HOLMES Chapel Library is to host meditation classes from next month focusing on ‘modern problems’.

The four-week course is being run by the Odiyana Kadampa Meditation Centre at Northwich.

The classes will be held on Monday nights at 7.30pm, and run from September 2.

Each class comprises two meditations and a talk, followed by discussion over tea and biscuits.

A spokesman from the centre said: “In recent years our knowledge of modern technology has increased considerably.

“As a result we have witnessed remarkable material progress, but there has not been a corresponding increase in human happiness.

“Superficially it looks like our world is improving. We know so many things we didn’t know before and can do things we never dreamed of, but there are many problems that never existed before.

“Terrifying weapons have been invented, our environment is being poisoned and new diseases are appearing.

“The result of an unbridled pursuit of happiness is that our planet is being destroyed and our lives are becoming more complicated and dissatisfying.

“People are suffering more from stress, anxiety and low self-esteem.

It is clear something is deeply wrong and that manipulating external conditions will not help solve these modern problems.

“Happiness is part of our mind, it is a feeling, so the real source of happiness must lie within our mind not in external conditions.

“If our mind is peaceful we will be happy all the time but if our mind is unpeaceful we will never be happy however much we try to change our external conditions.”

For further details visit meditationincheshire.org or call 01606 77034.