Kalyana mitrata: friendship with the beautiful

reflecting on Dhammapada chapter 5 & 6

Many pairs of hands on the truck on a tree growing towards the sky

The Buddha once said that kalyana mitrata, spiritual friendship, or ‘friendship with what is beautiful’ is the whole of the spiritual life. Our community takes these words to heart.

Our centre is not simply a place to practise meditation or gather more knowledge about Buddhism... but if this is all you want, that is fine, and there is no obligation to take your involvement further than this. But for those who do want to go further - there is the opportunity to get to know other practitioners and strengthen those connections. These non-residential weekends can be seen as a framework for kalyana mitrata or friendship to develop.

Spiritual friendship doesn’t involve any kind of power relationship, it’s a friendship based on maitri or loving kindness. This kind of friendship, which takes time, effort and awareness to cultivate, forms the basis of the Sangha or spiritual community.

We'll meet on Friday night from 7-9pm and then again on Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm. All our time will be spent discussing, meditating and reflecting on kalyana mitrata but perhaps in new ways that you are not expecting. On this particular weekend, we'll be discussing and reflecting on two chapters from the Dhammapada (chapters 5 and 6). Hopefully our discussions and the personal reflections they inspire will leave you with a new appreciation of what is possible?

Suitable for those who are familiar with our meditation practices.