Spiritual / Religious Groups and Connections around Cambridge / UK

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Some Words about Life and Spirituality in Cambridge top of page

Especially since the independent Cambridge Centre is closed and the spiritual-alternative Greenwave Magazine is not appearing any more, it is important to provide the opportunity for individuals to find their way towards the light. The following organisations or groups are from my point rather open minded and open for seekers and finders. Maybe you feel drawn to one of them.

Cambridge represents the mind, the brain and thinking of England - Glastonbury is connected with the heart and the emotional quality of England. I feel that it is important to get connected with our heart, and that Cambridge may play an important role on a subtle level for the whole kingdom - maybe even influence the rest of the world... By connecting your mind with your heart, the morphogenetic field around Cambridge may start resonating in a similar way and radiate this harmony out to the world.

Some say, there are two energetic ley lines connecting Glastonbury and Cambridge: the Mary and the Michael line. Again this seems to me to be a matter of resonance with our own destiny, to balance the male and female energies within us in harmony.

Shall Cambridge become the cradle of genetic experiments, ruling over nature (included running over our own natural boundaries), victory of technique (and who will loose in the end?) - or can you imagine, that mind in connection with the heart may find gentle solutions and a sustainable and social ways of living? IT DEPENDS ON YOU - YOU DECIDE - every day; and TOGETHER we will move the world.

Remember: Love is the strongest power. Only with the emotional help of the guests from other countries (yes, we are a third world country in terms of emotional openness and expression!) we may succeed in doing this exiting quantum leap on our inner as well as outer levels. Please, you beautiful and (emotinanlly) rich folks from abroad: Do not let us alone here - we really do need your help!

A good start into a new awareness may be the book: "The Celestine Prophecy. An Adventure" by James Redfield. Please let me know about any groups working with this book. Ralph Nimmann, 1999

Cambridge Inter-Faith Group - 'meeting and understanding each other' top of page

NEW home page at www.cam.net.uk/home/interfaith/!
Meetings are now on the last Friday every month (except July, August & December), 7:45 for 8pm at the Unitarian Hall (opposite central bus station). Each meeting has a theme or guest speaker with discussion. We also organise monthly visits to faith communities - check the latest programme at www.cam.net.uk/home/interfaith/ifg_prog.html . You are welcome - free admission.
Please join our free email list: interfaith@home.cam.net.uk or contact Ralph Nimmann

Baha'i Cambridge top of page

There are two groups in / around Cambridge and the University group. Some prayer meetings are held at the Ghaneas' House, 18 Lexington Close [off Histon Rd.] at 7.30pm.
Every 1st and 3rd Friday 7:30 pm there is a Baha'i Community Devotional: "Land of the Spirit" at the Friends Meeting House, 12 Jesus Lane.
Contact: Shiva & Omid Aminian, T: 01223 560 100

The Cambridge University Baha'i Society: www.srcf.ucam.org/bahai
Cambridge Community: www.srcf.ucam.org/bahai/local

Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University & "Inner Space" top of page

Brahma Kumaris Cambridge has a NEW web page: www.cambridge.inner-space.org.
BK / Inner Space are offering a wide variety of courses, classes, lectures and workshops on meditation, positive thinking, love and the meaning of life, all free of charge. The main meditation tought is Raja Yoga, practiced with open eyes while concentrating on the 3rd eye. The ancient vedic knowledge about the cycles of life, the origin of the world religions and more is explained in their interesting lectures.

The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University www.bkwsu.com headquarter is in Mount Abu, Rajastan, India. There are more than 4000 centres in 70 countries. BK is affiliated to the United Nations and has received 7 Peace Messenger Awards by the UN.
In England they are a registered charitable trust. See also: www.bkwsu.org.uk. All Brahma Kumari I know are very gentle, idealistic, peace loving people. Ralph

"Inner Space" is an oasis of beauty and silence in the heart of Cambridge, opposite of King's College. Upstairs there are rooms for teaching and a room dedicated to meditation; everyone is welcome to use this space.

"Inner Space", open every day from 10 to 6pm
6 King's Parade, Cambridge, CB2 1SJ, phone 01223 46 46 16 - e:

"The Buddhist Page" for Cambridge top of page

Click here to get to "The Buddhist Page Cambridge" with 12 Cambridge Buddhist group entries.

About Churches in General top of page

Assuming that 90+ % of the readers of these words are fed up with churches, due to bad experiences with hypocracy, rigidness and inflexibility or lack of direct spiritual experiences there, I still want to say some words about churches:

"Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in his shoes..." or: if you know any organisation or any spiritual master you consider to be a better way to spirituality - what do you think they (or better their followers) will be like in 100 years? In 500 years? in 1000 years? The church as an organisation is like a very old lady - how flexible can you expect old ladies to be? Would you start persuading her to do yoga asanas, participate at the 5 rhythms or else?

"Do not transplant old trees" - rather show and use your own flexibility, leave them where and how they are and treat them with respect. If you would live in the time when the churches were established, you would have realised, that the ordinary people were not capable of taking in the whole truth, that they were not ready for direct spiritual experiences. They would be confused when facing the complexity of the multidimensional world and frightened to take responsibility for themselves. You would not tell your child all about sex at the age of 4 or expect it to be self sufficient.

Having said this, I wish you the wisdom to feel , when it would be appropiate to change things in the church - and when to leave them as they are. Even when the walls are thick - deep within you'll find the light. And after all a lot of the churches are built on holy sites and have a wonderful architecture, inviting us to contemplate, meditate or sing. Ralph

Churches in Cambridge

There is no need to tell anyone about churches in Cambridge - they are easy to find. There are some smaller churches, which are different from the traditional ones - let me know about them! If you think, all churches are narrow minded, read the next:

The Christian Science Church Cambridge top of page

The Church of Christ, Scientist, is designed to make the healing and educational system known as Christian Science available and accessible to everyone. Christian Science enables us to understand our relationship to a loving God and our relationship to each other. This understanding improves our lives, our communities and the world. The complete explanation of Christian Science, which is practiced by people of all faiths, is contained in the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.

Venue: 60 Panton Street, Cambridge, CB2 1HS, Telephone: Cambridge 355009 and 276912
Christian Science church, with associated Reading Room.
Sunday service at 11.00 a.m. - Sunday School at 11.00 a.m. (for pupils up to the age of 20).
Testimony meetings on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 7.30 p.m.

Reading Room at 96 Regent Street, Cambridge.
Opening hours: Mon, Tues & Thurs 12-3, Sat 10.30-1.
All are welcome to attend services and use the Reading Room.
Please visit www.spirituality.com and www.tfccs.com for more information

The Unitarian Church in Cambridge top of page

Some quotes from the web page of the Unitarian Church www.cambridgeunitarian.org/:
Experience of God is what matters, rather than words about God. Words are only pointers to the experience. We can understand that for some people even the word "God" itself may be unhelpful. Wherever people have sought truth, loved beauty, worked for justice and known goodness, not in religion only, but in the many non-religious channels present in the world, the love of God is active; it is "broader than the measures of man's mind".

The word "Unitarian" originally referred to ancient controversies about the doctrine of the Trinity - God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons in one. The early Unitarians did not find this doctrine in the Bible, nor did they find it helpful. They stressed the unity of God and the humanity of Jesus, and so were called "Unitarian". Unitarians set small store by labels, even the label "Christian"; it is the spirit that matters.

Unitarians do not think of worship as a ritual bowing down before some almighty potentate. For us it is an expression of our sense of wonder. It is a celebration of those things that are of supreme worth. "Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue. And if there be any praise, think on these things, and the God of peace shall be with you" (St. Paul).

We read from the Bible, .... it is a thoroughly human book. We reverence the wisdom it contains, but we do not look upon it as infallible. We also read from many other writings, for example, recently we have read from Leo Tolstoi, D. H. Lawrence's poems, the Bhagavad Gita (Song of God), the ancient Indian Upanishads, the Buddhist Dhammapada, John Bunyan, Richard Jefferies, David Lilienthal and Dag Hammarskjold. They are read because they are memorable expressions of spiritual experience. For more information see the homepage of the Unitarian Church www.cam.net.uk/home/unitarian/.

VENUE: Unitarian Church Cambridge, 5 Emmanuel Road (opp. central bus station, Cambridge, CB1 1JW
[The Hall behind the church is also used by various community groups]
(see location on web map)
Sunday Morning Service 10.30am.
Service of Meditation, Music & Readings Sunday 6.30pm
Contact: Rev. Andrew Brown, 01223 576 952 mail [AT] revajbrown.demon.co.uk [ AT = @ ]

St. Edward's Church Cambridge top of page

NEW Home Page at www.st-edwards-cam.org.uk - old St. Edward's home page (on Rainbow Network Cambridge)

More about St. Edward's. The "Spirit and Culture" Programme" stems from a co-operation with the former Cambridge Centre.
Contact: Vicar-Chaplain Revd Dr Fraser Watts: 01223 359 223, e-mail: fnw1001@hermes.cam.ac.uk

Russian Orthodox Church, Westcott House Chapel - see www.ephraim.org.uk

Dances of Universal Peace top of page

A joyful international multi-faith movement celebrating diversity.
Heart centred peace in motion - for healing, harmony and community.
Chant & movement from the world's spiritual traditions.
Holding hands, joining hearts, we loose our selves in sacred sound.

Currently there are 2 monthly peace dance groups in Cambridge: 1st Friday 7:30 with Margaret aand the 2nd Wednesday with Ralph. Read more

Falun Gong / Falun Dafa Cambridge top of page

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient practice for improving body, mind and spirit. It was first introduced to the public in 1992 by Mr Li Hongzhi. It is practised by an estimated 100 million people in more than 50 countries worldwide. The practice consists of five gentle and easy to learn exercises. And it has received many awards and recognition throughout the world, including several from China before the persecution began (in July 1999). Mr Li has twice been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Those who have taken up the practice have reported improvements in both body and mind, as well as a deepened spiritual awareness. Practitioners become healthier, kinder and more tolerant towards the stress of everyday life. More information can be found at www.falundafa.org.uk and www.faluninfo.net/.

Classes are free. In Cambridge there is a practice every Saturday morning from 8.45am - 10.15am (& 10:15 again) on Jesus Green (near the tennis courts) - everyone is welcome. Or call Caroline for more information: 414 712 or 07971 226334.

Hare Krishna Group Cambridge (ISCON - Bhakti Vedanta) top of page

It may sound exotic - but in this group everyone is VERY open minded, seeing the Krishna consciousness in many aspects and manifestations. If you are interested in finding out more about the ancient wisdom and joy chanting the Maha Mantra "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare", you are welcome to join the Cambridge Hare Krisna Group - no matter who you are, what your religion or spiritual direction is.

This weekly meeting (Nama Hatta) is - with some breaks - ongoing since April'99. Since Summer 2003 Kripamoya is visiting and teaching and chanting the Maha Mantra with the group. Also reading of the Bhagavad Gita, sharing our spiritual experiences and wisdom, Japa meditation (reciting the Mahamantra), chatting and finishing with a wonderful vegetarian dish. The group was started by members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISCON) London.

If you are interested, please first contact someone of the group.
Contact: Michelle: (01638 669057), 01223 246 454 - mobile 07891 621 339 or Marianne 01223 562 818

For other Hare Krishna groups in the UK see www.iskcon.org.uk or visit the Watford Temple at www.krishnatemple.com
contact Kripamoya, phone 01923 857 244

ICCA - Indian Community and Cultural Association Cambridge top of page

The ICCA aspires to the beautiful words of Mahatma Gandhi: "I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be closed, instead I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible."
All mayor Indian festivals celebrated and guests are welcome to join in.

Wednesday evenings there are Sitar and Tabla classes, Saturday Gujrati class, and many festivals are celebrated.
Every Sunday at 6:30pm ON TIME there is an "Arti" performed - everybody is welcome to join.
General contact: icca91@hotmail.com
More events see ICCA home page: www.indian.ic24.net

This beautiful spacious hall can be rent out for classes and parties (kitchen use included) for £10 / hour or £25 for the whole evening.

VENUE: Bharat Bhavan (Old Library), 119 Mill Road, Cambridge CB1 2AZ (the big red brick building between Kingston Street and the railway bridge, adjacent to Cambridge School of Languages). Click here to see location in Cambridge street map (you can zoom this map in and out at right bottom corner)
Parking: Monday - Saturday 9-5pm roadside 'pay & display' parking, also car park Gwydir Street (@ traffic light, just behind the Bath House).
Public transport: 10 min walk from the railway station (just walk to the right across the station carpark, under the cycle bridge with plastc tunnel and carry on until you come to Mill Road: you see Bharat Bhavon opposite on the other side)
From the central bus station walk past the police station and fire brigade about one mile along Mill Road - just before the railway bridge on your left is Bharat Bhavan. Or take bus "Citi 2" towards Addenbrookes until 'Gwydir Street'.

Mosque Cambridge (Abu Bakr Siddiq Islamic Centre) top of page

The Cambridge Muslims have a very useful web site: Cambridge Muslims Online - www.cambridgemuslims.info

The Cambridge Mosque (1 Mawson Road, near Mill Road, phone: 01223 350 134 ) has a new web site: www.ummah.com/cambmosque.
Prayer timetable: www.cam.ac.uk/societies/cuiss/newsite/html/files/prayertime.pdf (Acrobat Reader format)

Pagan Moot Cambridge - http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/CambridgePaganMoot/ top of page

NEW: The Cambridge Pagan Community meets at the Salisbury Arms, Tenison Road (off Mill Road), Cambridge.
First Sunday / month from 7:30PM. Discussions, speakers, events, rituals.
All who follow a path of Nature spirituality are welcome.
Email Derek on cambridge.pagan.moot[AT]ntlworld.com ([AT]) = @).
See also The Pagan Federation: www.paganfed.org/
Many Blessings Upon Your Hearth, Derek

The Quakers in Cambridge
("Religious Society of Friends") - or just "Friends" www.cambridge-quakers.org.uk top of page

"We seek that of God in each person we meet.
Meeting together in stillness we wait for the inspiration of the Spirit.
We are a community of friends respecting diversity...
... and open to new light from where ever it might spring.
Our service to others is our service to God.
Our religious society stands as witness that whatever humans may have done,
we can still come to love one another and build a commonwealth of peace."
(from http://www.quaker.org.uk) Quaker Testimonies:

Truth and Integrity
Equality and Community
Simplicity
Peace

The Earth and Environment

How Ralph found to the Quakers:

Coming new to England, I was impressed by the Quaker meeting I attended in Saffron Walden: No religious symbols, no minister preaching; instead everyone gathered in silence, seated around the centre without hierarchic structure. Silence is golden, and helps you to get in contact with this little voice within. Quakers believe that everyone may have direct experience of God, that there is 'that of God in everyone'. If anyone feels inspired, they would just stand up and share what they feel with the meeting. Having roots in Christianity, they seem to be so refreshingly open minded: I felt that I could really talk about everything with them.

The Quaker's emphasis is placed on daily life and experience - every day is holy. The founder of Quakerism was George Fox (1624 - 1691), who was an ardent pacifist. He lived according to Jesus teachings and was put in jail because of his refusal to use a weapon. One time, when the established church decided he was too dangerous for them and sent out a group of men to execute him, he came out of his house, completely vulnerable - and no one was able to violate him.

I was impressed, in how many ways the Quakers ( or "Friends") were involved in politics and really go for what they believe: Peace vigils, active blockades of nuclear or weapon depots, campaigns against transport of living animals, banning of land mines and campaigning for genetically unmanipulated plants, just to mention a few.

After moving to Cambridge, I still regularly attend the Hartington Grove Meeting (see below), where I met quite a few CamLETS members and folks from the Circle dance group. I enjoy the silence - but was missing some devotional singing. Finally the two Cambridge meetings have decided to give it a try and sing before or after their meeting: every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month 9:30 -10:10 at Hartington Grove (Taizé and other chants), and every 3rd Sunday 12:00 - 12:30 Quaker songs at Jesus Lane Meeting House. You are most welcome to join in.
I am officially a member of the Religious Society of Friends since October 2003 - Ralph

Quaker Meetings in Cambridge / England:

Every Sunday 10:30am Meeting, followed by a cup of tea or coffee at about 11:45 at the following VENUES:

12 Jesus Lane / Park Street, right in the city of Cambridge, phone 357 537
Click here to see location in Cambridge street map
91 Hartington Grove, off Cherry Hinton Road (just behind the church), Clerk: 357957 - warden (for room hire: 214438
Click here to see location in Cambridge street map
"Oast House Meeting", Old Library Pembroke College, Trumpington Street / Pemboke Street, Cambridge city
Click here to see location in Cambridge street map
A shared meal is offered at Jesus Lane Meeting each Wednesday 12:30 noon,
followed by a Meeting for Worship at 1:15pm

More Quaker Meetings around the East of England region are in Saffron Walden, Stansted, Bedford, Huntingdon-Godmanchester, Oundle, Ampthill, Peterborough, Wisbech, Diss, Ely, King's Lynn, Bury St Edmunds, Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester & Northampton.

For more information and other meeting places in the UK see http://www.quaker.org.uk.

Sikh Diwan - temporary Gurdwara for the Cambridge region top of page

The regional Sikh community meets always on the LAST Sunday of each month in their temporary Gurdwara in Arbury. Sikhism believes, that there is only one God. The worship consists of Indian music and readings from the Guru Grand Sahib (sacred book). Please are prepared to take off your shoes and to cover your head. Everyone is welcome.
VENUE: Arbury Centre, Campkin Rd (near Arbury Rd, next to the nursery), LAST Sunday of each month, start about 3pm to about 5pm, followed by a vegetarian meal.
Sikh contact: Amrik Sagoo on 01223 232 519.
For more information see www.sikhs.org/topics.htm

The Spiritual Unfoldment Network S.U.N.^TM top of page

The Spiritual Unfoldment Network^TM offers many profoundly transformative initiation workshops on a wide range of topics.

S.U.N. is an international non-denominational spiritually orientated network of teachers dedicated to making available to the public esoteric energy work from all major traditions. Our goal is to assist people in progressing more effectively on their personal spiritual path, at their own pace, without prescribing what that path must be.

You can choose from DRISANA� of Tibetan origin, HUNA and THE INFINITE LIGHT OF HUNA� of Hawaiian origin or MIRACULOUS VESSELS of Chinese origin.

You can also experience �EMPOWERING THE LORD�S PRAYER� or �THE POWER and MYSTERY OF GAYATRI� or �THE ESSENE DOVE�.

There are also workshops that deepen your ability to understand and work with the Angelic kingdom.

You can obtain full descriptions about workshops at Laura's web site www.sunlodge.plus.com or the international page www.spiritunfold.com

Contact: Laura Nina Zealey, a Cambridge based qualified Spiritual Unfoldment Network teacher for more information and a demonstration at 01223 833037 or e:

Sri Chinmoy Centre Cambridge top of page

All Sri Chinmoy people I know are very peace loving and gentle. The regular classes about Meditation and the inner life begin every month and are free of charge. The founder, Sri Chinmoy from India, demonstrated many great weight-lifting feats right up to the time of his passing in 2007 at teh age of 76. He is an impressing and inspiring example for the power of the mind.

"Wherever you go, go with inspiration and aspiration.
Whatever you do, do with love and concern.
Whatever you see, see with purity's beauty and responsibility's glory." (Sri Chinmoy)

Contact: please visit the international website www.srichinmoy.org for general information or
contact the Sri Chinmoy Centre Cambridge, phone 01223 846557
Unfortunally their beautiful 'madal bal' café in Mill Road had to be closed spring '04.

Subud Britain, Cambridge Group top of page

Subud is not a religion but a spiritual practice for all. E.g.: Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, Russian Orthodox, Quakers, Unitarians... all worship together. We empty our selves and surrender to God in a spiritual practice called the Latihan, through which we are reconnected to our inner selves and to God's guidance in our lives.

Subud awakens your entire inner feeling, your senses and your body, so that you feel an inner guidance, peace and stability in your life. Subud means to follow the will of God / Allah / the Creator / the creative Life Force with the help of the Divine Power that works both in us and and around us. It is a way to renew contact with the Power of God, an individual experience which arises from within. Subud can be described as the reality behind all religions or the life within a life.

Subud was founded by Bapak and is spread in about 80 countries. In Britain there are 60 Subud groups.

Ralph is a member of this spiritual brotherhood - he has been Cambridge group chair for 2 years.
Read more at the Subud Cambridge home page: www.cam.net.uk/home/subud
and Subud Britain: NEW: www.subud.org.uk
Ralph's personal experiences in Subud: www.cam.net.uk/home/subud/myexperience.htm#ralph
See also "ThankYou2007" international celebration 21 - 30 August '07 in England: www.thankyou2007.com

Sufi Group Cambridge top of page

Sufism is the object of widespread interest today. Sufi culture has produced works of extraordinary beauty whose symbolism speaks to the heart and mind in poetry, music and art. In it's inward aspect the Sufi path teaches a living spirituality and advocates a direct and personal experience of the divine. The divine order and beauty are seen reflected in all things and experiences and this can act as a powerful antidote to the alienation and fragmentation of the soul, that is so characteristic of modern life. Meditation, purification, self-reflection, creative imagination, listening to inner guidance, etc. are Sufi practices that can lead to an opening of the heart and to greater self realisation. Sufism is also very much about living in the world, not transcending it, so the meditation sessions act as a battery charger to allow us to take our spirituality into everyday living.

"Go on a journey from self to Self my friend . . . Such a journey transforms the earth into a mine of gold" (Rumi)
"The Sufi method works towards the unfoldment of the soul, that Self which is eternal and to which all power and beauty belong." (Hazrat Inayat Khan)
"Dare you have the courage to be who you really are ?" (Pir Vilayat Khan)

We will use the teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan, Ibn Arabi, Rumi and other Sufis, Meditation, breath-, light- and sound practices, zhikr, Sufi stories, poetry and music.

"Come, come whoever you are, whoever you may be . . . "(Rumi)

You are welcome to join us. We will be meeting fortnightly on Chesterton Road, Cambridge on Thursday afternoon or evening. Please contact Margaret Amina on 01223 365484 for details or email:
More information about the Sufi Order of the West see www.sufiorder.org

Cambridge Sufi Meditation Group top of page

"Gayan" - by Hazrat Inayat Khan:
The way of the Sufis is to experience life and yet to keep above it.
The first lesson that the seeker after truth must learn is to be true to oneself.
A worldly loss often turns into a spiritual gain.
When the heart breaks it gives birth to the soul.

More information about the Sufi Order of the West see www.sufiorder.org and www.sufimovement.org

Meetings: [please confirm] alternate Thursday evenings 7:30pm. Contibution: £2
VENUE: at Arjuna Health Centre, 12a Mill Road Cambridge. Restart: Thu. 17 Jan '02.
Contact Pythia on 01954 211 041 for details