WEEKEND RETREAT
Silent Compassion in a Mind-Made World
with Venerable Losang Gendun
The Buddha famously said, “All experience is preceded by mind, led by mind and made by mind.” Realistically, experience is all that we have. In that sense, our world is like a web of mind-mirrors reflecting each other and the objects of our thoughts.
It is in those thoughts though that we easily get lost, polarized, angered, and addicted. Trying to remedy this challenge simply with more opinions, identities and attachments is the dead-end that we are by now familiar with. Lost in our hall of mirrors, we all seek for the exit.
Our retreat will focus on calming the mind and opening the heart, as a window to living frictionless in the world, where our well-being is intimately interwoven with those of others. Focusing our attention on our heart’s capacity for joy, kindness and care, we will cultivate a wholesome way of being in the world as an oasis, where the thirsty can be replenished.
Our days will consist of silent meditation, with Dharma talks and time for Q&A in the evenings.
Garrison Institute is a peaceful retreat center located in Garrison,
NY. It is located around 75 minutes away from Grand Central Station via Metro North, with free shuttle service from the Garrison Metro North Station to/from the Institute.
Five Buddhist Precepts
During the retreat, we request everyone to observe the five lay precepts: to refrain from killing (including insects), stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and taking intoxicants (drugs, alcohol and cigarettes). We also encourage retreaters to refrain from wearing perfume and other strong scents, as fellow retreaters may be allergic.
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.
