Summer Festival 2009

July 24 – August 8

The Summer Festival is a special spiritual holiday when we receive extensive teachings from Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

During the first six days of this, the eighteenth, Summer Festival, Venerable Geshe-la will grant the blessing empowerment of the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden, and give teachings on Lamrim, the stages of the path to enlightenment.

Venerable Geshe-la will grant the Dorje Shugden empowerment on Saturday July 25th and then give two days of Lamrim teachings. This will be followed by a two-day meditation retreat based on these teachings.

This empowerment and teachings are open to everyone. Thursday July 30th is a free day giving an opportunity to explore the local Lake District countryside, or simply relax. Coach trips are arranged for verseas visitors, which include a short walk, a picnic lunch and a boat trip.

Over the next three days, Venerable Geshe Kelsang will grant the Highest Yoga Tantra empowerments of Heruka Body Mandala and Vajrayogini. These will be followed by a two-day Tantric commentary and a three-day retreat.

To attend these teachings and retreat it is necessary to have first received the empowerments of Heruka and Vajrayogini.

Blessing Empowerment of Dorje Shugden

Saturday July 25

Dorje Shugden is a manifestation of all the Buddhas’ wisdom appearing in the aspect of a Dharma Protector. He is our supreme spiritual friend who protects us from negative forces that prevent success in our spiritual practice, and who supports us by blessing our mind, increasing our wisdom and providing all the necessary conditions that we need to complete the path to enlightenment.

Receiving this empowerment is a special method to make a strong connection with this holy being and receive his blessings.

Commentary and Meditation Retreat on Lamrim – the Stages of the Path

Sunday July 26 – Wednesday July 29

Lamrim is the essence of all Buddha’s teachings presented in a special and practical way so that we can easily understand them and put them into practice in daily life. By editating on Lamrim we are guided step-by step along all the stages of the spiritual path through which we can transform our mind into positive states, solve all our problems and experience true inner peace and happiness. Lamrim is the main practice of Kadampa Buddhists, who integrate all other meditations into their Lamrim practice.

There will be two days of Lamrim teachings followed by a two-day guided meditation retreat. Engaging in meditation retreat immediately after receiving teachings is the best way to gain a deep and genuine experience of their meaning, and follows the tradition established by the ancient Kadampas.

Empowerments of Heruka Body Mandala and Vajrayogini

with Highest Yoga Tantric Commentary and Retreat
Friday July 31 – Friday August 7

Important Information: After 2009 Venerable Geshe-la is not taking any commitment to grant Heruka and Vajrayogini empowerments. We understand this from him directly so if you who wish to receive these empowerments from him you should attend the NKT International Summer Festival to be held at Manjushri KMC, UK, 24 July - 8 August 2009.

Venerable Geshe-la will grant the Highest Yoga Tantra empowerments of Heruka and Vajrayogini over three days. These will be followed by two days of Tantric teachings and a three-day retreat.

Highest Yoga Tantra teachings include special methods to purify our body and mind, and to transform our ordinary world and experiences into the blissful pure world and experiences of an enlightened being. The practices of Heruka and Vajrayogini are the very essence of Buddha’s Tantric teachings.

Venerable Geshe-la will present the essential practices of Heruka and Vajrayogini and show how to integrate them into our daily lives, revealing how we can transform our mundane daily experiences into profound spiritual practices that enable us to attain enlightenment quickly.

The emphasis throughout the Festival will be on presenting practical guidance on how to integrate whatever understanding we gain into our daily life so that we can deal more effectively with our everyday problems and difficulties.