Urban Retreat:
Awakening in the Modern World
with Venerable Losang Gendun
After the Buddha’s passing, subsequent generations of his followers gradually became more despondent about the possibility of becoming enlightened. Like most older generations, they thought that the world was becoming increasingly degenerate. Our times are no different. Great lay disciples of the Buddha, like Anathapindika, a billionaire in his time, offer us a different perspective: a caring motivation and our mind’s innate qualities of awakening can transform the challenges of our times into freedom of mind and boundlessness of heart.
Discover how we can flourish and persevere for the welfare of the web of life on which we depend. This weekend retreat of grounded vipassana (or, insight meditation) will explore the awakening factors, embedded in the caring and courageous attitude of the bodhisattva. Good food, excellent company, and plenty of space for Q&A are included. We will end the retreat with an opportunity to take or renew Refuge and Bodhisattva vows. To learn more about Refuge and Bodhisattva vows, please click here.
Additional Materials
Prayers for Bodhisattva Vow Ceremony (PDF)
About the Teacher
Venerable Losang Gendun has dedicated nearly four decades to practicing Buddhism and has served as a Bhikshu (Buddhist monk) in the Tibetan tradition for the past 18 years. Prior to his ordination, he worked in diverse fields such as palliative care, technology, refugee organizations, and commercial management. His extensive training includes ten years of studying Buddhist philosophy and practice in monasteries across France, India, Nepal, and Myanmar. Additionally, he spent over four years in retreat, immersing himself in Tibetan sutra and tantra, as well as the Burmese Theravada Forest Tradition.
For the last 15 years, Ven. Gendun has been a dedicated teacher, sharing his knowledge of Buddhist philosophy, psychology, and meditation worldwide. He serves the aspirations of H.H. the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche as part of the FPMT (Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition). Ven. Gendun is also a member of Mind & Life Europe, a multidisciplinary laboratory that brings together researchers and contemplative practitioners to explore the nature of experience.
Beyond his Buddhist affiliations, Ven. Gendun serves as an interreligious canon at the Peace Cathedral in Tbilisi, Georgia, and feels at home at a Mevlavi Sufi dargah in Istanbul. In 2023, he founded The Buddha Project, which engages in long-term guidance for Buddhist meditators, scientific research, art projects, and intercontemplative social engagement.
