What We Offer
Music
Experience the transformative power of music through Kirtan and the vibrant rhythms of our African Drum Circle, welcoming all to connect
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Kirtan is a powerful form of singing meditation that originates from the Bhakti tradition, known as the yoga of devotion. It involves call-and-response chanting, often in Hindi or Sanskrit, using ancient mantras that have been cherished for over 3,000 years.
Kirtan is more than just singing; it's a spiritual practice that helps calm the mind, relieve tension, and connect us to our true nature and universal consciousness.
At Colet House, we host Kirtans as a way to bring people together, fostering a sense of unity, peace, and shared devotion.
You don't need to be a skilled singer to participate—Kirtan is about joining your voice with others to create a collective experience of well-being and inner harmony. Come join us and discover the transformative power of Kirtan.
Explore the variety of Kirtans we offer by visiting our "What's On" page.
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Join our African Drum Circle workshop to experience the joy of playing the Djembe drum. Led by experienced instructors Kay Smith and Ailon Free, this workshop invites you to explore the unique "bass, tone, slap" sounds of this traditional African instrument.
Drumming is a powerful way to release stress, foster creativity, and connect with others through the oldest form of communal music.
Whether you're a beginner or an experienced drummer, you'll find joy in the rhythm, with time to dance and move to the beat.
Alternate Thursdays 19:30 - 21:00
Drums are provided, and no prior experience is needed—just bring your enthusiasm and let the rhythm guide you.
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A gong bath is a meditative sound therapy where participants "bathe" in the sound waves produced by gongs. In a session, a practitioner plays gongs of various sizes and tones, creating deep, resonant vibrations that can promote relaxation, reduce stress, and encourage a meditative state.
As the sound waves reverberate, they can help quiet the mind, promote emotional release, and foster a sense of well-being and balance. Participants often lie down with eyes closed, allowing the immersive sound to wash over them, creating a powerful and restorative experience.
Meetings
We welcome all who wish to learn and share non-dual teachings to enhance inner peace, embrace fresh ideas and make new connections
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Join our non-duality evenings, available both on Zoom and in person at Colet House.
These sessions begin with calming practices like kirtan chanting, breath exercises, or chair yoga, leading into a powerful half-hour of silent meditation. Led by Jonathan Leiserach, the evenings feature multidisciplinary talks on topics ranging from sound vibration to sacred geometry. Concluding with our historic Movements to Music classes, these gatherings offer a chance to reconnect with your true self and nature.
Mondays 18:00 - 20:00
Register via the link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvc-qrrzIqHdaIYiCwcSyRDZGbLfOmkPgo
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Our Advaita meetings, led by long-term members with over 40 years of meditation practice, delve deeply into non-dual teachings.
Held at Colet House and on Zoom, these sessions are designed to inspire and offer practical insights. Facilitated by Philip Marvin on one Sunday each month and Norman Alderton on the first Sunday of each month, the meetings encourage participants to share their experiences and insights.
Discussions may arise from a theme or a spontaneous question, allowing attendees to explore the universal principles of Advaita in a supportive environment. Both long-standing members and new visitors are welcome, and while the meetings are free, donations are appreciated.
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The Rumi & Friends Poetry Gatherings, led by Kim Shams Richardson, a long-term member and a Mevlevi Turner since 2006, offer a unique space for sharing and meditating on poetry from Rumi and other poets across mystical and spiritual traditions worldwide.
Held monthly, these gatherings invite participants to engage with poetry as a form of meditation, "listening with the ear of the heart," and begin and end with silent contemplation.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a poem to share.
First Friday of the month 18:00 – 19:00
For questions, contact Kim at kim@bernithan.com.
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In our weekly Rumi study group, we read and discuss Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi’s Masnavi alongside selections from the Divan e Shams e Tabriz. Our diverse group of Rumi lovers—spanning various faiths, cultures, and spiritual interests—comes together in a spirit of respect and openness.
We explore Rumi’s teachings, drawing connections to the Quran, Hadith, and historical sources, all within the welcoming environment of Colet House, a long-standing home for Mevlevi turning.
Tuesday 18:00-20:00
These free online meetings offer a space for deep reflection and spiritual connection.
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We practise a form of transcendental meditation using a mantra—a sacred sound repeated until it naturally disappears, guiding the mind away from activity and into deep stillness. This meditation allows us to rest in the silence, reconnecting with our True Nature where peace and unity reside.
Originating from a connection with the Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math, our practice is rooted in the teachings of Dr. Roles and supported by the wisdom of Advaita. The journey begins with a traditional initiation ceremony, followed by mentoring and ongoing support through informal Meditation Meet Ups and regular Zoom gatherings.
These sessions offer a nurturing space for both new and experienced meditators to experience profound inner peace.
For more information please contact us at info@colethouse.org.
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Silent Meditations take place on Zoom. These half hour meditations are for those who enjoy being still and silent in the company of others.
In addition to the 30 mins of meditation, there will be a short reading or some music at the beginning and they will often end with music. They provide an intimate, friendly, supportive space for meditators to share the deep stillness of silent meditation together.
This is an opportunity for all to experience an oasis of calm, facilitated by long-term meditators, in a nurturing, joyful, safe virtual space, designed to facilitate profound inner peace.
Wednesdays and Sundays 6pm to 6.45pm.
Please email the office to register, and you will then receive an invitation to join the Zoom meeting.
Meditation
Experience deep relaxation and enhanced well-being through meditation and mindful breathing practices
Movement
Explore a diverse range of transformative practices from sacred dances and Tai Chi to playful self-discovery sessions, all designed to harmonise body, mind, and spirit
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Butoh is a Japanese dance form that emerged in the late 1950s, blending elements of dance, theater, improvisation, and surreal imagery. Known for its slow, controlled movements and often grotesque or abstract gestures, Butoh explores themes of transformation, mortality, and the unconscious.
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Join our Tai Chi class and experience a time-honoured method of energy and mind cultivation.
Originally a martial art, Tai Chi is now celebrated for its health and wellbeing benefits. Our focus is on the health and meditation aspects, helping you awaken internal energy, enhance focus, balance, and cultivate inner calm.
Suitable for all ages and abilities, the gentle movements promote healing and transformation. In our classes, you'll learn the beginning of the Cheng Man-ch’ing Yang short form, explore meditation in movement, and practice Chi Kung.
Saturdays 10 - 11 am
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5Rhythms is a dynamic movement practice that encourages self-expression and mindfulness through dance.
It guides participants through five distinct rhythms—Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical, and Stillness—each representing different energies and states of being. This practice promotes emotional release, mental clarity, and spiritual connection, offering a path to personal transformation and freedom.
Whether you're new or experienced, this practice helps you connect with your innermost self, revealing the body's hidden intelligence. Approach each dance with a "beginner's mind" and discover the unique prayer your body has to offer.
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Discover a playful pathway to self-discovery and wholeness, where adults reconnect with their inner child through clowning, improv, mime, dance, and spontaneous silliness.
These sessions explore the idea that playfulness and irreverence are essential for wellbeing and mental health, leaving you feeling joyous, open-hearted, and energised.
It's a safe, pressure-free space to embrace spontaneity and imagination. If you're curious about a practice that brings you alive, we invite you to join us and experience the fun!
Alternate Tuesdays 19:30 - 21:15
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The Movements are a collection of sacred dances, exercises, prayers and their accompanying music that originated from various schools, dervish orders and monasteries across the Middle East and Central Asia.
They were collected and brought to the West by the philosopher and mystic, G.I. Gurdjieff. They were first taught in England to Ouspensky’s pupils at Lyne Place and Colet House in the 1930s. We teach the early repertoire of Movements as they were originally taught, in an unchanged line to the present day.
The Movements provide a non-verbal way of experiencing the essence of the Fourth Way teaching. They convey knowledge about the great universal laws and can be a vehicle for expressing universal truths. They can be thought of as a special form of ‘moving meditation’. Through the practice of attention they can enable participants to experience the working of finer energies, bringing all parts of the human organism into a more harmonious whole.
Mondays 20:00 – 21:30
For free. No tickets are required.
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Taught to us in 1963 by a Sheikh from the Mevlevi order, the Whirling Dervishes turning is a potent method for enabling inner stillness and the opening of the heart. This sacred turning, taught to us by a Mevlevi Sheikh in 1963, fosters inner stillness and the opening of the heart.
The Turning, part of the Mukabele ceremony, symbolises the journey towards oneness with God and the unity of all creation.
Join our public Mukabele on the first Friday of each month, the ceremony is open to people of all beliefs and backgrounds.
