Core Teachings of the Buddha: The Heart of the Buddha’s Path of Awakening

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Description

Second round of this popular year long programme which provides a comprehensive overview of all the core teachings offered by the Buddha and is composed of monthly meetings, interspersed with day long retreats. It is suitable for both beginners and experienced students who are committed to a deeper exploration of the early teachings of the Buddha that underpin meditative practice. 

The themes we will reflect on the profound insights taught by the Buddha that are at the heart of the awakening process. 

The programme will be supported by a recommended reading list and guidelines on how to cultivate these teaching in our lives. There will be the option to join self-run study groups. The evening sessions with include teaching, practice, peer groups and time for questions and reflection. The day long retreats include more extended practice and teaching times.

Event Details

Schedule & Topics: 

Please note that during the year the UK’s time zone will change from BST to GMT.  For time zone conversions to your local time, please feel free to use this link. 

Each evening session will include teaching, practice, peer groups and Q&A. the daylongs will be an opportunity for more extended practice.

9 evening sessions: 2 hours from 6-8pm as follows:

15th September, 13th October, 10th November 2025.

19th January, 9th February, 9th March, 11th May, 15th June and 13th July 2026. 

3 day-long sessions: 9.30 to 4.30 UK time as follows:

6th December 2025. 25th April and 1st August 2026. 

Here is a detailed schedule with topics and teachers:

2025

  • Sep 15: 6-8 pm BST: Who is the Buddha, how did the teachings come into being, what is unique, what does the teaching offer (Christina Feldman (CF), Christoph Köck (CK), Yuka Nakamura (YN))
  • Oct 13: 6-8 pm BST: Meditation – how do we understand meditation, different styles, where do they go (CF, CK)
  • Nov 10: 6-8 pm GMT: Three Characteristics (CF YN)
  • Dec 6: 9.30 am-4.30pm GMT: Three Characteristics (CK, YN)

2026

  • Jan. 19: 6-8 pm GMT: Four Tasks: Dukkha, craving, vipallasas, vedana (CF, CK)
  • Feb. 9:   6-8 pm GMT: Four Tasks (CF, YN)
  • March 9: 6-8 pm GMT: Brahma Viharas (CF, CK)
  • April 25: 9.30 am-4.30pm BST: Brahma Viharas (CF, YN)
  • May 11: 6-8 pm BST: Eightfold path (CF, CK)
  • June 15: 6-8 pm BST: Eightfold path (CF, YN)
  • July 13: 6-8 pm BST: Eightfold path (CF, CK)
  • August 1: 9.30 am-4.30pm BST: Satipatthanas (CF, CK)

Suitability:

Open to all - new and experienced practitioners alike.

 Cost:

  • The price includes a fee for the teachers, no additional dana will be requested. 
  • If you are unable to afford the our standard course rate, please contact us here. We will make sure that no one is turned away because of lack of funds

Teachers: 

CHRISTINA FELDMAN is a co-founder of Gaia House and a guiding teacher at Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Massachussetts. The author of a number of books, she has been teaching insight meditation retreats internationally since 1976. She is one of the teaching faculty of the CPP programme, dedicated to the study and application of the early teachings of the Buddha and is engaged in teaching the Buddhist psychological foundations of mindfulness to those training to teach mindfulness-based applications in England, Belgium and the Netherlands. Her most recent book Mindfulness: Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Psychology, written with Willem Kuyken, was published in the summer of 2019. 

CHRISTOPH KÖCK was born in Vienna, Austria, and spent 17 years of his life as a Buddhist monk in the Theravadin tradition.He lived mainly in monasteries connected with Ajahn Chah in Thailand and the West. Currently he lives in Vienna, working as a psychotherapist in a private practice. He teaches Buddhism and meditation internationally, and is trained to teach MBSR and MBCT. 

YUKA NAKAMURA has practised Buddhist meditation in different traditions since 1993, has a PhD in Developmental Psychology and is a certified MBSR-teacher. Trained as a Buddhist meditation teacher by Fred von Allmen she teaches meditation at Beatenberg (Switzerland), Gaia House (UK), Insight Meditation Society (Barre, MA) and other places. Yuka offers MBSR-courses and MBI-trainings at the CFM Zentrum für Achtsamkeit (CH).