WELCOME TO
BARDO
CAFE
Serving wakefulness
to sooth the unsatisfactoriness of life
MOVEMENT
WHAT WE DO
Bardo Café aims to share just a few of the Buddha’s most transformative teachings—especially those related to life, emotional balance, and mental well-being. Through awareness practices, discussion about Dukkha (dissatisfaction), and building a community we are dedicated to presenting these insights in a way that is engaging, relevant, and accessible.
Our hope is to create an interconnected space where people feel safe, seen, and inspired to be themselves —where they can have fun while exploring deeper awareness, purpose, and meaning in their lives.
BOOK CLUB
No Mud, No Lotus
Join the Book Club Community
We’re currently diving into the inspiring book NO MUD, NO LOTUS by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Each session, we read a chapter together and share a short discussion afterward. You’re welcome to join in the conversation or simply listen quietly—everyone is welcome, just as they are!
Our compassionate hosts will lead the session with a short meditation at the beginning and end of each session.
Join us here: Book Club zoom link
BARDO CAFÉ WORKSHOP
Entering Basic Goodness
Discovering freedom from suffering
We all experience dukkha, or dissatisfaction and suffering, but why? In this weekend
course you will be introduced to simple techniques to unravel the dukkha we
experience and uncover the basic goodness present in everyone.
23rd & 24th August 2025
Lapis, Mullumbimby & Online
Saturday 23rd August from 9am - 4:30pm AEST
On Saturday we will see how to develop a simple practice that can cut through all of our mental patterns. We will take a close look at the technique itself, highlighting the common mistakes that we make when beginning to work with our mind. By clearly understanding the practice we will see how to effortlessly sidestep many of the difficulties we face in meditation.
Sunday 24th August from 9am to 4:30pm AEST
On Sunday we will see how to refine and develop this practice to take us beyond our ordinary experience. This simple practice can lead us directly into the heart of the Buddha’s wisdom. In this way, we come to see how gaining an understanding of our basic goodness can take us far beyond what we may have thought possible.
ABOUT TEACHER
Ben has over 30 years’ of experience practicing and teaching both traditional Buddhist meditation techniques and contemporary psychological approaches to mindfulness. Ben has studied in both the Theravadin and Mahayana Buddhist
traditions and holds a B. of Psychology (Honours) and a PhD in neuroscience of mindfulness.
This course is offered free of charge, thanks to the generous support of Khyentse Foundation. You may offer a donation via registration if you wish.
If you'd like to join us please register using the link below. This helps us manage numbers online and prepare the space at Lapis accordingly. You'll receive further event details and the zoom link.
We look forward to welcoming you!
Bardo Cafe INTERVIEWS
What is Dukkha? With Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
"Knowing Dukkha and a quest for the basic goodness of human beings - these two should be really in the curriculum of everyone!" - DJKR
Identity Unlocked: The Key to Genuine Happiness
In this interview we explore the key factors of genuine wellbeing. How is identity developed and maintained in connection to exposure to social media and increasing phone addiction?
How can we change our habitual patterns, and how does mindfulness and meditation might change the impact of daily distractions?
Suicide panel discussion
With guest speakers Walid, Gift and Anja Lang (suicide prevention and clinical psychologist)
This session aims to explore and discuss suicide from various perspectives in order to alleviate the fear surrounding this important topic. We encourage the viewers to observe the participants personal stories and individual viewpoints rather than take them as advice. The goal of this discussion is to normalize the common human experiences of dissatisfaction and mental suffering. We hope this discussion will be helpful to everyone who may watch it.
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