For those attending both weeks of the festival it is the free day. A day to pause, to rest, to do laundry, to visit the charming local town of Ulverston for afternoon tea or to take a hike up the Hoad or a mountain peak.

It is extraordinary that in these modern times we are still able to practice the original meaning of the perfection of wisdom exactly as Buddha explained. For us as Kadampas this is due solely to the kindness of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche.

After a feast of teachings in week one of the Summer Festival, we now have two days of retreat with Gen Rabten to deepen our wisdom in meditation. Following Gen-la Dekyong’s advice, the retreat focuses on going deeply by using the same sequence of meditations in each session.

Another extraordinary day of teachings with Gen-la Dekyong focusing on a deeper explanation of four lines at the heart of the Heart Sutra.
Gen-la uses beautiful examples and analogies that came from our Guru’s heart and that have the power to help us understand these profound topics.

In this morning’s teaching we received a transmission of the Heart Sutra, being transported back not only ten years to Portugal in the presence of our Spiritual Guide, but in fact going back further to the time of Buddha when the original Sutra was delivered.

Day 3 of the Festival dawns and by now everyone is beginning to settle into Festival life. Enjoying a change of pace, letting go of ordinary life, falling in to a delightful rhythm of meditation, attending teachings, volunteering, meal times and evening puja.

The Empowerment day is always a very special day at the Festival. There is gentle morning of meditation to deeply prepare our minds guided by Gen Kelsang Ananda. The finishing touches are put in place for the empowerment shrine and even more abundant offerings appear. Everyone files in to the temple, our General Spiritual Director, Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong enters and there is a special quiet and unity as the empowerment begins.