Vajrasattva Practice in preparation for retreat

Lama Zopa Rinopoche says we would be "crazy" not to do purification practice every day. Vajrasattva purification practice is based on the four opponent powers (regret, refuge, remedy and resolve) and is a powerful daily practice to help make the mind happier about mistakes and purify negative karma. Kadampa Center will offer a Vajrasattva retreat July 24-26, led by Center founder Don Brown.  Geshe Gelek has taught the basics of Vajrasattva practice monthly since February and strongly encourages students to attend this retreat to get a deeper experience of the practice.

Don has very kindly offered to lead this session in advance so that anyone who plans to attend the retreat can learn the practice and visualizations and begin to fold them into their daily practice.  This preparation will provide for a deeper experience at the retreat.

Why is purification important? Don cites the analogy that Venerable Robina Courtin makes – purifying our minds is like pulling the weeds in a garden. It would be foolish to pour hours of labor pruning, fertilizing and watering a flowerbed while allowing the weeds to flourish and choke out the flowers. Just as a flowerbed can’t bloom and grow without pulling weeds, so our minds can’t make much real progress without purifying negative karma.