Practitioners around the world are taking time this January to engage in retreat. Wonderful events are being organized globally, providing opportunities for people to retreat from their usual busy pace of life. They can slow down, look inwards, and engage in their spiritual practice more deeply. See this post for retreats in Argentina, South Africa, and Germany.
More than one hundred people attended the weekend of empowerment of Green Tara with the Resident Teacher, Gen Kelsang Tonpa. This high in-person attendance at KMC Paris brought the event energy and joy. The participants, some very new, also appreciated the teachings on the theme of being supported in adversity. We learned about how, through relying on Arya Tara, we can swiftly receive help and transform adverse conditions. What a wonderful weekend!
The students of Mahamudra KMC in Hermosa Beach spent a long weekend in Joshua Tree, California, enjoying teachings on Universal Compassion by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. The Resident Teacher, Gen Tsoglam guided the retreaters through the teachings on love and the healing power of compassion.
Sutra and Tantra teachings of Buddha are a practical way to fulfill our own potential and gain the ability to lead others to pure and everlasting happiness. This year, in January, two Centers in Spain – KMC Granada and KMC Barcelona – explored these inner paths to enlightenment during retreats in the village of MoclÃn and the Montserrat Temple. Explore these retreats with photo galleries and shared experiences of participants.
From January 2-7, Tharpaland KMC hosted the first week of its annual winter retreat. Gen Kelsang Ananda, the Resident Teacher of Tharpaland KMC, led a gathering of some 35 people through meditations on ‘The Three Principal Aspects of the Path to Enlightenment’ by Je Tsongkhapa, based on the book ‘The Mirror of Dharma with Additions’ by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche.
It is a few weeks since some Kadampa Centers began their Supreme Ocean of Infinite Good Fortune retreats – the close retreat collecting 100,000 recitations of our Guru’s name mantra. This is the first time this retreat has been done as a group close retreat at Kadampa Centers and we asked people to tell us about their experience in Manjushri KMC, KMC Spain and KMC Hong Kong.
The month of January is a powerful time for practitioners of Heruka and Vajrayogini to make offerings and do retreat. The two tsog days within this month are particularly special. The first, January 10, is a special day of Vajrayogini. Here are some photos from retreats and prayers in the first part of January
At the beginning of the year, Kadampa Meditation Center Austria organized a one-week retreat in the Upper Austrian Ennstal. Meditators from Austria and Germany took a week to participate in this special event.
After starting the year with the blessings of Buddha Tara, the community at IKRC Menorca, Spain, is drawing closer and closer to Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka during their January Retreat. This blessed month of January will be concluded with the Heruka Body Mandala Retreat in the serene surroundings of IKRC Menorca.
As January begins, centers across the globe are offering both long and short retreats for those seeking spiritual nourishment. Regardless of location, people are placing emphasis on refreshing and uplifting their minds, and enriching their spiritual lives.
General Spiritual Director
