Dharma, Dialogue & Meditation: A Six-Week Reflective Practice Group

Dharma, Dialogue & Meditation is a small, closed reflective practice group for those curious about exploring the integration of Buddhist teachings - particularly those from the Pali Canon - with psychotherapeutic insight and ethical enquiry.

Its emphasis is not on belief or doctrine, but on understanding how suffering arises, and how it can soften through awareness, attention, and relationship.

Run in six-week blocks, the group offers an intimate and supportive container in which to regularly connect with self, others and the world through the lenses of Buddhism and psychotherapy in a grounded and accessible way.

Each inspired by a different theme, the sessions will weave together meditation, reflection and discussion to create a rich and meaningful environment for learning and growth.

A full overview of the weekly themes can be found further down the page.

• A guided meditation
• A short Dharma reflection drawn from the early teachings
• Facilitated dialogue to help turn conceptual contemplation into lived experience
• The opportunity to come together in community with likeminded others

Dharma, Dialogue & Meditation is led by Rory Singer, an experienced psychotherapist whose perspective is rooted in Gestalt and Psychoanalytic traditions, alongside Buddhist teachings.

In his twenties, Rory was ordained as a Buddhist monk in the Thai Forest Tradition under Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho, and lived in monasteries in England and Thailand for five years. This formative period has influenced the development of his work as a therapist and teacher ever since, including shaping the emergence of Dharma, Dialogue and Meditation, which has been running in various forms for over 15 years.

Series of six consecutive weekly sessions

5:30-7pm on Tuesdays, from 14 April – 19 May

Limited to 8 participants

Cost for the full series: £90 (plus Eventbrite booking fees)

Venue: New Road Psychotherapy (73 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2BB)

In his first teaching, the Buddha suggests that suffering often stems from our response to pain rather than pain itself. Our desire for things to be different can intensify discomfort, but since suffering has a cause, it can be relieved. The key is recognising how our struggles arise and how awareness can help ease them.

In which areas of my life am I not only facing challenges, but also resisting them by insisting they should be different?

What happens in my body and mind when I gently notice resistance, rather than trying to overcome it?

The Buddha teaches that conflict originates in the mind. Sensory input quickly shapes reactions and narratives, fostering division. The key is to observe this process rather than eliminate thought.

When tense, what narrative is my mind creating?

Can I see thoughts as passing events, not facts requiring action?

This sutta explores desire, not as something bad but as a process that becomes compulsive when we seek fulfilment outside ourselves. We pursue pleasure or approval, yet satisfaction is fleeting. Instead of resisting craving, being honest with it helps ease its intensity, allowing a wiser wanting to develop.

What am I really seeking when I feel strong cravings?

How does my experience shift if I respond to desire with curiosity and kindness instead of judgment?

The Buddha compares pain to being hit by an arrow. Our reactions, like fear or self-criticism are like being short by a second, optional arrow. This teaching does not dismiss pain but highlights that much of our suffering comes from how we react. Staying present can help us avoid this extra suffering.

How do I typically react to pain or difficulty, by tensing up, blaming myself, withdrawing, or

pushing through?

Can I face discomfort in small, manageable ways while staying connected and supported?

This teaching is often seen as about kindness, but it actually teaches strength. Here, loving-kindness means a balanced wish for well-being for everyone, not sentimentality or self-sacrifice. The Buddha speaks of protective, open relating rooted in clarity, making kindness a refuge.

Where does kindness feel steady and nourishing, and where does it become obligation or self-neglect?

How can kindness include my own needs along with others?

The Buddha instructs: simply see when seeing, simply hear when hearing. Freedom comes not from self-identification with experience, but from allowing experiences to be as they are. This approach lightens suffering and leads to a more immediate, freer way of living.

How quickly do I make experiences about myself, and what happens if I pause that reaction?

What changes if I experience things directly, without instant interpretation or attachment?

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher New Road Psychotherapy