Sundays, 6:00 – 7:00 PM / Dharma Talk or Gathering
October 5th Elon Goldstein “The Resolve for Genuine Freedom”
What is the wish for genuine freedom, and why is it so important on the spiritual path? Nowadays, hearing from many different sources, we encounter some conflicting messages about what is meant by “renunciation” and non-attachment. Based on the path in the Nyingma tradition of Buddhism, this talk aims to clarify how and why the resolve for freedom is compatible with our everyday lives today. We do not need to move to a cave, give up delicious food or sex, become monastics, or sit in meditation all day. Instead, genuine freedom begins with seeing clearly in experience how our potential for happiness is being derailed by confused processes of mind that can be removed. Elon Goldstein is a longtime practitioner of Buddhism and the Nyingma tradition. He has three degrees from Harvard including a PhD in the study of Buddhism with training in reading Buddhist texts in Sanskrit and Tibetan. Elon was Visiting Lecturer in Buddhism at Harvard from 2017-2024 and now teaches Buddhism and Asian Religions at Brandeis University.
October 12th Emily Provosty “Confronting Great Suffering: Appreciating Life Fully”
“To appreciate life fully, we have to face reality. Impermanence and death are integral parts of being alive; this realization can vibrate within us and wake us up.” (Gesture of Balance). All of us eventually experience a time in our lives where we are confronted with sources of great suffering that can knock us off balance. Instead of trying to escape this suffering, we can confront it and use it as an opportunity to look deeply within ourselves. Through sensitively observing the patterns of our pain and suffering, we can learn to understand ourselves physically, emotionally, and mentally. In this dharma talk, we will draw upon our own personal experiences, as well as Tarthang Tulku’s texts, to reflect on how suffering can serve as a deeply effective teacher on our spiritual path.
October 19th Santosh Philip “Beauty & the Senses as a Pathway to Practice”
“There is beauty that you have not yet seen. There is sound that carries consciousness to heavenly spheres. There is fragrance more exquisite than the rarest incense. There is joy that expands beyond ecstasy and dissolves the seeds of suffering.” – Joy of Being by Tarthang Tulku
The quote from Joy of Being points to a sensitivity to beauty that seems inconceivable to us. How can we contact this kind of beauty? Then we ask a deeper question. What happens when we touch beauty in this way? Will it really dissolve our suffering? How would that work? In this talk we will explore the connection of beauty to our practice and work with specific practices that will open the door to this pathway.
October 26th (Women’s Med)
November 2nd 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!
November 9th Hugh Joswick “Taming the Mind: from Fierce Enemy to Reliable Friend”
Tarthang Tulku writes in his book Milking the Painted Cow that “mind can be our best friend, supporting us in every difficulty, or our fierce enemy, turning even simple acts of perception into occasions for devastating suffering.” How can we tame an often unreliable and fickle mind to be a reliable friend? Are there ways to cultivate a better understanding of mind other than fighting its tendencies toward distraction and its engagement with suffering? Nyingma Institute instructor, Hugh Joswick, will provide discussion and practices to engage the mind differently.
November 16th Judy Rasmussen TBD
November 23rd Erika Rosenberg “Self-Compassion, Resilience, and Learning to ‘Let Go.’”
Often it seems our well-being is eroded by nagging preoccupations or regrets over things we have done or didn’t do, or fears and worries about future events. In this talk, Nyingma instructor and psychological scientist Erika Rosenberg, Ph.D. will discuss how cultivating self-compassion with formal practices and practical exercises in daily life can build resilience to stress and help us learn to let go of suffering when it arises. Her talk will come from the perspectives of Nyingma psychology, Buddhist meditation, and current scientific thinking.
November 30th (Women’s Med)