With this extraordinary Festival entering its final phase, yesterday we joined Kadam Morten at KMC New York City for three days of blissful retreat on Arya Tara and Kadam Lamrim. Following step by step each piece of advice, we will have a chance to develop a strong and sincere wish to attain enlightenment, and the determination to follow our Spiritual Guide until we achieve enlightenment.

Gen-la explained how the joy of our Kadampa life comes directly from Venerable Geshe-la. From one point of view it is impossible to repay our Spiritual Guide’s kindness, but from another point of view we can greatly delight him by offering our practice of Kadam Lamrim and helping Dharma to flourish to the best of our ability.

Yesterday, Gen-la Jampa began four teachings on Kadam Lamrim based on the famous text Advice from Atisha’s Heart. Atisha is the original author of Kadam Lamrim. He was very close to Tara and she promised him that in the future she would take special care of his followers. For Kadampas, therefore, this is a special opportunity to receive core teachings that are the very backbone of our tradition.

Yesterday, following the sublime empowerment on Saturday, Gen-la explained how to rely on Arya Tara in practice with a deeply inspiring commentary to the sadhana, Liberation from Sorrow – truly a wishfulfilling practice.

Yesterday Gen-la Jampa took us to meet Buddha Tara in her Pure Land!

Through the inconceivable kindness of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, today we have the great good fortune to begin the second week of the 2020 Summer Festival. The day begins with two meditations guided by Gen Rabten at Manjushri KMC. Then this afternoon, at 16.00 UK time, we will receive the empowerment of Buddha Green Tara from Gen-la Kelsang Jampa at IKRC Grand Canyon in Arizona. How wonderful!

Today, this amazing week comes to an end and tomorrow the teachings move to IKRC Grand Canyon in the United States where Gen-la Kelsang Jampa the Deputy Spiritual Director of the New Kadampa Tradition will grant the empowerment of Buddha Tara and teachings on Advice from Atisha’s Heart.

During the last few days of teaching we enjoyed five powerful sessions of meditation with Gen Rabten. Yesterday, to conclude the first week of the Festival, we began three days of retreat with Gen Losang to take the teachings to heart and mix our mind with the sublime practice of the Yoga of Buddha Amitayus.

Gen-la Dekyong gave a powerful explanation of identifying and overcoming the self-cherishing mind. Our self-cherishing abides at our heart. It is the mind that thinks, ‘I am important’ while neglecting others. In truth,  this mind is ignorance and an object of ridicule.

Today, more nectar-like teachings from The New Eight Steps to Happiness from Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong. As today’s feature video shows, these precious books are the link between our heart and the venerable Guru’s heart.