Question asked by Eden
Dear pastors
1) I am interested to do some small retreats. Can you guide and teach me?
2) Recently I had adopted a pet. Can you guide me on how to not be to attach to my pet? As i do not want to be too sad when my pet pass away.
3) Recently i find myself wanting to buy new phone, laptops and clothes eventho i do not need them. Can you guide me on how to reduce this urge to buy new things?
Dear Eden,
We are very happy to hear that you are interested in doing retreats. We have a couple of articles on how to do retreats based on deity practice:
> Tsongkhapa retreat: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tsongkhapa/tsongkhapa-retreat-instructions-and-prayer-text.html
> Manjushri retreat: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/all-about-manjushri.html
> Dorje Shugden retreat: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/dorje-shugden-retreat-a-powerful-practice-to-fulfill-wishes.html
> Tsem Rinpoche’s Name Mantra Retreat: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/instructions-for-tsem-rinpoches-name-mantra-retreat.html
If you are interested in doing a retreat on another deity (as long as it is one that does require initiation to practice), you can email care@kechara.com and ask to be put into direct contact with a Kechara Pastor who can guide you further.
In regards to reducing attachment to your pet and also the urge to buy and acquire new things, the antidote to this would be meditation and contemplation on impermanence. You can read more about this in the Lamrim texts. The main text we use in Kechara is called Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand. It is available for order here: https://www.vajrasecrets.com/lamrim-liberation-in-the-palm-of-your-hand. Alternatively, you may be able to find it in major book shops that have large sections on Buddhism.
There is a short article about contemplation on the impermanence and death here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/current-affairs/supreme-contemplation.html. While it may sound morbid and depressing, it is actually quite liberating, because through meditation on death and impermanence, we begin to realise that they were we view others, our family, friends, pets, etc, and also the way we view items we like, etc, is not the correct way of viewing them. Then we are able to move past things like attachment. I hope this helps.