General Spiritual Director
Bonus Bulletin – 27 November
Nov 27, 2024
Completing powerful retreats before the Spring Festival
During the month of May, powerful retreats were held at the Sixth Temple Kadampa for the World Peace in Málaga, KMC Madrid, Tharpaland KMC and Ganden Ling KMC.
A perfect preparation for the International Spring Festival
GURU YOGA AND MANDALA OFFERING RETREAT AT KMC SPAIN
From 10th to 15th of May, Gen Chokga guided a beautiful Guru yoga and mandala offering retreat in the Sixth Kadampa Temple for World Peace.
It has been an extraordinary few days of deepening the connection with our Guru. Through our imagination and correct belief we have created pure worlds to offer to our Spiritual Guide and create great good fortune.
There was also a practical session with Kelsang Thaye in our second meditation room called "Keajra". She taught us how to build mandalas with our mandala kit.
It has been a very inspiring few days and we have received many blessings.
Tharpaland KMC - A WEEKEND OF REST & REFLECTION
Last weekend, Tharpaland KMC offered a getaway course for their Berlin expat and English speaking community.
People enjoyed some "me-time" away from the city in beautiful spring sunshine. Meditations and some guidance on how to rest and reflect meaningfully were given by Mirja Renner, the Resident Teacher of KMC Hamburg, who spent most of her professional life in the UK and US, thus easily connecting with the international audience.
Attendees returned to their normal lives filled with fresh, positive mental energy.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this course a success!
KMC MADRID - annual Refuge retreat
More than 90 fortunate people participated in our annual refuge retreat in the beautiful and peaceful natural surroundings of KMC Madrid.
Although we all have to face many difficulties and sufferings in life, it is possible to find an effective protection against all of them, a different source of refuge that will arise in our own heart. Buddhist refuge is the mind that seeks protection from suffering in the wisdom; that enables us to always maintain a happy mind. Buddha taught this wonderful jewel of wisdom that when it arises in our mind it protects us from suffering because it directly opposes the mental states that disturb inner peace and therefore destroy our happiness.
With deep gratitude to our Guru and to our kind Teacher, Gen Tsongmo, we return home blessed and inspired with a firm determination and promise to strive to receive Buddha’s blessings, to put Dharma into practice –our true inner refuge– and to receive help from Sangha, our supreme spiritual friends.
GANDEN LING KMC - Creative Weekend
Recently students at the new center in Truro, Cornwall had the opportunity to engage in a weekend of meaningful creativity.
The sunny weekend started on Saturday with a drawing class learning to draw the face of Buddha. The class was led by Kelsang Yonchen, Resident Teacher of Ganden Ling KMC and student of leading Kadampa artist, Kadam Chris Heyes.
The day began with an explanation of the benefits of drawing Buddha and then continued with several demonstrations and practical advice alongside hands-on drawing. It was very moving to see the images of Buddha appearing in front of us.
Then on Sunday morning, Kelsang Yonchen taught a half day meditation class on ‘What is Mantra?’ explaining the practice of Mantra recitation and the benefits of reciting Mantras. In the afternoon, visiting Kadampa, Georgie O’Connor from KMC Plymouth, kindly taught us how to make our own mala for use in mantra recitation. There was lots of choice of different colours and styles of beads, and the option to make a long 108 bead mala, or shorter 21 bead wrist malas.
Everyone’s mala was so unique, but each very beautiful.
All in all the weekend was a real success and lots of fun, spending time with other members of the community doing something so meaningful together. There have already been requests to run the classes again, so hopefully this will be the first of many.
