Shantigarbha, Dharmachari

Shantigarbha (meaning ‘He whose inner nature is peace’) is a Buddhist teacher, activist, Nonviolent Communication (NVC) trainer, and dedicated mapper of the human heart. Since his ordination into the Triratna Buddhist Order in 1996, he has spent three decades exploring how the stillness of the meditation cushion can coexist with the beautiful, messy collisions of human relationship.

A former student of Classics and Philosophy at Oxford, Shantigarbha has traded ancient Greek texts for the modern practice of reconciliation. He has led peace-building workshops and restorative circles from the West Bank to the caste-divided communities of India—yet he remains convinced that some of the most profound 'peace work' happens at the kitchen table over a morning cup of tea.

When he isn’t writing or teaching, he can be found in Bristol, likely contemplating the intersection of spirituality and environmental activism with the Triratna Earth Sangha, or simply practising the radical art of listening. A Thousand Kisses Deep is his latest invitation to treat love not as a fleeting feeling, but as a path of deep, courageous, and slightly stubborn devotion.