It took more than 25 years to establish, but Cornwall’s first physical Buddhist center is finally here. Ganden Ling is a modern Kadampa Buddhist center in Cornwall founded by the world-renowned meditation master Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche.
After a 20-year search for the right location, the meditation center opened its doors on St Mary’s Street in Truro in February. Ganden Ling currently offers weekly classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, as well as a number of 30-minute drop-in sessions.
One of the center’s managers, Rachel Green, who played a key role in the discovery and establishment of the building, said she was “delighted” that Ganden Ling finally has a space in Cornwall to call its own. ” Speaking about finding the right location, she told Cornwall Live:
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“Originally there was talk of holding it in Falmouth, but we were running classes all over Cornwall and we found that people were coming from all parts of the country, so it was really important that all those people had access. .
“So we honed in all the way down to Truro and it was really important to us to find a readily accessible location that would meet our objectives. We looked at several locations, but this one [building] In a way it’s perfect. I feel like I’ve created a truly beautiful space in a beautiful location, and I’m very happy. ”
Previously, sessions were run on a drop-in basis in rented spaces in St Austell, Newquay, Penrhyn and Falmouth. Now that they have a dedicated space to call their own, Rachel said people are still coming from all over the county and interest in the sessions is increasing.
One of the reasons it took so long to find a physical center is that we had to put together several pieces in advance. This included securing a permanent teacher, which Kelsan He achieved by welcoming Yongchen in July 2023.
Before moving to Cornwall, Ms Yongchen was ordained a Kadampa Buddhist nun at last year’s Spring Festival and previously completed intensive teacher training to become a qualified resident teacher at the Kadampa Buddhist Mother Center in Ulverston, Cumbria. I was taking a course.
“Having a dedicated teacher in the area to help set up the center really made a huge difference,” Yongchen explained. “Not only is this the first center in Cornwall, but it is also the last region in England to have its own heritage center, so we are really pleased to have coverage from north to south and east to west.”
She added: “Now it’s like we have a home. People who have been going to classes for 25 years and really wanted the center to exist now have a place where they can gather to spend time together, listen to teachings, and meditate.” But this is also a space for everyone in Truro, for anyone who wants to come and say “hello” or join us in meditation. ”
Yongchen said anyone is welcome to join the sessions, regardless of their expertise or whether they are Buddhists or not. Ganden She Lin is also available for those who want to enjoy a quiet space, enjoy a cup of tea at the center’s micro cafe, or ask questions for those who want to learn more about Kadampa Buddhism.
By encouraging more people to attend sessions, Yongchen hopes to help people find peace in their daily lives. “I want to help anyone who wants to access meditation learn the basic techniques to bring inner peace and calm, and support people to go further on that journey. I want to,” she explained. “It doesn’t matter whether people are Buddhist or not. We still have something that can benefit everyone.”
The center is supported by a team of volunteers who spend their time meeting people and helping run meditation classes. One of the volunteers, Jocelyn Rennie, travels from Penzance once a week on Wednesdays to help at the centre.
She has been studying Kadampa Buddhism for more than 20 years and said it is important to have a physical center so that people can access the teachings close to where they live. Regarding how her heritage has helped her, Joceline said:
“The most important thing for me is to be able to think and talk about these big issues, to realize where the source of happiness actually comes from, to find happiness within ourselves, to be our own superheroes. It’s about finding a place where we can discover things. We create the world we want.”
Ganden Rin in Truro will be hosting an open day for its meditation center on Saturday 13th April from 10am to 4pm. This free event will give people the opportunity to take a 15-minute meditation class, browse the bookstore and library, enjoy snacks, enter a raffle, and ask questions of teachers.
The class was designed by Yongchen with the help of Sue Chapman, the center’s educational program coordinator. Together they explore a program of spiritual teachings that can be developed over the course of a year. This program helps both beginners and experienced people train their minds to find more peace and cope with the world around them.
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