Buddhist centre comes to Obs

By: Ben Pettee

Come December, the building on the corner of Nutall and Trill road will be home to Buddhist practitioners and monks at the new Tushita meditation centre.

And while the now empty space won't be occupied with a lot of furniture, it will be filled with awakened minds, qualities of wisdom, connection and compassion.

It is this sense of compassion that will enrich Observatory's already diverse community, faiths and traditions.

Tushita meditation centre in Cape Town is part of an international Buddhist community of over 1200 centres worldwide.

For the last ten years the centre has been located in Rondebosch, but by the end of this month the center will have officially moved to Observatory.

The centre will be run by resident monk Gen Pagpa, who was ordained in 1996 and given the term "Gen" meaning teacher in Tibetan. Gen Pagpa has been teaching Buddhism and mindfulness for the last decade.

The Centre will offer meditation classes, as well as various retreats. It will also be open to all people, whether you are a beginner, expert, or just wanting to explore Buddhism.

"In Obs, the main emphasis is that the space is for the general public. Anyone can come along regardless of their background, beliefs, or if they don't follow a particular faith...

Because [we want] locals to come into contact with these methods for improving their own sense of peace and calm."