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.