[Recess Week] 2D1N Mindfulness Retreat

SMUDC's Mindfulness Retreat is back! It will once again be held at Singapore's largest temple, Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery. 🤩

Under the guidance of Buddhist scholars and practitioners, you will explore the nature and drivers of your thoughts and emotions. Through a program of mindfulness practices, insightful discussions, and self-reflection, you will gain valuable tools to recognize and manage your mental habits and narratives.

Sis Sylvia Bay holds a BA (Hons) in Buddhist Studies from the Buddhist & Pali University of Sri Lanka. Since 2001, Sis Sylvia has been a regular speaker on Buddhist doctrines and their practical applications at local and regional Buddhist organisations. You can find her extensive list of books here (https://dawningofdhamma.wixsite.com/dhammaroadmap/books)

Brother Loh Wei is a certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher with over eight years of experience guiding diverse individuals and groups in mindfulness practice. Among others, he is the Vice-President of Dharma Drum Singapore, a non-profit Buddhist organization and a Registered Instructor with the Ministry of Education.

Whether you are new to mindfulness or seeking to deepen your practice, join us for the retreat and take a step towards a more mindful, balanced and fulfilling life. 🙏😇🔍

Limited spots available, so register now to secure your place!

~ Click HERE to register ~ (Sign ups close on 26 Sep 2025)

📆 10-11 Oct 2025
🕖 10:30am, 10 Oct – 7pm, 11 Oct
🏢 KMSPKS Monastery
💲 Price: Free!


All are welcome! :D

[Week 2] Buddhism 101: Buddha's Life

Curious about the roots of Buddhism? Who was the Buddha and why do we still talk about him today?🧘‍♂️🪷

Join us as we explore the remarkable story of Siddhartha Gautama — the prince who left behind luxury in search of truth. From his early life in a royal palace to his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, and finally to his lifelong teachings, the Buddha’s journey is one of courage, compassion, and wisdom. 👣 🛤 ❤️‍🔥

Through his stories, we learn more about the human who walked the path to enlightenment and the lasting legacy he left behind. ☸️🙏

Whether you're new to Buddhism or simply seeking inspiration, come on down to this awesome opportunity to learn, reflect, and connect with others. 🙌🗣

📆 27 Aug 2025 (Wed)
🕖 7:30pm – 9:30pm
📍 SOE/SCIS2 CR 4-1 (note the change in venue!)

No sign-ups required, all are welcome! :D

[Week 3] AMA with Sayalay Sujata

What do Buddhist monastics do everyday? How did one decide to pursue monkhood? Contrary to popular belief, monastics, the people who sustain Buddhism and provide spiritual guidance, are all deeply involved in everyday life and rarely live in seclusion.

SMUDC is blessed and grateful to invite Sayalay Sujata, a former banker turned Buddhist nun who received her monastic training in Myanmar. She works closely with youths and aspires to journey with all who wish to lead a more mindful and compassionate life. Join us this Wednesday as we learn about her remarkable journey and she will also answer any questions you have for her.

Whether you’re someone curious to know more about Buddhism, or an avid practitioner who has a burning question to ask—come and find out more!

Find out more about Sayalay Sujata HERE and you can submit your questions HERE

📅 3 Sep 2025 (Wed)
🕖 7:30pm – 9:30pm
📍 SOE/SCIS2 3-3

No sign-ups required, everyone is welcome to walk-in 😄

Hi all gentle bump for the retreat! :D

[Mindfulness Retreat 2024]

Check out what we did for our retreat last year 🙏🥳

Can't wait to see you for this year's! :D

[Week 4] Buddhism 101: Buddhist Philosophy Made Easy and Practical

Nothing in this world stays the same forever—disappointment, stress, grief, elation, joy, relationships, everything around us. But how do we use this understanding to our advantage, to navigate the inevitable losses in life? 🍃

And all change is only possible because nothing has a singular, unchanging identity. But how does this knowledge give us the clarity to deal with frustrating groupmates and the untamable chaos of life? 🤷‍♀️

The impermanent and interdependent nature of reality is what makes life beautiful—change for the better is always possible 🌻

Come to this week's laid-back session for a discussion of how we can arm ourselves with this deeper understanding of reality to face life bravely, with more peace and contentment 🗿

📅 10 Sep 2025 (Wed)
🕖 7:30pm – 9:30pm
📍 SOE/SCIS2 3-3

No sign-ups required, all are welcome to walk-in 😄

[Week 5] Learning about the Dhamma in a non-Buddhist household

How can you begin your spiritual journey in Buddhism? How do people practice Buddhism while growing up in a non-Buddhist household? 🤔

Join Brother Arif’s talk to learn more about developing faith in Buddhist teachings and practicing Buddhism as a beginner! 😉Despite growing up in a non-Buddhist household, Arif’s curiosity about Buddhist teachings led him to seek happiness in Buddhist communities. He now leads Sutta discussion sessions and full-day practice sessions at DAYWA (the Dhamma Assembly for Young Working Adults).🧘 🪷

If you’re curious about ways to practice Buddhism in a non-Buddhist household without disturbing others, or if you simply want to learn more about Buddhist faith and teachings as a beginner, don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to discuss your questions and clear up your doubts!👀🗣

📅 17 Sep 2025 (Wed)
🕖 7:30pm – 9:30pm
📍 SOE/SCIS2 3-3

No sign-ups required, all are welcome :D

Hi all! Bump for the retreat before sign ups close 🥳

[Week 6] Cultivating Compassion in Chaotic Times

The world often feels overwhelming — from global challenges to personal struggles such as school stress. How can we stay grounded and respond with kindness and clarity? 💞

This Wednesday, we’re excited to welcome Sis Dr. Marn Wong! A former Assistant Dean at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and graduate of the Nalanda Masters Course, she now shares widely on mindfulness and compassion with both Buddhist and non-Buddhist communities. 🙏✨

Join Sis Marn as she explores practical ways to cultivate compassion — not just for the world, but also for ourselves and those around us. Whether you want tools to manage stress, or simply to see how compassion can bring light in difficult times, this is a session you won’t want to miss. 👀💡

📅 24 Sep 2025 (Wed)
🕖 7:30pm – 9:30pm
📍 SOE/SCIS2 3-3

No sign-ups required, all are welcome 🤗

Hi all LAST CALL for the retreat before sign ups close tonight we have ONE slot LEFT 🤩1️⃣

[Week 9] Mindfulness and Movement with Dharma Drum

Hope everyone had a restful recess week! As school resumes, we may find the prospect of projects and mid-terms daunting—but this is actually a great opportunity for us to pause and see the wider picture, in that the biggest of our stressors and worries are self-imposed. How do we cultivate such clarity? We can first start by showing some kindness to our physical body, something we have probably neglected in favour of studying or scrolling.

Join us this coming Wednesday for a session by our friends from Dharma Drum, featuring mindfulness exercises and stretches, while learning about tips on incorporating mindfulness into our daily lives. 🙏😇

📅 15 Oct 2025 (Wed)
🕖 7:30pm – 9:30pm
📍 SOE/SCIS2 3-3

No sign-ups required, all are welcome :D

[Week 10] Guanyin Workshop

Guan Yin (Avalokiteśvara), the Bodhisattva of Compassion, is beloved across Asia—from statues in family homes to towering monuments that draw pilgrims and tourists. Recognized as a Buddhist icon, Guan Yin has grown larger than any single tradition. Who is Guan Yin? Deity or bodhisattva? Male, female, or beyond gender? Why does this figure speak to so many?

This session will be facilitated by Bro Russell, alumnus and former President of SMUDC. He enjoys exploring the wisdom that each Buddhist tradition offers and more practically, how it all applies to one’s daily life and practice.

Join us this Wednesday to explore Guan Yin’s origins, development, and living meaning - and, most importantly, to learn simple ways to weave Guan Yin practice into daily life to nurture compassion for yourself and others.

📅 22 Oct 2025 (Wed)
🕖 7:30pm – 9:30pm
📍 SOE/SCIS2 3-3

[Week 11] Bash Karma, Roast Emptiness

Interested in a deeper, more advanced understanding of Buddhism? Join us for a playful dive into shunyata (emptiness), and cause & effect through the wisdom of an old lady.

The Questions of an Old Lady is a short but profound sutra that challenges us to think differently about life and reality. Guided by her fearless curiosity, we’ll dive into emptiness and karma in a thought-provoking way, bringing the sutra to life through resounding and songs . Come curious, playful, and ready to ask bold questions — just like the old lady did.

We'll be guided by Sister Jing Rui, executive director of 84000, a global nonprofit that translates the Tibetan Buddhist canon into modern languages, bringing the Buddha's words to life to awaken humanity. She is also Board of Director for Blue Lion Preschool, a nonprofit Buddhist preschool committed to awakening seeds of wisdom in children.

Submit any questions you have HERE!

📅 29 Oct 2025 (Wed)
🕖 7:30pm – 9:30pm
📍 SOE/SCIS2 4-1

[Week 12] Intro to Karma in Buddhism

The word "Karma" often appears in everyday language when we use it to show that someone "deserves" a bad outcome. However, there's in fact more to Karma than simple notions of "good or bad."

Join us this Wednesday for an introduction to Karma, led by Brother Wee Chiang, the former spiritual programme coordinator for Amitabha Buddhist Centre (ABC) and graduate of Nalanda Masters Course, an advanced subject on Buddhist philosophy.

We will learn that far from being fate or retribution, Karma is something we have control over, as our intentions and actions influence our present and future experiences.

📅 5 Nov 2025 (Wed)
🕖 7:30pm – 9:30pm
📍 SOE/SCIS2 3-3

No sign-ups required, all are welcome :D

[Week 13] Experience Dhamma Games

Behold, the final week of this semester [dun dun dun👻] As we consolidate our Dhamma journey for the past few weeks and reflect upon what we have learned, join us for a lighthearted session of Buddhist-related games and activities, bringing ancient wisdom to life in a fun and practical way!

📅 12 Nov 2025 (Wed)
🕖 7:30pm – 9:30pm
📍 SOE/SCIS2 3-3

No sign-ups required, all are welcome :D

[Week 1] Welcome tea
Calling Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike to join us for our first session of the semester!

Let's come together for a casual, laidback discussion and reflection on the heart of Buddhist teachings—The Four Noble Truths—all with mindful tea drinking in between. It'll be a fun way to learn more about the basic concepts and practices of Buddhism, through your own personal reflections and discussion with others.

Come get a vibe of the Dhamma Circle community—a place where students of all religious backgrounds can come pick up a maxim of wisdom or two to apply to daily and student life, nurturing a wiser and kinder attitude towards life.

'Do not try to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist; use it to be a better whatever-you-already-are.'
- The Dalai Lama

📆 14 Jan 2026 (Wed)
🕖 7:30 – 9:30pm
📍 SOE/SCIS2 CR 3-3

No sign-ups required. Whether you're an undergrad, Master's student, alumni, or non-SMU student, we hope to see you there :D

[Week 2] Understanding and Fighting the 'Sian-ness'

'In life, there is dukkha', taught the Buddha 2,500 years ago.

Dukkha, often translated to 'suffering', can be understood as the feelings that arise when we want things to be other than the way it is. In Singapore, we use the word 'sian'. And it's a universal experience—whether be it the stresses over how things will play out in the future, the overwhelm with reality of adulting, or the annoyance with the day-to-day discomforts and inconveniences we face. These feelings are sometimes minor and fleeting, but other times, daunting and formidable.

Join us this session to find out how the timeless wisdom of Buddhism teaches us that, to take on life's challenges and its inevitable 'sian-ness' with grace, we have to first face these feelings head-on with eyes of wisdom, to look through its unassailable outer form, into its true ephemeral nature.

📆 21 Jan 2026 (Wed)
🕖 7:30 – 9:30pm
📍 SOE/SCIS2 CR 3-3

No sign-ups required! We hope to see you there :D