Annual Shamatha Retreat

HELD AT KAMALASHILA TIBETAN BUDDHIST CENTRE
​4-13 October 2019

At the Annual Shamatha Retreat Khenpo la taught on the methods of how to meditate, including a detailed explanation of the sitting posture. Khenpo la led the retreat attendees on a walking meditation around the centre, and then a sitting meditation in the open-air environment, facing Gulaga Mountain. This was a very special experience and demonstrated that there are no limitations to our point of focus in single pointed meditation. When we returned to the Gompa, Khenpo la continued teachings on the Five Obstacles to meditation and the Eight Antidotes. Khenpo la gave incredible teachings on the Nine Stages of Meditation, from the beginner level of Stage 1: Placement of the Mind to the very advanced 9th level Equanimous Placement of the Mind. Khenpo emphasised the importance of enjoying meditation, if we train our minds to really enjoy it, we can overcome all the obstacles and challenges that may present themselves.

Reflections at the conclusion of the Shamatha Retreat 
The gift of the week and journeys through Khenpo la offering us the teachings on Shamatha and “The 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva”, have shone through and I am sure have opened all of us to a deeper level of inspirational wisdom, to polish our hearts with loving-kindness and compassion. The gentle rain soaking the earth and filling the empty tanks, the cosy beautiful gompa with golden embers of log fire warming us in this cold spell and gourmet clean divine food cooked and served with love by various members of the sangha (mainly Karma) have been the perfect place for meditation and learning. It is hard to capture in words the beauty and lucidity of Khenpo la reading the purity of the Tibetan verse and embellished with perfect present life stories to make each verse relevant and practical. The essence that I intend to carry from this precious time, is the source and solution of all happiness and suffering - is within my mind. Any difficulty I may suffer can be perceived as a perfect opportunity to practice patience with more loving-kindness and compassion, to live each moment with gratitude and joy.

Thank you to Khenpo la for embodying the essence of the Buddha and bringing these teachings with such grace, ease and inspiration to us.
Pippa