The Samatha Trust teaches within the Theravada Buddhist tradition (generally found in Thailand, Sri Lanka and Burma), and is a lay group which in Cambridge dates back to 1963.  It teaches a traditional Thai samatha-vipassana (calm and insight) breathing meditation as the core practice.  The University class meets on Wednesdays during term at 8pm, in the Godwin Room, Old Court, Clare College.  There is also a Town class which meets weekly, 7.30pm, on Mondays at the Friends' Meeting House, Jesus Lane. The meditation technique is taught systematically over a period of some months, together with some basic theory about meditation. The classes are open to all and people are welcome to join at any time.   Please bring a cushion.

Cambridge Amaravati group grew from a few local Buddhists, who were interested in the teachings from Amaravati Buddhist monastery near Hemel Hempstead. The type of meditation practiced is vipassana or ‘insight’ meditation. The group functions as a way for meditators to come together, rather than as a taught class, and is open and sociable. Over the years people have joined who are interested in different forms of vipassana meditation, or in different Buddhist traditions altogether. The group also acts as a contact point for people interested in visiting Amaravati, to find out more directly about this sort of meditation and Buddhist way of life. Contact: Dan Jones: danjones@supanet.com Tel. 246257; web-site for Amaravati monastery: http://www.fsnewsletter.net/