Compassion Buddhist Centre

Spiritual Guide

Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso is the inspiration behind the revival of Kadampa Buddhism in our time. Geshe-la, as he is affectionately called by his students, is a fully accomplished meditation master and internationally renowned teacher of Buddhism. From the age of eight Geshe-la studied extensively in the great monastic universities of Tibet and earned the title 'Geshe', which literally means 'spiritual friend'. Under the guidance of Trijang Rinpoche, his Spiritual Guide he then spent the next eighteen years in meditation retreats in the Himalayas. In 1976 he was invited to teach in England. Since arriving in the West, Geshe-la has given immaculate teachings on Kadampa Buddhism in Europe and North America, and published a series of remarkable books on Buddhist thought and meditation. He has established three unique study programs and over 800 centers around the world, trained qualified western teachers and a flourishing ordained community, and created a project to build Buddhist temples in every major city in the world. In his teachings Geshe Kelsang emphasizes the importance of meditation and how to apply it in daily life, the need to to be truly happy, and how to cultivate a good heart to help others - and he demonstrates these qualities perfectly in his own life. This remarkable teacher inspires so many people from so many different countries because he teaches from example. He is a humble Buddhist monk dedicated to helping people throughout the world find true happiness in their hearts.

Resident Teacher

Compassion Centre's resident teacher is Kelsang Sherab. He is a student of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and has studied and practised Buddhism for many years giving him a wealth of knowledge and teaching experience. He has been an ordained monk for three years and prior to that was a senior member of the Sangha at Madhyamaka Centre in York.

Kelsang Sherab describes how his life has changed in the twelve years he has been fortunate enough to be able to follow Buddha's teachings. "All the externals that I was dependent on are not there now and I'm still happy, so I believe that meditation allows me to rely on my own inner resources. It actually gives me a lot of confidence. Sometimes you think about the future - everything can disappear in a second - we cannot take too much for granted. Then the one thing I have to rely upon is the confidence about the inner resources that I have, coming from my inner peace and the confidence that I know how to make my mind stronger."

Richard Carr

Richard teaches in Sunderland on Thursday nights and in Seaton Delaval on Monday nights. He teaches with great clarity and gentleness, providing inspiration to integrate Buddha’s teachings. into our daily life.

Jeanette Boldrini

Jeanette teaches in Whickham on Tuesday nights. Jeanette shows how easy it is to apply Buddha’s teachings to your everyday life due to the clarity and joy she transmits when she teaches. Jeanette uplifts her students, offering a supportive environment in which to follow the spiritual path.

Stephen Carney

Stephen has broken his ankle and so the Stocksfield class is cancelled for the time being.

Andrew Wallace

Andrew teaches in Whitley Bay on Thursday nights. Andrew instils a sense of peace and joy when teaching. His example of integrating the path into his life is inspiring.