Special Events in the US, Mexico and France
Dec 14, 2024
A chance to catch up on some of the other news stories from recent days
WASHINGTON DC | MENORCA | PORTO | PARIS | TOULOUSE | CABREÚVA | SANTIAGO | CAPE TOWN
In the same week that the crowning vajra was installed on the Temple in Arizona, KMC Washington installed four vajras on the roof of their new city Temple, adding an interesting contrast to the skyline.
The four vajras went up through the efforts of a group of intrepid volunteers and a boom lift. Meanwhile a group of volunteers on the ground put in a stretch of much needed yard work.
The rain held off and the sun poked through the clouds as the last varja was being set on the front peak!
After Gen-la Dekyong's extraordinary teachings at the Spanish Festival, in which she gave the empowerment of Manjushri and introduced Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche's book Ocean of Nectar to mark the publication of the first Spanish edition, for the KMC Madrid Sangha it was time for a post-Festival retreat.
They gathered at Menorca International Retreat Centre with National Spiritual Director Gen Chokga to absorb these precious teachings and take their meaning to heart.
In a beautiful park in Santo Tirso, just outside Porto, the Portuguese Sangha joined in the 'Rest Day Festival' to introduce the local people to mediation and tell them about the magnificent Kadampa Temple in Sintra.
In what was the principal activity of the day, Gen Rigden the Resident Teacher of KMC Deuachen, guided over 170 people in a meditation on equalising self with others.
It was a very powerful and joyful event.
Starting yesterday, Gen Tonpa, Resident Teacher at KMC Paris, is leading a five-day city retreat on the Oral Instructions of Mahamudra.
Gen Tonpa combines profound teachings with powerful guided meditations and a characteristic touch of humor.
The retreat is attended by both long-standing practitioners and beginners, and for everyone it is an opportunity to find deep and meaningful peace in the heart of the city.
Gen Tonpa is also Resident Teacher at KMC Toulouse, where they have recently acquired a beautiful building in the heart of this enchanting city.
Boasting a 10 meter frontage on a pedestrian street in the historic part of Toulouse, the new building is surrounded by cafés, restaurants, shops and terraces.
When completed, the center will offer a shop, a large meditation room with a capacity of 100 and a second smaller meditation room. There will also be some accommodation for staff.
At the Brasilian Temple they celebrated May Day with a beautiful Mahayana refuge Ceremony with Resident Teacher Gen Togden.
90 people took part in the ceremony, many of them taking Refuge Vows for the first time.
Throughout May, the principal activity at KMC Chile in Santiago will be 'Learn to meditate with the Oral Instructions of Mahamudra.'
On this special course and meditation retreat combined, with Resident Teacher Guen Chokyong, participants will learn to meditate using the special techniques of the Mahamudra oral lineage, with which we can discover the nature of our own mind.
Tushita KMC in Cape Town are busy preparing for Gen-la Kunsang's visit, during which she will give a public talk and lead the National Festival on the practice of Buddha Amitayus. The break time became a spontaneous photo opportunity!