About Us
Samye Foundation Wales is a compassion-based mindfulness training centre in Cardiff. We have been providing mindfulness training to individuals and organisations for more than ten years and have helped thousands of people to improve their well-being through mindfulness.
We started meeting as a Buddhist group in someone’s house in 1997 and attended regular meditation classes. Then over the years we rented rooms in buildings in Caerphilly and Cardiff. It didn’t take us long to realise that we needed to setup a charity that offered Mindfulness as there was such a need in the community for something secular. So we bought our own building in 2015 at 250 Cowbridge Road East that is dedicated to mindfulness and wellbeing.
Our main purpose is to provide mindfulness training to people to help alleviate stress and anxiety and improve mental health and well-being. The training is available to individuals as well as community groups and organisations. Mindfulness is secular and open to everyone.
Our dedicated mindfulness centre in Cardiff is largely run by volunteers, and we offer mindfulness training throughout Wales. We are trying to create tranquillity inside the building and surrounding the building in the garden and under the gazebos.
Director and Trustee Gelong Thubten is a Buddhist monk from Samye Ling in Scotland, the first and largest Tibetan Monastery in the West. He specialises in teaching mindfulness and meditation in the corporate world, using a non-religious approach, as well as in hospitals, schools, prisons, and addiction rehab centres.
We have a management team of Trustee Directors. Also a number of well-being therapists run their businesses from our centre.
Together our tutor team have more than 80 years experience of teaching and practicing Mindfulness.
Samye Foundation Wales Registered Charity No. 1122144 Registered Company No. 05901855 Limited by Guarantee
Values, Aims & Objectives
Our Principles and Values
We believe in the largely untapped potential of every individual and will do all we can to help people realise this based on four core values:
- We recognise that all people, regardless of circumstance, are essentially good
- We believe that all people are deserving of tolerance, respect and compassion
- We respect the value and contribution of all cultures and religions
- We believe that positive change can be brought about through the provision of the appropriate environment and opportunities
Our Aims
The Samye Foundation Wales aims to serve the community by:
- making the benefits of mindfulness and complementary therapies accessible and available to all
- leading the way in Wales in the development of using mindfulness to prevent and treat mental and physical health problems
- breaking new ground in exploring the social uses of mindfulness.
- promoting tolerance, compassion, respect and peace by exploring the use of meditation and providing a place for this to take place.
Our Objectives
The Samye Foundation Wales objectives are for:
- the relief of sickness and the preservation and protection of health promoting and developing the use of meditation
- and to advance the education of the public, in particular, in the Tibetan culture and its contribution in promoting tolerance, compassion, respect and peace
- and to advance education and promote social development
Mission Statement
“Samye Foundation Wales will endeavour to promote a greater sense of physical and mental well-being and empower individuals and communities through the provision of meditation, compassion-based mindfulness training, counselling and well-being activities.”
HIRING OUR ROOMS
VOLUNTEERING WITH US
We are grateful to the National Lottery for funding us for a Part-Time Volunteer Coordinator to recruit new volunteers to help us in so many ways, as well as support all the volunteers that are already with us. We have so many different roles. Whether you would like to do some gardening, help out in the café, some admin work or marketing – I think you may find there is something for everyone.
To apply to volunteer with us please download the application form here.
Once done please email our Volunteer Coordinator, Jessica Davies on jess@sfwales.org to make an appointment to come and see the centre.
Best wishes
Jessica
Volunteer Coordinator