December 24, 2015 was the opening of the 4th annual Public Mediation Course hosted by K.I.B.I.. This year His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa Thinley Thaye Dorje, Dupsing Rinpoche and Venerable Dupon Nyigyam are guiding around 250 international students in different meditation techniques through explanations and group practice.
On the afternoon of the opening day Khenpo Mriti gave an introduction to the course, followed by Dupsing Rinpoche kindly explaining the Sojong Vows. Taking the Sojong Vows is optional for all participants of the PMC. In the evening, there was a lavish Christmas dinner to celebrate the course opening, held in K.I.B.I.’s nicely decorated dining hall.
For many participants, the Christmas dinner was the last evening meal until the end of the course, since from the early morning of the 25th most participants committed to the Sojong Vows
The first full day of the PMC course began with Dupsing Rinpoche bestowing the sojong vows and his explanations of the Preliminary Practices (Ngöndro) later in the morning. In the afternoon Drupon Nyigyam’s explained Shine Meditation.
The evening was crowned by His Holiness’s presence. He bestowed the reading-transmission of the Ngöndro, and explained and led the Chenrezig meditation