South West Wales Meditation & Mindfulness Group

Join us for our free weekly online guided meditations on Sundays at 10am (UK time) // 11am (Spanish time).

These sessions include a guided meditation, a short talk on our practice of the week, and some time for group discussion. There is no need to commit to every week, you can drop-in whenever you wish.

During these sessions, we will engage in various meditations from the Buddhist and other contemplative traditions. These meditations will help you to unwind, relax, let go of things like stress and anxiety, and cultivate positive minds such as patience, compassion, and equanimity.

With a regular meditation practice, you will gain greater and greater peace of mind and discover a more positive approach to life, as well as improved levels of emotional and mental health. Meditation has numerous benefits for the health of both your body and mind, is easy to do, and something everyone can learn.

Everybody is welcome to join these sessions.

A 3-week series on procrastination, worldly busyness, and discouragement

Most of us know the feeling: we genuinely feel drawn to practice and want to lead a meaningful life… yet we keep putting it off, get swept up in the busyness of life, or decide we’re “not the type” who can really do this.

In Tibetan Buddhism, “laziness” is not necessarily lying on the sofa. It’s anything that blocks wholesome practice and inner transformation. Over the three weeks of this course, David Oromith will discuss the three classic obstacles discussed in Tibetan Buddhism and offer practical antidotes designed to help you cultivate joyous effort, a kind of enthusiastic energy that feels steady and meaningful rather than forced or unrealistic.

Week 1: Procrastination
Why we delay the very things we value, and how reflections on impermanence can help bring clarity, urgency, and enthusiasm, not pressure or guilt.

Week 2: Attachment to worldly affairs
When we’re “too busy” for practice, and how reflecting on the limits of samsaric pursuits helps us re-order life without becoming grim or anti-life.

Week 3: Discouragement/despondency
The voice that says, “This is beyond me.” How to meet self-doubt skilfully, reconnect with aspiration, and build confidence through small, consistent steps.
Each session includes a guided meditation, a dharma talk, and Q&A / discussion. We hope this will provide an honest, practical look at these issues in real life, in the supportive spirit of community practice.

Booking & Donation:

"Love never hurts - attachment does." - Venerable Robina Courtin

Join us for this half-day retreat (in-person or online) where we explore the true nature of love vs attachment.

Love often gets confused with attachment. But the latter is conditional, restrictive and claustrophobic. The former is open, expansive, and freeing. Together, we’ll explore how genuine love can be given freely without conditions, and learn practical ways to reduce unhealthy attachments and cultivate greater equanimity. Learn to identify and differentiate between attachment and love and empower yourself to create more authentic, joyful relationships.

Expect practical Buddhist tools, guided reflection and meditation, and space for questions.

Venue location: The Swansea Wellbeing Centre, Walter Road, Burman Street, Swansea SA1 6BW

Booking & Donations

There are limited places available for this half-day retreat. We will also be livestreaming the sessions for those who’d like to join from afar.

About the Retreat

An opportunity for soothing and balancing the overworked mind and body.

During this retreat, you will be guided in an array of deeply relaxing meditations which allow you to completely unwind and relax and let go of any stress and tension you’re holding.

The retreat schedule will consist of a number of inspiring workshops and guided meditations inspired by Buddhist psychology, complimented by laid-back yoga in the morning and countryside walks in the afternoon.

The workshops will explore the inner causes of stress, anxiety, and provide you with tips and innovative ways to calm and de-stress at home.

We’re sure you’ll leave feeling refreshed, nourished, and stress-free – with new tools to reduce your stress and anxiety and to feel more positive and peaceful.

About the Teachings

During the sessions with Buddhist teacher, David Oromith, we will blend meditative exploration with the Buddha’s core teachings.

Alongside venturing into the theory and practice of shamatha—developing a calm, clear and focused mind—we will also explore the Buddha’s insights on the roots of our stress and unhappiness, particularly attachment and aversion.

Practical antidotes to these mental afflictions will also be introduced, offering us real-world methods for transforming unhelpful patterns into greater freedom and wellbeing, according to Buddhist psychology.

About The Venue

Historic Buddhist centre nestled in the countryside

For over 40 years, Lam Rim Buddhist Centre has existed as a place of refuge and calm. Near Abergavenny, the Centre is easily accessed from nearby Bristol and is close to the border of England and Wales. Lam Rim has eight and half acres of woodland, glade, lawn and orchard, which you’re welcome to enjoy during your visit.

Inside, there are a number of places you could find yourself. Firstly, the traditional Tibetan Buddhist shrine room, with its profound stillness and serenity. You could settle into a cosy armchair by the fire, an ideal spot for reading, or take a spot in the well-stocked on-site library for your next inspiring read.

For time getting to know fellow participants, you could unwind in the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the lounge-dining room.

Accommodation

Clean, bright and comfortable rooms

The bedrooms at Lam Rim Buddhist Centre offer a calming and welcoming space. Bright, comfortable, and clean, the rooms are charmingly designed and themed. There are a limited number of single rooms and ensuites, with a variety of twin and triple rooms each thoughtfully arranged for comfort. Large windows allow natural light to fill the spaces, creating a welcoming atmosphere connected with the natural surroundings.

For those who enjoy the outdoors, we are pleased to say you can join and make use of the camping (and campervan!) spaces.

Catering

Vegan & delicious!

In line with sustainable and non-harm practices, we will enjoy seasonal, plant-based food which will nourish our bodies while we engage in retreat.

Meals consist of a continental breakfast, a hearty lunch and two-course evening meals. There will also be opportunities for mid-morning and afternoon tea and coffee. All meals are freshly prepared to the highest quality and cooked on site.

The Grounds & Nearby Areas

A unique atmosphere of peace and tranquillity

Located deep in the beautiful Monmouthshire countryside, the Centre is overlooked by the Black Mountains, with the beautiful Brecon Beacons being within easy reach, as well as the popular Wye Valley and Vale of Usk.

Retreatants can take a daily contemplative walk along the ‘prayer path’ (so-called after the Tibetan prayer flags found in the woodland along the path) which weaves its way through the eight and half acres of woodland, glade and lawn.

There are numerous walks and excursions from the property including several nearby castles (White castle, Raglan castle and Skenfrith castle). Also, within easy reach, are many other spiritual and historic places of interest, including the Virtuous Well at the historical village of Trellech, and the Cistercian abbey of Tintern which is one of the greatest monastic ruins in Wales.