Life's big questions and Buddhism

For this series on Sunday afternoon you need to register via our website: https://www.maitreya.nl/nl/programma/buddhism-in-a-nutshell-1

At certain times, life can bring experiences that quietly unsettle us—a sudden loss, a sense of falling short, or a lingering feeling of disconnection even in the company of others. Perhaps there are moments when you lie awake in the middle of the night, aware of an undercurrent of anxiety, or find yourself wondering in traffic whether there is more to life than constant striving. Sometimes even success can feel strangely unsatisfying, and no amount of distraction seems to ease the deeper longing for purpose or connection. These moments of questioning are not signs of failure, they are very human. And they can be invitations from a deeper part of ourselves, encouraging us to look in a new direction. For over 2,500 years, the Buddhist tradition has offered ways to relate to life’s challenges with greater understanding and compassion. Rather than promising to remove difficulties, Buddhism provides tools to cultivate steadiness and clarity, and to discover how our struggles can also be a starting point for genuine freedom and contentment.

In each session, we’ll explore various topics from the Buddhist Path to Enlightenment, do short guided meditation sessions and will leave plenty of room for Q&A, discussion and reflection. After each session we’ll provide you with some points to reflect on in the weeks between two sessions.

This course is designed especially for those with little or no previous background in Buddhism, but it can also serve as a gentle refresher and a chance to share insights with others who are interested in these teachings.