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Filtering by: “Annual Retreats”
Nyungne Retreat ~ Special Purification & Fasting Practice
Apr
15
to Apr 16

Nyungne Retreat ~ Special Purification & Fasting Practice

Special Purification & Fasting Practice

Nyungne Retreat with Gen Kelsang Chodor

This two-day retreat, done in conjunction with Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara practice, is very powerful for purifying negative karma of body, speech, and mind, and for pacifying strong delusions such as desirous attachment and hatred. This practice involves taking the Eight Mahayana precepts, a promise to avoid all non-virtue for 24 hours, combined with the practice of prostrations. Through this we improve our compassion and develop a pure and light heart.

This practice is done over two days. On the first day, it is customary to abstain from all meals apart from lunch at 12:30 p.m. On the second day, we engage in a complete fast, abstaining from all food and drink for 24 hours. This traditional retreat is offered each year around the 15th of April, Buddha's Enlightenment Day. Although this is an in-depth Buddhist practice, it is open to everyone. *If this is your first time attending a Nyungne Retreat, please email: epc@kadampa.ca to receive essential informations before the start of the retreat.*

*Accommodations are available for those engaging in this retreat. The dorm/rooms are in limited quantity. For further information and to submit a request, please click here.*

 
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Retreat ~ Long Life, Merit & Wisdom
Feb
22

Retreat ~ Long Life, Merit & Wisdom

Long Life, Merit & Wisdom

Annual Amitayus Retreat with Gen Kelsang Chodor

The greatest obstacles to the fulfilment of our wish to experience pure happiness are death and ignorance. Death destroys our opportunity to take the essence of our precious human life, and ignorance destroys our opportunity to develop a pure experience of Buddha’s teachings, the Dharma. To overcome these obstacles, we need to increase our lifespan and our wisdom. The principal method for doing this is the yoga of Buddha Amitayus, which is also a special method for increasing the positive power of our mind, or merit.

With a long life, we can complete our spiritual path in this very life. We can also engage in this special practice on behalf others when they are sick or in danger of dying. This traditional retreat is offered each year, usually in January or February. Although this is an in-depth Buddhist practice, it is suitable to everyone. No prior experience of Buddhism or meditation is required. Everyone is welcome!

 
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January Retreat Week 4 - Clarity of Mind : Clear Light of Bliss
Jan
24
to Jan 29

January Retreat Week 4 - Clarity of Mind : Clear Light of Bliss

January Retreat - Week 4

Clarity of Mind : Clear Light of Bliss

Friday January 24 - Wednesday January 29
Individual days can be attended

This in-depth retreat is intended for practitioners who have received Highest Yoga Tantra (HYT) empowerments within the New Kadampa Tradition or have the sincerely wish to receive them soon [Summer 2026 at Manjushri Centre, United Kingdom].

During this retreat, we will learn to practice the completion stage meditations of Highest Yoga Tantra, generating a deeply peaceful and concentrated mind by harnessing the subtle energy system within our body. With this blissful awareness, we can uncover our true nature and quickly become a source of benefit for others.

For the retreat sessions we will be using the Yoga of Buddha Heruka sadhana.


For those who do not have HYT empowerment, please consider foundational retreats here.

 
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January Retreat Week 3 - Eleven Yogas of Vajrayogini Retreat
Jan
17
to Jan 22

January Retreat Week 3 - Eleven Yogas of Vajrayogini Retreat

January Retreat - Week 3

Eleven Yogas of Vajrayogini Retreat

Friday January 17 - Wednesday January 22
Individual days can be attended

This in-depth retreat is intended for practitioners who have received Highest Yoga Tantra (HYT) empowerments within the New Kadampa Tradition or have the sincerely wish to receive them soon [Summer 2026 at Manjushri Centre, United Kingdom].

The main body of the Highest Yoga Tantra practice of Vajrayogini is training in clear light. This main body has eleven limbs, which are called the “eleven yogas”. In this retreat we will deepen our experience of the eleven yogas of Vajrayogini.

For the retreat sessions we will be using the Vajrayogini “Blissful Path” sadhana.


~For those who do not have HYT empowerment, please consider foundational retreats here.

 
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DAY RETREAT- Clarity of Mind: Mahamudra Retreat
Jan
11

DAY RETREAT- Clarity of Mind: Mahamudra Retreat

DAY RETREAT

Clarity of Mind: Mahamudra Retreat

Saturday January 11

Join us for a transformative meditation retreat!

The theme of this special one-day retreat is meditating
on the clarity of our mind through 'Mahamudra meditation.'
By focusing on the peaceful nature of our mind, we can learn
to dissolve negative thoughts and
uncover a boundless source of inner happiness.

*You could consider immersing yourself in a longer retreat. Click here.

During a meditation retreat, we reduce our usual daily activities and focus for a period of time on cultivating peaceful minds and positive qualities such as love, compassion, and wisdom, ultimately finding happiness from within.

These retreats attract people from all walks of life. They are ideal for those looking to escape the busyness of daily life and recharge mentally and spiritually.

The retreat sessions include practical instructions, guided meditations, and Q&A time. Between sessions, there is time to relax, rest, and connect with like-minded individuals in our café area. The peaceful surroundings of Kadampa Meditation Center Canada provide the perfect environment for creating a sense of calm within the mind.

 
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January Retreat Week 2 - Clarity of Mind: Mahamudra Retreat
Jan
10
to Jan 15

January Retreat Week 2 - Clarity of Mind: Mahamudra Retreat

January Retreat - Week 2

Clarity of Mind: Mahamudra Retreat

Friday January 10 - Wednesday January 15
Individual days can be attended

Join us for a transformative meditation retreat!

The theme of this special retreat is meditating on the clarity of our mind through 'Mahamudra meditation.' By focusing on the peaceful nature of our mind, we can learn to dissolve negative thoughts and uncover a boundless source of inner happiness.

*You could consider instead a stand-alone Day-retreat on Saturday Jan 11

During a meditation retreat, we reduce our usual daily activities and focus for a period of time on cultivating peaceful minds and positive qualities such as love, compassion, and wisdom, ultimately finding happiness from within.

These retreats attract people from all walks of life. They are ideal for those looking to escape the busyness of daily life and recharge mentally and spiritually.

The retreat sessions include practical instructions, guided meditations, and Q&A time. Between sessions, there is time to relax, rest, and connect with like-minded individuals in our café area. The peaceful surroundings of Kadampa Meditation Center Canada provide the perfect environment for creating a sense of calm within the mind.

 
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DAY-RETREAT: Training the Mind in Happiness
Jan
4

DAY-RETREAT: Training the Mind in Happiness

DAY-RETREAT

Training The Mind In Happiness

Saturday January 4

Join us for a transformative one day meditation retreat!

The theme of this special retreat is meditation on “Lamrim,” the stages of the path to enlightenment. Lamrim is a scientific method for increasing human happiness.

The main source of happiness is inner peace. Since inner peace is something we can cultivate, we all have the ability to train in happiness. In this retreat, we will focus on developing inner peace through meditation on the stages of the path to enlightenment.

During a meditation retreat, we reduce our usual daily activities and focus for a period of time on cultivating peaceful minds and positive qualities such as love, compassion, and wisdom, ultimately finding happiness from within.

These retreats attract people from all walks of life. They are ideal for those looking to escape the busyness of daily life and recharge mentally and spiritually.

The retreat sessions include practical instructions, guided meditations, and Q&A time. Between sessions, there is time to relax, rest, and connect with like-minded individuals in our community area. The peaceful surroundings of Kadampa Meditation Centre Canada provide the perfect environment for creating a sense of calm within the mind.

 
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January Retreat Week 1 - Training the Mind in Happiness
Jan
3
to Jan 8

January Retreat Week 1 - Training the Mind in Happiness

January Retreat - Week 1

Training The Mind In Happiness

Friday January 3rd - Wednesday January 8th
Individual days can be attended

Join us for a transformative meditation retreat!

The theme of this special retreat is meditation on “Lamrim,” the stages of the path to enlightenment. Lamrim is a scientific method for increasing human happiness.

The main source of happiness is inner peace. Since inner peace is something we can cultivate, we all have the ability to train in happiness. In this retreat, we will focus on developing inner peace through meditation on the stages of the path to enlightenment.

During a meditation retreat, we reduce our usual daily activities and focus for a period of time on cultivating peaceful minds and positive qualities such as love, compassion, and wisdom, ultimately finding happiness from within.

These retreats attract people from all walks of life. They are ideal for those looking to escape the busyness of daily life and recharge mentally and spiritually.

The retreat sessions include practical instructions, guided meditations, and Q&A time. Between sessions, there is time to relax, rest, and connect with like-minded individuals in our community area. The peaceful surroundings of Kadampa Meditation Centre Canada provide the perfect environment for creating a sense of calm within the mind.

 
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In-depth Buddhist Retreat ~ Great Treasury of Merit
Jul
14

In-depth Buddhist Retreat ~ Great Treasury of Merit

Great Treasury of Merit

Receiving Authentic Spiritual Realizations

Guru Yoga & Mandala Offering Retreat 2 ~ with Gen Kelsang Chodor

This two session meditation retreat offers an opportunity to familiarize ourselves with two in-depth Buddhist practices: Guru Yoga and Mandala Offerings. Both practices are powerful ways to fill our mind with merit, or good fortune, and to receive profound, transformative blessings. They are indispensable for those who are serious about attaining authentic spiritual realizations, in particular the state of full enlightenment.

The practice of Guru Yoga is a special way of relying upon our Spiritual Guide with faith and correct imagination, in order to receive his or her blessings. The practice of Mandala Offerings is an offering of the entire universe visualized as a Pure Land, with all its inhabitants as pure beings. Although this is an in-depth Buddhist practice, it is suitable to everyone.

This one-day retreat will be presided by Gen Kelsang Chodor

*Accommodations are available for those engaging in this retreat. The rooms are in limited quantity. For further information and to submit a request, please click here.*

 
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In-depth Buddhist Retreat ~ Great Treasury of Merit
Jun
30

In-depth Buddhist Retreat ~ Great Treasury of Merit

Great Treasury of Merit

Receiving Authentic Spiritual Realizations

Guru Yoga & Mandala Offering Retreat with Gen Kelsang Chodor

This two session meditation retreat offers an opportunity to familiarize ourselves with two in-depth Buddhist practices: Guru Yoga and Mandala Offerings. Both practices are powerful ways to fill our mind with merit, or good fortune, and to receive profound, transformative blessings. They are indispensable for those who are serious about attaining authentic spiritual realizations, in particular the state of full enlightenment.

The practice of Guru Yoga is a special way of relying upon our Spiritual Guide with faith and correct imagination, in order to receive his or her blessings. The practice of Mandala Offerings is an offering of the entire universe visualized as a Pure Land, with all its inhabitants as pure beings. Although this is an in-depth Buddhist practice, it is suitable to everyone.

This one-day retreat will be presided by Gen Kelsang Chodor

*Accommodations are available for those engaging in this retreat. The rooms are in limited quantity. For further information and to submit a request, please click here.*

 
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Refuge Retreat ~ Shelter from the Storm
Apr
20
to Apr 21

Refuge Retreat ~ Shelter from the Storm

Shelter from the Storm

Meditations for Inner Strength & Protection

Refuge Retreat with Gen Kelsang Chodor

We usually try to find stability and protection from unpleasant feelings by surrounding ourselves with people and things that make us feel happy, comfortable and safe. In reality, people and things are impermanent, lacking the power to truly shield us from suffering and problems. Only the Three Jewels - Buddha, Dharma and Sangha - can protect us permanently from the sufferings of this and our countless future lives.

This retreat provides a special opportunity to deepen our experience of refuge, the gateway to the Buddhist path. We will be guided in profound meditations that will help us develop real inner strength, protection, stability and resilience. By learning to go for refuge, we can create a feeling of peace, joy and freedom within our heart, which we can then share with others. Each session will include a teaching, chanted prayers and a guided meditation. No previous experience of meditation or Buddhism is needed. Everyone is welcome!

This retreat will be fully guided by Gen Kelsang Chodor & other teacher. Partial booking is available for this retreat.  Please see the section ‘Retreat Fees’ below for details.

*Accommodations are available for those engaging in this retreat. The rooms are in limited quantity. For further information and to submit a request, please click here.*

 
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Nyungne Retreat ~ Special Purification & Fasting Practice
Apr
14
to Apr 15

Nyungne Retreat ~ Special Purification & Fasting Practice

Special Purification & Fasting Practice

Nyungne Retreat with Gen Kelsang Chodor

This two-day retreat, done in conjunction with Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara practice, is very powerful for purifying negative karma of body, speech, and mind, and for pacifying strong delusions such as desirous attachment and hatred. This practice involves taking the Eight Mahayana precepts, a promise to avoid all non-virtue for 24 hours, combined with the practice of prostrations. Through this we improve our compassion and develop a pure and light heart.

This practice is done over two days. On the first day, it is customary to abstain from all meals apart from lunch at 12:30 p.m. On the second day, we engage in a complete fast, abstaining from all food and drink for 24 hours. This traditional retreat is offered each year around the 15th of April, Buddha's Enlightenment Day. Although this is an in-depth Buddhist practice, it is open to everyone. *If this is your first time attending a Nyungne Retreat, please email: epc@kadampa.ca to receive essential informations before the start of the retreat.*

*Accommodations are available for those engaging in this retreat. The rooms are in limited quantity. For further information and to submit a request, please click here.*

**Vegetarian lunch available for purchase.

 
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Retreat ~ Long Life, Merit & Wisdom
Feb
23
to Feb 24

Retreat ~ Long Life, Merit & Wisdom

Long Life, Merit & Wisdom

Annual Amitayus Retreat with Kelsang Dipam

The greatest obstacles to the fulfilment of our wish to experience pure happiness are death and ignorance. Death destroys our opportunity to take the essence of our precious human life, and ignorance destroys our opportunity to develop a pure experience of Buddha’s teachings, the Dharma. To overcome these obstacles, we need to increase our lifespan and our wisdom. The principal method for doing this is the yoga of Buddha Amitayus, which is also a special method for increasing the positive power of our mind, or merit.

With a long life, we can complete our spiritual path in this very life. We can also engage in this special practice on behalf others when they are sick or in danger of dying. This traditional retreat is offered each year, usually in January or February. Although this is an in-depth Buddhist practice, it is suitable to everyone. No prior experience of Buddhism or meditation is required. Everyone is welcome!

*Accommodations are available for those engaging in this retreat. The rooms are in limited quantity. For further information and to submit a request, please click here.*

 
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Retreat ~ Crystal Clear Mind
Dec
16
to Dec 21

Retreat ~ Crystal Clear Mind

Crystal Clear Mind

Removing Obstacles to Happiness & Spiritual Progress

Vajrasattva Retreat with Gen Kelsang Chodor & Others

We spend most of our time and energy trying to solve problems by making changes to our worldly life. However, our unhappiness and difficulties are not caused by the external world. They are caused by the ripening of negative karma we’ve created in past lives when our mind was under the influence of deluded thoughts.

Fortunately, this negativity is not part of our pure, essential nature. By relying upon Buddha Vajrasattva, the Buddha of purification, we can purify ourselves of all our negative karma, freeing ourselves from obstacles and the resultant unhappiness. Consequently, we’ll experience a peaceful, pure mind and find it much easier to make progress in our spiritual development. We will naturally become happier and lighter. Our meditations will improve and we will feel much better overall. This retreat will emphasize the four opponent powers of negative karma, the recitation of the mantra of Vajrasattva and special meditations and visualizations. Everyone is welcome!

This retreat will be partially guided by Gen Kelsang Chodor and other Teachers.  Partial booking is available for this retreat. Please see the section ‘Retreat Fees’ below for details.

*Accommodations are available for those engaging in this retreat. The rooms are in limited quantity. For further information and to submit a request, please click here.*

Please note: There has been a schedule change for this event recently. Please refer yourself to the schedule below for the updated schedule information.

 
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Retreat ~  Meditations for a Happy, Meaningful Life
Sep
2
to Sep 7

Retreat ~ Meditations for a Happy, Meaningful Life

Meditations for a Happy, Meaningful Life

Lamrim Retreat with Gen Kelsang Chodor

We all want to live a life of great meaning. We also wish for lasting peace and happiness. This retreat will introduce profound Buddhist meditations that have the power to create peace and happiness from within, making our life extremely meaningful.

The stages of the path to enlightenment or 'Lamrim' are a powerful series of contemplations and meditations that reveal hidden spiritual truths which awaken our love, compassion and wisdom. Meditation topics will include: our precious human life, impermanence, karma, and the true source of suffering. We will also engage in a series of meditations that open our heart of universal love and compassion. Each session will include a teaching, chanted prayers and a guided meditation. No previous experience of meditation or Buddhism is needed. Everyone is welcome!

This retreat will be fully guided by Gen Kelsang Chodor and other Teachers. Partial booking is available for this retreat. Please see the section ‘Retreat Fees’ below for details.

*Accommodations are available for those engaging in this retreat. The rooms are in limited quantity. For further information and to submit a request, please click here.*

Please note: There has been a schedule change for this event recently. Please refer yourself to the schedule below for the updated schedule information.

 
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How to Live a Spiritual Life (Retreat)
Jun
25
to Jun 28

How to Live a Spiritual Life (Retreat)

How to Live a Spiritual Life
Following the Buddhist Path

Annual Refuge Retreat
with Gen Kelsang Thekchen & others

During this retreat, we will spend time developing the beautiful mind of refuge, our actual protection from pain and problems. Through the practice of going for refuge, we gradually build a stable peace, joy and freedom within our own heart, giving us the confidence and strength to make authentic spiritual progress that we can then share with others.

We attain permanent freedom from suffering by sincerely relying upon the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Dharma is like medicine that protects us from the sufferings caused by our delusions. Buddha is the doctor who gives us this medicine, and the Sangha are the nurses who assist us. Understanding this, we go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

Even though this retreat is part of the commitments of the Teacher Training Programme, it is suitable for everyone.  Each session will emphasize a different aspect of the practice of going for Refuge, using clear instructions from books written by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, such as, Joyful Path of Good Fortune. Although each session will build up on the previous one, they are all self-contained and can be attended individually.

Both afternoon sessions on Sunday, and the first session on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings will be guided by our Resident Teacher, Gen Kelsang Thekchen. All other sessions will be guided by Teachers currently studying on the Teacher Training Programme (TTP) at KMC Canada. Everyone is welcome!

** Accommodation is available for this event. Please visit the Accommodation page for more information and to submit a request. **

 
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Offering our Faith
Jun
3
to Jun 4

Offering our Faith

Offering our Faith

Retreat in Honour of our Spiritual Guide and Founder
Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche

Every day we remember the extraordinary kindness of Venerable Geshe-la, our Root Guru and Founder of the New Kadampa Tradition - International Kadampa Buddhist Union (NKT-IKBU).

But on the auspicious day of June 4th, at Kadampa centres around the world, with minds of rejoicing and gratitude, we offer him our faith through using the Special Prayer Request to the Holy Spiritual Guide Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso from his Faithful Disciples and collecting our Guru’s name mantra in a one-day retreat.

Our Resident Teacher Gen Kelsang Thekchen will give a brief introduction to the retreat the previous evening, Saturday June 3rd at 7:30 p.m.  There will then be three unguided retreat sessions using the prayer booklet The Hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land According to Highest Yoga Tantra and the Special Request Prayer.  In the evening, the retreat will conclude with Offering to the Spiritual Guide Prayers.

 
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Great Treasury of Merit
May
1
to May 5

Great Treasury of Merit

Great Treasury of Merit

Annual Guru Yoga & Mandala Offerings Retreat
with Gen Kelsang Thekchen & others

For those who wish for a deep inner transformation, this annual meditation retreat offers an opportunity to familiarize ourselves with two in-depth Buddhist practices: Guru Yoga and Mandala Offerings. Both practices are powerful ways to fill our mind with merit, or good fortune, and to receive profound and transformative blessings. They are indispensable for those who are serious about attaining authentic spiritual realizations, in particular the state of full enlightenment.

The practice of Guru Yoga is a special way of relying upon our Spiritual Guide with faith and correct imagination, in order to receive his or her blessings.  The practice of Mandala Offerings is an offering of the entire universe visualized as a Pure Land, with all its inhabitants as pure beings.

Even though this retreat is part of the commitments of the Teacher Training Programme, it is suitable for everyone.  Each session will emphasize a different aspect of these two practices, using clear instructions from the book, Great Teasury of Merit, by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche. Although each session will build up on the previous one, they are all self-contained and can be attended individually.

The first session every day will be guided by our Resident Teacher, Gen Kelsang Thekchen. All other sessions will be guided by Teachers currently studying on the Teacher Training Programme (TTP) at KMC Canada.  Everyone is welcome!

** Accommodation is available for this event. Please visit the Accommodation page for more information and to submit a request. **

 
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Nyungne
Apr
14
to Apr 15

Nyungne

Nyungne ~ Fasting & Purification Retreat

Praises & Prayers to Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara with Gen Kelsang Thekchen

This two-day retreat, done in conjunction with Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara practice, is very powerful for purifying negative karma of body, speech, and mind, and for pacifying strong delusions such as desirous attachment and hatred. This practice involves taking the Mahayana precepts (a promise to avoid all non-virtue for 24 hours), combined with the practice of prostrations. Through this we improve our mind of compassion. In order to participate in this retreat, you must take precepts at 6:30 a.m. each morning you participate. You may engage in one or two full days of the retreat.

This practice is done over two days, with the eight Mahayana precepts being taken at the beginning of each day. On the first day, it is customary to abstain from all meals apart from lunch. On the second day, we engage in a complete fast, abstaining from all food and drink for 24 hours. On both days, we do three sessions of meditation, combining prostrations with chanted meditation. Those who are unable to engage in a complete fast can participate in the sessions on the second day, provided they take the Mahayana precepts on that day. The lunch we have on the days we are eating must be free from so called “black foods” which include meat, garlic, eggs, spices and garlic.

Introduction to the Practice: Our Resident Teacher, Gen Kelsang Thekchen, will give an introduction to the Practice and the Retreat on Friday morning, April 14th, in the first session.  No previous experience of Buddhism or meditation is required.  Everyone is welcome!

 
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