The Chenrezig Institute Gompa or meditation hall was built on the exact spot where our founder, the great Lama Thubten Yeshe first sat to meditate in September 1974 and said, "Good place for a centre. Build the Gompa here!"

This Gompa has been home to numerous courses, teachings and meditation classes and continues to be a place for group learning and personal practice.

"Gom" is the Tibetan word for meditation and it means "to become familiar with".  Tibetan Buddhist meditation is intensely practical. A student will hear the teachings, then reflect on them, then engage in the deeper concentration of meditating on them. This allows a student to appreciate the teachings as a philosophy, and also to "live" the teachings; to change negative ways of behaviour into positive behaviour which will create lasting happiness for yourself and others.   

In the Gompa there are representations of some of the different manifestations of the Buddha, including Chenrezig - the Buddha of Compassion, Shakyamuni Buddha - the historical Buddha and Green Tara, a feminine manifestation embodying the Buddhist teachings (or Dharma) in action.  

A Gompa is a very special space to support and enhance our practice. There are a number of guidelines that we ask you to be familiar with when in the Gompa:

• Please remove your shoes and hat before entering the Gompa
  
• ensure you are wearing clothing that covers your sholders and a minimum to your knees (for both men and women)
  
• don't point feet towards holy objects
  
• try not to lean against walls or poles (however, if you have back problems this can be an exception)
  
• please stand respectfully when the teacher enters and leaves the Gompa.
  

The Gompa is available for personal practice whenever there is not a scheduled class on and you can enter the Gompa from 6:ooam – 9:oopm seven days a week