Decolonising the Dharma September 2026

‘The holding of the space was beautifully done. You tackled a massively complicated thing with clarity and intelligence.’ 

- Nic, part of the Hermes Amara Foundation 

Decolonising the Dharma

This three-month fortnightly online course invites Buddhist practitioners to explore how colonial histories shape the Dharma and our practice today.

Intention of the course

This will be a collaborative and practice-oriented learning community rather than a traditional classroom. The course combines readings, talks, and facilitated discussions to explore these questions:

• How did European colonialism reshape Buddhist institutions and teachings?
• How does Western Buddhism still reproduce colonial assumptions about Asia, religion, and the self?
• How have contemporary Buddhist movements responded to these questions?
• How can we skillfully and ethically practice a dharma that counters colonial assumptions and mindsets?

Outcomes

By the end of the course, we hope participants will have:

• A nuanced understanding of how colonial histories and assumptions have shaped and continue to shape contemporary Buddhist practice.
• Practical and ethical strategies for cultivating practices and communities which resist colonial practice and ways of knowing.
• Reflected deeply on the opportunities and responsibilities of resisting colonial practice, both individually and collectively
• Participated in a supportive learning community committed to honest enquiry, reflection, and ethical action.

‘I think it was an excellent course. The readings were great and the small group interactions really useful. I really felt it deepened my understanding of the impact of colonialism on Buddhism and the continuing effects on our practice today.’ 

- Nikki van der Gaag

Course cost

Sliding scale £120 - £200, with two bursary places available. Please see below for further detail.

Who is it for?

This iteration of the Decolonising the Dharma course is for white people-only (participants and facilitators). We are offering this because it can be useful for white people to reflect together on the history of colonisation, power and race. Some of the processing and discussions that can be fostered move differently and allow for more learning than in mixed groups. Other participant requirements include:

• A strong foundation in Buddhist practice and knowledge.
• Experience with anti-racism, anti-oppression or white awareness work.
• A willingness to engage openly, reflectively, and respectfully in group discussions.
• Ability to attend at least six out of the seven sessions.

The course is being shared by UK-based practitioners and will be focused on the UK context. If you would like to join from elsewhere in the world, you are also welcome. 

If you would like to apply for the September 2026 course please complete this APPLICATION FORM (or click on ‘apply’ at the top of this page).

 Application and invitation process

In our  application form we ask some questions about you and your experiences to help us to foster an in-depth learning experience for the group. Once we have received the applications we will review them, then reach out either to invite people to pay to secure their place, or to discuss other ways to engage. Our intended timescale, as a guide, is:

• Until 15th August: receive applications
• 15th August: initial application review
• 18th August: application approval and invitations to book onto the course
• 18th August - 10th September: applications reviewed on a rolling basis with approvals/ invitations shared within five working days of application receipt
• 10th September: applications close
• 14th September: course starts

What are the alternatives?

We are actively developing the ways we offer these explorations. Currently, we aspire to offer a mix of group formations and courses, as follows:  

• Open access Decolonising the Dharma courses, for People of Colour and white people
  • Next iteration from January 2027 on Wednesday evenings
• People of Colour (POC) only offers, currently being developed collaboratively
• White people-only Decolonising the Dharma courses
• Informal discussion or reading groups, in response to demand

If you would like to be kept updated about any of these offers, please let us know by completing our 

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM. 

You can also use this to share your ideas and feedback. We actively welcome and encourage your input.

Structure and learning approach for the September - December 2026 course (white people-only)

The upcoming course will happen online fortnightly on  Mondays from 6:30 to 8:30 pm (UK time). For those who miss a session, there will be recordings of the whole group (not breakout group) parts of the session. 

Short readings or talks will be provided before each session module to ground our discussions, along with longer optional resources for those who wish to explore further.

This is a participatory course, with everyone bringing their own experience and insight to the learning process. 

We plan to cover the following topics, although the exact formation may shift as we continue to develop the materials.   

14 September 2026: Introduction to the core ideas and approach, meeting one another and reflecting on our experiences as practitioners 

28 September 2026: Tradition in Turmoil (Asian Buddhist responses to colonial efforts)

12 October  2026: Buddhism Reimagined (19th Century European interpretations of Buddhism)

26 October 2026: Emergence of the “Western Buddhist” (Buddist modernism, individualism and Victorian filters)

9 November 2026: Secular Buddhism and mindfulness  (and their relationships with coloniality)

23 November 2026: Whiteness work within and beyond practice communities (UK focus)

7 December 2026: Decolonising the Dharma: reflection and looking ahead 

How much should I pay?

When you apply, you can select the appropriate payment scale, £120 - £200. We provide the following information as a guide to support your decision:

£200: You have enough income to cover your bills comfortably and save money, and can easily afford meals/ nights out

£160: You have enough income to cover your bills, you have some savings that you rarely need to use for daily living costs, and can afford the occasional meal out

£120: You are able to cover your daily living costs but sometimes dip into savings for these. It would be a challenge to have a meal out more than once a month

Bursary request: You would be unable to attend the course at any of the payment levels listed above

If you would like to request one of the two bursary places, please contact us at dharma.totnes@proton.me

What's next?

We hope you will apply if you meet the requirements and feel ready to engage! This is important work for us as practitioners both individually and for the wider Buddhist context in the UK. If you have any questions or feedback you can email us at dharma.totnes@proton.me. 

If you're ready to apply for Decolonising the Dharma, September 2026, please go ahead and complete our APPLICATION FORM. 

We look forward to being in touch.

Who we are

Tasha Bassingthwaighte

Tasha’s work focuses on practices of transformation toward a healthier human society. How can we live in right relation with each other, and with all beings both now and into the future? Informed by years of living in intentional communities and facilitating groups, her ethical and embodied dharma includes an awareness of the impacts of colonisation and other forms of systemic oppression. For the past ten years Tasha has run The Barn Retreat at Sharpham, a small retreat centre in rural Devon in the UK, which weaves Buddhist meditation, nature connection, and community life. She is a graduate of Spirit Rock’s Path of Engagement and a Community Dharma Leader through Gaia House. 

Tasha grew up on unceded Indigenous land of Musquem, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh (in Vancouver Canada) as a white cis-woman. She has practiced Buddhism since 1996, finding a home within the Plum Village and Insight traditions. In addition to the Dharma, her path is rooted in animism, land connection, craft skills, and her training as an ecologist.

Milla Gregor

Milla has practised Buddhist meditation since 2005, with roots in the Insight Meditation, Plum Village and Quaker traditions. She has been a student of Martin Aylward since 2016 and is part of his developing dharma teacher group. She teaches regularly online via Sangha Live and her project Movement for Change. She is co-creating a monthly in-person group for political organisers and activists in London, ‘Meditate, Comrades!’. 

Milla is white, with mixed European and British parentage. She works with charities and groups dedicated to shifting systems towards social and climate justice. She provides facilitation, evaluation and data support and coaching, using an embodied and relational approach. 

She lives in East London and enjoys contemplative practice, creating art and music, wild swimming, and finding ways to intervene in the capitalist consumer trance. She hopes for more justice, liberation, contentment and joy for all beings.