Fall Festival 2024 ~ Day 1
Oct 25, 2024
Following the International Summer Festival, Kadampa Centers worldwide are resuming their classes and courses. Check out what's new in the US at KMC Brooklyn, KMC New York, KMC Maryland, KMC South Carolina, and KMC Washington DC.
On Saturday, July 13, Gen Samten visited KMC Brooklyn to teach a day course titled Emptiness and Mindfulness: Learning to Live Lightly. Over 60 practitioners - a record for the center - filled the meditation room for three sessions where Gen Samten offered practical advice on how to incorporate the understanding of emptiness into our daily lives.
"I loved Gen Samten’s advice for working toward enlightenment. Normally, this goal feels so distant, but we can relate to it as a process and think, ‘I can live today in a more enlightened way than yesterday.’"
"I really appreciated redefining mindfulness as ‘memory retention’ and using a phrase to help keep emptiness in my mind throughout the day."
"I loved how he described emptiness as a river of joy and happiness continuously flowing through our daily lives, enabling us to live today in a more meaningful way than we did yesterday."
"I liked the idea of being ‘an oasis for others’ when they come to the Center."
Our Families Weekend was the perfect blend of relaxation, connection, and joy. Families truly enjoyed spending time together in the Temple, learning about meditation and practical tips on how to be more calm, peaceful, and kind. Between sessions, families had a variety of activities to choose from, including painting, crafts, outdoor sports, nature hikes, and an evening bonfire with s’mores. We’re already looking forward to our next Families Weekend!
A team of volunteers helped spread the word about our upcoming classes. We had a wonderful time during our KMC NY publicity run in Brooklyn, sharing information about retreats, special events, getaways, and free resources in the Park Slope neighborhood.