We are delighted to share with you a recording from the Blessing Ceremony for Abenhall – our new spiritual home that is gently coming to life as Being Peace Practice Centre.
On Saturday, 6th September 2025, six monastic brothers and sisters from Plum Village in France and Deer Park Monastery in the US joined us to bless the land and lay a strong spiritual foundation for the new Plum Village centre in the UK.
It was a beautiful and very special start to bringing the presence of the practice to this land. In this blog post, we invite you to enjoy the recording, read a heartfelt reflection from one of the UK Dharma Teachers in training, and view a photo gallery from the day below.
As our capacity for in-person gatherings is currently limited while we await completion of the planning permission process with the local council, we were only able to invite a small number of guests, including UK Dharma Teachers, Trustees, Delivery Team members, the previous owners of the property and a few representatives from across our sanghas.
We look forward to welcoming so many more of you, and to hosting events and retreats at the Being Peace Centre, beginning in Spring 2026!
Blessing of the Land Ceremony Reflections from an Aspirant Dharma Teacher Lauri Bower:
What does it mean for us to begin our journey here?
This journey that has already wandered for 28 years, over many thousands of steps.
This is not a beginning but a continuation, fulfilling Thay’s wish to create this UK centre.
And here we are, after many bumps in the road.
Are we ready?
For now, it’s in our hands.
Let’s hold it gently, for it to unfold as a sacred and beautiful butterfly.
Let’s hold it firmly, as we set our intention to Be Peace.
Let’s not hold it at all, so it can be free to shape it’s own course.
Let’s breathe all our collective mindful breaths to give it life and wish it a happy and blessed long one.
Let’s make a vow to heal all our collective hurts and harms that have happened along the way, starting as we wish to go on in love, compassion, inclusiveness and kindness.
Let’s ask the current guardians of this land, the trees, the river, the hares, the moon, and so many others, to bless our endeavours.
Let’s be silent and still to hear the needs of the world and see how this can shape our glorious vision.
May the tears we shed from a heart overflowing with love water and nourish the ground and all who walk here.
This is an auspicious moment!
May the abundance of the land on this September day be a blessing for us and all who are to come.
May we bring peace, find peace, generate peace here for all beings.
© 6 Sep 25
photo credit: Wayne Price, wpricephotography.co.uk
