US National Festival

“Form is empty, emptiness is form. Emptiness is not other than form. Form also is not other than emptiness. Likewise, feeling, discrimination, compositional factors and consciousness are empty…”
This is an excerpt of the Heart Sutra, viewed to be the quintessence of Buddha’s explanation of emptiness, or “ultimate truth”. From one point of view, it is utterly simple and a bare revelation of the truth. From another angle, it is like a beautiful puzzle to be explored and understood that will yield never-ending insights. Its raw power, when recited with a compassionate motivation, shifts the mind and empowers change.

The Heart Sutra, a beloved, sacred text taught by Buddha, includes a special technique for overcoming our own and other’s inner and outer obstacles. While these obstacles can feel like walls that limit our life, we can transcend them using this profound and beautiful practice. In this festival, we will learn how to recite the Heart Sutra, dive into its profound and practical meaning, and see how it can help us overcome any obstacle life may present. This will grant us tremendous confidence to not only help ourselves, but to elevate, empower and protect others.

To aid our understanding of this profound practice, we will receive the empowerment of Buddha Prajnaparamita. Prajnaparamita is the embodiment of the higher perfection of wisdom. Empowerments are blissful, guided meditations that help facilitate a connection with a certain enlightened being. Through receiving this blessing empowerment, we will gain inspiration to understand these deep truths of the Heart Sutra and feel energized to make positive change in our life. Everyone welcome!