Tara KMC news
archive 2009
- 01/12/09 - Stop the Week!
- 01/12/09 - Learn to Meditate in Half a Day
- 01/12/09 - School Visits
- 17/11/09 - Meditation weekend retreat: 'Love'
- 27/10/09 - Tara KMC in the 1950s
- 27/10/09 - Basic Buddhism weekend retreat
- 27/10/09 - World Peace evening
- 22/10/09 - Helping the Dying and the Deceased
- 08/10/09 - New offering bowls at last!
- 01/10/09 - Learn to Meditate Weekend Retreat
- 24/09/09 - UK Dharma Celebration 2009
- 12/08/09 - Summer Festival at MKMC
- 14/07/09 - ‘Stillness’ - a new course at Tara KMC
- 06/07/09 - The Illusory Dance
- 29/06/09 - ‘Helping Hands’ at Tara KMC
- 23/06/09 - Summer Fayre & more besides!
- 17/06/09 - Tara KMC on kadampafestivals.org
- 29/05/09 - Refurbishment progress
19/05/09 - A run for peace - 11/05/09 - The Two Truths
04/05/09 - Protector room refurb': Progress report - 20/04/09 - Purification & a refurb'!
20/04/09 - Introducing:The faces behind Tara KMC: Peter
14/04/09 - Je Tsongkhapa empowerment & fundraiser
06/04/09 - A mind of compassion - 23/03/09 - Spring comes to Tara KMC
16/03/09 - 3 Courses
10/03/09 - The Guiding Light of Wisdom
02/03/09 - Introducing:The faces behind Tara KMC: Dionne
23/02/09 - Learn to Meditate Weekend Retreat
16/02/09 - Barista training at the World Peace Café
09/02/09 - Keeping the Peace & Stop the Week!
02/02/09 - Introducing:The faces behind Tara KMC: Khechog
27/01/09 - Introducing:The faces behind Tara KMC: Lekchog
18/01/09 - Tara KMC - keep in touch
12/01/09 - Winter retreat - a month of stillness
01/01/09 - New Year at Tara KMC
Visit the Tara KMC news archive for 2009
Visit the Tara KMC news archive for 2008
Visit the Tara KMC news archive for 2007
Stop the Week!
Rose guides the meditation
On Friday 27th we enjoyed Stop the Week! This relaxing evening began with a simple meditation guided by Rose which helped everyone to unwind and let go of the week's stress. This was followed by a beautiful Indian meal cooked by Sharon.
Sharon prepares an exquisite mango dessert
Admin. Director Vanessa serves the guests
The next Stop the Week! event is our annual Christmas meal, which is always extremely popular. For details and to book, please see Christmas Stop the Week!
Learn to Meditate in Half a Day
Natalie guides a meditation
On Saturday 28th we ran our first Learn to Meditate in Half a Day course - which is exactly what it says: a half-day introduction to meditation that explains the basics and gives you the opportunity to try some simple meditation. Everyone enjoyed the new format including several complete beginners. It looks like this half-day format is a winner - expect to see more Learn to Meditate In Half a Day courses at Tara KMC next year!
School Visits
Meeting the Buddhas book
Buddhism must be on the syllabus right now because our School Visits programme has been extra busy this month! We currently use this book for the visits. Literally hundreds of school children, mostly Year 6 and Year 9, have visited Tara KMC this month, sometimes two separate coach loads in one day! These are always great fun, and the kids' questions often put us on the spot much more than the questions we usually get at our evening classes! If you're interested in organising a visit for your school, please see our School Visits page.
Meditation weekend retreat: 'Love'
Kelsang Norbu guiding the meditations
Enjoying the grounds between sessions
Last weekend we held our 'Love' retreat - a meditation weekend retreat based on the Tharpa CD 'Meditations for a Kind Heart'. On this weekend Kelsang Norbu guided the meditations, helping us to develop a kind and warm heart towards others. These weekends are a great way to get some familiarity with these simple yet powerful meditations - we'll be holding a guided weekend retreat on each of the CDs next year so check the Meditation Weekend Retreat page for dates.
Tara KMC in the 1950s
the old staff room - now our Protector meditation room
students enjoying a snowball fight in the grounds
Ashe Hall, before Tara KMC in 1950s
Last week an ex-resident of Ashe Hall when it was a school for asthmatic children came for a visit to the World Peace Cafe and brought the busy office to a temporary standstill as she kindly shared her memories of her time here and showed us photographs of the building and people at that time. A big thank you to Jean for sharing these with us.
Basic Buddhism weekend retreat
Buddha Shakyamuni statue at Tara KMC
Last weekend we held a Basic Buddhism weekend retreat drawing people from all over the country to learn the basic principles of Buddha's teachings. We have another one of these weekends coming up in December (4th - 6th)
World Peace evening
Monday 26th October was Work one day for world peace day - a day when people from all across the globe donated one day's wages to the International Temples Project (ITP), building Temples dedicated to world peace. To celebrate this day, and to raise more funds for the ITP, we held a World Peace evening with a home cooked curry in the World Peace cafe after which we watched a recording of 'The Wheel of Life' - a play depicting the life of King Bimbisara, a friend of Buddha Shakyamuni. Thank you to Mohan for kindly providing the food and to everyone who helped make the evening so enjoyable - over £150 was raised on the night!
Helping the Dying and the Deceased
Hands of Comfort
Last weekend we held a day course on the practice of Powa, or transference of consciousness. Through this practice we can help those who have recently died to take rebirth in a Pureland, free from suffering. Those attending the course received teachings on how to help those close to death and also how to engage in this compassionate practice and then, together as a group, actually had a go by chanting the prayers and engaging in the meditations in the 'Powa Ceremony'.
Tara KMC regularly holds Powa Ceremonies so check our calendar for the next one, or contact reception for details.
New offering bowls at last!
We finally found some new offering bowls for our Protector Meditation room enabling us to make beautiful offerings to our Dharma Protector, Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden. A big thank you to everyone who sent us images and ideas, and of course to those who contributed to their cost.
Protector Room Offering Bowls
Learn to Meditate Weekend Retreat
Last weekend was a 'Learn to Meditate Weekend Retreat' attended by people from all over the country. Ideal for beginners, these popular weekends teach the basics of meditation and allow plenty of time for reflection and enjoying the beautiful grounds. Everyone left feeling relaxed and determined to carry on their new-found meditative experiences. The next Learn to Meditate weekend is January 22nd - 24th, for more information click here.
Kelsang Chogma teaching one of the sessions
Enjoying afternoon tea in the Barn Retreat courtyard
Time to reflect in the World Peace Garden
UK Dharma Celebration 2009
In September nearly 400 Kadampas gathered together for the UK Dharma Celebration at Tara KMC and enjoyed teachings and the Empowerment of Buddha Amitayus from the UK's NKT National Spiritual Director, Kadam Bridget Heyes.
It was a joyful, relaxed atmosphere and even the weather was on our side, allowing everyone to enjoy the sunshine between sessions.
A big thank you to everyone who attended the Celebration and made it such a success!
Empowerment Shrine
Kadam Bridget Heyes
Relaxing in Tara KMCs grounds during UKDC
Summer Festival at MKMC
Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre - Ulverston, Cumbria
If you've noticed a lack of activity on this page, it's because most of us at Tara Kadampa Meditation Centre have been away at the Annual International Kadampa Summer Festival at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre. We were just a small part of the 6000 practitioners who gathered from all around the globe for this amazing event. While there we received teachings, empowerments and enjoyed lots of meditation, but festivals are much more than that. To find out why they mean so much to so many people, and to view photo's and excerpts of teachings, go to the Summer Festival Diaries web site.
More news coming from Tara KMC soon!
‘Stillness’ - a new course at Tara KMC
Debbs Kefford explaining a meditation during the weekend
preparing for meditation with some simple prayers
Last weekend saw the first 'Meditation Weekend Retreat' at Tara KMC. In this new course the participants focus on a particular meditation theme under the guidance of an experienced meditator.
On this occasion the theme was 'stillness', a series of meditations in which we turn our attention inwards and try to identify our own mind - then meditate upon it. These meditations are extremely profound, but in essence very simple. By spending the whole weekend gradually gaining familiarity with the meditations, those on the course are able to gain some real experience of it which can then be taken into every day life.
The course is designed for beginners, as well as those with some previous experience and is supported by a C. D, available from Tharpa Publications, which can be used to help sustain a practice when the course is over.
We were keen to see how the course would go down and were delighted with the response. Those attending were overwhelmingly positive, commenting on how the relaxed schedule, simple presentation and supportive and beautiful environment combined to make for a successful and highly enjoyable weekend.
Thank you very much to everyone who came on the weekend - it was a pleasure having you here!
The next Meditation Weekend Retreat is on the theme of ‘love’, based on the ‘Meditations for a Kind Heart’ C. D. For more information click here.
The Illusory Dance
Dionne Roberts teaching during the Tantra day course
Those attending this years Kadampa Buddhist Summer Festival will be receiving the Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment of Heruka & Vajrayogini. To help people prepare for this Tara Centre hosted an introductory Tantra day course called 'The Illusory Dance'. The course was led by Tara Centre Teacher Training Programme student Dionne Roberts, who has been a practitioner of Tantra for many years. During the course Dionne emphasised the importance of a firm foundation in Sutra as a pre-requisite for engaging in Tantra, before going on to give an overview of Tantra itself and offering encouragement and advice that would help those present to build a lasting practice.
‘Helping Hands’ at Tara Centre
‘Helping Hands’ working in the
World Peace Garden at Tara Buddhist Centre
You may remember last year we were fortunate enough to be assisted in our World Peace Garden project (amongst other things) by a group called the 'Helping Hands', the members of which come from the Derby congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - Day Saints. Every year the group help out with a different project in the local area and we were lucky enough to be chosen. Well we have been doubly fortunate as the group kindly chose to return to help us again this year, putting in some hard graft in the World Peace Garden and helping to paint some of the windows in Ashe Hall. The day started with a quick tour of a couple of Tara Centre's meditation rooms and an opportunity to ask questions about the Buddhist faith, Tara Centre and our activities. We deeply appreciate the opportunity to build this relationship with another faith group and thank the Helping Hands very much for their generosity; we wish them every success in all their activities.
Also, as the Helping Hands will testify, we need a lot of help to keep the World Peace Garden and the rest of the grounds looking beautiful, if you would like to contribute your time towards this then we would very much like to welcome you on-board. For residential volunteering we have working visits, or if you just have a few hours that's good too - please get in touch!
Summer Fayre & more besides!
We let you know last week that we'd been busy at Tara Centre recently, well by following the links below you can find out just what we've been up to (some of it anyway!). There's lots more coming up soon, such as our introductory Tantra course & our first ever Meditation Weekend Retreat on the topic of 'stillness'. If you'd like to get involved please visit those pages or get in touch!
To find out more please follow the links below:-
- The Ashe Hall Summer Fayre
- International Volunteers Service
- Post Spring Festival retreat
- Protector room project nearing completion
- Geshe-la's birthday party
- Refuge Vow day course
- Robe sewing course
- Learn to Meditate Weekend Retreat
- ‘Stop the Week’ - Greek style!
The Ashe Hall Summer Fayre
The Ashe Hall Summer Fayre
Click here to see an online gallery of the Summer Fayre
The Tara Centre community is something to behold when it gets up to speed. A few weeks ago we were looking at our upcoming Summer Fayre and wondering how we were going to be able to run it - there are so many different things happening on the day, 2000 visitors and only a few of us. So we put out the clarion call to our extended community asking for help and they responded wonderfully. About 64 people, most of whom were not Tara Centre residents helped out on the day, doing everything from manning the parking and stalls, baking a mountain of cakes, face painting & more. The day was fantastic, the clouds which looked threatening early on cleared to reveal a beautiful sky and everyone looked relaxed and happy. Although this Fayre isn't really a Buddhist event, more an opportunity for people in the local area to get the benefit of our facilities, have fun and get to know us a bit better, it really demonstrated how when people work together with a good heart amazing things happen. Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to this day, through offering your time to making donations - you really made a difference! Please do find time to visit our Google photo gallery, where you'll also find some extra tid-bits about some of the people who contributed. Thankyou!
Click here to see an online gallery of the Summer Fayre
International Volunteers Service
Volunteers from IVS
Over the last two weeks Tara Centre has been lucky enough to have the company of a group of volunteers from the International Volunteers Service. The group came from near and far: Britain, the Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, Finland & Italy to be precise. While they were here they completed some much needed maintenance, weeding large parts of the grounds, decorating some rooms and painting the fence at our main gate amongst other things. They also participated in our meditation classes and prayers, learning more about the Buddhist way of life. The group worked alongside two other working visitors from the U.S. & Singapore, meaning Tara Centre has had a truly international community over the last two weeks. While there may have been external diversity in the group, there was a common wish to benefit others and build friendships. It has been a pleasure to work alongside these kind helpers - we wish them all well and hope they can visit again soon.
View an online gallery of their visit here.
Post Spring Festival retreat
the retreaters doing tsog offering puja
Following on from the recent Spring festival at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre, was the Tara Centre annual post Spring festival retreat. Guests from all around the world used this opportunity to deepen their experience of the teachings they had just received directly from Venerable Geshe-la. This is just another example of how Tara Centre benefits people not just locally, but all around the world!
Protector room project nearing completion
the new curtains in the Protector meditation room
the new picture frames in the Protector meditation room
As you're probably aware Tara Centre has been renovating our Protector Meditation Room (if you're not aware, click here for more info). Well we're close to completing this project - the curtains are up and the Thangka's have been framed. There's still work to do though and we would really appreciate help towards the costs. We managed to raise about half of the £6000 necessary, so if you think you can help with the remainder, even if this is just a small amount, please get in touch.
Geshe-la's birthday party
making offerings to our Guru on his birthday
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
enjoying the offerings after the puja
The 4th of June is Dharmachakra day, the anniversary of the day when Buddha first turned the wheel of Dharma by teaching. It is also Venerable Geshe-la's birthday! We celebrated this doubly auspicious day by making prayers and offerings to our most kind Guru - may he remain in this world forever!
Refuge Vow day course
People praying during the refuge day course
This was a particularly wonderful day during which Tara Centre's Resident Teacher, Gen Kelsang Jigme, granted refuge vows. Refuge vows are a formal promise to go to the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma (Buddha's teachings) & Sangha (our spiritual friends who follow the same spiritual path we do) for ultimate refuge. Gen Jigme explained that although we need help from many places, such as the police & doctors, it is only the Three Jewels who can offer us perfect protection from suffering; it is with this understanding that we go for refuge. It was a very happy day, with some people just finding out more about the refuge, some taking the vows for the first time and others strengthening the vows they have already taken. We wish everyone luck in their practice and hope to see you all soon!
Robe sewing course
learning how to sew robes
making robes for the new ordainees
The New Kadampa Tradition is growing! And as we grow more and more people are taking ordination, which means more and more robes need to be made. Robe sewing is an art which has to be passed from person to person and very few centre's offer courses where this skill can be learned - Tara Centre is one of them. Over a week several ladies (we have had one gentleman on such a course and would like to hear from more who are interested!) immersed themselves in this activity, finally emerging holding completed garments. In a few weeks there will be an ordination ceremony at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre and we expect there will be several new monks and nuns wearing robes provided by these kind women. Thank you!
Learn to Meditate Weekend Retreat
a meditator during a beginners meditation weekend
Amidst all the activity at Tara Centre our regular courses still go on. Over this weekend it was the turn of our 'Learn to Meditate Weekend Retreat', with 30 or so people from around the country coming together to learn how to meditate. The course ran well, with the attendees looking happy and increasingly relaxed! If you would like to find out more about one of these weekends have a look here or get in touch.
‘Stop the Week’ - Greek style!
the IVS crew (see above) enjoying Stop the Week
These events just keep getting more popular, thanks in no small part, we're sure, to the wonderful cooking provided by our cafe volunteer Sharon. Sharon takes real care in the choice of dishes and in their preparation and this shows in the finished result. This months cuisine originated from Greece (we visit a different culinary destination each month) and next month it will be from Morocco you can view the menu here. We suggest getting your place booked now!
Tara Centre on kadampafestivals.org
Tara Centre on Kadampa Gallery
Dear Friends, it's been a couple of weeks since we posted an update on this page and believe us this is not because nothing's been happening! In fact very soon we'll post an update letting you know everything that's been going on and you'll see just how busy we've been. In the mean time though we thought you might like to look at a photo gallery presentation of Tara Centre that has just been included on the Kadampa Festivals web site. There are some beautiful pictures there that really show Tara Centre at her best (though to really experience how beautiful and blessed Tara Centre is you have to visit!). Enjoy.
Love, all at Tara Centre
Refurbishment progress
If you've been watching this page you'll know that Tara Centre is currently engaged in a project to refurbish our Protector meditation room. We thought you'd like to see how the project is going so we've put together some pictures:
The carpet is down and the cabinet back in -
as you can see we went for a bold colour on the carpet!
The back drop to the statues has been
painted blue to offset the colours in the statues
Dorje Shugden's heart has been gold leafed
The room has been completely re-painted - the previously chipped paintwork is now completely refreshed
The wires that lead to the speakers have been inset into the wall
to keep the room neat & free from distractions
The curtains are ready to go up which
will really bring things together
To make all this work happen we managed to raise an amazing £3000! Thank you very much indeed to everyone who has contributed - your generosity will benefit others for many, many years. However, the total cost of this project is about £6000 and help with the remaining expenses would still be very much appreciated. If you would like to help out, please visit the web page we've set up especially for this project. Thank you very much!
19/05/09A run for peace
Last Sunday, while everyone at Tara Centre was busily running our latest Basic Buddhism Weekend, one of our residents was testing his endurance on this years White Peaks half marathon. Marks motivation for putting himself through this was to help spread Buddha's teachings by raising money for our Protector Room refurbishment.
He said of the ordeal:
"It started at 11am with some nice wind and rain to add to the hypothermia that I was developing waiting for the race to start. There was a gentle incline for about 8 miles- no one mentioned this before the race!! Then there was a steep decline for about 2 miles near the end - which sounds good, but after 10 miles your muscles don't respond too well to different terrain; so I crushed my pride as numerous runners happily galloped down the hill as I stumbled down convinced I would soon be tumbling down after them. Then there was a nice flat bit at the end; and then as I neared the finish line my self cherishing and pride found some energy so I could sprint to the finish line past all the strangers I would never see again."
We haven't yet totted up how much money Mark raised, but it looks to be in the region of £200 - thanks Mark!
After note: There is still much to do to complete the Protector Room, to find out how you can help click here.
Mark enjoying his run
Mark after the run
11/05/09The Two Truths
Buddhism is all about eliminating suffering by stopping our negative minds, but where do these negative minds come from? During our most recent weekend course, called 'The Two Truths', Tara Centre's Resident Teacher Gen Kelsang Jigme explained that the source of all our negativity is our ignorance not understanding the way things exist. He explained how all the things we see and know are in fact no more than mere appearances to mind and lack any existence separate from mind, like things seen in a dream. But, because we think they are more substantial than this, we generate attachment and aversion to them and become unhappy. Over the weekend Gen Jigme skillfully helped us to increase our wisdom understanding these two truths, introducing this profound topic so that everyone present could begin to meditate on it and therefore begin to cut their suffering at its root.
Gen Jigme teaching over the weekend
Receiving teachings on the two truths
04/05/09Protector room refurb': Progress report
Debbs prepping the woodwork in the Protector room
In our last 'latest news', we told you about our most recent project - to completely refurbish our Protector meditation room. We're progressing nicely, the wall paper is off, the first lick of paint is on and we're sanding down the woodwork ready for the gloss. We've had some enquiries from people wondering what is the best way to make a donation to the project, so to help with this and to raise the profile of the project, we've created a page with all the information you could need on it. Click here to have a look. Help is still very much needed, so if you can lend a hand please get in touch! We'll keep you posted here about how we're getting on.
20/04/09Purification & a refurb'!
The offerings table set up for fasting retreat
Moving the statues from our Protector room
Moving the cabinet into the hall way
Beginning to decorate the Protector room
Last week was fasting retreat for Tara Centre's community, a time when we purify our negativity by engaging in the practice of 'Drop of Essential Nectar' and fasting for two days. Immediately after the retreat was finished we began the refurbishment of our 'Protector meditation room' - a project which is expected to take about six weeks and will result in the room looking incredibly beautiful. Tara Centre's Dharma Protector is Dorje Shugden, a Buddha appearing in a wrathful form to help us defeat the inner enemy of our delusions. Dorje Shugden also helps us by creating beneficial conditions for Buddha's teachings to spread and benefit people everywhere. So by beautifying this room we are creating the causes to pacify our negative minds and to help others do the same. If you would like to get involved in this vital work, either by volunteering some time or contributing towards the cost, please get in touch.
20/04/09Introducing: The faces behind Tara Centre - Peter
Peter working in Tara Centre's grounds
Tara Centre's community is not just the people who live here, it is everyone who contributes to her work of benefiting others. Working visitors are crucial to that work, making the day to day running of Tara Centre possible. For this latest 'Introducing...' we've interviewed Peter, who has been a regular working visitor at Tara Centre since last September:
Q: Firstly, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
A: I was married to Lynda my wife and we had two children, Kathryn & Adam. My wife died eight years ago and then my life, although I’d led a really active life up 'till then, took a bit of a turn for that. I traveled a lot, I went to Spain for a week and stayed three years, exploring different things, people, cultures, religions. I took early retirement from BT eight years ago & don’t intend working for money again.
Q: What brought you to Tara Centre?
A: About a year ago I started going to meditation classes in Shrewsbury, I saw the Tara Centre brochure advertising working visits, so I came for a week & stayed for three, then came back and did another six weeks.
Q: What sort of things do you get up to while you’re here?
A: It varies so much, there’s joining in with the courses, reading and then there’s the silence, I can do silence. I’ve been here five weeks this time & I’ve not picked up a newspaper & have only listened to my music once. My day’s full with work, my whole being at the moment is about cherishing others, I’m pretty practical and I feel like that’s what I’m doing - cherishing others. I’m mainly decorating, painting, making the rooms enjoyable for the people in them. I’ve worked with a tree surgeon in the grounds, sweeping, ironing, making beds, and just helping people out when they need it. I feel very happy & I think I’m doing some good!
Q: What keeps you coming back?
A: I’ve dedicated my year to visiting different centres, though Tara is my ‘home centre’. I’ve been to KMC Berlin, Malaga & I’m going to Manjushri KMC. There’s lots to learn, but I’m getting on with it, I have the opportunity, it’s there in front of me everyday. If you need it there’s the Sangha, all different types of courses, people & Teachers, which I thoroughly enjoy & I’m trying to take it in.
Q: Have you learnt anything at TC you’d like to share with others?
A: Something very good that came up in the ‘Basic Buddhism’ course was the Teacher said. ‘There’s a lot to learn & if there’s anything you’re not sure about you can put it on the shelf and when you feel ready take it back down & have a look at it.’ which is what I’ve been doing.
Q: What’s your fondest memory of being at TC
A: It may sound corny, but becoming a Buddhist. I found that all the things I heard from various people & Teachers were things that I could accept readily. What I’ve heard represents what I believe. Then there’s lots of funny moments, having a laugh at the dinner table, listening to anecdotes...
Q: Is there anything you’d like to say to anyone considering a working visit at Tara Centre?
A: I’d do it, it’s an enjoyable experience. The monks & the nuns are open to discussion on anything as is everybody and that in itself is worth the visit; to be able to talk. And the courses, get on the courses, have a look. So I’d say - ‘come, do your work, enjoy the people and if you get a chance to - take part in the courses.’
For more information on working visits click here
To read the other 'introducing...' articles please follow the links below:
Introducing the faces behind Tara Centre: Dionne
Introducing the faces behind Tara Centre: Khechog
Introducing the faces behind Tara Centre: Lekchog
Je Tsongkhapa empowerment & fundraiser
Last weekend Tara Centre hosted a Je Tsongkhapa empowerment. Je Tsongkhapa was an eminent Buddhist master who lived about 600 years ago and who completely revitalised Buddha Shakyamuni's teachings in Tibet. He taught an especially clear presentation of Buddha's teachings which clarified many misunderstandings prevalent at that time. Through relying upon these teachings thousands of people have attained enlightenment in a single lifetime. New Kadampa's are followers of Je Tsongkhapa and all of the teachings contained within Venerable Geshe-la's books are commentaries to Je Tsongkhapa's teachings. Because Je Tsongkhapa is an emanation of the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri, the Compassion Buddha Avalokiteshvara and the Buddha of Spiritual Power Vajrapani, by receiving his empowerment and relying upon him sincerely we will definitely increase these qualities in our own mind. Around eighty people received the empowerment and we wish them all the very best in their future practise.
Later this year at the annual UK Dharma Celebration hosted at Tara Centre there will be the opportunity to receive the empowerment of Buddha Amitayus, Buddha of long life, merit and wisdom. For more information about this click here.
Offerings to Je Tsongkhapa
The Wisdom Buddha Je Tsongkhapa (central statue)
Gen Kelsang Jigme teaching during the empowerment
Receiving teachings
Offering a traditional scarf called a 'katag'
to request the empowerment
Ruth Coulbeck leading one of the meditations during the weekend
On Monday night Tara Centre hosted a 'curry night fundraiser' to raise funds for the refurbishment of our Protector meditation room. Tara Centre's 'Dharma Protector' is Dorje Shugden, the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri appearing in a wrathful aspect to help us defeat our negative states of mind - the real cause of our problems. By making this room beautiful we will create the causes to be protected on our spiritual path and to increase our good qualities of wisdom, compassion and spiritual power. If you would like to contribute or get involved we would very much like to hear from you, please get in touch! We would like to thank everyone who attended for their contribution, in particular Mohan who donated & cooked all the delicious food consumed on the night - cheers Mo'!
Diners during the fundraiser
06/04/09A mind of compassion
Kelsang Khechog teaching the 'Clear Sky Mind' day course
Guests enjoying the grounds between retreat sessions
lunch time for over 100 people on Saturday
Last weekend Tara Centre hosted a day course and two centre retreats. Khedrubje and Heruka Kadampa Buddhist Centre's used Tara Centre as a venue for their retreats, with both centres meditating on methods to increase compassion. If this sounds good to you then Tara Centre has introduced short beginners retreats on specific topics which you can find out more about here. Alongside these two centre retreats we were hosting our own day course called 'Clear Sky Mind'. This course aimed to give a practical introduction to the topic of the mind, teaching simple meditation techniques to get to know our mind better and thus be able to control it and make ourselves happy. It was great, as always, to have Tara Centre full of people enjoying meditation, if you would like to join in with any courses we're running please get in touch
Spring comes to Tara Centre
Spring has arrived at Tara Centre, the daffs are out, the trees are blossoming and we've taken the garden benches & tables out of storage, painted them & put them out ready for people to use. We've posted some recent photos of the grounds in a Flickr gallery to give you a glimpse of how they're looking; you can view these by clicking here. Also, if any of you like the idea of helping out in the grounds we would very much like to hear from you - with 38 acres to manage help is always needed! Click here to get in touch.
Daffodils in Tara Centre's grounds
The huge redwood trees which line Tara Centre's main drive
Working to get the grounds ready after Winter
For more photo's of our how our grounds are looking at the moment click here
16/03/093 Courses
View more photo's from this weekend's courses on our Flickr gallery here.
Last weekend saw three events at Tara Centre: 'Stop the Week', our first 'Heritage Tour' of 2009 as well as our first ever 'Sew Simple' course. There were 35 people at 'Stop the Week' and everyone was in good spirits. After a relaxing meditation everyone moved into our World Peace Cafe to enjoy a delicious two course Italian meal of tri-colour salad and spinach and ricotta lasagne, lovingly prepared by our cafe volunteer Sharon. Towards the end of the evening there was a talk in one of the meditation rooms, answering questions about the various statues and items that can be seen there. At the end of the evening as people left there were many compliments and promises to return, we hope everyone enjoyed the evening and look forward to seeing people again at our next 'Stop the Week', which is in May and will be Thai style. Please note booking for 'Stop the Week' closes 48 hours before the event.
Tara Centre ran our first 'Heritage Tour' about two years ago in response to the many questions visitors ask us about the history of the building. The tour is evolving as we find out more information about the history and respond to feedback from those attending. This time around the tour benefited from some professional input from Helen, a cafe regular and friend of the centre who runs tours for a living. Helen guided the group around the centre and through the history of Ashe Hall. The tour finished with a walk around some of Tara Centre's meditation rooms, where Kelsang Khechog explained about some of what can be seen there as well as answering questions. Our next 'Heritage tour' is in August, click here to find out more.
Last but not least was our new 'Sew Simple' introductory sewing course. Tara Centre has had a sewing department for quite some time in order to provide robes for ordained Sangha world wide. As well as sewing robes the department also makes small items such as book covers and cushions for our shop and meditation rooms. By running these courses we hope to share some of the skills that are developed here and encourage people to get involved in this practical and enjoyable way. Our next 'Sew Simple' course is in August, you can find out more about this and our robe sewing course by clicking here.
View more photo's from this weekend's courses on our Flickr gallery here.
10/03/09The Guiding Light of Wisdom
Je Tsongkhapa - the founder of the New Kadampa Tradition
Waiting in the meditation room before session
We all need guidance when in unfamiliar terrain and nowhere is this more true than on the spiritual path. Last weekend Tara Centre's Resident Teacher Gen Kelsang Jigme led a retreat on the topic of 'reliance on the Spiritual Guide', explaining how we can find and then rely whole-heartedly on such a guide, without falling into the pitfalls of cynicism or blind faith. By meditating on these instructions those present were able to increase their confidence in relying upon their spiritual guide, or feel more able to engage in a search for such a person.
The weekend followed quite a relaxed schedule, leaving plenty of time for relaxation between sessions. On Saturday afternoon some of us went for a walk along one of the National Cycle Network routes which run alongside Tara Centre.
Walking in Tara Centre's grounds
On one of the 'National Cycle Network' paths
02/03/09Introducing: The faces behind Tara Centre - Dionne
The next in our series of 'introductions' to the faces at Tara Centre is Dionne Roberts. Dionne is a resident at Tara Centre, studying on our Teacher Training Programme and teaching our Loughborough drop-in meditation class.
Dionne cleaning one of Tara Centre's meditation rooms
Q: How long have you been practising Dharma (Buddha's teachings)?
A: 8 years
Q: What brought you to Dharma?
A: I was traveling and lots of people were recommending it, talking about the benefits & how beautiful it was, so I was intrigued. Then I hit a mentally difficult point when I was traveling, so I thought I’d give it a go and booked myself in for a retreat and loved it. When I came back to Britain I meditated every day for six months, but then needed to hear Dharma again. So I found the nearest Dharma Centre and started going. Then I went to the Spring Festival & from there I came to live at Tara Centre.
Q: So what sort of things do you do at Tara Centre?
A: At the moment girly odd jobs.
Q: What are ‘girly odd jobs’?!
A: I’m cleaning & ironing & serving people (we have plenty of women here who can lay floors and stuff, but at the moment I can only do light work).
Q: What work do you do outside the centre?
A: Lots of things! I teach yoga, do massage therapy & do care work both in a hospital & looking after a gentleman in his home.
Q: How do you find your Dharma practice integrates with your work outside the centre?
A: Brilliantly. The work that I do gives me the opportunity to practise cherishing others directly and therefore it’s really easy to combine the two and get inspired by my work to practise Dharma and by Dharma to practise my work.
Q: What one thing would you say to someone who was thinking about coming to Tara Centre?
A: It’s a great opportunity, try your best not to miss it.
To read the other 'introducing...' articles please follow the links below:
Introducing the faces behind Tara Centre: Peter
Introducing the faces behind Tara Centre: Khechog
Introducing the faces behind Tara Centre: Lekchog
Learn to Meditate Weekend Retreat
Kelsang Gema teaching at the weekend course
Learning to meditate
Forty or so people from all walks of life came together for our latest 'Learn to Meditate Weekend Retreat'. These weekends provide a wonderful opportunity to familiarise yourself with the rudiments of meditation, with guidance from experienced Teachers. Sharing the experience with like minded people is a big part of the weekend, and our World Peace Cafe opens late to give as much space as possible for socialising. Tara Centre's 38 acres of grounds are ideal if you do want some contemplative time alone, and are free to wander at any time. Thank you to everyone who came this weekend and gave us the opportunity to share what we have to offer!
Relaxing under the stairs in the main hall
Tara Centre's World Peace Cafe
Walking in Tara Centre's grounds
16/02/09Barista training at the World Peace Café
How to make a cappuccino
Our customers At the World Peace Café tell us we make one of the best cappuccino's for miles around. In order to make sure it stays that way we recently had a barista training day for cafe volunteers. Joining us for the training were members of the Heart Jewel Buddhist Centre community, who recently opened their own World Peace Café in Matlock Bath. In the above photograph you can see those attending being shown how the consistency of the coffee should be 'like silk'. We hope you put our training to the test soon!
09/02/09Keeping the Peace & Stop the Week!
Gen Jigme teaching at the day course on Saturday
Prayers at the beginning of the teaching
Anyone who has tried to meditate will tell you that overcoming distractions is the biggest obstacle to success. On Saturday Tara Centre's Resident Teacher Gen Kelsang Jigme addressed this challenge directly in our 'Keeping the Peace' day course. The seventy or so meditators, both new and experienced, who came along to listen were treated to a 'back to basics' explanation of where happiness and suffering come from. This grounding and inspiring teaching reminded us all of what it is we're trying to do as meditators: keep our mind focused on the real causes of happiness - positive minds. Gen Jigme then gave a practical and accessible explanation of how we can all achieve this through 'guarding the doors of our senses'. This practice, he explained, would allow us to engage in all our usual activities peacefully and joyfully, protecting ourselves from boredom and suffering. You can find out more about practices such as these by attending one of our drop-in meditation classes
We'd also recommend the books Transform Your Life and How to Solve Our Human Problems if you're interested in finding out more.
Relaxing after the meditation in our World Peace Cafe
Happy diners!
This day course came the day after one of our regular 'Stop the Week!' events. This time Ruth Coulbeck led a simple and relaxing breathing meditation before everyone went through to our World Peace Cafe for a delicious Indian meal. The food was cooked by Sharon, a volunteer in the World Peace Cafe who is bringing her considerable culinary skills to bear in helping Tara Centre to spread inner peace. For our March 'Stop the Week!' Sharon will be cooking a two course Italian meal (click here to view the menu) and towards the end of the evening we will be providing a tour of a couple (we have five!) of our meditation rooms. The menu for the May 'Stop the Week!' will be announce soon.
Introducing: The faces behind Tara Centre - Khechog
Kelsang Khechog
Q: What brought you to Buddhism?
A: I'd been trying to forge my own spiritual path, refusing stubbornly to get support from anyone - but I failed miserably and finally had to admit I needed help! Shortly afterwards I came to Tara Centre on a working visit and found everyone down-to-earth and happy to answer whatever questions I had. I can remember sitting with the community and laughing my head off for the first time in a long time! I clicked with the teachings straight away and the more benefit I got the more I wanted to be involved - that process is ongoing - which I love!
Q: What is it you do here?
A: At the moment I'm helping to get Tara Centre better known and to make her a bit less 'mysterious'. We are a bit of an unknown quantity to lots of people, but once they get here they see just how accessible and open we are - we really have a lot to offer everyone. I'm working on publicity, building connections with our community - things like that.
Q: What does a typical day involve for you?
A: I'm not sure any day at Tara Centre is typical! Depending on where we are in the year I can be on retreat, studying, teaching, designing publicity, gardening, waitering at a 'Stop the Week', or just chatting to someone who's walked through the door with lots of questions. But every day has meditation & prayers at its heart.
Q: What does your name mean?
A: Fortunate Superior Scholar (it's Geshe-la's way of getting me to study!).
Q: What's the one thing you'd like everyone to know about Tara Centre?
A: It's for everyone.
To read the other 'introducing...' articles please follow the links below:
Introducing the faces behind Tara Centre: Peter
Introducing the faces behind Tara Centre: Dionne
Introducing the faces behind Tara Centre: Lekchog
Introducing: The faces behind Tara Centre - Lekchog
What is Tara Centre?’ One answer to this question is, ‘Tara Centre is her community.’ The people who live here, visit here - any one who contributes towards Tara Centre and her goals can be said to be part of what makes Tara Centre what she is. We thought you might be interested to know a bit more about some of those people, so we’re going to occasionally post a brief introduction to some of the faces you might see if you were to visit. Starting with...
Kelsang Lekchog
Lekchog has only been at Tara Centre for a few months, but has been practicing Kadampa Buddhism for over ten years, including stints as both Administrative Director and Education Programme
Co-ordinator at Gyaltsabje Buddhist Centre in Sheffield. Lekchog teaches our Derby branch.
Q: What brought you to Tara Centre?
A: I decided to come here because it’s a large community - a well established centre - and I wanted to be part of a bigger centre, one that holds a lot of courses. Tara Centre’s a beautiful place, I’d been here before and I felt it was a good place for me to move forward in my spiritual development.
Q: What is it you do here?
A: I’m the Barn B&B manager, amongst other things!
Q: What have you found most rewarding about life at Tara Centre?
A: Being around other people who are really trying to put the teachings into practice & are very supportive - trying to develop their own practise & help others - just a nice, warm, friendly community.
Q: What are the main challenges you have here?
A: Trying to keep a happy mind even when things get busy!
Q: What does your name mean?
A: Fortunate Supreme Merit.
Q: What is the one thing you would say to someone contemplating a visit to Tara Centre?
A: I’d say come here - it’s beautiful & there is nowhere quite like it!
To read the other 'introducing...' articles please follow the links below:
Introducing the faces behind Tara Centre: Peter
Introducing the faces behind Tara Centre: Dionne
Introducing the faces behind Tara Centre: Khechog
Tara Centre - keep in touch
Tara Centre's new look email newsletter
We're making lots of efforts at the moment to make sure it's easy to stay informed about what's going on at Tara Centre and to this end we've revamped our e-mail newsletter. The newsletter contains information on upcoming courses, 'Words of Wisdom' - a monthly quote picked to inspire you in your daily life and news of the latest happenings at Tara Centre. Mail outs are sent about once a month and ensure you can be part of what's going on at Tara Centre even if you're very busy or very distant. To subscribe, simply click here and enter your e-mail address in the field at the bottom of the page.
Winter retreat - a month of stillness
Venerable Atisha (AD 982 - 1054)
the founder of the Kadampa tradition
January is a time of retreat for Kadampa's world wide - a time when we move away from worldly activities and emphasise a particular spiritual practice. For us at Tara Centre this practice is the 'Lamrim', a special presentation of all of Buddha's teachings compiled by the great Indian Buddhist yogi Atisha (see the picture above). New Kadampas hold the Lamrim as being particularly precious, as it provides the framework we need in order to apply Buddha's teachings to our every day life.
Previous to the Lamrim there was no clear guide explaining the sequence in which Buddha's teachings were meant to be practised and each practitioner had to confront the massive task of figuring this out for themselves. With the inception of the Lamrim, Atisha made Buddha's teachings accessible and applicable to anyone with a sincere wish to practice them, so it is in fact Atisha we have to thank for so much of our opportunity to practice Buddha's teachings today.
If you would like to join us for retreat this January, please contact our Education Programme Co-ordinator and she will discuss with you what is involved.
New Year at Tara Centre
Gen Kelsang Jigme teaching during the New Year course
A traditional katag offering as thanks for the teachings
People enjoying themselves in our World Peace Café
on New Years Eve
A Bodhisattva is a person who has devoted their life to attaining enlightenment for the sake of all living beings. Tara Centre's 2008 - 2009 New Year course was all about how we can develop such a courageous aspiration and put it into practise in our busy modern lives. Our Resident Teacher Gen Kelsang Jigme first granted the Bodhisattva Vow, the formal declaration of our wish to benefit all living beings by attaining enlightenment, and then proceeded to give beautifully clear, profound and accessible teachings on 'the six perfections'.
The six perfections are the actual method for putting our Bodhichitta wish into action. They are the perfections of: Giving, moral discipline, patience, effort, concentration and wisdom.
Gen Jigme helped everyone present to understand better the nature and benefits of these six wonderful practices and inspired us all to make sincere efforts to bring them into our lives.
Seeing in 2009 with Tara Chanting
In accordance with Tara Centre tradition, we saw in the New Year with six session Tara Chanting. Using the prayers 'Liberation From Sorrow', we made praises and requests to Arya Tara, the female Buddha after whom Tara Centre is named. These prayers were repeated six times over twenty four hours, creating a special auspiciousness for the coming year.
We pray that 2009 brings wisdom and peace to everyone in this world. Happy New Year!
Click here for a New Years greeting on the New Kadampa Tradition website.