What is the benefit to attending Kalachakra

[tamdrin]

I have been contemplating buying tickets to the full 11 days at 425$. Plus there will be costs for transportation and hotel/food so it should cost a pretty penny. Is it worth it to go to this event "Kalachakra for world peace" with HHDL. I recently heard the Karmapa is trying to get permission from the Indian Government to come. I am a little hesitant to take on a commitment to have to do a specific practice every day.. so I wonder If he will give that commitment also.. Any thoughts?

[Heruka]

I am a little hesitant to take on a commitment to have to do a specific practice every day.. so I wonder If he will give that commitment also.. Any thoughts?

wait for the DVD to hit the bargin bin and get it for $4.99?

[tamdrin]

While Heruka,
I do practice. Just i dont particularly want a commitment to do this practice everyday. Is it understandable?

[Josef]

I have been contemplating buying tickets to the full 11 days at 425$. Plus there will be costs for transportation and hotel/food so it should cost a pretty penny. Is it worth it to go to this event "Kalachakra for world peace" with HHDL. I recently heard the Karmapa is trying to get permission from the Indian Government to come. I am a little hesitant to take on a commitment to have to do a specific practice every day.. so I wonder If he will give that commitment also.. Any thoughts?

There wont be a commitment unless you want to take one.
I attended the full event when HHDL did it in Toronto in 2004 and it was really great.
Not only do you get to receive teachings and empowerments from HHDL but there are other opportunities to connect with him.
In 2004 they let people in early on some days when HHDL was there doing practice with the monastics and very few people went. My girlfriend at the time and I would go and it was really excellent.
You can stay in a hostel and save tons of money and get to meet a lot of other folks that are there for the same event.
Do it.

[Madeliaette]

I would recommend attending if you can - as has been said, you do not 'have' to take the comitment - but to be able to learn from HHDL while you have the chance is a very special thing, I would say. I would so have loved to attend when HHDL gave the Kalachakra teachings/initiation in Sydney 3-4 years ago - but at that time, I was experiencing 20 weeks without income and had a teenage son to feed, so was unable to cover the costs involved. (I later managed to attend HHDL's Sydney teachings on Nagurjuna's 'Awakening the Mind' commentary a few days before hopping over to England, though.)

[kirtu]

I have been contemplating buying tickets to the full 11 days at 425$. Plus there will be costs for transportation and hotel/food so it should cost a pretty penny. Is it worth it to go to this event "Kalachakra for world peace" with HHDL. I recently heard the Karmapa is trying to get permission from the Indian Government to come. I am a little hesitant to take on a commitment to have to do a specific practice every day.. so I wonder If he will give that commitment also.. Any thoughts?

I will second the excellent comments from Nangwa and Madeliaette. The benefits are that one has the opportunity for purification through the empowerments, one could clear away further obscurations and even attain enlightenment on the spot, one connects to the Kalachakra mandala, one connects deeper to the Vajra Guru (in this case HHDL!), one can connect with the other lamas present (I don't think this is taught but I think it is true), one creates the causes and conditions for the Kalachakra practice and teaching to flourish and bring benefit to the world, one creates some connections with other people attending, in future lives one can easily connect with the Kalachakra teachings, one can take the practice up later in life if one wishes (and if one does practice well then one can attain the 7th bhumi in this life).

HHDL's Kalachakra teachings are a kind of TB Woodstock in a way - but this is meant in a very positive way.

Kirt

[kirtu]

You can stay in a hostel and save tons of money and get to meet a lot of other folks that are there for the same event.

There is one hostel in DC and it is packed for the summer. You might be able to stay there but only because most people don't know about it. Inexpensive loading in the area is rare. You will need to rent a suite with people for the event or stay outside DC and travel in every morning. Look for people offering rooms/space (like call up the temples in the DC area now). Many of the Sakya people will be up at Lamdre which is right before the Kalachakra. A good bet would be to travel back and forth between DC and Baltimore taking the MARC commuter train on weekdays and the bus or Amtrak on weekends.

Kirt

[Heruka]

While Heruka,
I do practice. Just i dont particularly want a commitment to do this practice everyday. Is it understandable?

of course there is a commitment. and yes it is understandable.....i think it is perfectley honest to raise doubts, after all we all have to know our limits and work with our situations. time is a consideration.

[Josef]

While Heruka,
I do practice. Just i dont particularly want a commitment to do this practice everyday. Is it understandable?

of course there is a commitment.

There is absolutely not a general practice commitment.