April 2023

Buddha taught that our mind creates our experience of everything, and due to negativity in our mind we experience problems and suffering. Through his understanding of how karma functions, Buddha taught several methods to purify negativity within our mind. Through engaging in these simple, but profound practices, we can remove the causes of our future problems and suffering, as well as obstacles to our spiritual practice. Through purifying the negativity within our mind we will gradually become happier and happier, our good qualities will increase, and all our mental and physical problems will gradually disappear. Come and enjoy this Friday Night Talk about overcoming our inner obstacles.

You will also learn about the weekend Compassion and Fasting Retreat and decide if you would like to participate. Registration for the retreat is available here.

Everyone welcome!

Registration Details

Cost: Friday Night Lecture is $10 through April 7, $15 after; free for members

Nyungne is a special fasting and purification practice performed in conjunction with prostrations and prayers to Thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion. This is a very powerful method for purifying negativity of body, speech, and mind, and for pacifying delusions such as strong attachment and anger. It is also a special way of improving our minds of love, compassion, and receiving the compassionate blessings of Avalokiteshvara. This practice is done annually at Kadampa Buddhist centers throughout the world to celebrate Buddha’s Enlightenment Day.

Buddha’s Enlightenment Day is the occasion when Buddha Shakyamuni showed the manner of accomplishing the ultimate goal of living beings – the attainment of enlightenment – at Bodh Gaya, India in 589 BC. With this auspicious deed he demonstrated how each of us can overcome all internal and external obstacles and hindrances and become an enlightened person.

Usually the Nyungne retreat is done over two days, with the Mahayana precepts session at 7 am at the beginning of each day. (Please note: In order to attend any of the Nyungne retreat sessions during the day you will need to attend Precepts in the morning). On the first day it is customary to abstain from all meals apart from lunch. On the second day we engage in a complete fast, abstaining from all food and drink for 24 hours. On both days, we do three sessions of a ritual prayer, Drop of Essential Nectar, combining prostrations with chanted meditation. Those who prefer not to engage in a complete fast on the second day can do it the same as the first day. You can choose to attend one day or both. 

It is highly recommended that you attend the Friday evening talk Purifying Negativity: Overcoming Inner Obstacles particularly if you have never engaged in this retreat before.

Register for Friday at this link.

About Precepts (you must take the precepts in order to engage in the retreat sessions)

The practice of taking and keeping the eight Mahayana precepts is a special practice of moral discipline that is performed with bodhichitta intention, the compassionate wish to realize our spiritual potential for the benefit of all beings. The essence of this practice is taking eight precepts and keeping them purely for twenty-four hours. When we take precepts, we explicitly promise to abstain for 24 hours from eight actions which include: (1) killing; (2) stealing; (3) sexual activity; (4) lying; (5) taking intoxicants; (6) eating after lunch (meaning we only eat lunch); (7) sitting on high or luxurious thrones or seats; (8) wearing ornaments, perfume, singing & dancing.

Because this practice is motivated by bodhichitta it is especially powerful for purifying negativities, accumulating merit—a positive strength of mind—and creating the cause for us to attain the unsurpassed happiness of enlightenment.

If you have any questions about this retreat, please contact us: [email protected].

Registration details

Cost: $30 per day or $50 for both days; free for members. Saturday lunch is available for $5 additional.

Nyungne is a special fasting and purification practice performed in conjunction with prostrations and prayers to Thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion. This is a very powerful method for purifying negativity of body, speech, and mind, and for pacifying delusions such as strong attachment and anger. It is also a special way of improving our minds of love, compassion, and receiving the compassionate blessings of Avalokiteshvara. This practice is done annually at Kadampa Buddhist centers throughout the world to celebrate Buddha’s Enlightenment Day.

Buddha’s Enlightenment Day is the occasion when Buddha Shakyamuni showed the manner of accomplishing the ultimate goal of living beings – the attainment of enlightenment – at Bodh Gaya, India in 589 BC. With this auspicious deed he demonstrated how each of us can overcome all internal and external obstacles and hindrances and become an enlightened person.

Usually the Nyungne retreat is done over two days, with the Mahayana precepts session at 7 am at the beginning of each day. (Please note: In order to attend any of the Nyungne retreat sessions during the day you will need to attend Precepts in the morning). On the first day it is customary to abstain from all meals apart from lunch. On the second day we engage in a complete fast, abstaining from all food and drink for 24 hours. On both days, we do three sessions of a ritual prayer, Drop of Essential Nectar, combining prostrations with chanted meditation. Those who prefer not to engage in a complete fast on the second day can do it the same as the first day. You can choose to attend one day or both. 

It is highly recommended that you attend the Friday evening talk Purifying Negativity: Overcoming Inner Obstacles particularly if you have never engaged in this retreat before.

Register for Friday at this link.

About Precepts (you must take the precepts in order to engage in the retreat sessions)

The practice of taking and keeping the eight Mahayana precepts is a special practice of moral discipline that is performed with bodhichitta intention, the compassionate wish to realize our spiritual potential for the benefit of all beings. The essence of this practice is taking eight precepts and keeping them purely for twenty-four hours. When we take precepts, we explicitly promise to abstain for 24 hours from eight actions which include: (1) killing; (2) stealing; (3) sexual activity; (4) lying; (5) taking intoxicants; (6) eating after lunch (meaning we only eat lunch); (7) sitting on high or luxurious thrones or seats; (8) wearing ornaments, perfume, singing & dancing.

Because this practice is motivated by bodhichitta it is especially powerful for purifying negativities, accumulating merit—a positive strength of mind—and creating the cause for us to attain the unsurpassed happiness of enlightenment.

If you have any questions about this retreat, please contact us: [email protected].

Registration details

Cost: $30 per day or $50 for both days; free for members. Saturday lunch is available for $5 additional.

The magical practice of Taking and Giving

During this mini-workshop, Gen Kelsang Dorje will guide extraordinary meditations on giving love and taking away suffering. In this way, we actively contribute in removing negativity from the world and spreading loving kindness; by doing this practice and using the power of our imagination, we can destroy the source of our own suffering and problems, purify our sickness, and increase our mental strength. 

Everyone welcome!

Registration details

Cost: $20 through April 22; $25 after. Free for members!