Ken Holmes
Tuesday 15 November to Wednesday 23 November
Ken Holmes teaches from a heart space of great care and warmth, humility and humour. He is one of the lineages most experienced teachers and Buddhist practitioners, having taught for over 35 years internationally. He has spent years studying Dharma under the greatest masters of the Kagyu tradition, including the teachings of Mahamudra, under Chöje Akong Rinpoché and Tai Situpa Rinpoché. He is the Director of Studies at Kagyu Samye Ling, and has produced many translations of key Tibetan texts. Ken is based in France, and spends his time travelling to the Samye Ling centres in Europe, South Africa and Zimbabwe giving teachings. Ken also interprets for visiting Tibetan lamas and teachers.
For more about Ken, read here.
Please note: Course fees: Students and pensioners – 50% discount for those who cannot afford the full fees. The fees charged are kept as low as possible, but we need to cover travel and other costs for hosting the teacher. Please do not let your inability to pay for the course stop u from attending – please contact the office for more info.
| DHARMACARYA KEN HOLMES – KSDJ NOVEMBER 2016 | ||
| Tue 15 Nov
7:30 to 9:00 pm
Evening Talk |
Many Paths of Awakening
An overview of what Tibetan Buddhism has to offer modern people in a modern world. Besides discussing basic attitudes to life and ethics appropriate for everyone, Ken will sketch out the options for those keen for more profound work on themselves. These consist of the two great “paths” of dharma—the path to a total end to suffering or a path beyond even that, to becoming like the Buddha. |
R100 (R80 members)
+ Teacher’s dana |
| Thu 17 Nov
7:30 to 9:00 pm Evening Talk |
Basic Humanity & Essential Wisdom
This develops one aspects shown briefly in Tuesday’s “Many Paths” talk. Ken will offer reflections on the basic Buddhist attitude to oneself, to this life in general and towards our fellow beings, either with belief in karma and rebirth or without it. |
R100 (R80 members)
+ Teacher’s dana |
| Sat 19 Nov
10:30 am – 4:00pm Day Retreat Bring and share veg lunch |
Poisons and Nectars
Ken will introduce some basics of Buddhist psychology, in terms of what poisons life for ourselves and others and what remedies the poisons and transforms them into inner healing and well-being. |
R250 per day
(R200 members) + Teacher’s dana
Both days R400 (R320 members) + Teacher’s dana |
| Sun 20 Nov
10:30 am – 4:00pm Day Retreat Bring and share veg lunch |
A Special Kagyu Approach to Very Short Forms of Daily Practice
This will use the famous Kagyu Short Prayer to Vajradhara to help establish a simple, clear-cut approach to the most common daily Vajrayana practices, such as Chenrezik, Tara, Guru Rinpoche, Medicine Buddha and Amitabha practices, with a view to making them as useful and do-able as possible. This should be very helpful for those who received empowerments recently from Minya Rinpoche. |
|
| Tue 22 Nov
7:30 to 9:00 pm Evening Talk |
Reflections on Meditation Session 1: A Moral Compass for the Journey of Mindfulness.
Secular forms of mindfulness are proving themselves very beneficial to our modern times. They open a door to self-discovery which can be an ideal basis for further work of human psychological or spiritual maturity, be it Buddhist or that of another value-system. Ken will help us have more of a Buddhist birds-eye view on mindfulness and, more generally, concentration meditation (shamatha). |
R100 (R80 members)
+ Teacher’s dana |
| Wed 23 Nov
6:00 to 7:00 pm |
Farewell Supper for Ken
Bring and share meal |
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| Wed 23 Nov
7:30 to 9:00 pm Evening Talk |
Reflections on Meditation Session 2: A Profound Tradition of Meditation.
Reflections on the Kagyu lineage and the role of spiritual “transmission” within it, either in general or through empowerment. |
R100 (R80 members)
+ Teacher’s dana |