WCF News

Read our past and current newsletters.

Any late breaking or current/topical news will be published on this page.

You may subscribe to our email newsletter to receive occasional updates and news items by email.

Use the Search Box to search all news items including older and archived items which may not be displayed here.

Select an Article

WCF Questionnaire - Retreats

Caricature of man scratching head in puzzlement

A questionnaire to help us plan future retreat programmes to suit you.

Please respond promptly, as we will be analysing the results about two weeks after you receive this newsletter.

It is two years since we restarted residential retreats following the ending of pandemic restrictions, and we are noticing that retreat booking numbers are lower than pre-pandemic. Clearly one factor may be…

Compassion in Crisis: Buddhist Skilful Means

Jake Lyne

A talk by Jake Lyne on ecodharma, now available on youTube

This 23 minute talk opens with a quote from William Shatner of Star Trek fame, the oldest person to go into space, who was profoundly shocked by the contrast between the beauty of earth from space and his understanding that life is in peril from climate change and loss of biodiversity.

Using video clips to illustrate the talk, Jake…

Introduction to Meditation, Buddhism and Chan (online)

Bodhidharma, by Unkei Ikkei, 1504-1520, ink on paper detail, Linden Museum

Western Chan Fellowship is rerunning the free online course, ‘Introduction to Meditation, Buddhism and Chan’. This consists of four weekly online 90-minute sessions led by two experienced Western Chan Fellowship group leaders, David Valentine-Hagart and Guy Roberts. It is geared towards newcomers to the WCF, but those already engaged with the WCF and interested in finding out more about the…

Keeping in contact during lockdown

Calligraphy for the character Chan

Though our face to face events are all cancelled, WCF members and friends are keeping in contact and supporting each other by various other means. Here are some options available to you.

Connected Practice, mutually supported home practice, has launched earlier than scheduled to meet this need. Read about it and join in: w-c-f.org/Q487-401

The WCF has a discussion emailing list / forum…

Violence in Myanmar

Calligraphy for the character Chan

The European Buddhist Union (EBU) has issued a statement condemning the recent and ongoing violence in Myanmar. The Western Chan Fellowship CIO is a member of EBU and joins in that statement and commends it to our readers.

A large group of Buddhist teachers in USA have issued a similar statement and are encouraging support for…

Western Chan Fellowship Organisational Changes

Calligraphy for the character Chan

From 1st July 2017 Western Chan Fellowship, registered charity 1068637, is winding down its operations and passing its activities and assets to a new charity with a similar name and objects, Western Chan Fellowship CIO, registered charity number 1166162. If you have an outstanding retreat booking with Western Chan Fellowship then it has been transferred automatically to Western Chan Fellowship…

WCF Organisational Changes

Calligraphy for the character Chan

On 28th January 2017 at an EGM of the Western Chan Fellowship the members present voted unanimously to transfer the assets and activities of Western Chan Fellowship (registered charity no. 1068637) to ‘Western Chan Fellowship Charitable Incorporated Organisation’ (registered charity no. 1166162).

‘Western Chan Fellowship CIO’ as it will be known (‘WCF CIO’ in this message’), will operate in very…

Calendar December 2016

2016 Calendar image: December

It was a fine winter’s day and I was on a work trip, travelling from the Ogmore Valley over the tops of the hills and down towards the Rhondda Valley. As I came over the top, there on the side of the road, by a small parking space, were some flowers left in shrine-like arrangement. They overlooked the village of Cwmparc. I stopped my car and got out. The wind was keen and cold. I thought the…

©Western Chan Fellowship CIO 2005-2018. May not be quoted for commercial purposes. Anyone wishing to quote for non-commercial purposes may seek permission from the WCF Secretary.

The articles on this website have been submitted by various authors and the views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the Western Chan Fellowship.

Cookie Extension Logo