The Foundation Programme
Our Kadampa Buddhism study programmes give people the opportunity to engage in a more in-depth and structured approach to the practices of meditation and Buddhism. Through following traditional methods of study we can gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of Buddha’s teachings, develop a powerful meditation practice, and bring about a positive transformation in our mind. The programmes can be joined at any point and not necessarily at the beginning of a new course. The Foundation Programme is for those people who wish to build a solid foundation and experience of Buddhist teachings.
Classes include Preliminary prayers, guided meditation, oral transmission of the text and commentary, paired discussion and occasional group discussion.
The Book We Are Studying
This inspiring book, written by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, explains how to meditate on eight beautiful verses that comprise one of Buddhism’s best loved teachings, Eight Verses of Training the Mind, which has inspired generations of Buddhist practitioners for almost a thousand years. Composed by the great Tibetan Bodhisattva, Geshe Langri Tangpa, this short poem shows how we can transform all life’s difficulties into valuable spiritual insights.
This book gives a practical and uplifting step by step explanation on how we can transform our mind from a negative state into a positive state through training our mind in the meditations on love, compassion, and wisdom. We will also learn how we can transform our day-to-day lives -including even the most demanding and difficult situations – into opportunities for personal and spiritual development.
Teacher
Our Resident Teacher, Gen Kelsang Thekchen, is a senior meditation teacher in the New Kadampa Tradition. He has been a Buddhist monk and teacher for 20 years, having taught in many Centres in the UK and Canada. He presents Buddha’s teachings in a practical and often humorous way that enables the listener to easily understand the teachings and put them into practise.
Schedule and Dates
Tuesday Evenings, 7-9pm
It begins October 16th with a free introduction to the Programme
First teaching class is October 23rd
Dates for 2018: October 23rd, 30th, November 6th, 13rd, 20th, 27th, December 4th, 11th, 18th