General Spiritual Director
Entering the New Year with Buddha’s Blessings – Part 2
Jan 7, 2025
Entering the New Year with Buddha's Blessings ~ Part 2
Previously we shared photos from centers around the world celebrating New Year's Eve in various ways. Here we share more from that day. Enjoy!
KMC ARIZONA | KMC MERIDA | KMC KARLSRUHE | KMC SHEFFIELD | ODIYANA KMC | SUKHAVATI KBC
24-hour TARA PRAYERS AT KMC ARIZONA
Two dozen Tucson Kadampas joined in person and online for 24-hour Tara prayers and potluck supper at Kadampa Meditation Center Arizona. Eight spent the night at the center to complete the full cycle, along with another four online who attended every session.
Green Tara Retreat at KMC Merida
We have completed our 24-hour Green Tara retreat at KMC Merida with great joy and deep faith. We did six sessions of Liberation from Sorrow prayers, in each of which we recited the Twenty-one Homages to the Assembly of Arya Taras seven times. What a better way to end 2024 and begin 2025: offering praises and requests to our root Guru in his Green Tara aspect with his entire entourage, with the wish that all beings may always come under his care and protection.
We are full of energy and inspiration to continue striving with joy in our Dharma practice: solving our daily problems, enjoying peace of mind, and always being happy through following the Buddha's advice. What we wish most of all is to be able to help others achieve the same.
Our heartfelt thanks to all who participated and see you soon at our next events!
A powerful start to the new year at KMC Karlsruhe
The year began with a vibrant and inspiring kickoff: a special puja filled with the rhythmic sound of the drum, infusing the space with joy and inspiration.
Together, we generated great merit and dedicated it to the welfare of all living beings: to world peace and the flourishing of Dharma, in Karlsruhe in Germany, and far beyond.
May this inspiration, like a gentle breeze, touch the hearts of all, bringing peace and hope. May the light of Dharma shine in all directions, making the world brighter, freer, and more loving.
Thank you to everyone who was part of this wonderful moment at Kadampa Meditation Center Karlsruhe! Let’s begin the year with a clear mind, an open heart, and a deep dedication to the welfare of all.
New Year’s Eve Chanted Prayers at KMC Sheffield
At 3 p.m. on 31st December KMC Sheffield started the first session of 6, reciting the Liberation from Sorrow prayers, chanting praises to the 21 Taras, and reciting mantras, as part of the world-wide Sangha bringing in the New Year and requesting peace and happiness for all living beings.
Members joined the sessions in the center and also online. We had a bring-and-share supper on New Year’s Eve and ended with a shared lunch of very welcome lentil soup after the final session which ended at 12:15 p.m. on New Year’s Day.
Prayers for World Peace on New Year's Eve 2024
Odiyana Kadampa Meditation Centre hosted an evening event – Prayers for World Peace on New Year's Eve 2024.
The evening began at 8 pm with non-alcoholic hot punch and sparkling alcohol-free wine. After this, there was a delicious buffet, with time to chat and meet like-minded people. This was followed by a teaching and meditation given by Gen Kelsang Dema on how it is possible to achieve peace throughout our world. We brought in the New Year with a candle-lit vigil dedicated to world peace and happiness.
The evening was a real celebration of Dharma flourishing in Cheshire and enjoyed by all.
End the year with Tara and Dorje Shugden in Queretaro
We happily end the 24-hour retreat of Green Tara, our enlightened mother, dedicating all our merit for the flourishing of pure Kadam Dharma throughout the world.
And with great faith and devotion we dedicate that in our local area we all benefit from Buddha's perfect methods to be happy, and that our spiritual community will always be in harmony, with the same goal, the same direction, the same intention, without division and without distance, joyful and united.
May all present and future obstacles disappear quickly, and may the joyful efforts of all of us who love KBC Sukhavati bear abundant fruit without delay.
We also dedicate for our main Teachers: Gen-la Dekyong, Gen-la Jampa and Gen Sangden. And for our Resident Teacher, Gen Wangchog, and for all the Sukhavati students.
May Guru Tara always protect us and bless us day and night as we begin, make progress on, and complete the liberating path of the Kadam Lamrim of Sutra and Tantra. Thank you Guru Tara! The effects of this beautiful retreat are yet to come. How wonderful!
At the end of the 24-hour Green Tara retreat, we enjoyed the prayers to Dharma protector Dorje Shugden, Melodious Drum Victorious in all Directions. We leave 2024 and enter 2025 with blessing and protection so that our love compassion and wisdom will continue to grow this year.
As this center becomes 20 years old next August may it be ever better and more beneficial to all sentient beings.
Thank you, Venerable Geshe-la and the NKT. Thank you, Gen Sangden. Thank you, all of you.
