Beginning 2026

Happy new year. So, here we are in 2026 and GREAT NEWS for the start of the year! All our planning permission requests have been granted. We are entering a new phase now of Woodside Crescent. It has been quite a journey already but, for many of us, it has been mainly spent in the waiting room. There are still details to be ironed out and some of the kulas which have been formed will now step into new or more action. There is much to be done and there will be more information as we on the council find out more ourselves. It feels incredibly exciting but, of course, a bit daunting. My hope is that we can all pull together, offer whatever we can and that the transition will be as smooth as possible.

I saw the year in at Dhanakosa as I have been doing almost every year since the late 90s.  I mentioned in the last blog of last year that it feels like the perfect way for me to spend Hogmanay and New Year. There’s the social aspect and the spiritual aspect and it is powerful to bring those together. Many people said in the final check out of the retreat that they felt the fun and lightness actually allowed them to go deeper surprisingly quickly. I find that true - there’s a relaxation and - many people commented - a sense of safety that allows for vulnerability and depth. I received a letter from someone who had been on the retreat and she said

How you managed to take us so deep into the teachings in such a short time is a mystery, and was a joy to behold and to be part of. Especially (or maybe because of?) all the fun and frolics and the fact that we weren't in silence. 

It was truly life affirming, deeply connecting and heart opening. And insightful.

I think Dhanakosa itself has the magic that helps that to happen. Someone there for the first time said how she felt it was a really special place - a ‘thin place’. Of course, the theme also contributed. Again it was Padmasambhava’s advice to the three fortunate women. Such a great text. It has been delightful revisiting my inspiration for Padmasambhava.  When I first came along to the GBC in 1977, he was very present. I feel I have tapped in to some extent to a sense of ‘beginners mind’ as I have introduced him to a new generation of practitioners. And - I feel that he is not finished with us yet! For me I think he will be present in 2026 as much as he was in 2025. As we move into this next phase of our new building project the transformative energy of Padmasambhava would be a welcome support.

This support could be used not only in our wee corner of the world. He is needed in the whole wide world. According to the teachings of Padmasambhava, there would come a degenerate age. In many ways, I think we are living in that. Traditional Buddhist cosmology describes the age of degeneration as a period where defilements increase, moral and spiritual capacities fall away, and the ability to attain genuine realisation through the teachings becomes exceedingly rare. 

It is hard not to see parallels between these signs of decline and contemporary global trends such as:

• Rising social conflicts and wars

• Environmental and ecological stress

• Decline in general ethical conduct

• Increasing confusion around spiritual or moral values

• Diminishing lifespan (in symbolic terms of health and vitality)

• Difficulty maintaining strict Dharma practice in daily life

These parallels are obviously not found in this exact form canonically but they definitely relate to Padmasambhava’s prophecies. While we were still at Dhanakosa the USA president, without congressional backing, invaded Venezuela and kidnapped the President and his wife. Whatever one thinks of Maduro himself, it seems to me a frightening lack of democratic process that this has happened. A day or so later there was shocking footage of a young woman being shot and killed by a supposed law enforcement agent in the USA. 

Here nearer home, far right groups are gaining traction, appealing to populist ideas which, in my opinion, can lead to very dangerous consequences especially for anyone living outside the prescribed norm - prescribed often by ultra conservative, fundamentalist views. This, just to be clear, is me speaking as Parami, not in any official capacity as chair of the Glasgow Buddhist Centre. I am not talking of people’s political alliances but more of a global rise of what seems to me to be a backward step in terms of tolerance and inclusivity. Even in terms of basic human decency. The dharma is needed and I hope that, in this next phase of our existence here in Glasgow, we can play even a small part in being an oasis in times of trouble.

I quoted in the last talk at Dhanakosa, a quote from the Life and lIberation of Padmasambhava.  It comes from the section on prophecies. 

Sealed aims! Until the times of coming forth are perfect;

signs of the earth, which is trembling, decadence and disgust

wars born of hate, famines proceeding from desire, epidemics caused by error.

Sealed aim! May a revealer bring the treasure to light:

It is the Dharma,

“May a revealer bring the treasure to light: It is the Dharma…” — This is a prayer that a tertön (treasure revealer) will discover the treasure when the conditions are right - and that what is revealed will be the authentic Dharma. For us, I believe that we can see this as a commitment - even a prayer - to keep the dharma alive. This doesn’t need a grand gesture. It means keeping our practice alive in the ordinary ways of daily life. Even the smallest acts, held with care and dedication, have the power to awaken and transform.

For now, as always,

May all beings be well, may all beings find true happiness and its causes and may all beings be free from suffering.

Where the Bodhichitta has not yet arisen

May it arise

Where it has arisen

May it flourish

Where it flourishes

May it never die