General Spiritual Director
Visiting Teachers in Spain, Canada and Mexico
Oct 18, 2024
VISITING TEACHERS IN SPAIN, CANADA AND MEXICO
Recent guest Teacher visits took place at KMC Spain, KMC Quebec, and Vajrapani KBC in Xalapa, Mexico. Participants had the opportunity to engage in retreats on the three principal aspects of the path, explore methods for managing anxiety, and learn practical approaches to overcoming anger.
Gen Rigden at KMC Spain
In October, we had the pleasure of hosting Gen Rigden, the Resident Teacher of Kadampa Meditation Center Deuachen in Sintra (Portugal) at KMC Spain.
He guided a retreat focused on the three principal aspects of the path: renunciation, bodhichitta, and emptiness. With a lighthearted approach, he helped us cultivate these beautiful states of mind through engaging teachings and meditations. Participants came from all over Spain, and the warm weather throughout the retreat made the relaxing time between sessions particularly enjoyable.
We all completed the retreat feeling content and grateful!
Gen Kelsang Chögyan at KMC Quebec
What a wonderful evening we had with our special guest, Gen Kelsang Chögyan, for a talk on anxiety and Buddhism!
Gen Chögyan skillfully guided us to understand that any restlessness in our mind is only a temporary state, not intrinsic to us. Although anxiety may arise in the mind, it doesn’t mean we are inherently “anxious people,” she explained. Through her teachings on patient acceptance, we learned that this inner position of strength and stability will help us find constructive solutions to better our world and contribute positively. Everyone was delighted to have taken part in this event, and many returned the next day for the workshop on Mental Load: How to Lighten Up.
Thank you to everyone who helped make this weekend so meaningful, and a special thanks to Gen Chögyan for her clear, inspiring, and encouraging teachings.
Finally, thank you to Venerable Geshe-la for bringing the light of wisdom that enables us to gradually dispel the darkness in our minds.
FIRST EVER VISIT OF GEN SANGDEN to XALAPA
In October, we had the joy of welcoming our beloved National Spiritual Director, Gen Kelsang Sangden to Xalapa for the first time. On Friday, we attended a public talk titled How to Solve Our Anger Problem, where we learned how anger harms us and discovered that our true enemies are not external, but rather our negative mental states.
The following day, at Vajrapani Kadampa Buddhist Center, Gen Sangden guided the retreat, How Does the World Exist? How Do I Exist? During three sessions, we received profound teachings on the wisdom of emptiness, meditating together on the emptiness of our body, self, and all phenomena.
We are deeply grateful to Gen Sangden for sharing these invaluable teachings, to the volunteers and organizers who made these events possible, and to all the attendees. May all beings enjoy the same extraordinary good fortune.
