Kagyu Samye Dzong: Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre

....for world peace and health...

I randomly stumbled across this centre in Walworth the other day after work. It was quite a surreal experience, especially entering into the shrine room. There on the floor, were a number of people from all walks of life, all colours and ages, sat legs crossed, eyes closed meditating in complete silence. I took a seat at the back of the room and watched for a while in awe (more of the silence than anything else.) With over twelve people in the room, it was so quiet you could hear a pin fall to the ground. And in a city so full of noise, to experience this precious silence, and to find silence within, it felt almost holy... 

And stranger still, to stumble across it by chance in a sleepy back road not far from Elephant and Castle- kind of beautiful. These day's are so full and noisy, I try to find moments of quiet wherever I can, in the gardens outside the imperial war museum, or by the tree of heaven in angel, by the poolside in the early morning.... There's something so pure and rare about silence, and to find it, is to find peace. I didn't take any pictures inside the shrine room as I thought it might be disrespectful, but I would recommend a visit.