Dear Sangha, Welcome to the November edition of Santa Monica KTC’s programs!

As always, we will continue regular events with our esteemed teachers: Lama Kathy, Lama Karma, and Lama Adam. Please note that there will be no teaching in the week of Thanksgiving. We hope you can join us in the profound teachings, guided meditations, and practical sessions to enhance your meditation practice and connect with fellow seekers on the path of awakening. Your Dharma Family at Santa Monica KTC Karmapa Khyenno!

• November 2 | Chenrezig Practice
• November 9 | Lama Kathy – Joy of Living Book Study
• November 16 | Lama Adam – Resilience and Resourcing on the Buddhist Path
• November 30 | Lama Karma – Guided Meditation

November 2 Chenrezig Practice

Chenrezig’s practice is a profound meditation that cultivates compassion and loving-kindness. This practice is open to all, it will be in English and Tibetan, and we encourage everyone to participate and experience its transformative effects. Chenrezig, also known as Avalokiteshvara, embodies compassion in Tibetan Buddhism. Through this practice, we tap into the limitless wellspring of compassion within ourselves and extend it to all sentient beings. It is a beautiful opportunity to nurture our hearts, deepen our connection with others, and bring positive change into the world. No matter your experience or familiarity with the practice, we welcome you to join us. As a compassionate community, we will create a collective space of love, kindness, and healing energy. Let us unite in our dedication to cultivating compassion and making a positive difference in the world.

November 9 Joyful Wisdom Book study with Lama Kathy

Lama Kathy will teach Rinpoche’s illuminating perspective which addresses the timeless problem of anxiety in our everyday lives. “From the 2,500-year-old perspective of Buddhism,” Rinpoche writes, “every chapter in human history could be described as an ‘age of anxiety.’ The anxiety we feel now has been part of the human condition for centuries.” So what do we do? Escape or succumb? Both routes inevitably lead to more complications and problems in our lives. “Buddhism,” he says, “offers a third option. We can look directly at the disturbing emotions and other problems we experience as stepping stones to freedom. Instead of rejecting or surrendering to them, we can befriend them, working through them to reach an enduring authentic experience of our inherent Wisdom, confidence, clarity, and joy.”

November 16 Resilience and Resourcing on the Buddhist Path with Lama Adam

Cultivating the ability to skillfully lean into discomfort is an undeniably vital factor in our progress on the Buddhist path. But bare ambition for awakening may mask counterproductive tendencies when we neglect to develop the balancing factor of a keen awareness of our resources and vulnerabilities. In this series, Lama Adam will share practical means to increase resilience on the path through discernment and compassion in our formal and post-meditation practice.

November 30 Guided Practice with Lama Karma

Lama Karma’s guidance carries a profound wisdom that touches the heart and calms the mind. This guided meditation will delve into inner stillness, cultivating mindfulness and self-awareness. Lama Karma will lead a reflective session, offering insights and answering questions. No matter your experience level, everyone is welcome to participate in this transformative gathering. Whether you are a longtime practitioner or new to meditation, we encourage you to embrace this opportunity to deepen your practice and connect with our compassionate community. Please join us tonight and be part of this enriching experience with Lama Karma. Let us come together, creating a space of tranquility, wisdom, and compassion as we embark on this guided meditation and reflection journey.

ZOOM credentials for our regular sessions will remain the same:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87204694084

Phone
+1 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 872 0469 4084

Please be mindful, mute yourself, and keep questions to a maximum of two, concise and to the point. We can arrange an interview with the teacher if you have more in-depth questions.

Inspirational Quote:

We might wonder, “Where do thoughts stop?” And “Where do thoughts go?” We can find no place where our thoughts end. The mind does not attach itself to an outer object and stop there. Since it is empty, mind has no origin, it does not dwell anywhere, and it does not end anywhere. Therefore the mind is without birth, abiding, and cessation, and so this awareness can’t be found. This contemplation of looking at the mind and trying to find out if it has any reality or not, is a very important practice to do over and over again until we are convinced that the nature of mind is emptiness.

Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

Teaching Link:
How Do I Do Body Scan Meditation? with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche