Do Buddhists Celebrate Christmas? February Retreat and Seasons Greetings

Aro Ling Cardiff
Vajrayana Buddhism

Upcoming events:

• 4th February – Transforming Emotions; 10:00 – 16:00
• 5th February – 3 practice sessions: 10:00 – 11:00 meditation & yogic song, 11:30 – 12:30 Jong Dar, and 13:00 – 15:00 tsog’khorlo rite
• each session is separate – come for any combination, as few or as many as you wish
• requested donations: whole weekend £35; just Saturday £25; Sunday sessions £5 each

Ongoing weekly events on Tuesdays:

• 10:30 – 11:30 Jong Dar, moving meditation  
• 12:00 – 13:00 meditation and song
• 19:00 – 20:30 meditation group

Please note: Aro Ling Cardiff will be closed for 2 weeks for Yuletide, so no sessions on Tuesday 27th December or on Tuesday 3rd January.

 

‘Do you celebrate Christmas?’ is a question that is often asked of Buddhists. It is useful to remember that the celebration of the winter solstice long pre-dates Christianity. The winter solstice is the welcoming herald of lengthening days and the promise of the ending of the deep cold of winter. The word ‘yule’ is derived from old Norse, and you will find the Jul goat for sale in Ikea. So Yuletide is an ancient celebration and certainly Buddhists living in the West are likely to enjoy the festivities of the Yuletide Season.  

Aro Ling Cardiff wishes you the very best
for the Yuletide Season.

The next first-weekend-of-the-month event will be on the 4th and 5th of February.
The topic for the Saturday 4th February Vajrayana teachings is ‘Transforming Emotions’. Full details for this event are on the website.
On Sunday 5th February there will be three practice sessions: meditation and song, Jong Dar, and a tsog’khorlo ceremony.
Please join us for all sessions, a single session, or any combination that suits you. All welcome.

This month Aro Ling Cardiff will donate £60 to the Drala Jong appeal from the donations given by attendees. Thank you all! 

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Ngakma Nor’dzin and Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin

Aro Ling Cardiff meets at 5 Court Close, Whitchurch, Cardiff, CF14 1JR. The practice room is on the ground floor with direct access from the street, and is wheelchair accessible.

All classes and groups are led by ordained Buddhists with many years of practice experience.

Donations are requested to cover costs, and so that Aro Ling Cardiff can make donations to the Buddhist charity, Sang-ngak-chö-dzong #1019886.

For fuller details of events at Aro Ling Cardiff, please visit

aro-ling.org/cardiff or meetup.com/arolingcardiff
or text
07875 716644

Jong Dar is a term that covers all the physical practices of the Aro Tradition of Vajrayana Buddhism. Each class is 1 hour. The session includes Ying’khor, sKu-mNyé, walking meditation, and standing meditation. The 25 Ying ’khor exercises involve subtle movement in a standing position. Some include visualisation of coloured light energy synchronised with the breath. A few involve sound as vocalised syllables. sKu-mNyé (the ‘s’ is silent) in the Aro tradition is a system of 111 repetitive physical exercises which massage the spatial nerves of the subtle, energetic body – giving rise to extraordinary sensations. In these unusual sensations it is possible to find the presence of non-dual awareness—rigpa—momentary enlightenment. It offers a range of movements, from simple and gentle to demanding and vigorous – so there is something for everyone. All are welcome whatever age or level of fitness. A wonderful form of exercise that is refreshing and invigorating.

Meditation group and daytime meditation – beginners and experienced meditators welcome. Short periods of meditation are interspersed with yogic song and chant. Discover emptiness and self-awareness. 

Saturday Teaching Sessions – morning tea break provided; please bring a packed lunch.


The charity of the Aro gTér Lineage in the UK is called ‘Sang-ngak-chö-dzong’ (UK charity number 1019886). This was the name given by Kyabjé Düd’jom Rinpoche. There are also other European charities connected with the Lineage, plus Aro Gar in the USA. Currently we are fund-raising to establish a residential retreat centre in Wales, which will be called ‘Drala Jong’. For information about this appeal, please see http://arobuddhism.org/drala-jong/drala-jong-appeal.html or go to the Drala Jong appeal blog.  

Extracts from Aro gTér Lineage publications appear once a week on a blog called Aro Quotation. If you would like to receive the Aro Quotations by email, please go to the blog and subscribe.

The Aro gTer Lineage also offers a free meditation course. The course is delivered in weekly emails.

Illusory Advice: Religion

Pal Gyi Ling, Kathmandu, 2014, Ngakma Nor’dzin

"Buddhism is a religion of method, and that is why it appears to manifest as a philosophy or ‘a way of life.’ The way of living one’s life is the practice of the religion. There are practices that are overtly religious—such as ritual practice—but a lot of Buddhist practice has to do with view – it is the transformation of view that manifests as change in behaviour and attitude. This is more subtle and all-life-encompassing than ritual practice."

p32, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor'dzin & Ngakpa 'ö-Dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2016, 978-1-898185-37-6

---

Stay up to date with events at Aro Ling Cardiff via the website, meetup, facebook and twitter. We meet for meditation every Tuesday evening and look forward to meeting you.

Illusory Advice: Authenticity

"Ngak’chang Rinpoche encourages practitioners to wear Western boots and hats as part of the manifestation of the gö kar chang lo. The first time that one apprentice visited Nepal, they were struck by all the Tibetans wearing Western hats. When they commented on this to Ngak’chang Rinpoche he replied: “Well did you think I made it up?”"

p31, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor'dzin & Ngakpa 'ö-Dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2016, 978-1-898185-37-6

---

Stay up to date with events at Aro Ling Cardiff via the website, meetup, facebook and twitter. We meet for meditation every Tuesday evening and look forward to meeting you.

Illusory Advice: Evangelising

Garden Silhouette, 2014, Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin

"The Bodhisattva vow isn’t about converting beings – that would be an extreme interpretation. Liberation is the intention, and beating people over the head with Buddhism is liable to be counter-productive. Samsara does not equate to ‘non-Buddhism.’ In our opinion it would be better to be a happy and kind Christian than a miserable and mean Buddhist."

p29, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor'dzin & Ngakpa 'ö-Dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2016, 978-1-898185-37-6

---

Stay up to date with events at Aro Ling Cardiff via the website, meetup, facebook and twitter. We meet for meditation every Tuesday evening and look forward to meeting you.

Illusory Advice: Rebirth

"Rebirth, from one life to the next, cannot be proven through your current experience. You can however, look at rebirth as the moment-by-moment experience of your life: you die and are reborn in each moment. For each new moment to arise, the previous moment has to die. ‘You’ die in each moment, and ‘you’ are reborn into each moment. ‘You’ are never quite the same from one moment to another, and as such, a new person arises into each moment. It is excellent to question these things and ponder on them, and the only source of certainty and confidence is your practice."

p26, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor'dzin & Ngakpa 'ö-Dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2016, 978-1-898185-37-6

---

Stay up to date with events at Aro Ling Cardiff via the website, meetup, facebook and twitter. We meet for meditation every Tuesday evening and look forward to meeting you.

November teachings, new Jong Dar class – October newsletter

Aro Ling Cardiff
Vajrayana Buddhism

Upcoming events:

• new Jong Dar session, Wednesdays 19:00 – 20:00
• 5th November – Fourteen Ways to be Excellent; 10:00 – 16:00
• 6th November – 3 practice sessions: 10:00 – 11:30, 12:30 – 14:00, and 14:30 – 15:30

Ongoing weekly events on Tuesdays:

• 10:30 – 11:30 Jong Dar – moving meditation  
• 12:00 – 13:00 meditation and song
• 19:00 – 20:30 meditation group

On September 28th the Aro gTér Lineage Holders, Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen, offered a blessing ceremony for the new meditation room. Around 20 people attended and it was a most delightful and inspiring evening.

The following weekend we had our first full weekend of events in the new meditation room. It was especially wonderful to celebrate tsog’khorlo for the first time.

The next first-weekend-of-the-month falls on the 5th and 6th of November.
The topic for the Saturday 5th November Vajrayana teachings is ‘Fourteen Ways to be Excellent’. Full details for this event are on the website.
On Sunday 6th November there will be three practice sessions: meditation and song, a tsog’khorlo ceremony (which includes lunch – prior introduction to the practice is required before booking), and dance.

Please note: Ngakma Nor’dzin and Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin are attending a retreat in Finland at the beginning of December, and another retreat at the beginning of January, so there will be no first-weekend-of-the-month events in December or January.

Thank you to those who responded to the offer of an evening session of Jong Dar. This new class will begin on Wednesday October 26th at 19:00.

This month Aro Ling Cardiff was able to donate £60 to the Drala Jong appeal from the donations given by attendees. Thank you all! 

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Ngakma Nor’dzin and Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin

Aro Ling Cardiff meets at 5 Court Close, Whitchurch, Cardiff, CF14 1JR. The practice room is on the ground floor with direct access from the street, and is wheelchair accessible.

All classes and groups are led by ordained Buddhists with many years of practice experience.

Donations are requested to cover costs, and so that Aro Ling Cardiff can make donations to the Buddhist charity, Sang-ngak-chö-dzong #1019886.

For fuller details of events at Aro Ling Cardiff, please visit

aro-ling.org/cardiff or meetup.com/arolingcardiff
or text
07875 716644

Jong Dar is a term that covers all the physical practices of the Aro Tradition of Vajrayana Buddhism. Each class is 1 hour. The session includes Ying’khor, sKu-mNyé, walking meditation, and standing meditation. The 25 Ying ’khor exercises involve subtle movement in a standing position. Some include visualisation of coloured light energy synchronised with the breath. A few involve sound as vocalised syllables. sKu-mNyé (pronounced ‘Kum-nye’) in the Aro tradition is a system of 111 repetitive physical exercises which massage the spatial nerves of the subtle, energetic body – giving rise to extraordinary sensations. In these unusual sensations it is possible to find the presence of non-dual awareness—rigpa—momentary enlightenment. It offers a range of movements, from simple and gentle to demanding and vigorous – so there is something for everyone. All are welcome whatever age or level of fitness. A wonderful form of exercise that is refreshing and invigorating.
Meditation group and daytime meditation – beginners and experienced meditators welcome. Short periods of meditation are interspersed with yogic song and chant. Discover emptiness and self-awareness. 
Dance – dancing embraces many qualities of natural heroism: considerate awareness of the other dancers, politeness and dignity, sensitivity and enjoyment, and light-hearted and wholehearted engagement with the pattern and movement of the dance. The focus will be on the dignity and formality of the dances of the Georgian period. Occasionally Tibetan folk dance will also be taught.


The charity of the Aro gTér Lineage in the UK is called ‘Sang-ngak-chö-dzong’ (UK charity number 1019886). This was the name given by Kyabjé Düd’jom Rinpoche. There are also other European charities connected with the Lineage, plus Aro Gar in the USA. Currently we are fund-raising to establish a residential retreat centre in Wales, which will be called ‘Drala Jong’. For information about this appeal, please see http://arobuddhism.org/drala-jong/drala-jong-appeal.html or go to the Drala Jong appeal blog.  

Extracts from Aro gTér Lineage publications appear once a week on a blog called Aro Quotation. If you would like to receive the Aro Quotations by email, please go to the blog and subscribe.

The Aro gTer Lineage also offers a free meditation course. The course is delivered in weekly emails.

Illusory Advice: Gender becomes irrelevant

St Teilo’s Church, 2015, Ngakma Nor’dzin

"It is not necessary to adopt a male stance to be reassured that one is regarded as male, or a female stance to be reassured that one is regarded as female. Discovering the internal qualities of femaleness for men and maleness for women overcomes the tendency to polarise experience and ignore one’s inner nature. Once the nonduality of inner and outer is experienced, gender becomes irrelevant."

p25, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor'dzin & Ngakpa 'ö-Dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2016, 978-1-898185-37-6

---

Stay up to date with events at Aro Ling Cardiff via the website, meetup, facebook and twitter. We meet for meditation every Tuesday evening and look forward to meeting you.

Illusory Advice: Total immersion

Ripples, 2015, Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin

The purpose of apprenticeship is to taste a unique depth of experience and involvement in a Vajrayana tradition without taking lifelong commitments. You can leap, but with the lifebelt of your probationary apprentice status.

You cannot know whether you are going to really like a cake unless you taste it. If you look at it and feel uncertain, or smell it and think that it doesn’t seem so good, but never actually taste it – you will never know what it tastes like. Vajrayana has to be tasted. So we would encourage you to use the probationary period to taste Vajrayana through this Lineage as thoroughly as possible. Taste with an open heart and an open mind.

p22, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor'dzin & Ngakpa 'ö-Dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2016, 978-1-898185-37-6

---

Stay up to date with events at Aro Ling Cardiff via the website, meetup, facebook and twitter. We meet for meditation every Tuesday evening and look forward to meeting you.

Illusory Advice: Pure... impure?

Lekeitio Harbour, 2013, Ngakma Nor’dzin

"Tantra begins with the experience of emptiness – the pregnant space from which form arises. Form is simply that which arises – and does not need to be viewed in terms of pure or impure. Human bodies are as they are and are available for appreciation. Samsara is not a separate existence to nirvana. They are the same experience – it is view that changes."

p21, Illusory Advice, Ngakma Nor'dzin & Ngakpa 'ö-Dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2016, 978-1-898185-37-6

---

Stay up to date with events at Aro Ling Cardiff via the website, meetup, facebook and twitter. We meet for meditation every Tuesday evening and look forward to meeting you.

Blessing Ceremony September 28th, October 1st and 2nd events, and do you want a new evening class

Aro Ling Cardiff
Vajrayana Buddhism

Upcoming events:

• 28th September – blessing ceremony – 18:30 for 19:00
• 1st October – Four Good Reasons to Meditate – 10:00 - 16:00
• 2nd October – 3 practices sessions: 10:00 – 11:30, 12:30 – 14:00, and 14:30 – 15:30

Ongoing weekly events on Tuesdays:

• 10:30 – 11:30 Jong Dar – moving meditation  
• 12:00 – 13:00 meditation and song
• 19:00 – 20:30 meditation group

On September 28th the Aro gTér Lineage Holders, Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen, will be offering a blessing ceremony for the new meditation room. There are still a few spaces available for the evening if you would like to attend. Please contact us as soon as possible to secure your place.

The first weekend of the month falls on the 1st and 2nd of October.
The topic for the Saturday 1st October Vajrayana teachings is ‘Four Good Reasons to Meditate’. Full details for this event are on the website.
On Sunday 2nd October there will be three practice sessions: meditation and song, a tsog’khorlo ceremony (which includes lunch – prior introduction to the practice is required before booking), and dance.

Would you be interested in a Wednesday evening Jong Da session, 19:00 - 20:00? Please let us know as we would be happy to offer it if there is interest.

Jong Dar is a term that covers all the physical practices of the Aro Tradition of Vajrayana Buddhism. Each class is 1 hour. The session includes Ying’khor, sKu-mNyé, walking meditation, and standing meditation. The 25 Ying ’khor exercises involve subtle movement in a standing position. Some include visualisation of coloured light energy synchronised with the breath. A few involve sound as vocalised syllables. sKu-mNyé (pronounced ‘Kum-nye’) in the Aro tradition is a system of 111 repetitive physical exercises which massage the spatial nerves of the subtle, energetic body – giving rise to extraordinary sensations. In these unusual sensations it is possible to find the presence of non-dual awareness—rigpa—momentary enlightenment. It offers a range of movements, from simple and gentle to demanding and vigorous – so there is something for everyone. All are welcome whatever age or level of fitness. A wonderful form of exercise that is refreshing and invigorating.

This month Aro Ling Cardiff was able to donate £40 to the Drala Jong appeal from the donations given by attendees. Thank you all! 


The charity of the Aro gTér Lineage in the UK is called ‘Sang-ngak-chö-dzong’ (UK charity number 1019886). This was the name given by Kyabjé Düd’jom Rinpoche. There are also other European charities connected with the Lineage, plus Aro Gar in the USA. Currently we are fund-raising to establish a residential retreat centre in Wales, which will be called ‘Drala Jong’. For information about this appeal, please see http://arobuddhism.org/drala-jong/drala-jong-appeal.html or go to the Drala Jong appeal blog.  

Extracts from Aro gTér Lineage publications appear once a week on a blog called Aro Quotation. If you would like to receive the Aro Quotations by email, please go to the blog and subscribe.

The Aro gTer Lineage also offers a free meditation course. The course is delivered in weekly emails.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Ngakma Nor’dzin and Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin

Meditation group and daytime meditation – beginners and experienced meditators welcome. Short periods of meditation are interspersed with yogic song and chant. Discover emptiness and self-awareness. 

Dance – dancing embraces many qualities of natural heroism: considerate awareness of the other dancers, politeness and dignity, sensitivity and enjoyment, and light-hearted and wholehearted engagement with the pattern and movement of the dance. The focus will be on the dignity and formality of the dances of the Georgian period. Occasionally Tibetan folk dance will also be taught.

Aro Ling Cardiff meets at 5 Court Close, Whitchurch, Cardiff, CF14 1JR. The practice room is on the ground floor with direct access from the street, and is wheelchair accessible.

All classes and groups are led by ordained Buddhists with many years of practice experience.

Donations are requested to cover the costs of advertising, and so that Aro Ling Cardiff can make donations to the Buddhist charity, Sang-ngak-chö-dzong #1019886.

For fuller details of events at Aro Ling Cardiff, please visit

aro-ling.org/cardiff or meetup.com/arolingcardiff
or text
07875 716644