On Sundays, in the car park is THE best place to get authentic Thai food in London…read more For 5 pounds I got a bamboo shoot salad swimming in super-spicy fermented fish sauce and decorated with mint leaves, plus a bag of sticky rice to help me with the heat. Seriously spicy. The real deal. For a further 5 pounds I got two boxes of Thai desserts, including a mouthwatering box of banana custard and purple sticky rice. I could have spent a lot more... Isaan sausage, Northern sausage, Satays, Fried Fish... every tupperware box was so tempting. The food sold here is the closest thing I've found in the UK to real Thai street-food, but it is literally sold out of the boot of people's cars. It's stuff they've made at home and brought to share with Thai tongues. Finding this is a foodie dream come true. Oh, and the temple is gorgeous too.

So beautiful visited with my mum and aunt last year for Thai New Year Songkran. There was music…read moreand dancing, blessings from the monks, Thai artifacts, ingredients and Jewellery for sale and the food. Oooh, the FOOD!!! Stalls and stalls and stalls of everything Thai. Real Thai food proper Isaan dishes like my Grandma used to make, Thai sausages I have never found outside of the country, authentic Thai tea ***sigh*** why can't everyday be like this? The temple is stunning and there is a lovely little garden/park for walks. very serene on a non-festival day. Visiting again next weekend for Songkran hope to take more pictures you must visit it's just gorgeous.

Who would have thought that there is a Buddhist temple right off Oxford Street?…read more The London Fo Guang Temple is a branch of the Fo Guang Shan Monastery in Taiwan, which advocates Humanistic Buddhism. But anyhow, I stopped by to have a look and, after mentioning that it was my first visit, was led through the three prayer rooms by a member of staff, who explained the meaning of the individual rooms. Altogether a very friendly welcome and I stayed for a spot of much-needed reflection, only to be disturbed by a member of staff every few minutes; I had the impression that she wanted to make sure that I was not packing the four foot Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva statue into my handbag. There are daily chants, regular tea ceremonies, meditation classes and other events. This temple is worth checking out although visitors seem to be approached with a mixture of friendliness and wariness.

A peaceful place to meditate and reflect on life.read more

Open and welcoming evenings of formless meditation and teachings which explore how we may relate to…read moreour life experiences in a more simple and direct way. I would recommend the class for anyone interested in meditation and the Buddha's teachings.

From the owner: Courses introducing Buddhist meditation which are suitable for both complete beginners and…read moreexperienced meditators.

Holloway Road isn't usually known for its calmness and tranquility, but set foot in the North…read moreLondon Buddhist Centre at no. 72 and you'll soon discover a world of relaxation in the city. I've recently dropped in on some classes and am hoping to find the time to attend more in future. The centre is housed in a beautiful ornate building that's been rennovated to house two "shrine rooms", two study/course rooms and a large reception with a bookshop and a small cafe. The atmosphere is always friendly and accommodating, and the staff are happy for you to browse, grab a cup of tea or chat to other visitors outside of class times. Last time I visited there was a small bring and buy sale going on, and it's well worth dropping in to find out what's going on locally. During my first class, myself and around half a dozen others learnt how to put into practice "Mindfulness of Breathing", which aims to enhance our awareness and peace of mind. I've dropped back in on this class several times subsquently, and always leave the session with a feeling of clarity and restored calmness. At my second session, we were introduced to the concept of Metta Bhavana or the development of loving kindness, which aims to promote a spirit of generosity in our daily experience. I'd definitely recommend it!

I grew up crazy Irish Catholic and while I've left all that behind, I've not exactly picked up…read moreBuddhism in its place. Until now. Get your zen on, bitches. The first time I ended up here, at the rather dubious North London Buddhist Centre, I had mixed feelings. I wandered in for one of their cheap 10 quid yoga classes with a feeling not unlike total trepidation. A little old lady was behind the desk and when I enquired whether yoga was on here, in this weird shop, she snapped 'yes, but you have to pay me first!' Yeah, alright love. So apparently yoga was being held there. Somewhere. It's a shop with books for sale, yoga stuff and a kitchen in the back. And yoga, apparently. A bunch of 'street' looking youths were lolling around on the sofas in tracksuits staring at a TV on the wall. It turns out they were also waiting for yoga. Um... okay. It's a far cry from the pristine yoga studios I was in now. Lots of random people were milling about, I guess they have some kind of mediation on there too. Or a twelve step programme, I spotted lots of addiction books too. Weird. Eventually we all went down to the yoga room. It's a little studio with mats, yoga props and a statue of Buddha in the corner. The 'youths' all did yoga in their tracksuits and hoodies. Seriously, north London wha? I've been twice now, I wasn't thrilled with the first instructor, not sure what style of yoga she was teaching but it wasn't for me. The second 'Dynamic' teacher was a bit better but still quite different to what I am used to. Classes are quite small and not very busy, I'd recommend you go as it's only a tenner. More disciplined yogis probably won't get much out of these classes but when you are injured, it's fine. When I want a proper yoga workout, it probably won't be here that I will be.

From the Buddhist movement in Japan that is building, donating and erecting these peace pagodas…read moreworldwide. It has 4 golden statues (one on each side) representing phases of the Buddha's life. You climb a short set of stairs to see them all. Overlooks the Thames on one side.

When I worked in South Kensington I used to cycle home from work along the Chelsea embankment…read more Every night I would stare across at the giant golden buddha on the opposite bank and wonder what on earth it represented and how it came to be. Since then I have had time to investigate. In 1985, the decision was taken to build a Peace Pagoda here in Battersea Park to join the dozens of other examples dotted around the globe. There is only one monk in residence currently, but apparently you can watch him ringing his bell and chanting every morning - though I haven't visited early enough to witness this yet! Even without him, the Peace Pagoda is a striking addition to Battersea's skyline. If you visit, take a few minutes to walk right around the structure and admire the individually-carved wooden decorations such as dragons and other mythical figures.

I'm still in shock there is a buddhist temple in Milton Keynes. My understanding is it's the only…read moreNipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple in Great Britain. Milton Keynes seems such a random place for a monastery but it seems to serve them well. My homeboy was telling me he went on a couple of field trips growing up and I find that absolutely amazing in helping to expand kids' minds. Outside the temple was some interesting art work. Items all in gray that I'm sure had some great significance that just wasn't hitting me, but all the same was cool to look at. Even better than that though was the beautiful Japanese garden. Don't tell anyone but when I was in 4-6th grade I was in the uber cool Japanese Garden Club at my grade school. We built from the ground up and got funding to build a Japanese Garden and it was friggin awesome! That reminds me, I want to go check it out. Anyways, I fancy myself to know a thing or two in Japanese gardens and I found this one to be superb, although I didn't see a rock garden aspect. Don't miss the beautiful Peace Pagoda nearby. This temple is open every day. Prayer times are at 05:00 am and 17:00 (5pm), every day.