Refuge Retreat
Featured
March 10 - March 14
Going for refuge is the first of the four great preliminary guides which lead us to the state of full enlightenment. Through training in sincerely going for refuge we enter the gateway to Buddhism; and training in the compassionate mind of bodhichitta we enter the gateway to the Mahayana – the main path to the state of enlightenment.
If we do not have a practice of refuge in the Three Jewels – Buddha, Dharma and Sangha – we will not enter Buddhism and this means we have no opportunity to attain permanent liberation from suffering or the supreme happiness of Enlightenment. Then we will have lost the meaning of human life.
In this retreat, we strengthen our refuge in the Three Jewels, leading to the ultimate refuge from suffering: Dharma realizations through which we find permanent freedom from suffering and become an object of refuge to all living beings.
Participants are encouraged to attend the introductory talk for this retreat. Instructions and reading materials will be available at each session.
During this 2-day retreat, we practice fasting, making prostrations, and offering chanted prayers to the protector of the world, the Buddha of Compassion Avalokiteshvara.
This beautiful practice emphasizes compassion for all living beings and is a powerful way to purify negativity, pacify strong delusions, receive blessings, and increase our love, compassion, and Bodhichitta.
You are welcome to participate in one or both days. Both retreat days begin with taking the Mahayana precepts at dawn. The precepts involve maintaining a fast with only a simple meal at lunch, however you can drink water, juice, tea, etc. throughout the 24 hour period.
Participants are encouraged to attend the introductory talk for this retreat.
The practice of Buddha Vajrasattva is a scientific method to purify our mind and transform it from an impure mind into a pure mind using Tantric technology. While reciting the mantra, we concentrate on removing the negative karma in our mind by applying the Four Powers of Reliance, Regret, Opponent Force and Promise.
This retreat is held annually at all Kadampa Meditation Centers worldwide so that practitioners have the opportunity to engage in powerful and focused purification of negativities, obstructions and degenerated commitments.
Participants are encouraged to attend the introductory talk for this retreat. Instructions and reading materials will be available at each session.
We all wish for spiritual realizations, but these depend upon creating certain inner conditions such as purifying negativity, accumulating merit, and receiving blessings. To do this we need to practice the four great preliminary guides. As a result, we will gain mahamudra realizations – the quick path to enlightenment. In this retreat we focus on the preliminary practices of receiving blessings and accumulating merit.
Guru Yoga is an especially powerful method for receiving the blessings of Buddhas and increasing merit. During this retreat, we focus on a special practice to receive the blessings of our Spiritual Guide and receive his help in dispelling our delusions and outer obstacles. We create a connection with him to ripen our Buddha nature and purify all dualistic appearance, gaining the ability to effortlessly benefit all living beings.
Making mandala offerings is the gateway to accumulating the collection of merit and attaining an enlightened pure land. This practice creates immeasurable positivity in our mind, or merit. This good fortune allows us to fulfill our wishes, accomplish our aims, and benefit others.
Participants are encouraged to attend the introductory talk for this retreat. Instructions and reading materials will be available at each session.
Kadam Trina Gunther is the Resident Teacher at Kadampa Meditation Center Washington. She has been a dedicated practitioner of modern Kadampa Buddhism since 2004.
Kadam Trina is an inspiring example of a lay practitioner of Kadampa Buddhism, and brings with her a wealth of experience of integrating Buddha's teachings with busy daily life. She offers a practical perspective to spiritual practice to help anyone apply Buddha's profound insights and meditations to their busy working and family lives with clarity and joy.
Kadampa Meditation Center Washington is a 501(c)3 non-profit. Member of the New Kadampa Tradition - International Kadampa Buddhist Union.
