Guru Yoga and Mandala Offering – unguided
Monday 15th – Sunday 21st December
We all wish for spiritual realisations, but these depend upon creating certain inner conditions such as purifying negativity, accumulating merit, and receiving blessings.
In this annual retreat we focus on the preliminary practices of accumulating merit and receiving blessings. Making mandala offerings is the gateway to accumulating the collection of merit and attaining an enlightened pure land and Guru yoga is the gateway to receiving powerful blessings of all the Buddhas of the ten directions through our Spiritual Guide.
The word “guru” is Sanskrit for “spiritual guide” or “spiritual teacher.” These days, it is possible to have a spiritual guide who is male or female, lay or ordained, Eastern or Western. During this retreat, we will visualize our personal spiritual guide appearing in the aspect of Je Tsongkhapa, an emanation of the wisdom Buddha Manjushri.
The word “mandala,” in this context, means “universe.” In a traditional rice mandala offering, we use a rice mandala kit to create an offering that represents a completely pure universe. We then use the mandala kit to make offerings to Je Tsongkhapa, imagining we are offering countless purified universes, along with the imagined purified objects of our own attachment. In this way we accumulate vast merit and receive powerful blessings.
Retreat details
This retreat is unguided. There are three to four sessions per day. Each session lasts for one and a half hours and consists of chanted prayers in English and mandala offerings. During retreat everyone is asked to maintain silence from after the last session at night until after the second session the next morning.
This is an intermediate level retreat. Each session is free of charge and you are welcome to drop in for any or all of them. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early if you wish to receive instructions on how to make a mandala offering.
Venue
Kalpa Bhadra Buddhist Centre, 24 Rugby St, Merivale, Christchurch
There is plenty of parking on the street but please do not park on the neighbours driveways
Session Times
Introduction
Sunday 14th Dec 7.00 – 8.00pm with Gen Kelsang Luma
Monday 15th – Sunday 21st December
Ses 1: 7.30 – 9.00am
Ses 2: 10.30 – 12.00pm
Ses 3: 4.00 – 5.30pm
Ses 4: 7.30 – 9.00pm
Monday 15th 4th session 6.30 – 8.00pm
Tuesday 16th Dec no 4th session, GP Class 7 – 8.30pm
Friday 19th Dec no 4th session – WFJ with TSOG
Please note that session times vary. Please check our calendar on our homepage for updated session times.
Cost
Introduction $10. Members free.
Retreat sessions free – donations welcome