WHO IS MAITREYA?
The future Buddha, direct successor of Shakyamuni Buddha (Sidhartha Gautama) and the ‘Buddha of Love’, prophecised to lead humanity into a great golden age, and the dawning of an enlightened world. Though many believe these prophecies refer to a particular person (the Bodhisattva Maitreya, currently residing in Tushita Heaven awaiting birth in the human realm on the attainment of complete Buddhahood), some believe Maitreya represents the evolution of our collective spiritual awareness, or the development of an enlightened community. In this sense, Maitreya is the Buddha-nature potential (Tathagatagarbha) that exists in all of us, ready to manifest in any moment of nowness. We are all potential Buddhas of the future.
WHAT WE OFFER
Training in breathwork, movement and meditation in the context of the teachings on Buddha-nature (attributed to Maitreya), to overcome the limitations of ego, and the separation from the flow of life that it creates. The challenges of modern life on our physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing cannot be fully resolved through meditation alone, nor can we transform our lives simply through the study of the Dharma. Instead we can harmonise an approach to practice that develops all of the elements of our being in ways that support each other exponentially.
With deep-breathing exercises we become more relaxed and present, bringing our mind home to this moment, and the physical reality of our existence. Through mindful movement (based on the Taoist principles of Qigong) we can discover our body’s innate ability to heal and strengthen itself, creating a more appealing ‘home’ for our awareness to reside in. We can then practice meditation, fully embodied in the nowness of the physical world we arise in with the sacred outlook of the timeless wisdom of Buddhism as our guide.
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OUR VISION
To contribute to the creation of an enlightened world as an awake community of love, strength, goodness and wisdom. Through these powerful and accessible methods, and a deep yet straightforward approach to key Buddhist principles, we can rediscover what it is to be human, and reimagine what it means to live collectively, actively creating a better future. We can discover the essence of Maitreya that is within each of us, and ally ourselves, moment to moment, with the goodness and wisdom that is ever-present, and always ready to manifest.
THE FACILITATOR
After struggling with depression, anxiety and social isolation in early life Sopa Thaye discovered Buddhism at the age of 20, in the form of the teachings of the Vidyadhara Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and then spent 25 years applying himself wholeheartedly to the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism.
Sopa has been teaching meditation and Buddhism since 2008 and has taught in a variety of contexts including retreats, weekends and evenings. He is a former Centre Director of the London Shambhala Buddhist Centre as well as of the Jamyang Buddhist Centre Leeds (which is affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation for the Mahayana Tradition). Sopa has spent many years teaching Religion Studies and Philosophy in secondary schools and so is an engaging communicator. He has a secular and direct approach to the teachings of Buddhism, believing that we no longer need complex conceptual frameworks, esoteric ceremonies or the distracting trappings of traditional religion (such as robes, iconography and hierarchical structures) to understand and access our own inherent wisdom and love.