Meditations for a
Happy & Meaningful Life
Six-day Guided Retreat
with Resident Teacher Gen Kelsang Thekchen
Saturday August 30 to Thursday September 4
at Kadampa Meditation Centre Ottawa
Meditations for a Happy and Meaningful Life Guided Retreat
We all want to live a life of great meaning. We also wish for lasting peace and happiness. This retreat will introduce profound Buddhist meditations that have the power to create peace and happiness from within, making our life extremely meaningful.
The stages of the path to enlightenment or 'Lamrim' are a powerful series of contemplations and meditations that reveal hidden spiritual truths which awaken our love, compassion and wisdom. Meditation topics will include: our precious human life, impermanence, karma, and the true source of suffering. We will also engage in a series of meditations that open our heart of universal love and compassion. Each session will include a teaching, chanted prayers and a guided meditation. No previous experience of meditation or Buddhism is needed. Everyone is welcome!
Retreat Schedule
Saturday Aug 30
9-10:30am An introduction to Lamrim and Precious Human Life
11:15am-12:30pm Death and Impermanence
2-3:30pm with Q&A Dangers of lower rebirth, and refuge
7-8:15pm Karma
Sunday Aug 31
9-10:15am Renunciation - True Sufferings
11:15am-12:30pm Renunciation - True Origins
2-3:30pm with Q&A Renunciation - True Path
7-8:15pm Renunciation - True Cessations
Monday Sept 1
9-10:15am Developing equanimity
11:15am-12:30pm Recognizing all beings as our mother
2-3:30pm with Q&A Remembering the kindness of mother beings
7-8:15pm Equalizing self and others
Tuesday Sept 2
9-10:15am Faults of Self Cherishing
11:15am-12:30pm Benefits of Cherishing others
2-3:30pm with Q&A Exchanging self and others
7-8:15pm General Program class
Wednesday Sept 3
9-10:15am Great Compassion
11:15-12:30pm Taking
2-3:30pm Wishing Love and Giving
7-8:15 Bodhichitta
Thursday Sept 4
9-10:15am Emptiness of body
11:15-12:30pm Emptiness of I
2-3:30pm Reliance upon the Spiritual Guide
This retreat will be led by Resident Teacher Gen Kelsang Thekchen, who is a senior Teacher in the New Kadampa Tradition. He has been a Kadampa Buddhist monk and Teacher under the guidance of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche for more than 30 years. He is well known for his ability to present Buddha's teachings in a simple, profound, practical and often humorous way, making them easy to put into practice in everyday life.
To hear a short clip from a teaching with Gen Thekchen, click on the arrow below.
Registration will soon be available.
In the beginning of our practice the most essential thing is to tame our mind, for only this will enable us to benefit all sentient beings.