If you’ve ever felt like temple hopping in Thailand but the airfare, time or vaccinations have held you back, you’ll be delighted to know that there’s an authentic Buddhist temple right here in London (across the road from Wimbledon Common) that you can visit.

But it’s important to remember that this isn’t just a temple, or a monument like the Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park where you might be disturbed by personal trainers running their clients around it (! why would you do that?), no, if you plan on visiting this temple please remember that it is in fact part of a Buddhist monastery, with the orange robed monks to show for it.

The energy of the place is incredible, but for me it’s not the gold and ornate temple (which you will have to take your shoes off to enter) but the small garden, with stream and bridges behind it that I find is the best place to meditate.

Many people who meditate believe that the energy or vibrations of other people meditating nearby help in the search for peace, which may be why I have been able to find the answer to my more difficult problems, or let go of strong emotions when meditating here.  It is also why, from time to time, the temple is closed to the public, to allow the monks to retreat and not have those energies sapped by people like me, I guess!

The temple website has some wonderful resources, and you can also find information on when to visit, as well as courses, many of which are free, on meditation and Buddhism - so a really wonderful resource, even if you can only visit online.