Meditation Retreats |
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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. 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! 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. We always do two weeks retreat in the New Year at our Centers (retreats and times will vary depending on each Center): |
SPECIAL EVENTS Love Without Pain Meditations for Ocean of Wisdom - Blessing Empowerment Like Water Mixing Festival of Lights ~ A Spiritual New Year For everything you ever wanted to know about Kadampa Buddhism visit the main Kadampa Tradition website  .
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