October saw our Year 11 Religious Studies GCSE students visited the Hartridge Buddhist Monastery.

They spent the morning in conversation with the abbot who answered a series of thoughtful questions, and offered deep insights into Buddhist perspectives.

After this, the students participated in a guided meditation, and took part in the act of Dana where they shared food with the monks and the lay community.

The students were also taken on a tour of the monastery’s tranquil surroundings and learned about the monks’ daily routines, their connection to the local community, and their role within the larger Buddhist Sangha.

The visit not only reinforced what the students had been studying in class, but also offered them a firsthand experience of monastic life, leaving them with a richer grasp of Buddhist teachings.