Sundays, 6:00 – 7:00 PM / Dharma Talk or Gathering

January 4th Hugh Joswick “Confidence in Letting Go”

A New Year brings the hope of starting fresh, letting go of the past, and opening anew to the possibilities of each moment. Meditation can help transform that hope into action. As Tarthang Tulku writes, “Since mind, in its true nature, is without duality and not separate from the unity of all things, our whole life may become meditation. When this is understood, there is no need to fight or push or struggle. Ego and emotions, discriminations of good or bad, positive or negative, spiritual path or samsara—all of these constructs dissolve.” Nyingma Institute instructor, Hugh Joswick, will guide discussion and practice on the importance of letting go so that we can live with confidence in the coming year.

January 11th Emily Provosty “The Power of Appreciation” 

We might imagine an ideal life with fantasies of perfection where we can finally find peace and happiness, but as we come to learn the truth of Samsara, we must also learn to abandon these ideas. Tarthang Tulku writes, “ We do not accept ourselves for what we are, but spend our lives dreaming and grasping for pleasures outside ourselves. These fantasies hypnotize us and prevent us from touching our innermost feelings–feelings which then become covered with layers of disappointment created by our unfulfilled expectations.” Instead of wishing that things in our lives were different, we can instead cultivate a deep appreciation for life itself, exactly as it is, and see how our experience begins to reflect that appreciation back to us. In this dharma talk, we will explore this through practice and contemplation.

January 18th Donna Morton “Posture, Breath, Touch, Movement and Stillness: a Kum Nye experience”

We will spend an hour tasting the arc of Kum Nye practice.

January 25th (Women’s Med)

February 1st No Dharma Talk Due to Community Practice

February 8th Suellen Ehnebuske “The Power of Wise Speech” 

The words we speak hold the power to shape our reality and influence the well-being and happiness of ourselves and others.  Unmindful speech and the inability to listen deeply can cause great suffering and division among us.  In this Dharma talk by Nyingma instructor, Suellen Ehnebuske, we explore this powerful and timely teaching based on the Buddha’s earliest sermon on the Eightfold Noble Path.  

Knowing that words create happiness or suffering, it is possible to create a world where our words are used to uplift and inspire rather than diminish and harm.  The mindful cultivation of Wise Speech supports an innate ability to deeply listen to others and offer kind and encouraging words to those with whom we share our lives.  Including ourselves!