Advice from Atisha's Heart - Guided Retreat with Gen Kelsang Rigden

Have you ever wondered how it is possible to be happy when our life is filled with so many difficulties - difficult people, a stressful job, and all the problems and complications of our personal and family life?

In this special weekend event, visiting guest teacher Gen Kelsang Rigden will answer this question by guiding us into retreat on an ancient teaching called 'Advice from Atisha's Heart'. Although this text, by the 11th century great Buddhist master Atisha, was taught a thousand years ago, its practical advice for living a happy life remains as relevant today for busy, modern people as it did for people in the 11th century.

In his Advice, Atisha says:

• Since hatred is rife in these impure times, don the armour of patience, free from anger.
• You remain in samsara through the power of laziness, therefore ignite the fire of the effort of application.
• Since this human life is wasted by indulging in distractions, now is the time to practise concentration.
• Being under the influence of wrong views you do not realize the ultimate nature of things, therefore investigate correct meanings.

In this retreat, Gen Rigden will unpack the meaning of these special verses and give us an opportunity to learn and gain meditation experience of:

• How to protect ourself from anger with the armour of patience
• The unique opportunity to improve ourself that we have as human beings, and how to take full advantage of this
• How to develop lasting happiness, and solve our daily problems, through training in concentration and contemplating how things actually exist

Suitable for complete beginners and experienced meditators alike - and you can join for the whole weekend, or just one day of the retreat. Everybody welcome!

The retreat will be based on teachings from the NKT International Summer Festival 2025 at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre. It's recommend you attend this, but not essential to enjoy this retreat.