Heal Your Mind Awaken Your Compassion
Feel free to participate in just one day or both days.

We celebrate Buddha’s Enlightenment Day with this special fasting and purification retreat performed in conjunction with Thousand Armed Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion.

This practice is very powerful for pacifying our unpeaceful, suffering minds such as desirous attachment and hatred. It is also a special method for receiving blessings and improving our experience of love and compassion. Kadampa centers worldwide offer this retreat at this time of year and everyone is welcome to participate. Please note this practice includes making prostrations – a mental exercise in which we develop faith and respect for enlightened beings. For those who wish to express this mental prostration with a half or full-length physical prostration, comfortable clothing is recommended.

Introduction Wednesday 6:30 pm
Wednesday April 12th, 6:30 pm – Introduction (Mandatory if you have not done this retreat previously)

Retreat Schedule for Friday & Saturday
Must take precepts each morning you wish to participate in the retreat

6:30 am Precepts

7:30 am Session 1

10:30 am Session 2

12:30 pm Lunch

2:30 pm Session 3

Please read about the precepts.

Everyone is Welcome!

About the Fast

Usually this practice is done over two days, with the eight Mahayana precepts being taken at the beginning of each day. 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 twenty-four hours. On both days, we do three sessions of the puja – one first thing in the morning, one before lunch, and one late in the afternoon. If we wish, we can repeat the pattern of the two days many times. Those who are unable to engage in a complete fast can participate in the puja on the second day, provided they take the eight Mahayana precepts on that day and again only have lunch.

Both days we avoid the so-called “black foods” such as alcohol, meat, eggs, onion, garlic, or spices. Coffee and tea are ok.