Our Bright Earth book groups are an excellent way of dipping your toe into Buddhist teachings alongside a small group of fellow learners - no experience necessary. They run online and at the temple in Malvern - four upcoming groups are listed here. For all our other events including twice-weekly streamed Buddhist practice visit our site.
Almost a decade ago, Kaspa and I moved into a hotel in the centre of Malvern and set about transmogrifying it into a Buddhist temple.
We were especially blessed in those early days by a multitude of helpers and over the coming years we landscaped the garden, emptied huge rooms full of old-hotel-stuff, painted and wallpapered, found residents, set up the accounting system and put Buddhas in every room.
And then we ran Buddhist practice sessions, and hoped that people would come.
For the first six years we offered four events a week plus retreat days, mandala colouring in, fundraising quiz nights and vegan bake sales… We maintained our therapy practices, wrote Just As You Are, did marketing, dealt with community disputes and made a good many mistakes amongst our better decisions. Over the pandemic we shut our doors and opened our Zoom rooms. We got heavily involved with Extinction Rebellion Buddhists and clocked up a number of eco-activist arrests between us. I did two year-long vigils for the Earth in our local town. So many things!
All along we were assisted by people who mostly came for a while and went on their way, and some who stayed. These people were and are amazing, and, it was usually me and Kaspa who were in the kitchen doing the last washing up at the end of an open day. Sometimes, although we have been hugely blessed to have each other, being at the top has been difficult or tiring. It has also been the most amazing opportunity of my life.
Today we are handing over the day-to-day running of the temple to three longstanding community members - our new stewards. They will unblock the sewage and do the book-keeping, they will organise the schedule and keep the public spaces free of clutter.
Kaspa and I will move out in a month or so’s time to our new little house - seven minutes drive away and surrounded by green. We will hold onto the ministry training programme and the book group organisation. We’ll come back once a week or so to run practice. We’ll still organise retreat days and talks, alongside the rest of the ministry team. And. It will be different. We are handing the reins over. What will we do with ourselves?!
I could write a book about what I have learnt in the past decade. Maybe I will. The headlines are: being a leader is sometimes really hard, and, it is one of the best ways to learn - about oneself, and about the world. Other people are amazing and infuriating and surprising and wounded and beautiful, just like me. I’ve discovered more and more of my own limits, and got better at respecting them, and this has helped me and everyone. Most of all, Buddhist teachings - the Dharma - has a huge power to transform lives. I have seen it again and again.
What a privilege it has been to have been trusted as co-captain of this ship, the Bright Earth temple. I will never forget Ed - in his forties and in late stage terminal cancer - as he wobbled round the shrine room during walking meditation, his friend behind him and ready to catch him if necessary. I’ll never forget Becky who shared in a listening circle that she came to the temple for a little help with her stress but was astonished to discover the divine - her face was lit up. I’ll never forget all our residents who have (mostly) left us more well than when they moved in. I’ll never forget the full shrine rooms for ceremonies, the joyful laughter of work days, the million small kindnesses passed between sangha members.
We have received so many amazing gifts during our time here. I cannot even begin to tell you how lucky I am.
I am looking forward to the temple’s next chapter. I have full confidence in our stewards and in other ministers and senior members of the community - I can’t wait to see what they all do.
I am also personally looking forward to conjuring up more ways of spreading the precious Dharma - the Dharma that I’m lucky enough to have received from countless others.
But first, maybe, a bit of a rest!
Namo Amida Bu,
Satya (& Kaspa)
Tell me: How long have you been connected with the temple or our newsletter? How has it supported you? Any memories you’d like to share?
The light of compassion illuminates us from afar;
Those beings it reaches, it is taught,
Attain joy of dharma,
So take refuge in Amida, the great consolation.
Shinran, Jodo Wasan 10
If you’re able to support the temple financially we would hugely appreciate it - even small one-off or regular amounts make a difference to our work here. Donate here.
Thank you, Satya and Kaspa for your Dharma work. Hands palm to palm with love and respect for how you both extended yourselves these years. And for your intention to keep extending your beautiful selves...
You were the first Buddhist teacher who brought the practice and the teachings within reach. As you know Buddhism has been calling me for a lot of years but with your love, guidance and teachings I found my home. I owe you a great deal. I am so pleased for you two. It proves my belief that you can’t give blessings away - they always find you again. Deep bow 🙏🪷