On the occasion of his visit to Europe, Dechen Chöling is welcoming the Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche for a festival that each year becomes the meeting ground for a deepening of the ties between practice and meditation, our field of spirituality, and the transformation of our society.

It will be a time to celebrate and relax, a time to practice - individually and as a group - and reflect on our relationship to ourselves, our society and our world.


Our world is changing. We seem to be at the end of a utopia of unlimited growth, a utopia that is new to our history. Much more than an economic question, it’s becoming clear that our criteria for development and our vision of society need to be entirely reconsidered. The Sakyong tells us that it is precisely in these moments, of deep human suffering, that humanity wakes up its curiosity towards our nature and destiny.

What is this nature and destiny? It is not simply a question of survival, but a much bigger challenge:
Is a society based on compassion and sharing even possible?

Sakyong Mipham will develop this theme, which is central to Shambhala. As a personal and social experiment, the ancient practice of meditation opens the path to discovering the Basic Goodness that exists in all of us. This gives us the courage to face suffering and free ourselves from fear. The whole society could rediscover compassion, and speak from the heart.

I will be attending this event if anyone would like to join me, we could make collective travel arrangements - from Geneva.

http://www.dechencholing.org/calendar/life-celebration-shambhala-meditation-festival-16-08-2015

Program details: http://www.dechencholing.org/sites/default/files/DCL_SMR2015_4p_EN(3).pdf