free public talks: choose happiness

Suitable for everyone beginners and practised meditators alike, join us for an introduction to Buddhist meditation and teachings, with practical ideas on how you can use them to bring more peace and happiness into your life. We all have the potential and inner resources to become, happier, kinder and more peaceful - and the inner strength to gradually reduce those negative feelings which cause us so much pain. Modern Buddhism provides practical, constructive and effective ways in which we can gradually train our mind - so that we really can 'choose happiness' rather than being buffeted around by external circumstances over which we don't have control.

• • • • Whanganui - February 4
      • Palmerston North - February 5
      • Feilding - February 12
      • Levin - March 2

When the turbulence of distracting thoughts subsides, and our mind becomes still, a deep happiness and contentment naturally arises from within. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - The New Meditation Handbook.

Our programmes are open to everyone - newcomers and experienced meditators, young, old, working, retired, individuals and families. We welcome people from all faiths and those who do not subscribe to any faith. You do not have to be a Buddhist to take part in our programme and to benefit from it.

The Amitabha Centre was established in Palmerston North by Gen Kelsang Demo in 2004, and over the next 15 years, until her death in late 2019, she worked hard establishing classes in a number of centres across the central north island, and in a variety of community settings (e.g: prisons, tertiary education centres, health service providers, the council and so on). Her mission was to make dharma accessible and meaningful to as many people as possible.

She was unfailingly kind, patient and non-judgemental; her teachings were clear and inclusive; and she always encouraged her students to ask questions and make dharma relevant to the difficulties that each of us face in negotiating our way through this very complex, busy and often difficult modern world.

Perhaps one of her greatest strengths as a teacher, was her own demonstrated commitment to putting dharma into practice and using it to help her maintain a peaceful mind and generous heart, as well as meet challenges and difficulties with patience and inner strength: she really did ‘walk the talk’ – and helped many of us start to walk this path too.

Thank you Gen Demo - we hold you in a special place in our hearts and remember you with love. We were so very fortunate to have spent time with you.