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The Eight Auspicious Symbols meditation challenge

January 17, 2024 @ 7:00 pm - January 20, 2024 @ 8:30 pm

 

The Eight Auspicious Symbols meditation challenge

The topic of the 2024 January meditation challenge is the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism. The Eight Auspicious Symbols together symbolize the spiritual path that leads to freedom from suffering and the permanent inner peace of enlightenment. By gaining personal experience of the meaning of each symbol in meditation we can solve our human problems, experience true inner happiness and finally become a source of benefit for all beings. Join Resident Teacher, Kadam Mick Marcon as he explains and guides meditations on the meaning of each symbol.


Teacher

Kadam Mick Marcon is the Resident Teacher at Losang Dragpa Kadampa Buddhist Centre in Newcastle and has been practising meditation and Buddhism since 2004. With his clear understanding of Buddha’s teachings and down-to-earth manner, he inspires us to develop a pure mind, thereby uncovering for ourself a deep contentment and happiness. Mick teaches weekly drop-in classes, our courses and retreats, as well as the Foundation Program.

 

 

Cost & Bookings

Book online ALL FOUR DAYS: $40 ($35 conc, LDKBC members free) for all four nights.

Drop-in prices per night: $12 ($10 conc, LDKBC member free).

 

Details

Start:
January 17, 2024 @ 7:00 pm
End:
January 20, 2024 @ 8:30 pm

Venue

Losang Dragpa Centre
36 Texas St.
Mayfield, NSW 2304 Australia + Google Map

Day Courses

 

Take a day out to immerse yourself in meditation and Buddhist teachings. Explore a specific topic in more detail at one of our monthly one-day meditation courses at held at our Centre or various locations throughout Newcastle

Day courses offer practical solutions to everyday problems of modern living and are suitable for everyone!

Courses consist of teachings and guided meditations. Refreshments are served between sessions.

 

 

 

What is Retreat?

In our busy modern life we lack the calm and stillness conducive to maintaining a happy and peaceful state of mind.  To regain a balance people are drawn to peaceful and quiet places where they can withdraw for a short time and renew their energy – in short, they go on retreat.  On retreat we devote our time to meditation and contemplation – it is a time to acquaint our minds with positive and meaningful thoughts.

“On retreat we stop all forms of business and extraneous activ­ities so as to emphasize a particular spiritual practice. There are three kinds of retreat: physical, verbal and mental. We engage in physical retreat when with a spiritual motivation we isolate ourself from other people, activities and noise, and disengage from extraneous and meaningless actions. We engage in verbal retreat when with a spiritual motivation we refrain from meaningless talk and periodically keep silence. We engage in mental retreat by preventing distractions and strong delusions such as attachment, anger, jealousy and strong self-grasping from arising, and by maintaining mindfulness and conscientiousness.

If we remain in physical and verbal retreat but fail to observe mental retreat, our retreat will have little power. Such a retreat may be relaxing, but if we do not prevent strong delusions from arising, our mind will not be at peace, even on retreat. However, keeping physical and verbal retreat will help us to keep mental retreat, and for this reason Shantideva, in Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, praises the first two kinds of retreat.”

Excerpt From: The New Guide to Dakini Land – Geshe Kelsang Gyatso