LATE SPRING & SUMMER WORKSHOPS & RETREATS

“Exchanging Self and Other”

April 26th (Saturday), 10:00AM – 1:00PM PST

Online & In-Person at the Nyingma Institute

 “Whatever joys there may be in the world, all come from desiring the happiness of others. Whatever sufferings there are in the world, all come from desiring your own happiness.” 

We can train ourselves to put the welfare of others at the center of every thought and action through the power of bodhicitta. In this workshop we explore the relative mind of enlightenment. Working with the breath, and through certain preliminary practices cultivating love and compassion, we meditate on exchanging self for others. To transform the three poisons of desire, hatred, and ignorance, we can awaken compassion and wisdom of the mind of enlightenment in our hearts. Open to all with an interest in transforming their lives through meditation practice. Readings from Path of Heroes, which can be purchased from Dharma Publishing.  

Instructors: Mark Henderson and Hugh Joswick. Register Here: https://nyingmainstitute.com/courses-new/selfandotherworkshop/

“Meditation Workshop: Practical Teachings on How to Live in Harmony”

May 24th (Saturday), 10:00AM – 1:00PM PST

Online & In-Person at the Nyingma Institute

We all wish to be happy, to live full and worthwhile lives, but often our thoughts and emotions restrict us into states of dissatisfaction and cause us to repeat the same patterns of behavior. Instead of fighting against both internal and external obstacles, we can turn to meditation to help us relax the structures that confine us. In this workshop, we will work with meditation practices that encourage a healthy and relaxed embodiment, where we can accept all of our experience no matter the content. We will work with the heart center, breath practices, Kum Nye, and more. This workshop is suitable for both true beginners and experienced meditators. Meditation exists within our own minds, so no matter where we are in our lives or our practices we can start right here and now!

Instructor: Emily Provosty. Register Here: https://nyingmainstitute.com/courses-new/meditation-workshop-practical-teachings-on-how-to-live-in-harmony/ 

“Continuing Development Training for Level 1 Kum Nye Instructors”

June 7th (Saturday), 9:00AM – 12:15PM PST

Online Only

This training day for KNTT Level 1 graduates will satisfy continuing training requirements for certified Kum Nye instructors for 2025. Open to all graduates of the KNTT program.  Advance your Kum Nye understanding and further develop your teaching skills, at the same time connect with your global Kum Nye colleagues. This training is included in-person during the Kum Nye Retreat at Ratna Ling June 3-8, and available to all others online.

Instructors: Kum Nye Faculty. Register Here: https://nyingmainstitute.com/courses-new/continuing-development-training-for-level-1-kum-nye-instructors/

“Releasing Negative Self-Talk”

June 14th (Saturday), 10AM- 1PM PST

In-Person & Online

“Our embodiment is eminently loveable and deserving of care. When we learn to appreciate this embodiment, we learn to recognize more of our potential, glimpsing opportunities and strengths we didn’t realize we had.” —Tarthang Tulku, Caring

Negative self-talk is a source of great suffering that interrupts our innate ability to guide our lives with wisdom and to deeply trust ourselves.  When we carry negative beliefs about our unworthiness, our inner growth is stalled and limited.  In this workshop, we will investigate patterns of negative inner speech, becoming more aware of subtle inner “beliefs” we may hold.  Contemplations and practices will be offered to affirm a deeper Truth of who we are in order to experience the healing and happiness that is our birthright.

Instructor: Suellen Ehnebuske. Register Here:  https://nyingmainstitute.com/courses-new/releasing-negative-self-talk/

“Using Work As A Way To Develop & Grow – An Introduction to Skillful Means”

June 21st (Saturday), 10am-3:30pm PST

In-Person & Online

Work is a very effective means for learning how to find deep satisfaction in life. Work can be a source of growth, an opportunity to learn more about ourselves and to develop positive and healthy relationships. If we view work in this way, we find there is really no difference between devoting energy and care to our work and devoting energy to improving our awareness and appreciation of life.

However, it is not always easy to find the way to make work a path to enjoyable living.

To address this need, Tarthang Tulku Rinpoche has developed a philosophy of work based on greater human understanding, respect for ourselves and others, and an awareness of the qualities and skills which create peace in the world: communication, cooperation, responsibility. He explained these techniques in practice-oriented books such as “The Gift of Work: Overcoming Workplace Burnout and Finding Satisfaction in Your 9-to-5” (previously published as “Skillful Means – Patterns for Success”) and “Skillful Means: Wake Up! – Mastering Successful Work.”

This one-day workshop will introduce these methods and will include practice sessions and discussion. You will learn practical techniques to transform daily existence into a source of enjoyment and accomplishment. You can discover in your work a quality that gives a new sense of meaning to what you are doing.

Instructor: Dave Abercrombie Registration: https://nyingmainstitute.com/courses-new/using-work-as-a-way-to-develop-grow-an-introduction-to-skillful-means/

“How To Meditate” 

July 12th (Saturday), 10 am – 1PM PST 

Online Only

This beginning level class is for anyone who wants to learn to meditate, to make a shift in their life to include a daily meditation practice. Meditation promotes physical relaxation, well-being, and increased mental capacities, integrating body and mind. We will use techniques such as slow body movements (Kum Nye Tibetan Yoga), breath awareness practices, sacred sound mantra, and guided silent sitting to discover our natural being: balanced, awake, open and compassionate. We invite anyone to this class who wants support in rekindling and deepening meditation. Olivia is a longtime meditation teacher at Nyingma Institute.

Instructor: Olivia Hurd. Register Here: ​​https://nyingmainstitute.com/courses-new/how-to-meditate/

“The Perfections of Wisdom and Meditation”

Saturday, August 2, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM PST

In-Person & Online

We study the verses on perfecting meditation and wisdom from Shantideva’s Bodhicharyavatara, along with some Tibetan commentaries that describe meditations associated with the Bodhisattva path. We will focus on chapter 9 of the Bodhicharyavatara, “The Perfection of Wisdom,” that allow us to glimpse the profound wisdom that underlies the compassionate way of life. Although part of the class on the Way of the Bodhisattva, the workshop is open to those with some background of Shantideva’s text. Readings: Bodhicharyavatara, chapters 8 & 9.

Instructors: Mark Henderson and Hugh Joswick Registration: https://nyingmainstitute.com/courses-new/the-perfections-of-wisdom-meditation/