Meditation Courses, Retreats & Events

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NKT Day - Supreme Good Fortune

Saturday 6 April 2024

At Heruka Kadampa Meditation Centre, Golders Green

With Kadam John McBretney

The first Saturday in April commemorates the founding of NKT–IKBU by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche in 1991. We remember the extraordinary kindness of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso in founding NKT–IKBU.

At Heruka KMC we will be engaging in a short retreat using the sadhana, Hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land accoring to Highest Yoga Tantra, and the special prayer, Request to the Holy Spiritual Guide Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche from his Faithful Disciples. The retreat will conclude with Wishfulfilling Jewel with Tsog on the last session of the retreat.

"You who take on the great responsibility of caring in every way for the doctrine and migrators,
Giving to everyone equally, without discrimination, the precious opportunity to accomplish one’s own purpose and the purpose of others;
O Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka,
Please remain at my heart forever,
So that all directions will be pervaded by your matchless, excellent deeds."

Retreat Schedule

  • Session 1 - 9am - 10.30am
  • Session 2 - 11.15am - 12.45am
  • Session 3 - 2.30pm - 4pm
  • WFJ with tsog - 5pm - 6.15pm

Kadam John McBretney, the Resident Teacher of Heruka KMC, will give brief guidance in the first three sessions. Kadam John has studied and practised Kadampa Buddhism for many years under the guidance of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

This is an in-person event suitable for everybody.

The event is free for members, lunch is £5 for everybody. Become a member.

£10.00
£5.00

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Avalokiteshvara Fasting & Purification Retreat ~ Nyungnay

With Kadam John McBretney

Saturday 13 to Sunday 14 April 2024

This special fasting and purification retreat is performed in conjunction with the meditation practice of thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion. Engaging in this retreat is very powerful for purifying negative karma of body, speech and mind and for pacifying strong delusions such as desirous attachment and hatred. It is also a special method for receiving the blessings of Buddha and improving our experience of love, compassion and bodhichitta.

On both days Kadam John will grant Mahayana precepts at 6.30am where we take vows to abstain from certain actions for 24 hours. Everyone attending the retreat will need to take precepts at 6.30am. For Mahayana precepts we use the sadhana called A Pure Life, available from Tharpa UK.

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 will do three sessions of meditation, combining prostrations with chanted meditation. Those who are unable to engage in a complete fast can still participate in the sessions on the second day by abstaining from all meals apart from lunch.

For each session we will engage in the Drop of Essential Nectar sadhana with time for visualizations and mantra recitation as explained in the sadhana. We have some copies of the sadhana to borrow, but you might like to consider buying your own.

Session times, both days
Mahayana Precepts: 6.30 to 7.15am
Session 1: 8am – 9.15am
Session 2: 10.30am – 11.45am
Session 3: 3.00pm – 4.15pm

This is an in-person event.

Free for members. Become a member.

£20.00
£5.00

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The Transformative Power of Tantra

Saturday 27 April 2024,10am to 1.15pm

At Heruka Kadampa Meditation Centre, Golders Green

With Kadam John McBretney

All of us have the potential to experience lasting peace and happiness.  To accomplish this, we need to practice Tantra, the quick path to enlightenment. Buddha’s Tantric teachings are methods that harness the imagination born from wisdom to produce powerful and profound inner transformations.

We use our imagination to begin our journey, but then through continuous training our pure imagination becomes reality.   We will become a being beyond suffering and problems, and have the ability to lead everyone to that same state. How wonderful! Find out more by joining us on this course led by Kadam John McBretney.

You will discover:

  • What Tantra is and how it works
  • The meaning of deep lasting happiness
  • Ripening your inner potential

Includes teachings and guided meditation, with time for Q&A.
Delicious lunch available.

Everybody welcome!

Event Schedule

  • Registration - 9.30am - 10am
  • Session 1 - 10am - 11.15am
  • Break - 11.15am - 11.45am
  • Session 2 - 11.45am - 1.15pm

Teacher

Kadam John McBretney has studied and practised Kadampa Buddhism for 30 years under the guidance of his teacher Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

Through his experience of putting Buddha’s advice into practice, he presents the teachings in a clear and practical way that inspires us to develop inner peace, happiness and wisdom.

This is an in-person event suitable for everybody.

The event is free for members. Become a member.

£25.00
£5.00

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A Positive, Joyful Mind retreat

Saturday 4 May 2024, 10am to 1.15pm

At Heruka Kadampa Meditation Centre, Golders Green

With Kadam Ai Peng McBretney

Meditation is a powerful tool for finding peace and happiness in our lives. In this retreat, you’ll learn techniques to help you cultivate a positive and joyful mindset, no matter what life throws your way.
These practices will help you develop a deeper connection to your inner self and tap into a source of joy and positivity that you can draw from in difficult times.

You will discover:

  • Meditations to help you be joyful
  • How to respond to difficulties positively
  • How to protect you mind from becoming negative

Led by Kadam Ai Peng McBretney. Includes teachings and guided meditation, with time for Q&A.
Delicious lunch available.

Everybody welcome!

Event Schedule

  • Registration - 9.30am - 10am
  • Session 1 - 10am - 11.15am
  • Break - 11.15am - 11.45am
  • Session 2 - 11.45am - 1.15pm

Teacher - Kadam Ai Peng McBretney

Kadam Ai Peng McBretney, the Resident Teacher of Duldzin Dragpa Centre, has studied and practised Kadampa Buddhism for many years under the guidance of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

Through her experience of putting Buddha’s advice into practice, she presents the teachings in a clear and practical way that inspires us to develop inner peace, happiness and wisdom.

This is an in-person event suitable for everybody.

The event is free for members, lunch is £5 for everybody. Become a member.

£25.00
£5.00

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How to Stop Overthinking

Saturday 18 May 2024, 10am to 1.15pm

At Heruka Kadampa Meditation Centre, Golders Green

With Kadam John McBretney

Do you find it hard to quieten your mind and just let go? While we all need to think – to reflect, understand and make decisions – sometimes we can end up overthinking. Our thoughts become repetitive, negative, unclear or stuck.  We find it hard to ‘switch off’, which can be exhausting and unproductive.

Buddha’s insight into the nature and function of the mind can help. Certain meditations in particular can help us to balance our thoughts and feel calmer as we navigate our busy, modern world with all its stress and stimulation.

You will discover how to:

  • Identify unhelpful thoughts
  • Gain mental clarity and freedom
  • Protect your mind from stress, worry and anxiety

Includes teachings and guided meditation, with time for Q&A.
Delicious lunch available.

Everybody welcome!

Event Schedule

  • Registration - 9.30am - 10am
  • Session 1 - 10am - 11.15am
  • Break - 11.15am - 11.45am
  • Session 2 - 11.45am - 1.15pm

Teacher

Kadam John McBretney has studied and practised Kadampa Buddhism for 30 years under the guidance of his teacher Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

Through his experience of putting Buddha’s advice into practice, he presents the teachings in a clear and practical way that inspires us to develop inner peace, happiness and wisdom.

This is an in-person event suitable for everybody.

The event is free for members. Become a member.

£25.00
£5.00

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Post-Spring Festival Guided Retreat

Accomplishing the Great Power and Joy of the Wisdom Dharma Protector

At Heruka Kadampa Meditation Centre

With Resident Teacher, Kadam John McBretney

8 - 9 June 2024

This meditation retreat will follow the empowerment and teachings given at the International Spring Festival 2024 by Gen-la Jampa.

We will make a special connection with the enlightened Buddha, Dorje Shugden, who is the Dharma Protector of our tradition. Through this connection Dorje Shugden will dispel obstacles to our spiritual practice and create the conditions necessary for us to attain spiritual realisations.

The retreat teacher, Kadam John McBretney, has been practising Kadampa Buddhism for 30 years.

This in-person retreat is suitable for all levels –  Everybody is welcome.

Lunch is available each day for £5.

Schedule

Saturday 8 June and Sunday 9 June
Session 1: 9am - 10.15am
Session 2: 11.15am - 12.30pm
Session 3: 2:30pm - 3:45pm
Session 4: 4:45pm - 6.00pm

The retreat is free for members.

£35.00
£5.00


FAQs about meditation courses

Everyone is welcome

"Happiness is a part of the mind that experiences inner peace, or peace of mind, so the real source of happiness must lie within the mind, not in external conditions."

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

"When the turbulence of distracting thoughts subsides and our mind becomes still, a deep happiness and contentment naturally arises from within.” 

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso