Britain (still) loves Europe

Technicalities of treaties and trade agreements notwithstanding, the atmosphere of cooperation and friendship between countries hasn’t changed at the Europe Centre Summer Course.

Members of Diamond Way centres travel relatively often to meditation courses in different countries, and stay for a longer or shorter time in different places. The Europe Centre, being something of a headquarters, has residents from all over, and the course organising team is similarly diverse.

Our London Buddhist centre too is one big mix of nationalities, like London itself, and we have learned to work very well together. Cultural differences are real enough, but less important than our shared values, the most basic of which for Buddhists is that we like to work with the beyond-personal benefit of as many people as possible in mind. Within this frame, national differences are a source of inspiration – and of course the subject of jokes.

What the British say – and what they mean