Meditation Retreats

Lamrim Day Retreats
Benefits of Retreat
What to Expect
Other Retreats in Florida

Lamrim Day Retreats

At all of our Centers in Florida, we do a one-day "Stages of the Path" (Lamrim) retreat each month, on a Saturday or a Sunday (check the calendars). Each day consists of four sessions, each an hour and a quarter long. You may join in for all or any of the sessions. The first session is guided by the retreat leaders, who will explain how to meditate on the Lamrim topic and other useful information, and who will guide the meditation. If this is your first retreat, it is recommended that you attend this session. The remaining three sessions consist of study time, prayers to prepare the mind, and meditation.

The retreats are open to everyone, even those who are new to meditation, and they are especially recommended for those who are studying Foundation Program and Teacher Training Program.

The fee is only $10 for the day, or $3 per session, and free for Center Sponsors.

Benefits of Retreat

It is traditional in Kadampa Buddhist Centers to do regular meditation retreats. This allows us to digest the teachings we have heard and to gain some precious familiarity with them. The more sessions we can attend, the more peaceful and concentrated our mind will become, and the more relaxed and happy we will feel. We can also hope to gain some special, lasting spiritual insights that are not so easy to gain in the hurly burly of our busy ordinary routine. A one-day Lamrim retreat is not only enormously relaxing, but also gives you knowledge, skills, and a renewed spiritual focus, such that you return to work more relaxed, healthy, sane, and confident!

What to Expect

On each day retreat, there are four one-and-a-quarter-hour sessions a day, each involving a balance of study/reading, preparatory prayers, and meditation. We start with 25 minutes study of the meditation we are about to do, followed by prayers to prepare our mind for meditation, followed by the meditation itself. The first session is generally guided by the teacher, and the remaining three sessions are "self-service", and instructions are provided on how to do them.

We emphasize the meditations from The New Meditation Handbook. Support, study materials, and guidance are available. Please bring The New Meditation Handbook, Joyful Path of Good Fortune, and Transform Your Life with you, if you have them. Refreshments are provided, but please also bring a potluck contribution for lunch.

Other Retreats in Florida

We always do two weeks retreat in the New Year at our Centers (retreats and times will vary depending on each Center):

(1) Lamrim retreat
(2) Vajrayogini retreat (for those with empowerment)

We also offer other retreats from time to time, at all our Centers. We also offer various retreats associated with the Teacher Training Program. All these are generally announced in our special events or our monthly calendars, and you can contact us if you wish to know more in advance.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Learn to Meditate
in Half a Day
May 10, Jacksonville

Shelter from the Storm
Refuge Ceremony
and Teachings
May 17, Fort Myers

International Spring
Festival 2008
May 23-26,
Ulverston UK

Je Tsongkhapa
Empowerment
June 13-14, Fort Myers

Shelter from the Storm
Refuge Ceremony
and Teachings
June 21, Fort Lauderdale
June 21, Orlando
June 22, Tampa Bay
June 28, Jacksonville
June 29, Sarasota

International Summer
Festival 2008
July 25-August 9,
Ulverston UK

PHOTOS

View the US 2008
Kadampa Spring Festival
Photo Album