STRENGTHEN
Special Events
Day Courses,
Public Talks,
Retreats
ACTUALIZE YOUR FULL POTENTIAL
“What is enlightenment? It is the inner light of wisdom that is completely free from all mistaken appearance, and whose function is to bestow mental peace upon each and every living being every day.”
- Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
SCHEDULE:
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Saturday Nov 9th
Introduction: 10 - 11:30am
Session 1: 1-2:15pm
Session 2: 3:00-4:15pm
Sunday Nov 10th
Session 1: 1-2:15pm
Session 2: 3:00-4:15pm
Offering to the Spiritual Guide: 5-6:30pm
Removing Obstacles to Happiness:
Vajrasattva Purification Retreat
November 9th & 10th • $20 (incl. Intro and all retreat session
Intro with Resident Teacher, Sarah Frew • Self-guided Retreat Sessions
Everyone Welcome, no experience necessary
Everyone wants to be happy all the time, but sometimes we feel negative and unhappy and aren't sure why. Often our past comes back to block our present happiness. Buddha taught the main obstacle to making progress in the spiritual path is negative karma and the main cause of our suffering is our negative actions from the past. In this retreat, we will remove obstacles from our mind quickly through relying upon Buddha Vajrasattva, the Buddha of purification.
In this retreat we will develop sincere regret for our past negativity, rely on Buddha Vajrasattva as a supreme friend, recite his mantra as a way to remove negativity from our mind, and make a commitment to avoid negative actions in the future. Through this practice our mind will feel refreshed, clean, and happy.
Before the retreat, Resident Teacher Sarah Frew will explain the practice. Everyone is welcome, no experience necessary.
SCHEDULE:
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Session 1: 10:30 - 12:00pm
Lunch break: 12:00 - 1:30pm
Session 2: 1:30 - 3:00pm
Don't Look Back in Anger
Saturday, November 23rd • 10:30am - 3pm
$25 (TTP & FP discounts apply)
with Resident Teacher, Sarah Frew
Everyone Welcome, no experience necessary
Buddha gave very clear teachings about how anger destroys our happiness and peace of mind and has no function other than to harm us. Through sincerely contemplating and meditating on Shantideva’s practical advice regarding how to practice the perfection of patience, we can free ourselves from these negative and destructive minds in our daily lives. Rather than getting angry about current and past difficult situations, we can respond in a constructive way while maintaining a happy peaceful mind.
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Treasury of Unobservable Compassion: The Blessing Empowerment, Commentary & Guided Practice of Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion
Saturday, December 7th • 11am - 5:30pm • $75
with Resident Teacher, Sarah Frew
with meditation led by Meditation Teacher, John Baker
Everyone Welcome, no experience necessary
SCHEDULE:
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Arrival: 10:30 - 11am
Empowerment: 11:00am - 1pm
Commentary: 2:30 - 4:00pm
Guided Practice: 4:30 - 5:30pm
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Please arrive early as participants will be allowed to enter the Center
in silence at 11am. Please dress appropriately for waiting outside.
Avalokiteshvara is an enlightened being who is a manifestation of all Buddhas’ compassion. The empowerment is a blissful guided meditation through which we receive the special blessings of Buddha Avalokiteshvara, connect with his great compassion, and ripen our potential for spiritual development.
During this empowerment we’ll receive commentary on the meditation practice of relying sincerely on the Buddha of Compassion. Understanding that unbearable suffering pervades the entire world, and with deep compassion for all living beings, we will learn how to cause Avalokiteshvara to abide at our heart, and ultimately attain supreme Buddhahood in Avalokiteshvara’s Pure Land.
About the Teacher:
Sarah Frew is the Resident Teacher at Kadampa Meditation Center Philadelphia. She is a long-time student and practitioner of Kadampa Buddhism under the guidance of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche and has engaged in extensive Dharma study and retreat. Through her joyful and engaging manner, she shares Buddha’s teachings in a kind-hearted and warm way that makes them accessible to everyone.
Avalokiteshvara Sadhana
The Meditation Practice of the Buddha of Compassion
During this empowerment, we will be receiving commentary to the meditation practice Avalokiteshvara Sadhana, which is available from Tharpa Publications using the link below. There will also be copies available to purchase in person during this event. https://tharps.com/us/avalokiteshvara-sadhana/
SCHEDULE:
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Advice for the New Year & Buddha of Compassion Prayers: 7 - 8pm
After-party: 8 - 9pm
Kick Off the New Year with Joy!
Tuesday, December 31st • 7-8pm with after-party until 9pm
$15 (suggested donation)
with Resident Teacher, Sarah Frew
Everyone Welcome, no experience necessary
Ring in the New Year with a compassionate heart and a clear mind. Resident Teacher, Sarah Frew will share Buddha's advice to inspire us to have a joyful and meaningful new year. We'll conclude with the gentle prayers of Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion by candlelight. Stick around for an after party with sparkling cider and dessert and make us a peaceful stop on your NYE night out. Everyone Welcome, no experience necessary.
INTERNATIONAL & REGIONAL EVENTS
International Fall Festival: The Gateway to Highest Yoga Tantra
Highest Yoga Tantra Empowerments of Heruka & Vajrayogini & Commentary
Oct 25th - Nov 1st • Kadampa Meditation Center Brazil -or- Online
with Spiritual Director of the NKT/IKBU, Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong
Everyone Welcome
*Please note, Teaching and meditation sessions only will be streamed. The Highest Yoga Tantra empowerments are not available online.
As Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche explains in Modern Buddhism, the gateway through which we enter Tantra is receiving a Tantric empowerment. This bestows upon us special blessings that heal our mental continuum and awaken our Buddha nature. In this Festival Gen-la Dekyong will grant the empowerments of the principal Deities of Highest Yoga Tantra – Heruka and Vajrayogini – and introduce their essential practices.
This is a rare and wonderful opportunity to receive from Gen-la Dekyong the Highest Yoga Tantra empowerments and teachings of Heruka and Vajrayogini according to the Ganden Oral Lineage, which is the special heart treasure of her Spiritual Guide, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche.