Sundays, 6:00 – 7:00 PM / Dharma Talk or Gathering
June 14th: Jack Petranker “Inviting the Presence of the Sacred”
Look at your experience from moment to moment, and ask yourself, “Am I present in this moment of experience?” Most likely you will discover that, at a deep level, you are sure—as sure as anything—that you are.
In the same way, you can be sure of the presence of the sacred, whether in the form of a Buddha, a chant, or a mantra. The sacred is available in every moment of experience, if we let it in. In this talk, we will look at what this means, how we can activate that presence, and how it relates to our own sense of presence. We will discuss, reflect, and practice with mantra to explore further.
June 21st: Mark Henderson “The Life Story of the Great Translator Vairotsana”
Equal in realization to Guru Rinpoche, Vairotsana was one of the foremost disciples of the great guru. In later times, Vairotsana took rebirth as Orgyen Terdag Lingpa, founder of Mindroling Monastery, and yet again as the great non-sectarian master, Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye.. In this talk, Mark Henderson, a long-time student of Tarthang Tulku Rinpoche, will relate lively anecdotes from Vairotsana’s autobiography and discuss the importance of reading spiritual biographies as an inspiring support for our own path and practice.
June 28th: Women’s Meditation
July 5th: Emily Provosty “Coming Home to Ourselves”
This will be a practice-based dharma talk; we will begin with a Kum Nye exercise to relax the body, then move into a gentle breath practice to calm the mind, culminating into a final meditation practice that will lead us to a place of vast openness. Join this dharma talk if you would like to have a full hour of uninterrupted dharma practice.
July 12th: Pauline Yu TBD
July 19th: Hugh Joswick “Awakening the Balanced Mind”
Tarthang Tulku’s Gesture of Balance has been updated, revised, and re-edited for a new
generation of readers this year. Reprinted by Dharma Publishing, Awakening the Balanced Mind introduces meditation, self-healing, and awareness for beginners as well as being a guide for more experienced practitioners. Nyingma Institute instructor, Hugh Joswick, will discuss some themes in the new edition and lead meditative practices from the new book. If you have read Gesture of Balance before, reading the new book may open new insight into Tarthang Tulku’s teachings.
July 26th: Women’s Meditation
August 2nd: Robert Vibat “Creating Tibetan Sacred Art: Stupas, Tsa-tsas, and Prayer Wheels”
Robert Vibat, a longtime sacred art volunteer, will share insights into the symbolism, significance, and creation of stupas, tsa-tsas, and prayer wheels.
August 9th: Mark Henderson “An Essential Instruction on Refuge and Bodhicitta”
This Dharma talk will introduce Patrul Rinpoche’s concise presentation of the foundations of Mahayana Buddhist practice: refuge and bodhicitta. Tarthang Rinpoche provided this text to his earliest students in the West as an essential framework for correctly approaching and engaging the Dharma.”