Please enjoy the eighth edition of the newsletter for all who practice in the Plum Village tradition in Scotland. Download here or click on the image blow.

A springtime retreat led by Cliff Brown (Brother Phap Vu) In the beautiful surroundings of Wiston Lodge, Lanarkshire.

Well known to the Scottish sangha as Brother Phap Vu, Cliff Brown was a monastic dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition for 18 years. He recently returned to lay life and currently resides in Michigan, USA.

During this retreat we will enjoy dharma talks from Cliff and we will sit, eat and walk together as a sangha – strengthening our mindfulness practice in order to embrace the challenges of our lives with clarity, peace and joy.

Update: The cost is £290 to stay in the house or £200 camping in the field. Arrival is on Thursday 7th May from 2:00 PM onwards for dinner at 6:00 PM. Departure is after a 1pm lunch on Sunday 10th May.

More details and booking is available on the Plum Village UK site here.

We hope you can join us.

Core to our practice is our interbeing with each other and mother earth, Bodhisattva Gaia. If your feelings around the climate crisis can manifest as written words then you may like to take part in a project being run in Scotland by Glasgow University. Find out more at the link below. Closing date is 28th February 2026.

https://climatestories.co.uk/

This day of mindfulness will be offered with the intent of nothing to do, nowhere to go – in the spirit of the Plum Village idea of embracing laziness. Come and create a time of being together on one of the quietest days of the year.

Open to everyone, of all faiths and none. Please bring some plant-based food to share for lunch.

Arrive from 09:45 for a 10am start. Finish about 4pm.

St Mark’s Unitarian Church, 7 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2DP

We will be taking our usual break over the winter holidays. There will be no meetings on Thursday 25th December or Thursday 1st of January. We will be back to normal from Thursday 9th January 2026.

There will be a mindfulness day on Saturday 3rd of January 2026. Details to follow.

May all beings be happy and free from suffering and pain through this festive season.

At this special time of year we will take time together – in the heart of the city – to come back to the present moment. We will develop our capacity to listen to ourselves and to those around us with true presence in order to cultivate peace, happiness and the capacity of boundless compassion that is embodied by the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.

Open to everyone, of all faiths and none. Please bring some plant-based food to share for lunch.

St Mark’s Unitarian Church, 7 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2DP.

10am to 4pm (please arrive a little early so we can start promptly)

For further details or to contact us using the form.

In an increasingly divided and fractious society, we will give ourselves time to come together in order to nurture our capacity to see beyond dualistic and discriminative thinking. We will cultivate true connection, inclusiveness and peace for the benefit of ourselves, our families and for the world.

We will sit, walk, rest and eat together in stillness and friendship,
generating peaceful, healing energy.

Saturday 1st November 10am-4pm (Please arrive from around 9:45 for a 10am start)

St Mark’s Unitarian Church, 7 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2DP

Open to everyone, of all faiths and none.

Please bring some plant-based food to share for lunch.

The latest Scottish Sangha Newsletter is out. Click to download. This issue includes details of upcoming retreats at Wiston Lodge in October and Burgie House in February. Book now to avoid disappointment! Details of how you can get the newsletter by email are also included.

We’ll explore together how to use language in authentic and encouraging ways that help to foster connection and community. The day will include guided meditation, walking meditation, readings, reflections in small groups, deep relaxation and a potluck lunch.

Please bring some plant-based food to share for lunch.

Saturday 4 October 2025 10am – 4pm (Please arrive from around 09:45 for a 10am start)

St. Mark’s Unitarian Church, 7 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2DP

Any questions please use the contact form.

Please join us for our Mindful Peace Walk at the Saughton Park on Sunday 7th September. We will meet at the bandstand at 11am. There will be a brief introduction to mindful walking followed by a gentle walk. We plan to conclude within the hour.

This event is jointly organized by the Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace, EICSP and the Edinburgh Sangha of the Community of Interbeing – The Wild Geese. See the details on the EICSP website.

This event aims to provide a collective experience of ‘being peaceful’ together. It is not a protest or campaigning event, so please don’t bring any banners/placards etc, however we will share the energy with those who might benefit from it at the end. Children are welcome when accompanied by adults.

Soughton park is serviced by bus route 1, 3, 22, 25, 30, 33, 36, 38 or you can walk along with Water of Leith.