Kadampa Meditation Center San Diego

Kadampa Meditation Center San Diego has recently moved to Mission Valley, into a ground-level suite at 10405 San Diego Mission Road. A large private parking lot sits behind the building, and the trolley is within walking distance. Classes, events and pujas all happen in this one space, and the center describes the move as something done with a great deal of love.

The center belongs to the Kadampa lineage, which Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso first brought to the West in 1976. He has since written more than twenty books and established a network of over 1000 Kadampa centers in over 36 countries. KMC San Diego is a non-profit 501(c)(3) with a plain stated aim: clear, practical instruction that helps busy people fit meditation into modern life. Its doors are open to everyone.

The weekly rhythm is built around the General Program. Classes run Sunday mornings and Monday and Thursday evenings, and visitors can drop in for $12 on Sundays or $10 on Mondays. A $40 membership covers unlimited weekly classes. Guided meditation runs from noon to 12:30 on weekdays, by donation. Meditation for kids and families has its own offering. Reduced rates are available at the front desk, and the center says no one is turned away.

The teaching also travels. On Mondays in Chula Vista, Kadam Angie Kane leads a class called Don't React. Respond., a Buddhist approach to conflict, in Bradley Hall at Community Congregational Church. In Oceanside, Gen Kelsang Tsoglam has taught Meditation Made Easy at Eris Food Company. Half-day mini retreats on loving kindness and peace of mind have also been part of the calendar. In October, the center joined two other Southern California Kadampa centers for an away retreat at the International Kadampa Retreat Center Grand Canyon in Williams, Arizona. The retreat took up the Five Forces, teachings on bringing Dharma into daily life.