welcome!

April 16th and 17th from 10.30 am to 4.30pm
At KSD Edinburgh, 4 Walker Street

This weekend retreat is devoted to the practice of Green Tara, the mother of all Buddhas, who embodies swift and fearless compassion in action, like Akong Tulku Rinpoche whose Tibetan Monastery bears her name. The course will give participants the instruction, authorisation and empowerment needed for practising Green Tara Sadhana. It is suitable for those who have already taken Refuge.

This will be the last major event to be held at our much loved Walker Street Centre and a fitting way to complete this chapter in the life of KSD Edinburgh before beginning an exciting new one in our beautiful Bernard Street Centre in Leith.

Read more and book

Losar Tashi Delegs for the Tibetan New Year on February 9th

As Losar falls on a Tuesday we will be doing a special Chenrezig Puja dedicated to World Peace, the Health and Happiness of all beings and to the long life of all the precious gurus. In particular we dedicate to the continuous flourishing of the Buddha’s activities by His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa. Everybody is welcome.

His Holiness is currently presiding over the Kagyu Monlams in Bodhgaya, India and even though we may not be able to be there in person we can nevertheless benefit from the teachings by following this link to the live webcast:
http://www.kagyumonlam.org/Webcast/live_webcast.html

Good News – Ringu Tulku Rinpoche will be teaching at KSD Edinburgh on June 29th and 30th and Drupon Rinpoche will be teaching here on October 27th  
By then we hope to be settled in our new Centre in Leith so it will be especially auspicious to welcome these eminent Lamas to our new home. Details and bookings for these teachings will be posted online nearer the time. Watch this space!

Thank You – and last but not least, thank you for all your kindness, support and get well messages. They seem to have worked! I look forward to seeing some of you at our Losar Chenrezi Puja and at many other activities throughout the year. Please note that the Shrines and Offerings course will now be on Saturday February 13th and the Volunteer prepping and painting at KSDE Leith on Sunday 14th (then all the following weekends throughout the month.) Many hands make light work!

May all beings be happy and create the causes of happiness,

Ani Rinchen Khandro

Having been on the receiving end of numerous emails from people too poorly to attend various events at Samye Dzong in recent weeks, it is now my turn to succumb to the dreaded ‘flu bug! Unfortunately this means that I will be unable to teach this weekend’s Shrines and Offerings course on Saturday February 6th or to oversee the volunteer work at our new Leith Centre on Sunday the 7th.

I do apologies for any inconvenience this may cause you but, even if I felt strong enough, I doubt you would thank me for passing on the infection! As it is I feel more like, what my dear mother was prone to describe as, a washed out rabbit. However, I am usually quite resilient and hope to resume my commitments at Samye Dzong next week

Please note that the Shrines and Torma Offerings Course is now rescheduled for Saturday February 13th and the Leith volunteer work for Sunday February 14th.

Thank you for your patience and understanding of impermanence. With prayers and good wishes for your health and happiness throughout the New Year and beyond.

Ani Rinchen Khandro

Medicine Buddha Puja
Friday December 18th 2015, 6pm at KSDE Walker Street
Join us for a meaningful Medicine Buddha Puja dedicated to the health and wellbeing of our planet and all sentient beings. And stay on for mince pies and a medicinal dram of mulled (alcohol free) wine!

New Centre Volunteer Meeting
Sunday December 20th 2015, 2pm at the new KSDE 25 Bernard Street, Leith
The last chance before Christmas to see our amazing new Centre and find out how you can volunteer your help in the New Year. Afternoon tea and biscuits provided, if you can donate a mug!

It’s all happening at Samye Dzong Edinburgh Sunday November 29th – Be there if you care

Sunday Morning Catch Up and New Centre Update
10.30am – 12.00pm

You are invited to join us in the Peace Hall at 4 Walker Street for an update on the progress of the new Samye Dzong Edinburgh Centre and how you can be part of it.

We aim to move in to this beautiful building in the early spring. But first we need to refurbish and give it some tender loving care, which is where you come in! Working together to create wonderful Dharma Centre for the benefit of all gives us the perfect opportunity to practice Bodhicitta in Action. Skills, time, resources, energy, sponsorship and ideas, bring it all to the party! Tea and biscuits all round.

By Donation

Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche, flanked by Tulku Ogyen Nyima and Ani Rinchen Khandro, makes a historic announcement on the occasion of Kagyu Samye Dzong Edinburgh’s 5th Anniversary at the Walker Street Centre.

A wonderful 5th Anniversary weekend of Refuge Ceremony, Dharma Teachings, Film Show, Meditation Instruction and Guru Rinpoche Shower of Blessing Puja, was crowned with the exciting announcement by Lama Yeshe Rinpoche of a new and larger Centre for Kagyu Samye Dzong Edinburgh!

Just over a month ago, when Ani Rinchen Khandro was in Germany, she asked His Holiness Karmapa to give his blessing for a somewhat larger centre for KSDE. Once back in Edinburgh she found a beautiful building that was originally built in the 1800’s as The Leith Bank. Thanks to the power of His Holiness’s blessing we have managed to acquire it for the new Samye Dzong.

We will start work on the new building in early December and will need many volunteers, both skilled and unskilled, to lend a hand with adapting the building to our needs so please earmark some time in your diary to come and lend a helping hand. We will be giving more details about this in the coming months. Meanwhile, donations to help with the refurbishment and decoration are also vitally important so please do visit the donation page on our website to make your contribution.

For now we will continue to run our regular programme of courses and events at our lovely, but slightly too small, Walker Street Centre and look forward to seeing you there very soon.

A sneak preview: An historical drawing of the Leith Bank, soon to be the new Samye Dzong Edinburgh at 25 Bernard and 25 Maritime Street, Leith. Call it karma or coincidence but His Holiness Karmapa gave his blessing in the Maritime Hotel in Bonn!

Photos from Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche’s Teachings at Kagyu Samye Dzong Edinburgh, September 2015.

Photos from the Guru Rinpoche Shower of Blessings Tsok Puja, Kagyu Samye Dzong Edinburgh, September 2015.