Kaspa & Satya run Bright Earth temple and they are responsible for the day to day running of the building. They are married and have lived in Malvern since 2010. Their colleague ministers Kusuma, Dayamay, Shraddha, Sujatin and Khema also lead practice at the temple and online. Find out more about us below!
As ministers we share from our own learning and experience, and if our experience resonates for you, or inspires curiosity, then we encourage you to stick around and hear more. We also continue to be students ourselves, and we are learning all the time from our own teachers, from our own lives and from the Earth. We try to hold truths lightly, and we also know that some practices and teachings have been hugely transformative to us. We’d love to pass on what we can, and we look forward to learning from you too.
Satya Robyn (she/her) works as a psychotherapist and a writer as well as running Bright Earth with her spouse Kaspa. Her latest book is ‘Coming Home: Refuge in Pureland Buddhism’. She writes a blog about Gentle Buddhism at Patheos, here. She has been involved in eco-activism since 2019 and did a daily vigil in her local town of Malvern for a year before COP26 in Nov 1st 2021. She has an article in Tricycle magazine here.
Kaspa Thompson (they/them) has been a Buddhist teacher for more than a decade and has a special interest in outside practice. They are a committee member of the Eco Dharma Network, and Chair of the Network of Buddhist Organisations UK. They facilitated Buddhist Action Month, in 2019, 2020 and 2021. They work as a psychotherapist and supervisor using Internal Family Systems. They are an active member of XR Buddhists.
Kusumavarsa (she/her) has been a Pure Land Buddhist for a number of years. She has worked as a Chaplain in Palliative Care settings and is an experienced meditation teacher.
Dayamay (he/him) is a part of the temple community and has been practising with the sangha since 2012. He runs a monthly study group online and Buddhist practice at the temple. He is interested in Shinran’s teachings and a broad range of spiritual teachers. He runs a weekly emotional support group online.
Khemashalini (she/her) lives in Malvern and has a heart connection with the hills and with the Earth. She has been teaching at the Bright Earth temple since 2017. She enjoys organising and taking part in yatras – long sacred walks through the landscape. She works in the NHS with a specialty in infection control.
Shraddha Cheffings (he/they) lives in Bournville and is particularly involved with inter-faith work, especially with a focus on ecology. They currently do some music voice work in the community and work with individuals and groups using mindfulness to help reduce chronic pain and anxiety.