Six-day Vajrasattva Retreat
A Purification Retreat
with our Resident Teacher
Gen Kelsang Thekchen
All sessions guided on Sunday December 13
Partially guided from Monday Dec 14 to Friday Dec 18
In this retreat we'll practise purifying all our past negative karma, or negative actions of body speech & mind, by relying upon Vajrasattva, the Buddha of Purification. Under the influence of deluded minds, we have engaged in many negative actions and, as a result, we now experience suffering and problems everyday. But we have the opportunity to purify this negativity, and thus transform our mind and our experience of the world we live in. The meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva is a powerful practice of purification, and a quick method to attain future happiness and spiritual realizations.
This retreat follows the Vajrasattva Empowerment, "Detox the Mind" on Sat Dec 12. We highly recommend you attend the Empowerment and teachings if you're interested in joining the retreat, however it’s not compulsory. Please click here for more info about the Empowerment.
On Sunday Dec 13, the Vajrasattva retreat sessions will all include teachings by our Resident Teacher, Gen Kelsang Thekchen, and guided meditation based on the practice Meditation and Recitation of Solitary Vajrasattva.
Starting Monday, the retreat will be partially guided by Gen Thekchen. We'll be using the "Offering to the Spiritual Guide" prayer booklet. Copies are available here for you to use and/or purchase.
Schedule
Sunday December 13 - Guided Retreat day with teachings
9-10:15am: Session 1 - Guided meditation
11am-12:15pm: Session 2 - Guided meditation
12:15pm-1:45pm: Lunch
1:45-3pm: Session 3 - Guided meditation
Monday December 14 - Retreat Day Two, partially guided
8-9.30am: Session 1 - Guided meditation
10.30-12pm: Session 2
1:30-3pm: Session 3
7-8.30pm: Session 4
Tuesday December 15 - Retreat Day Three, partially guided
8-9.30am: Session 1 - Guided meditation
10.30-12pm: Session 2
1:30-3pm: Session 3
7-8.30pm General Program Class
Wednesday December 16 - Retreat Day Four, partially guided
8-9.30am: Session 1 - Guided meditation
10.30-12pm: Session 2
1:30-3pm: Session 3
7-8.30pm: General Program Class
Thursday December 17 - Retreat Day Five, partially guided
8-9.30am: Session 1 - Guided meditation
10.30-12pm: Session 2
1:30-3pm: Session 3
7-8.30pm: Foundation Program
Friday, December 18 - Retreat Day six, partially guided
8-9.30am: Session 1 - Guided meditation
10.30-12pm: Session 2
1:30-3pm: Session 3
This retreat will be led by our Resident Teacher Gen Kelsang Thekchen, who is a Kadampa Buddhist monk & senior Teacher in the New Kadampa Tradition. He has been a Teacher under the guidance of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche for more than 30 years. Gen Thekchen has taught widely in Canada and in the UK, and is now the Resident Teacher at Kadampa Meditation Centre Ottawa. He is well known for his ability to present Buddha's teachings in a practical, profound and uplifting way, making them very accessible and easy to practise in everyday life.
Click below to sample Gen Thekchen's teachings.
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.