General Spiritual Director
Spring Festival 2026 Day 6
May 27, 2026
The Stages of the Path of Sutra and Tantra
With the arrival of January, Kadampa communities are entering retreat, immersing themselves in retreats on the stages of the path of Sutra and Tantra. From Lamrim meditations according to Mirror of Dharma, to generation and completion stage meditations, retreaters are striving to make spiritual progress on the path to enlightenment. Here we see retreats in Europe and North America.
SNOWFALL OF BLESSINGS – MOUNTAIN RETREAT IN AUSTRIA
From 30 December 2025 to 6 January 2026, Kadampa Meditation Center Austria hosted a one-week retreat in the serene Ennstal Valley of Upper Austria. Practitioners from Austria and Germany gathered to enjoy this precious opportunity for meditation and inner stillness.
Kelsang Sila, Resident Teacher of KMC Austria in Vienna, guided the retreat using the 15 Lamrim meditations from the book The Mirror of Dharma by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche. Her clear and practical instructions showed how to make steady progress on the path to enlightenment and how to integrate these precious teachings into our daily life.
The retreat began with a New Year’s Eve fire celebration and a walk on New Year’s Day, followed by a period of silence. During the week, snowfall transformed the surrounding mountains into a quiet winter landscape, supporting an atmosphere of calm and clarity.
Set in a former mountain farm near Weyer (Upper Austria), the peaceful natural surroundings, comfortable facilities, and gentle moments of shared presence made this retreat a deeply nourishing experience for everyone.
Thank you, Geshe-la, for this wonderful opportunity!
Uncommon Yoga of Inconceivability Retreat with Kadam Bridget Heyes
Retreaters from across the country gathered for this 10-day retreat on The Uncommon Yoga of Inconceivability at Nagarjuna KMC Thornby Hall. Under the gentle and insightful guidance of Kadam Bridget Heyes, the National Spiritual Director for the UK and Ireland, participants were led into a deep and meaningful experience of the profound heart practice of Buddha Vajrayogini.
Taking time during retreat to become familiar with these meditations makes it far easier to sustain and deepen our spiritual training afterward, making this retreat a perfect way to begin the year with clarity, inspiration and purpose.
The retreat was pervaded by the warmth of both the Nagarjuna community and the retreaters. Breaks in the World Peace Café, peaceful walks in the woodlands, and communal meals created a perfect balance between social interaction and quiet personal time, according to the needs of each retreater.
Two retreats at KMC Victoria, Canada
Our Sangha at KMC Victoria in Canada enjoyed two full weekend retreats held at KMC Victoria on Dec 26-28, 2025 and January 2-4, 2026. Led by our Resident Teacher Gen Zopa, these two beautiful retreats were based on Geshe-la’s extraordinary book: The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra.
What blissful and meaningful weekends!
THE MAGIC OF MAHAMUDRA AT CASTELLON KBC, SPAIN
At Castellon KBC, we said goodbye to the year by reflecting on karma, and with a sincere intention we invited Guru Vajrasattva to purify the heavy burden of negativity that we carry from life to life. We welcomed the New Year with The Magic of Mahamudra, guided by Gen Kelsang Chödron, our beloved Resident Teacher. In Castellón, we lovingly care for our beautiful center to offer a space where you can pause, practice, and allow the experience to transform the way you see and live.
