Meditation helps the mind become calm and peaceful. With a peaceful mind, we can meet the ups and downs of daily life with more patience, kindness and clarity. At Kadampa Meditation Centre Ottawa you can learn to meditate in a relaxed, friendly setting. No experience is needed, you don’t need to be a Buddhist, and you don’t need special clothing or equipment.
Our weekly drop-in classes at 879 Somerset Street West, near the corner of Preston Street, are open to complete beginners. Most classes include a practical talk based on Buddha’s teachings and two guided meditations, with time for questions. Each class stands on its own, so you can start any week.
A typical week at the centre:
- Heart Jewel prayers with guided meditation, Monday to Friday, 8 to 9:10am. Free in person.
- Tuesday evenings with Gen Kelsang Thekchen, 7 to 8:30pm.
- Simply Meditate, a free 30-minute guided meditation on Wednesdays, 12:15 to 12:45pm, with JoAnne McCutcheon.
- Modern Buddhism with Steve Grover, Wednesday evenings, 7 to 8:15pm.
- Sunday Serenity: Wisdom for Daily Life with Jane Douglas, Sundays, 10 to 11am.
- Meditation for Kids with Ananda Kelly, for ages 3 to 11, once a month on Saturdays, 2 to 3:30pm.
Monthly members can also join the Tuesday, Wednesday evening and Sunday classes and the weekday morning meditations by live-stream from home.
We also hold meditation classes across the Ottawa region, with branches in Orléans, Nepean, Stittsville/Kanata, Arnprior, Perth and Norwood (near Peterborough).
For those who want to go deeper into Kadampa Buddhism, Gen Thekchen leads two study programs: the Foundation Program and the Teacher Training Program.
Schedules change from term to term, so please check the calendar before you come.
Explore
- Information for Beginners: New to meditation? Start here.
- What to Expect at Class: What a first class is like, from seating to what to wear.
- What Is Meditation?: A simple explanation of meditation and how it brings inner peace.
- About Buddhism: An introduction to Buddha’s teachings and why they matter today.
- Kadampa Buddhism: The Kadampa tradition, from Atisha to the present day.
- Books on Kadampa Buddhism: Books by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, including free e-books.
- Live Streamed Classes: How to join classes and prayers online from home.
- Daytime Classes: Morning, midday and weekend classes.
- Heart Jewel Prayers with Guided Meditations: Weekday mornings, 8 to 9:10am. Free in person.
- Simply Meditate: Wednesdays at Noon: A free 30-minute guided meditation, 12:15 to 12:45pm.
- Sunday Serenity: Wisdom for Daily Life with Jane Douglas: Sundays, 10 to 11am, in person or by live-stream.
- Meditation for Kids: A monthly Saturday class for children aged 3 to 11.
- Evening Classes: Weeknight classes at the centre.
- Tuesday Evenings with Gen Thekchen: Weekly meditation series with our Resident Teacher, 7 to 8:30pm.
- Modern Buddhism with Steve Grover: Wednesday evenings, 7 to 8:15pm.
- Classes in the Ottawa Region: Branch classes in Orléans, Nepean, Stittsville/Kanata, Arnprior, Perth and Norwood.
- Foundation Program: Structured study of Kadampa Buddhism with Gen Thekchen, Thursdays 7 to 9pm.
- Foundation Program: List of Texts: The books studied on the Foundation Program.
- Teacher Training Program: For those who wish to train as Kadampa Teachers, Sundays 2 to 4pm and Mondays 7 to 9pm.
- Teacher Training Program: List of Texts: The 12 subjects of Sutra and Tantra studied on the program.