General Spiritual Director
A refuge for everyone
Jan 22, 2025
January is a time when practitioners immerse themselves in various retreats to deepen their Dharma practice. Across different Kadampa Centers worldwide, these retreats cater to both advanced practitioners and those who are just beginning their journey. Here are the activities organized by centers in New York, Mexico and France.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso explains in the book Heart Jewel what a retreat is. ‘On retreat we stop all forms of business and extraneous activities so as to emphasize a particular spiritual practice’. In these times when the flow of new impulses, activities and tasks we have to perform is never-ending, a time of retreat is a very precious and rare opportunity to enjoy a real break. During this time we enjoy conditions that allow us to create space both physically and mentally.
The launch of the 2025 brochure showing the International Kadampa Teaching Program of Festivals and Dharma Celebrations. The brochure will be available in six languages in print and online for download.
After the busyness of the end of year celebrations, the new year is a wonderful opportunity to make a fresh start with good intentions and pure minds. Kadampa centers support us in doing this. Here are the activities organized by centers in Colombia, Mexico and Argentina.
January holds a unique place in the Kadampa calendar, as it is traditionally an opportunity for practitioners to withdraw from busy activities and engage in retreats. In January the IKRCs offer longer retreats with qualified guidance so that people can gain deep experience of their practice. Everyone is welcome to join, whether for the entire retreat or just a portion of it.
Tharpa US offers a FREE 30-Day Meditation Challenge for those unable to attend in-person retreats. Receive daily guided meditations, tips, and inspiration to cultivate inner peace and build a lasting meditation practice from home.
During January, there is a unique sense of peace at Manjushri KMC, with many retreats and other activities taking place. This year, the principal retreat in the Temple is with Gen Tonglam called Discover the Union of Sutra and Tantra — a very special presentation of the essential Lamrim meditations, as shared with us by Venerable Geshe-la in his book The Mirror of Dharma with Additions.
In the early days of January, many centers organize winter retreats where stillness, silence, and blessings take center stage. Set amidst snowy mountains, these retreats offer a serene experience at Kailash IRC in Switzerland and in the Ennstal region of Upper Austria.
Kadampa communities in Paris and Malaysia held blessing empowerments of Buddha White Tara and Avalokiteshvara giving their centers a great start to the year.
The New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union is continually creating Temples and Kadampa Meditation Centres internationally; fulfilling Venerable Geshe-las wish to have a Kadampa Temple in every city in the world!
