Retreats
At KMC Plymouth
Everyone is welcome, no previous experience needed
Membership is not required to attend these retreats, but they are free to members
Everyone is welcome, no previous experience needed
Membership is not required to attend these retreats, but they are free to members
This special fasting and purification practice is traditionally done by Kadampa Centres worldwide around the anniversary of Buddha’s Enlightenment on 15th April.
Within the practice of Mahayana Precepts, this retreat involves fasting and making three sessions of prostrations, with the prayer booklet, ‘Drop of Essential Nectar’, over two days.
Everyone is welcome at this free event but please contact the centre if you have not engaged in the practice before. You can contact us HERE.
IMPORTANT NOTES - Please read before attending
All attendees, whether attending for one day or both, must attend and undertake the Precepts session at the start of each day in order to attend the other sessions on that day.
Please use the doorbell to gain entry for the sessions running before 11am each day if the front door is locked.
Schedule
Please note there is a slight difference in the schedule for the third session on each day:
Tuesday 14th April: 6.30am, 7am, 9am, 2pm
Wednesday 15th April: 6.30am, 7am, 10am, 2pm
Fees & Booking
This practice is free to attend for everyone, and everyone is welcome. There is no need to book, simply turn up on the day but please read the important notes below.
This half-day urban retreat gives the opportunity to immerse ourselves in short teachings combined with long guided meditations. We will have the time and space to literally “let go”.
More About This Event
We all have things we do not want to keep in our minds – regrets, disappointments, shame, anger or simply painful memories. It’s easy to understand why we should let go of these things but harder to do. So this practical event will enable us to foster the helpful, positive states of mind which can allow us to finally let go of what ails us.
But, there are also many things, people and places we hold on to, hold near and dear, either not wanting to be parted from them or craving the chance to enjoy them. There is nothing wrong with desiring nice things, to be with nice people or in nice places, but when we understand that the very things we desire and think cause us happiness are often the cause of our unhappiness, we can also let those desires go too. Gently moving away from our old ways of thinking to bring about a new wiser understanding of these things, frees us to enjoy them without the tight, grasping mind which so often eventually causes us pain.
Schedule
Saturday 16th May
Session 1: 10am–10.45am
Session 2: 11.30am–12.15pm
Session 3: 12.45pm–1.30pm
Each sessions includes a short teaching and guided meditations.
Our World Peace Café will be open during the break serving hot and cold drinks, delicious home-made cakes and a variety of snacks.
Fees & Booking
Individual Tickets: £15
Pay on the door by cash or card
OR
Book in advance online via our Box Office:
This event is free to members
Half-Day Urban Retreat Format
These events are suitable for everyone. No previous experience needed. Everyone is welcome.
Enjoy the benefits of more time to meditate, the opportunity to meet and talk with others and the chance to take some time out in the peaceful atmosphere of KMC Plymouth.
Each sessions consists of:
There is a break for light refreshments in our World Peace Café between sessions.
At the end of the event there is the option to ask the Teacher questions, whilst during the breaks there is the chance to discuss the teachings and meditationsat with fellow attendees.
Venue
Kadampa Meditation Centre Plymouth,
48-50 Mutley Plain,
Plymouth,
PL4 6LE
Please note: These retreat sessions will not be guided, and no teachings are given during the sessions.
To celebrate the birthday of our Founder, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, join us at KMC Plymouth to engage in wonderful prayers and meditations using the sadhana, “The Hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land According to Highest Yoga Tantra”.
More About This Retreat
Please note: These retreat sessions will not be guided, and no teachings are given during the sessions.
To celebrate the forthcoming birthday of our Founder, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, join us at KMC Plymouth to engage in wonderful prayers and meditations using the sadhana, “The Hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land According to Highest Yoga Tantra”.
Composed by Venerable Geshe-la himself and extracted from the Ganden Emanation Scripture, this sadhana, or ritual prayer for spiritual attainments, is a perfect preparation for Mahamudra meditation. Through engaging in this practice of Guru yoga – a special way of relying upon our Spiritual Guide – we can quickly receive the blessings of all the Buddhas, transforming our negative mind to one which is positive and joyful.
The day will start with “Wishfulfilling Jewel”, a set of meditative prayers and of offerings.
This is an ideal opportunity to celebrate our kind founder and enjoy the blessings from the practice of “The Hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land According to Highest Yoga Tantra”.
Copies of “The Hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land According to Highest Yoga Tantra” can be purchased at KMC Plymouth or online at Tharpa Publications HERE.
Schedule
Sunday 31st May
Session 1: 10am-11.15am WFJ*
Session 2: 12pm-1.15pm
Session 3: 2.30pm-3.45pm
* Session of Wishfulfilling Jewel prayers with offerings
There are no teachings or guided meditations in any of these retreat sessions.
Our World Peace Café will be open during the break serving hot and cold drinks, delicious home-made cakes and a variety of snacks.
Fees & Booking
This is a free event for all to attend. There is no need to book for this retreat. Eveyone is welcome.
Venue
Kadampa Meditation Centre Plymouth,
48-50 Mutley Plain,
Plymouth,
PL4 6LE
This is a guided retreat with short teachings and guided meditations.
This event is suitable for everyone, and everyone is welcome. No previous experience is required.
More About This Retreat
We all seek the comfort, ease and safety of the things, places and people we hold dear. We find solace and acceptance in these, and they are a form of taking refuge from our daily life.
Likewise, we often turn of doctors when we are sick and seek their help to overcome our suffering. On this retreat we can learn to seek refuge from our suffering and difficulties in Buddha, who is like the doctor, his teachings, known as Dharma, which are like the medicine we need, and in the Sangha, our spiritual friends and community, who are like the nurses who help us take the medicine.
In this way we can go for refuge in the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha which is how Buddhists protect themselves from suffering, now and in the future. With deep experience of this practice, we stop worrying and embrace a rich and meaningful spiritual life. Through practicing refuge, we gain confidence and strength to make authentic spiritual progress.
In this guided retreat, Resident Teacher at KMC Plymouth, Gen Kelsang Dragden will take us on a journey to explore and deepen our experience and faith in the inner protection we gain from taking refuge in the Three Jewels.
Schedule
Sunday 7th June
Session 1: 10am Wishfulfilling Jewel Prayers with offerings^
Session 2: 12noon*
Session 3: 2.30pm*
^ This session is free to attend
* These sessions include guided meditations and short teachings. A small fee applies.
Our World Peace Café will be open during the break serving hot and cold drinks, delicious home-made cakes and a variety of snacks.
Fees & Booking
Wishfulfilling Jewel Prayers are free for all to attend
Single Session Ticket: £3
Day Ticket: £4
This event is free to members
1. Pay on the door on the day
OR
2. Book in advance online via our Box Office:
Please note that should you book for a single session but decide to stay longer for more sessions, you’ll be very welcome to do so. Just see a member of the team in our World Peace Cafe.
Venue
Kadampa Meditation Centre Plymouth,
48-50 Mutley Plain,
Plymouth,
PL4 6LE
Please note: These retreat sessions will not be guided, and no teachings are given during the sessions.
We may wish for spiritual realisations, but these depend upon creating certain inner conditions such as purifying negativity, accumulating merit, and receiving blessings.
Everyone is welcome and no previous experience is required. For those undertaking this practice for the first time there will be plenty of experienced practitioners who will be only too pleased to help and support you during the day.
More About This Retreat
On this day retreat we will focus on the preliminary practices of accumulating merit and receiving blessings. By performing the profound practice of Guru Yoga we can receive the powerful blessings of all the Buddhas through our Spiritual Guide. With the practice of offering the mandala we accumulate a great collection of merit.
Schedule
Saturday 13th June
Session 1: 9am*
Session 2: 11am*
Session 3: 2pm*
Session 4: 4pm, HJ – no offerings*
Sunday 14th June
Session 1: 10am, WFJ – with offerings*^
Session 2: 12noon*
Session 3: 2.30pm*
WFJ = Wishfulfilling Jewel Prayers
HJ = Heart Jewel Prayers
* There are no teachings or guided meditations in any of these retreat sessions.
^ This prayer session is free for all to attend.
Our World Peace Café will be open during the break serving hot and cold drinks, delicious home-made cakes and a variety of snacks.
Fees & Booking
This is a free event for all to attend. There is no need to book for this retreat. Eveyone is welcome.
Venue
Kadampa Meditation Centre Plymouth,
48-50 Mutley Plain,
Plymouth,
PL4 6LE
The Stages of The Path, also known as ‘Lamrim’, is a special arrangement of all Buddha’s teachings that is easy to understand and put into practice. It reveals all the stages of the path to enlightenment and offers practical tools and meditations we can use each day to train our mind, overcome suffering and move towards fulfilling the purpose of our precious human life.
More About This Retreat
During these retreat sessions Gen Dragden, Resident Teacher at KMC Plymouth, will guide us in these step-by-step practical methods to access our limitless capacity for the growth of good qualities, and to fulfil our potential – we just need to know what to do at every stage of our spiritual journey, which is the purpose of this retreat.
Schedule
Saturday 29th August
Session 1: 9am*
Session 2: 11am*
Session 3: 2pm*
Session 4: 4pm*
Sunday 30th August
Session 1: 10am Wishfulfilling Jewel prayers with offerings^
Session 2: 12noon*
Session 3: 2.30pm*
^ This session is free to attend
* These sessions include guided meditations and short teachings. A small fee applies.
Our World Peace Café will be open during the break serving hot and cold drinks, delicious home-made cakes and a variety of snacks.
Fees & Booking
Wishfulfilling Jewel Prayers are free for all to attend
Single Session Ticket: £3
Weekend Ticket: £14 (all sessions)
Saturday Day Ticket: £10
Sunday Day Ticket: £4
This event is free to members
1. Pay on the door on the day
OR
2. Book in advance online via our Box Office:
Please note that should you book for a single session but decide to stay longer for more sessions, you’ll be very welcome to do so. Just see a member of the team in our World Peace Cafe.
Venue
Kadampa Meditation Centre Plymouth,
48-50 Mutley Plain,
Plymouth,
PL4 6LE