About Meditation in The Shire

The History of Meditation in the Shire

Venerable Dawa Yangchen is the spiritual leader and was the program facilitator of Meditation in the Shire for many years. She became ordained in Sydney in June 2003 as a Getsal Nun in the Gelupka tradition and studies with the Vajrayana Institute which is a Branch of the "Federation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition" (FPMT).

The Spiritual leader of the FPMT is Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Meditation in the Shire (MITS) was Venerable Yangchen’s dream over 10 years ago; to bring the benefits of meditation to the people of the Sutherland Shire in Sydney, Australia. It was known at the time as Meditation With Venerable Yangchen, the name Meditation in The Shire had not even been thought of at that time as she was the sole teacher. It began with 2 students a week at her home and started to grow when Danielle from Engadine Yoga Centre requested MITS to run a class from her Centre. This grew into an evening, daytime and early Saturday morning class each week. After a few weeks, MITS ventured out into the Shire opening classes at Cronulla. All classes were for adults and teenagers then and 3 years later, classes were opened at Menai and included children from the age of 4 years.

Sutherland Shire Council generously offered to sponsor this project and this led to meditation classes ended up being held at Yarrawarrah, Menai and Cronulla for adults, children and teenagers. 18 classes a week! After a couple of years some of the students wanted to take their meditation practice further and explore Buddhism so MITS offered monthly workshops on both meditation and Buddhism. As well as workshops, MITS has conducted 2 one-day Retreats a year at Bundeena and an annual Three-Day Vipassana Retreat at Govinda Valley, Otford.

Venerable Yangchen is not a counsellor but had people referred to her by counsellors, therapists and doctors who are well aware of the therapeutical benefits of meditation. These people were seen privately, by appointment, at Menai and commence their therapy with intensive relaxation and breathing techniques and then progress onto mindful meditation techniques.

In late 2010 it was obvious that MITS (then existing then of 6 adult classes, 3 teenage classes, 6 children's classes and 6 private classes a week, 3 Retreats a year and several public speaking jobs as well as monthly workshops) and completely and solely run by her was becoming too much to handle on her own. By Mid 2011 it started to take a toll on her health and classes had to be cut back, in 2012 there were two classes plus a childrens class but by the end of 2012 with her health being affected there was the threat of the dream having to be let go of.

In June 2013 Stephen Procter was hired to teach the Cronulla meditation class and he soon reopened the Menai one which has proven popular and which is continuing to grow. The classes still have the same ethical base as those in Venerable Yangchens dream over 10 years ago, classes are run on Dana - Generosity and anyone who wants to learn Buddhist meditation and to bring a bit more happiness and peace into their life is welcome regardless of their financial background.

Venerable Yangchen has devoted her Buddhist practice to bringing the positive benefits of Buddhism and Meditation to all people, especially the Sutherland Shire, for that we all should be grateful.