The Tibetan word for retreat is ‘tsam’, which means ‘stop’ or ‘make a break’. This indicates we must stop, or make a break from, our normal activities and concentrate on a particular spiritual practice. The most important thing to stop during retreat is our distractions—to stop our busy mind.
At Kadampa Meditation Center, we offer a variety of retreats to give the practitioner an opportunity to ‘take a break’ from normal activities and a distracted mind.
These retreats are offered throughout the year at the center and provide an opportunity to gain retreat experience in a quiet, peaceful environment. We offer meditation retreats that range from half-day retreats on Saturdays, to full weekends, to away retreats during which we stay at a retreat center in the mountains. These relaxing and profound retreats help us create the space to more deeply contemplate and meditate on specific teachings.
Preliminary Guide Retreats are held every year at the center. They are usually a week in length, four sessions a day, and allow people to gain deeper experience of a particular practice. They are an integral part of the Teacher Training Program (TTP), but are also open to everyone. You may attend any number of sessions. Preliminary Guide Retreats include the following:
with Kadam Gerry Donovan
Anyone can learn to meditate, really. We’re usually just so busy and distracted that it can be hard to believe. But it is possible to gradually improve our ability to quiet and calm our mind through practicing in meditation. It’s just a new skill!
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