Over 30 North American Resident Teachers are at the IKRC Canyon.

Over 30 North American Resident Teachers are at the IKRC Canyon

At the end of June each year, Resident Teachers from around the world typically gather together at Manjushri KMC - our mother center - in Ulverston, UK for the Intensive Teacher Training Program (ITTP).

However, this year is a little different for the North American Resident Teachers, as over 30 of them from the US and Canada are gathering together as Bodhisattvas-in-action at the International Kadampa Retreat Center Grand Canyon in Williams, Arizona to help with preparations for the NKT-IKBU Fall Festival 2025.

Trading in meditation cushions for hammers and paint brushes, they have devoted their typical study and class time for things like sanding, painting and staining, repairing stucco, installing conduit, and more - all the while participating in ITTP remotely around their already full days of physical work.

517135039_1217837337044782_891677292786806168_n

The projects during these three weeks with the Resident Teachers include turning the previous dining room (currently completely gutted) into the World Peace Cafe, painting the exterior of the accommodation and dining building to match the stunning World Peace Temple, and painting some of the interior guest rooms to freshen them up before the Festival.

There are also many other dedicated Kadampa managers and students here, offering their skills and their time to these many projects.

It is truly inspiring to see people - like the landscape team who drove from Albuquerque and worked so hard all weekend; and the painting contractor, the builder husband-and-wife team, and the chef all giving the whole summer to being here.

So much has already been accomplished even within the first few days of their arrival, all as an act of cherishing those who will be attending the Fall Festival. Despite the hard work, the joy can be felt around IKRC Grand Canyon and discussions of Dharma pervade the work days. In a GP class earlier this week, Gen Kelsang Demo (Western & Midwestern NSD and Resident Teacher at IKRC Grand Canyon) thanked the Resident Teachers and volunteers for coming here and encouraged them to see this World Peace Temple as their spiritual home, this summer and always.

Given the beauty of IKRC Grand Canyon, arisen from Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche’s heart for the benefit of all, it is easy to call this special place our spiritual home.