Kadampa Meditation Centre Nottingham
ENTRY
from £0.50
WHERE
Nottingham
What it’s like
Drop-in guided meditation classes and day retreats, plus school visits with a proper Q&A session for older groups.
Friday lunchtimes here are given over to guided meditation, an hour from 11.30 with refreshments afterwards, and it's £7 on the door with no booking needed. There's also a £3 Simply Meditate class if you want something shorter and less of a commitment. Neither is aimed specifically at children, but the site is upfront that it suits beginners as much as anyone with more experience of Buddhist practice.
For schools and groups it's a different setup entirely. Up to 35 children can visit for £2 each, with extra children at 50p, and the day includes guided meditation sessions plus a question and answer bit for older groups. If a child would rather sit it out, there's a separate lounge area for exactly that, which is a nice bit of thinking on their part rather than forcing the issue.
If you want the fuller version, the day retreats run four 45 minute guided sessions with proper breaks to relax in between, and you can add a light vegetarian lunch for £30 instead of the £25 without. That's a decent stretch of quiet for the price, though it's a longer sit than the Friday drop-in and probably needs a bit more patience from a group.
Parking's free on site and there's accessible parking too, with wheelchair access into the meditation room and public areas. If access via the back building is needed, they'd rather know in advance.
Facilities
Need to know
- Booking
- Not essential for drop-in classes
- Parking
- Free parking available on site
- Food
- Refreshments and light vegetarian/vegan lunch available at day retreats
- Wheelchairs
- Wheelchair access to meditation room and public areas
- School and group visits get a separate lounge for anyone who'd rather not meditate
- Advance notice helps if access via the back building is needed for wheelchairs
- Both card and cash are accepted
- The £30 retreat price includes lunch, the £25 one doesn't
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
The Friday lunchtime class is £7, or £3 for Simply Meditate. Day retreats are £25 without lunch, £30 with. School and group visits work out at £2 a child for the first 35, then 50p each after that.
Do we need to book?
Not for the drop-in classes. You can just turn up and pay on arrival.
How long do the sessions run?
The Friday class is 11.30am to 12.30pm with refreshments after. Day retreats are four 45 minute guided sessions with breaks between.
What if a child doesn't want to meditate during a group visit?
There's a separate lounge area for anyone who'd rather not join in. It's not treated as a problem.
Is it suitable for beginners?
Yes, the Friday classes are aimed at everyone, though they're especially useful if you're curious about Buddhist meditation specifically.
Is there parking?
Free parking on site, including accessible spaces.
Is there food?
Day retreats include a light vegetarian lunch if you pay the £30 rate. The Friday class just has refreshments afterwards.
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