I am feeling as Shanti as Shanti can be after a 9-day Buddhist retreat on “Karma and Emptiness” at Tushita Meditation Centre in Dharamsala.
Like the Lam Rim retreat I did in Nepal in November last year, this retreat is in the Mahayanan tradition of Buddhism and Gelug lineage of the Dalai Lama.
My teacher, Venerable Robina Courtin, was nothing short of amazing as she conveyed the Buddha’s teachings on the essential and difficult topic of emptiness. So much of what has eluded me or simply sat with me as purely intellectual moved to a new level of learning during this retreat. Don’t get me wrong I am far from enlightenment (but you have to aim high) and I feel immense gratitude for receiving these important teachings, especially from a teacher who shoots from the hip and isn’t interested in stroking spiritual egos.
A member of the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Traditions (FPMT), Tushita Buddhist Meditation Centre is located in a beautiful forest up the hill from Mcleod Ganj- the home of the Dalai Lama. They run retreats all year including the popular Introduction to Buddhism, intermediate (like I have done) and advanced level courses.
If you are coming to India and looking for a place where you can learn or expand your understanding of Buddhism and your self, I highly recommend Tushita. There is also a Vipassana Centre, Sikhara Dhamma near by that I have not been to, but be worth looking into as well.
May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering … may all sentient beings be happy.
Om, Dani
www.thatgirldani.com
