General Spiritual Director
Spring Festival 2026 Day 1
May 22, 2026
NKT-IKBU International Spring Festival 2026 diaries
Day 1 ~ Festivals put a spring in your step!
The sun is shining and it's a delightfully warm English spring day. All day people stream in to Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre in the Lake District - on coaches, in cars, by foot and in taxis. As new arrivals head to registration and get oriented, simultaneously preparations continue for the Festival to run smoothly in every area.
Why are you happy to be at the Festival?
It's been six months since our last International Festival and it's great to be back at the first Festival of the year! For many there is the joy of returning to their spiritual home, joining in with the international community to enjoy Dharma and work together like a family to make it all possible. For others it is a new experience and a chance to deeply enrich their spiritual life.
Teachings begin
Teaching with Gen-la Khyenrab ~ why are we here?
In the evening we have our first teaching with Gen-la Khyenrab, who gives a clear and inspiring talk. Drawing on blessed oral teachings given by Venerable Geshe-la many years ago, he helps us to appreciate that we already have perfect outer conditions and teaches us how to create perfect inner conditions so we can realize the Eight Verses of Training the Mind.
Then he begins to share the authentic commentary to the Eight Verses given by Venerable Geshe-la for the people of the modern world. It begins with Learning to Cherish Others, and Gen-la helps us to understand that there is no greater practice than this. All other steps and realizations naturally follow. As Venerable Geshe-la says, "When we continuously cherish other living beings we become a holy being. We are no longer ordinary." Contemplating the benefits of cherishing others we can make our own personal determination - I am really going to do this.
Then the session finishes, people flood out of the Temple and for a while spill out across the Festival site, joyfully sharing time with Sangha friends. Finally as people head to bed under a sliver of moon in the dark night sky there is only a quiet peace throughout the grounds.
Festival Podcast
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In this podcast, taken from the Spring Festival 2026, Gen-la Khyenrab leads us to make our own personal decision to cherish others by showing how this will benefit ourself and others.
