• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

News and entertainment worth sharing – York and North Yorkshire

  • News
  • Radio
  • Vouchers
  • WIN
  • More
    • Tickets
    • Lifestyle
    • Advertise
    • About
    • Contact

Buddhist Centre prepares to offer meditation and more from former York beauty parlour

Tue 25 Aug

Tue 25 Aug 2020  @ 7:41am
YorkMix
Changing city

The York Buddhist Centre is preparing to open in a shop last used as a beauty clinic.

Work is underway to fit out the former Beautopia parlour on Gillygate. The centre will welcome the York community for meditation sessions and the opportunity to learn about Buddhism.

It will also be home to a small shop, selling ethically traded goods and books.

The group is part of one of the world’s largest Buddhist movements, the Triratna Order. It does not charge a fee to attend its sessions.

Instead, the meditation classes are run on the basis of the Buddhist ideal of generosity. This means there is no charge to attend, although there is an opportunity, but not a requirement, to make a small donation to support future events and running costs.

Meditation for all

Another view of the emerging centre

During the pandemic, York Buddhist Centre’s online meditation sessions have offered support to people suffering from the effects of stress and isolation.

Outdoor, socially distanced, meditation sessions have also been held in the city’s Museum Gardens.

The Triratna international Buddhist order runs centres around the world and in other UK cities, including Manchester and London.

Shakyapada, a York resident and chair of the York Buddhist Centre, said: “Triratna Buddhism presents Buddhist practices and scriptures in a way that is relatable to people in the western world. 

“We are not a monastic order, this means that many of our order members live in the community.

“Our lives and practice are guided by the five Buddhist precepts, a set of principles based on kindness, generosity, contentment, integrity, and awareness. These precepts are not commandments, but rather guidelines for living an ethical life.”

She added: “Triratna places a strong emphasis on being open to all – you do not have to be a Buddhist to come along to our meditation sessions.

“The Covid-19 crisis has brought a lot of extra stress to people’s lives, and has impacted the local economy.

“Our new centre will offer people a welcoming, friendly and supportive space to learn about the benefits of meditation, and we are also continuing to run a range of online meditation sessions while the restrictions are in place, and beyond for anyone who is unable to attend in person.”

Group is expanding

Photograph: Jose Luis Sanchez Pereyra / Unsplash

York Buddhist Group was established in August 2017 and has previously rented rooms in the Priory Street Centre and more recently at the Quaker Meeting Centre.

It has increased in size and decided to move to its own premises in order to be able to extend its activities, and eventually, offer more day retreats and additional meditation sessions.

Members of the group have been scrubbing, painting and sprucing up the empty Gillygate shop, all under responsible and socially distanced conditions, to transform it into an accessible and tranquil space for the community, visitors to the city and group members to enjoy.

The group has previously held a range of fundraising events including a skills auction and several sponsored activities to raise funds for the project. It has also been supported by a grant of £2,000 from the Triratna Order’s Future Dharma Supporters Fund.


Trending »


Primary Sidebar

Footer

Contact us

General
01904 375 029

Studio/competitions
01904 375 030

Email YorkMix »

5-6 King's Court
Shambles
York  YO1 7LD

Listen to us

You can listen to YorkMix Radio using your DAB+ radio, Alexa or Google smart speaker, or online using the links below.

Click here to listen to YorkMix Radio »

Download the app from Google Play store
Download the app from Apple App store
About us

YorkMix is a trading name of
York Sound Ltd

Registered in England
Company no: 12831940
VAT no: GB289462452

YorkMix Radio public file

  • About
  • Public file
  • Privacy policy
  • Corrections & complaints
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 YorkMix