Buddhist Festivals

Every year Kadampa Centers around the world organize major international festivals in different countries.

These Buddhist festivals provide the opportunity for people from all over the world to receive teachings and empowerments from Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the founder of Kadampa Buddhism in the West and the Spiritual Director of our Kadampa Buddhist meditation Centers here in Florida.

People with all levels of experience attend the festivals, from absolute beginners to those who have practiced for many years. They are a wonderful way to meet with fellow practitioners and to gain a clear understanding and deeper experience of the Buddhist path to happiness.

It is difficult to convey in words how special it is to receive teachings from Ven. 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. Yet when we are in the presence of Geshe Kelsang it becomes even easier to appreciate this remarkable person and his gift to the modern world.

The Spring and Summer Festivals every year 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.

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!

Very occasionally, Ven Geshe Kelsang gives teachings at Festivals in other parts of the world. This October in New York, we will have the opportunity to receive the empowerment Medicaine Buddha.

There are also Festivals taught worldwide by the Deputy Spiritual Director of the New Kadampa Tradition. Every year he gives teachings and empowerments at the North American Festival.

For more information on the Festivals, click here.