news archive
Return to Latest News
- 02/06/08 - Spring Post Festival Retreat at Tara Centre
14/05/08 - Manjushri Empowerment weekend - 12/04/08 - Book online!
- 27/03/08 - Tara Centre opens new shop
- 24/03/08 - 25 Yrs of Tara Centre
- 17/03/08 - Stop the Week & fundraising banquet
- 08/03/08 - Stop the Week, Banquet & Easter Course
- 21/02/08 - Health and happiness in Tuscany
- 14/01/08 - Amitayus Retreat in Tuscany
- 01/01/08 - Tara Centre begins a blessed 2008
- 19/12/07 - 'Stop the Week' attracts 85 people!
- 01/12/07 - Matlock's Heart Jewel Centre buys first property
- 24/11/07 - Matlock group becomes a new centre
- 17/11/07 - Main meditation room refurbishment
- 08/11/07 - Meditation room rejuvenation
- 01/11/07 - Green Tara Empowerment with Gen Jigme
02/06/08
Spring Post Festival Retreat at Tara Centre
Over the last week Tara Centre has been home to Kadampa Buddhists from all over the globe as she hosted her annual post Spring festival retreat. Following on from the empowerment and teachings given by Venerable Geshe-la at the Spring festival, the international crowd spent the week meditating on the Yoga of Buddha Vajrapani. Geshe-la first gave this empowerment only three years ago and has since reworked the accompanying practice to make this ancient and profound tantra even more accessable to contemporary people. Tara Centre’s Resident Teacher Gen Kelsang Jigme gave concise reminders of Geshe-la’s instructions at the beginning of each session so that those attending could begin to gain familiarity with the practice. Familiarity, Geshe-la explained, was the second of ‘five forces’ which would make our practice successful, the others being motivation, faith, purifying obstructions & aspirational prayer. The retreaters showed their sincere wish to engage in these five forces by volunteering around the centre when they weren’t meditating. It is always inspiring for us at Tara Centre to see the joy with which people apply themselves to every day tasks around the Centre, transforming the mundane into the spiritual.
Thank you to everyone who came and enjoyed the retreat – we hope to see you again soon!
Nicole from Hong Kong cleaning inside the
Dorje Shugden shrine during the Spring post festival retreat
Manjushri Empowerment weekend
Last weekend Tara Centre hosted a weekend event with her Resident Teacher Gen Kelsang Jigme, which included teachings on ultimate truth and the blessing empowerment of Buddha Manjushri. Empowerments are ceremonies where the participants receive a special blessing from Buddha which ripens our potential to become enlightened. We also need to receive empowerment in order to practice the ‘sadhana’, or ‘method for accomplishment’ of a particular Buddha. The sadhana of Buddha Manjushri is a tantric method for attaining enlightenment and over the weekend Gen Jigme gave commentary to the practice, explaining for beginners and more experienced practitioners alike how to engage in this very special practice. Gen Jigme followed Venerable Geshe-la’s example in explaining how success in tantra requires a firm grounding in Buddha’s sutra teachings, in this way ensuring the purity of the practice and guarding against its misuse. It is our hope that all who attended found the weekend meaningful and enjoyable and make swift progress along the path to enlightenment.
Gen Kelsang Jigme teaching during the Manjushri Empowerment May 2008 |
Kelsang Pagma offering traditional Tibetan Katag (white scarf) as a thanking for the teaching |
Traditional Tibetan Katag (white scarf) offering |
A member of the Tara Centre community receiving the blessing empowerment of Buddha Manjushri |
Tara Centre teacher Paul Harrison leading a Meditation during the Empowerment weekend |
12/04/08
Online booking system
For your convenience, we are pleased to announce that our secure online booking system is now fully operational. You can now book for all Tara Centre's upcoming courses, retreats and events directly from the website using any of the following cards:
For your peace of mind, all Tara Centre's online payments are handled securely by WorldPay.
27/03/08
Tara Centre opens new shop
Tara Centre has recently opened a new shop with improved accessibility in the centre. Instead of being hidden away at the rear of the building the shop can now be found just a short walk down her main corridor. Just watch out for the sign! As well as the complete range of Venerable Geshe-la's books and a selection of qualified Buddha statues suitable for a Kadampa shrine, there are also a range of gifts with which to surprise your loved ones.
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Tara Centre's new shop - spruced up & shiny!
24/03/08
Tara Centre celebrates 25 years of existence with teachings on emptiness.
Last weekend saw Tara Centre reach a quarter century since Venerable Geshe-la first granted her name. The whole weekend was more than ordinary as Gen Jigme gave exceptionally clear teachings on emptiness and in particular on the union of the two truths, the understanding of which is the actual liberating path to Buddhahood. Complete beginners and seasoned practitioners alike benefited from these teachings and conversations about this most profound of topics could be heard everywhere. On Saturday evening there was a special 'Offering to the Spiritual Guide' puja to give thanks for 25 years of Geshe-la's kindness in manifesting this influential centre. With deep gratitude we thank venerable Geshe-la for the rain of blessings which we received this weekend, may our faith only increase so that we continue to receive them forevermore.
Gen Jigme teaching at the TC's Easter Course
Members of the TC community enjoying some tsog offerings after 'Offering to the Spiritual Guide' puja.
17/03/08
Fundraising banquet raises £1500 for New Meditation Room project
Last weekend Tara Centre hosted both a 'Stop the Week' event and a fundraising banquet. In total about 60 people attended the events over the weekend, enjoying good food, good company and relaxing meditation. There was musical accompaniment to Saturdays event (see pictures below) and an auction of promises offered by the Tara Centre community, including a trip on a narrow boat which raised £100! In total Saturday's event raised £1500 which will go towards Tara Centre's 'New Meditation Hall project'. You will be hearing a lot more about this project over the coming months, as Tara Centre plans to erect a 'temporary' temple to replace our crumbling retreat room. 'Temporary' is a relative term however as we are hoping this will be a beautiful and durable wood structure which will be inspiring to the eye. Eventually this itself will be replaced by a fully qualified Kadampa Temple on the same site. Thank you to all who contributed towards Saturdays event and the long term success of this auspicious project.
Kelsang Rinzing entertaining the guests with
some Hungarian folk music.
Sarah playing some popular numbers
08/03/08
Stop the Week, Banquet & Easter Course
Coming up on Friday the 14th March and Saturday the 15th of March respectively are Tara Centre's 'Stop the Week' event and fundraising banquet. These are well attended events that are increasing in popularity. Stop the Week combines good food with a simple introductory meditation class (follow this link for pics of our last 'Stop the Week'). For the banquet we pull out the stops and lay on a gourmet three course meal, with entertainment and an 'auction of promises' where you can bid for all manner of things which have been offered from our extended community, such as a massage from a qualified masseuse, I.T support, or personal tuition for your child from a qualified Teacher! If you can't attend the banquet, but would like to support the event by making a 'promise' which people can then bid for, then please get in touch. Details on these two events can be found in the posters below:
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Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd March:
Tara Centre Easter Course - Heart of Wisdom
Buddha explained that the things we normally see do not exist, yet, like objects seen in a dream, things appear and function. On this weekend course Tara Centre’s resident Teacher Gen Kelsang Jigme will explain this ancient wisdom and how we can use it in our daily lives to enter, progress along and complete the path to permanent inner peace for ourself and others.
Also, this Easter marks 25 years of Tara Centre. To celebrate this auspicious event we will be holding a special Offering to the Spiritual Guide ceremony on Saturday evening during the course.
To book please contact us.
Prajnaparamita, embodiment of the Wisdom
Truth Body of all the Buddhas.
21/02/08
Health and happiness in Tuscany:
Tara Centre goes to Italy!
The Tuscany area of Italy is renowned for many things, one of them being its delicious olive oil, which is reputed to have beneficial effects on a persons health, promoting a long and healthy life. Fitting then that Tara Centre held her annual Amitayus retreat there earlier this month. Amitayus is the Buddha of long life, wisdom and merit (merit meaning good karma, or good fortune) and Buddhists all over the world turn to him for help in increasing these qualities, which are essential for successful spiritual practice.
The weekend retreat was held at Kadampa Meditation Centre Italy, which is conveniently housed in Hotel Kadampa Italy, one of very few hotels which can claim to be working exclusively for world peace by raising money for the building of Kadampa temples accross the globe. The newly reurbished meditation room at KMC Italy is truly breathtaking (click here to see pictures of its opening last year) and provided an ideal environment in which to engage in the practise of Guru Amitayus. Both beginners and more experienced practitioners were able to benefit from the practise, with a simple mind of faith being all that is needed to receive blessings from Amitayus. Building on this basis a variety of different visualisations could be used according to the experience and wishes of the individual.
Following a relaxed schedule, the retreat allowed plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful surrounds and friendly residents of Montecatini, the spa town where KMC Italy is based. Montecatini is set amongst the Tuscan hills, close to Pisa and Florence, which some people took the opportunity to visit during their stay and which were introduced to others by a generous taxi driver who took a scenic diversion on the way back to Pisa airport! We would like to thank everyone who attended and contributed time and energy to making this enjoyable and meaningful retreat happen. We hope to repeat this success next year. Arrivederci for now!
Gen Jigme leading Amitayus prayers
lunch time at KMC Italy
tsog offerings in the meditation room at KMC Italy
Callan enjoys the tsog offerings
14/01/08
special event: Amitayus retreat in Tuscany
This year Tara Centre is travelling to Kadampa Meditation Centre Italy for our annual Amitayus retreat. Click here to find out more.
01/01/08
Tara Centre sees in a blessed 2008
Tara Chanting at Tara Centre to see in the New Year
Offerings to Tara
Auspicious causes were created for a blessed 2008 when guests and residents of Tara Centre saw in the New Year with 24 hour Tara Chanting. Starting at 3pm on the 31st and going through to mid day on the 1st in six 1 hour sessions, the group sang praises to Buddha Tara as a way of dispelling obstacles to the flourishing of Dharma and improving their connection with this enlightened being.
This way of seeing in the New Year has become a tradition at Tara Centre and has proven to be a popular way to round off a relaxing weekend of teachings received at our New Year course. At this years course Gen Jigme gave teachings on Atisha's 'Advice From the Heart'. This famous Buddhist text skillfully includes all of Buddha's teachings and describes the good qualities that Kadampa Buddhists are trying to achieve. Gen Jigme gave clear commentary to these teachings and strong encouragement to use our precious human life to gain deep experience of them; thus fulfilling our fundamental wish to be happy and to enable us to help others in the same way. The atmosphere over the weekend, which follows a relaxed timetable of one meditation and two teachings per day, was light and jovial and it was lovely to hear from people how much they enjoyed their time here. We hope all who attended benefited from the weekend and wish you, as well as everyone else, a happy New Year and every success in your practice of Dharma.
To learn more about Tara and her sadhana 'Liberation From Sorrow' click here, to find out more about Atisha click here and to read his famous teaching 'Advice From the Heart click here.
19/12/07
'Stop the Week' meditation and meal
attracts 85 happy diners!
Diners in Tara Centre's main hall enjoying their pudding
Left: Gen Jigme and Kelsang Ringyal in the World Peace cafe.
Right: Tara Centre's own song bird Tess Rigby
entertaining the diners.
Yesterday evening saw this years second 'Stop the Week' event breaking records, with 85 people in attendance. It seems at this time of year there are a lot of people looking for a relaxing break from the Christmas rush and this is what was offered, as Tara Centre's Resident Teacher Gen Jigme led a meditation class with the theme of 'giving', before everyone headed up to Tara Centre's World Peace Cafe for a three course meal. Our main hall was re-arranged and decked out beautifully to accommodate all those who wished to take part. The atmosphere was jovial, helped along by Tess Rigby (see above) who generously shared her beautiful singing voice with us while accompanying herself on the piano. Food was provided by our increasingly popular Kitchen Co-ordinator Shirley, who laid on carrot and corriander soup, followed by a traditional Christmas dinner, then sticky toffee pudding and custard - compliments to the chef were heard from all directions. We have heard on the grapevine that Shirley's puddings are becoming famous in NKT centres all over the world!
It was lovely to see so many smiling faces as people made their way home at the end of the evening. Tara Centre's aim is to make everyone happy and as Gen Jigme said in his meditation talk, Christmas is an ideal opportunity for people of all beliefs to make an extra special effort to do this. Thank you to everyone who came for giving us the opportunity to give a little to you and in return helping us to help so many other people by flourishing Tara Centre's spiritual programme - this is your gift to all living beings this Christmas!
Tara Centre's final event of 2007 will be our New Year Course followed by 24hr Tara Chanting. If you're interested please click here.
01/12/07
Success!!! Heart Jewel Kadampa Buddhist Centre win auction bid for property in Matlock Bath.
Above left: the new property just purchased by Heart Jewel Centre.
Above right: a view of the beautiful town of Matlock Bath
where the property is situated.
It was only two short weeks ago that Tara Centre's Matlock meditation group decided they had a collective wish to create a residential Buddhist meditation centre in their area. Amazingly, in this short time, with the participation, hard work and generosity of many people, their wishes have been fulfilled!
On Thursday this week, the directors from the newly named Heart Jewel Kadampa Buddhist Centre and from Tara Centre attended a property auction in Matlock and made a successful bid for a property on Holme Road in nearby Matlock Bath.
The auction coincided with a prayer ceremony which all Kadampa Buddhist Centre's engage in on the 29th of each month called 'Melodious Drum Victorious in All Directions'. These prayers are an extensive version of the 'Heart Jewel' prayers which all Kadampa centres engage in every day and which share their name with Heart Jewel Centre! Heart Jewel Centre's recently appointed Resident Teacher, Kelsang Osung said, "It was heartening to bid while Kadampa's all over the country and even the world were engaged in prayers for the flourishing of pure Buddhadharma... obstacles were definitely removed, with some people people who had been intending to bid not bidding at all!'
The causes and conditions for the events of the last two weeks have been collected and nurtured by many dedicated people over a period of years. The trigger that ripened this carefully gathered good karma seems to have been the collective will of the Matlock group. Tess Rigby, Heart Jewel Centre's new Administrative Director said, "Once the Matlock group decided to request Venerable Geshe-la's blessings to create a residential Dharma Centre in the area, good karma just kept ripening at an apparently unstoppable pace! It was humbling and inspiring to experience Venerable Geshe-la emanating every condition required... we just had to try to keep up! It is wonderful to know that the people of the Dales will now have much greater access to the pure teachings of this tradition, giving them the opportunity to listen to, contemplate and meditate on Je Tsongkhapa's Holy Dharma and train in the methods for attaining inner peace. We thank everyone who has shown such commitment and generosity for helping this to happen. Please rejoice in the merit you have created!"
Of course the work does not end here. There is much to do before the property can begin to perform its intended function and help is needed. If you have any skills such as plumbing, electrics or carpentry, or can just spare a few hours to do a bit of painting please get in touch with Tess on the below number or e-mail address. And of course all of this good work requires funding so if you would like to make a donation please do get in touch.
We will keep you informed on this page of Heart Jewel Centre's progress and look forward to announcing her official opening some time in the next twelve months.
May all New Kadampa Centres flourish and continue to bring benefit to all living beings in this way.
To offer your help and support please contact Tess Rigby on:
mobile -
07515567059, land line - 01335 348475,
or e-mail - tessrigby@uk2.net.
24/11/07
Heart Jewel in the Dales: Tara Centre’s Matlock branch becomes a new Dharma Centre! Help needed with property bid!
Above left: Could this be the home of meditation in the Derbyshire Dales? Click here to view more information about this property.
Above Right: Kelsang Osung - newly appointed Teacher of Heart Jewel Kadampa Buddhist Centre.
Yesterday evening Kelsang Osung (pictured), the Teacher at Tara Centre's Matlock meditation group, received an e-mail from Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, replying to the branch’s request for a name. He gave the name 'Heart Jewel Kadampa Buddhist Centre' to the Matlock group, thereby formally inaugurating it as a new NKT Centre! In the same e-mail, Venerable Geshe-la appointed Osung as the centre's Resident Teacher, saying how happy he is with the developments there.
Last week, after the sowing of many seeds and much patient development, the Matlock group galvanised behind the idea of creating a residential Dharma Centre in the area - and an appropriate property in Matlock Bath immediately arose! The property needs a lot of work, with plumbing, electrics, decorating etc. all needing attention, but the location, size and existing shop front which could be converted into a World Peace Café make it a tantalizing prospect.
Since 1977 Venerable Geshe-la has worked tirelessly to bring the methods for attaining inner peace to the western world, recognising that it is only through developing peaceful minds that the outer peace which every person desires can be realised. It is Geshe-la's wish that every person have the opportunity to train in the methods for attaining this peace so that all conflict may permanently cease. For this compassionate wish to be fulfilled everyone needs access to a qualified Teacher and a venue in which to receive teachings and to practice meditation. Having tasted the benefits of Buddha's teachings for themselves many people have put the Dharma into practice and come together as a community to develop the infrastructure necessary to bring this powerful medicine to others. Others have devoted their whole lives to gaining the inner qualifications needed to become full time Teachers of Kadam Dharma. It is this 'can do' attitude, motivated by strong compassion and Geshe-la's inspiring example which has motivated Osung and the Matlock group to bring a residential Dharma Centre to the Derbyshire Dales.
Having first carefully evaluated the feasibility of acquiring the above property and making it functional, Osung began making the necessary enquiries, phoning solicitors, estate agents and so forth in an attempt to bring the conditions together for a successful bid at auction this coming Thursday! Amazingly, those conditions are already very nearly within reach. Seeing the promise and potential of this extraordinary venture many people have been inspired to offer backing and about £60 000 has already been raised in loans and donations in less than a week, with a further £25 000 needed by the end of Wednesday(!) in order to go to auction. To make this dream of a meditation centre for the people of the Dales a reality it will take a lot of hard work and generosity. If you can help with donations or loans, or if you have any skills that might be of use in renovating this property should a successful bid be made, please contact Tess Rigby on mobile: 07515567059, land line: 01335 348475, or e-mail: tessrigby@uk2.net. Alternatively contact Tara Centre on 01283 732 338 or email meditate@taracentre.org.uk
17/11/07
Tara Centre's main meditation room: Then and now
Below is a photograph of our main meditation room as it was this time last year and below that are photographs showing how it has changed since we began renovating it this Spring. Thanks to the effort and generosity of many people this beautiful room is now set to see in another ten years blessing and inspiring all who visit. Though, as mentioned in the last bulletin, this is only the beginning. In this and Tara Centre's four other meditation rooms there are statues which need new clothes and polishing, cushions to be made for the many people who meditate here, walls that need painting and shrines that need beautifying. We look forward to keeping you informed of this auspicious project, as well as offering many ways to become involved!
Tara Centre's main meditation room before being re-furbished...
...and after!
Here we can see the results of Kelsang Drolma's efforts (see last bulletin below) and the in-laid brocade in the new picture frames which pays homage to traditional brocade surrounds.
Some details showing new furnishings and colours.
This picture shows the vajras (a symbol of Buddha's perfect mind) and auspicious symbols which were added to the shrine a year ago.
The view from the main meditation room bay window.
To appreciate this beautiful room it really is necessary to visit
- so we hope you do!
08/11/07
Meditation room rejuvenation gets under way!
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Earlier this year Tara Centre began the refurbishment of her main meditation room, a project which, thanks to the kindness of many benefactors, is now nearing completion. The result is a room that looks fresh and vibrant - an inspiring place to meditate, pray and receive teachings. Watch this page for upcoming photographs of the completed work, or even better come and see it for yourself!
Having seen for ourselves what can be achieved with a little faith and effort and how everyone involved in this blessed project benefited so greatly, we have decided to extend this project to include the rejuvenation of our four other meditation rooms. It is our heartfelt wish that each of these rooms receive the love and care they need, so that they can continue to provide a perfect environment in which to find inner peace and true happiness. Over the coming months we will be telling you more about these activities and how you can help in this joyful task, from fundraising to donating your skills and time, as the above picture shows - all that is needed is a good heart and a bit of elbow grease to bring a shine to life!
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR FURTHER NEWS!
01/11/2007
Gen Jigme's grants Green Tara empowerment,
aptly his first empowerment at Tara Centre!
Last weekend sixty fortunate people received the blessing empowerment of Green Tara in Tara Centre's recently refurbished main meditation room. This is the first empowerment Gen Jigme has given since being appointed as the Centre's Resident Teacher earlier in the year. As well as giving the empowerment Gen Jigme gave teachings on 'compassion in action', explaining how we can best follow Green Tara's compassionate and wise example in helping the people of this world to develop peaceful minds. May we all take this to heart!