Buddhist Youth Festival offers extra shamata retreat
he Buddhist Youth Festival will offer a new and optional 3-day shamatha meditation retreat this year. It will take place directly after the festival, from the 2-5 January. The retreat is meant for all who want to take time to deepen their practice and start the New Year by cultivating their own inner peace. All levels are welcome and meditation instruction is provided. The new initiative is based on request from last year’s participants.
The upcoming edition of the BYF will take place in Germany from 27 December - 1 January. Last year’s festivals were very joyous and successful with more than a 120 participants from over 17 countries, representing all kinds of Buddhist traditions, but also lay people interested in meditation.
Within the new theme “Peace within, peace in the world” are several topics that the participants will explore through guest speakers, workshops and discussions. Think of art (dance, painting, cooking, music, calligraphy, ikebana and photography), social engagement, Buddhism (what does it mean to be a young Buddhist in today’s world) and meditative practices like tai chi, yoga and sitting. Of course there is lots of room as well for fun and parties. The festival is meant for people between 16 years and early 30.
The Buddhist Youth Festival might go abroad next year and have its first North American edition. The organisers are contemplating exporting the festival - that is bringing lots of new people to Buddhism - to all continents in the future. Lots of the youngsters that entered through the Buddhist Youth Festival showed up at Dechen Ch
