Shamatha English

Duration
A cycle of 9 Sunday mornings.

DATES, TIME AND LOCATION
September 21, October 19, November 16, December 21 - 2025
January 18, February 15, March 15, April 19, May 17 - 2026

Time: 10:00 to 12:00 AM including (tea) break

Location: Laan van Meerdervoort 200 A, The Hague

FOR WHOM
Anyone who wants to become acquainted with meditating within a Buddhist context and wants to develop a solid foundation around meditation on samatha, compassion and insight. The course is suitable for beginners and more advanced students.

COURSE MATERIAL
One extensive handout per lesson. You can use the handout to practice meditation between the monthly sessions.

CONTENTS
Shamatha meditation is the foundation for various Buddhist meditation forms and methods. Shamatha teaches us how to calm and stabilise our constantly active mind and how to develop calmness, clarity and concentration.

Insight or Vipassana meditation allows us to gain insight into the real nature of all phenomena. During this course we will explore a light form of Vipassana meditation.

Compassion is one of the four immeasurables. It is defined as the wish that others might be free from suffering and its causes. Our innate capacity for empathy is the source of that most precious of all human qualities. In this course we will use various forms of meditation including the meditation on Avalokiteshvara to develop compassion.

The practical composition and constructive structure ensures that, after the course, you can continue to meditate independently at home with the help of the handouts. Meditating with each other is guided and with feedback moments. We also pay attention to your posture.

The course is held in the buddhist Sakya centre, we meditate on a chair, cushion or bench. Mats, meditation cushions and benches are provided. Please bring your own pair of warm socks and/or shawl.

COST
€ 10 per morning;
5 euros for people with a minimum income. If this is still too burdensome, then this can be deviated from in consultation.

This course is free for participants who pay an annual contribution to Sakya (in one lump sum or monthly).

REGISTER FOR THE COURSE

CV ZOE TAIT-SARGENT
Zoe Tait-Sargent (1974) since 2001 working as an accounts payable specialist Originally from the UK naturalized as Dutch Citizen in 2017.

In 1994 Zoe took refuge with Lama Nagpa Jampa Thaye in Bristol, Sakya Thinley Rinchen Ling and followed teachings and initiations all over the UK as part of the Dechen community. She studied the Kunzang lama I shelung (The words of my perfect teacher) by Patrul Rinpoche with Lama Nagpa Jampa Thaye for three years during weekend teachings.

Zoe moved to the Netherlands in 1999. 2002 Zoe started going to a Kagyu Diamond Way Buddhist center in Utrecht whilst she was living in Hilversum and looking for a Sangha.

2006 Zoe was part of a group of Diamond way students who were looking for a more traditional practice who founded Karma Trinley Ling in Den Haag under the supervision of HH 17th Karmarpa Thaye Dorje. Zoe studied the The Jewel Ornament of Liberation by Gampopa and Gateway to Knowledge by Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche and Mipham Rinpoche. A fair number of the group had studied at KIBI in India. Zoe also received teachings and initiations from various Kagyu lamas. The group was disbanded in 2016.

2012 Zoe found Sakya Thegchen Ling and followed the teachings and initiations given by Khenchen Sherab Gyaltsen Amipa an since his death in 2014 by Khenpo Tashi.

Over the years Zoe has helped with various functions at Sakya Thegchen Ling, from helping in the kitchen to helping with collecting money at events, to the finance committee, and the Sakya board.

Since 2020 Zoe has been part of the zoom hosting team at Kuttolsheim.

Zoe received Dharma initiations from her refuge Lama Jampa Thay, Khenpo Tashi, Khen Rinpoche and the Sakya Triazin’s.