General Spiritual Director
Finding Refuge in Buddhist Teachings
Apr 9, 2024
Second Retreat Day on Vajrayogini
The focus for today’s sessions are the body mandala of Vajrayogini. Gen Ananda presents this profound practice a little bit at a time, building up our understanding with each session. This subtle and extensive practice can seem complicated, but Gen Ananda encourages us all to meditate on it in a simple manner. In particular he emphasizes that we meditate lightly and gently. Quoting Venerable Geshe-la, he says:
“Simply have faith the body mandala is there and naturally allow it to arise.”
And from Gen-la Dekyong:
“It’s our responsibility to make the meditations work and to learn to enjoy them.”
A laid-back energy permeates the Festival. In between sessions, people are enjoying the remainder of their time with their spiritual friends. It’s clear the Festival is drawing to a close. They walk to the beach, through the sun-illuminated leaves on the woodland path, absorbed in fully enjoying this wonderful place … and the inner mandala in their minds. Everyone is talking about how amazing and life-changing the experience of being here has been. And how much they now have to work with. With only one more full day of Festival left, people are also having to plan their departures. Some are heading home; others will be heading to the post-festival retreats that many centers are holding throughout the world. Kadampas are amazing! There is so much sincere practice. People so appreciate what Venerable Geshe-la has given us, and so wish to repay that kindness by gaining actual realizations.
Tomorrow we meditate on the actual self-generation practice. The riches keep coming, right to the end of the Festival. One thing is clear: it has been a wonderful time.
