Treat yourself to a Festival |
|
Every year Kadampa Centers around the world organize major international festivals in different countries. These festivals provide us with a very special opportunity to receive teachings and empowerments from Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the founder of Kadampa Buddhism in the West, and the Spiritual Director of our Kadampa Buddhist meditation Centers here in Florida. It is difficult to convey in words how special it is to receive teachings from Geshe Kelsang directly. Perhaps we have read some of his books and found them exceptionally clear and accessible. Perhaps we have enjoyed listening to teachings by Kadampa teachers and found them very practical. But I think it is only when we have been in the presence of Geshe Kelsang that we can fully appreciate this spiritual man and his remarkable gift to the modern world. In his presence all worries and concerns fall away. You know that you are with a fully accomplished meditation master whose intention is only to benefit by giving spiritual teachings. Your mind is filled with blissful blessings and spiritual truths. Even the most profound topics can seem amazingly clear. There is something quite magical about the fact that in this increasingly crazy and chaotic world, we can still meet with such a qualified spiritual guide. A person who can show us how to enter into, progress along, and complete the spiritual path. As Buddha explained, relying on a spiritual guide is the very foundation of the spiritual path. To rely on a spiritual guide all we have to do is to develop confidence and faith in him or her, and put his or her instructions into practice to the best of our ability. By doing this our spiritual realizations will naturally increase and we will easily make progress on the spiritual path. The Spring and Summer Festivals are held at Manjushri Centre in England where the teachings take place in the beautiful Kadampa World Peace Temple. Manjushri Centre is the mother Center of Kadampa Buddhism in the West. It is a large residential Center in a large Victorian Gothic country house, surrounded by gardens and woodland on the shores of Morecambe Bay, just south of the English Lake District. The festivals are attended by people from all over the world with all levels of experience, from absolute beginners to those who have practiced for many years. They are a wonderful way to meet with like- minded people and gain a clear understanding and deeper experience of the Buddhist path to happiness. Accommodation is available either in rooms inside the building or in marquee dormitories and temporary camp sites on the lawns and in the woodland of the Center. This setting, combined with the festival atmosphere, gives us the chance to have a relaxing yet meaningful spiritual vacation. There is really nothing quite like it! |
SPECIAL EVENTS Summer Festival 2010 Learn to Meditate Beginner Workshop Empowerment of Thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara Buddha Shakyamuni Empowerment Fall Festival 2010 For everything you ever wanted to know about Kadampa Buddhism visit the main Kadampa Tradition website  .
|