Santa Monica KTC is now KTC SoCal!

Dear Dharma Friends, We are thrilled to announce a significant milestone in our shared journey. Santa Monica KTC has now evolved into Karma Thegsum Chöling Southern California, or simply KTC SoCal. This new name signifies our deep-rooted connection to the wider Karma Kagyu lineage and underscores our unwavering dedication to serving the Southern California community. As part of our commitment to keeping you informed and engaged, we are thrilled to introduce our new website, ktcsocal.org. Please visit our website to explore upcoming events, teachings, and resources. We invite you to stay connected and engaged with our community through this online platform. We are thrilled to share that Lama Lodro Lhamo, the president of KTD, will grace us with a Ngöndro teaching on May 2nd. During this auspicious occasion, Lama Lodro will officially welcome our new name and website, offering us a blessed start on our continued spiritual journey. Joining Lama Lodro, Lama Kathy, Lama Karma, Khenpo Tenkyong, and Lama Adam will also be present at the event for this momentous announcement. In addition to these exciting developments, we are introducing a new bi-monthly in-person Meditation Class every 1st and 3rd Saturday in Desert Hot Springs. This class will also begin broadcasting on Zoom in June, allowing broader participation and accessibility. Furthermore, we are starting a monthly in-person Chenrezig practice on Saturdays in Los Angeles, providing opportunities for communal practice with your Dharma friends. We invite you to celebrate these new beginnings and participate in our upcoming events. Let us continue to walk the path of wisdom and compassion together. Please note that in the future, our newsletter will be sent from ktcsocal@ktcsocal.org. To ensure you receive our newsletters, kindly check your spam folder and mark us as safe in your address book. Yours in Dharma, KTC SoCal

• May 2 | Lama Lodro –  Special Event & Ngöndro
• May 4   | Meditation Class – Desert Hot Springs
• May 9   | Lama Adam – On the Wings of Wisdom and Compassion
• May 11 | Chenrezig Practice – Los Angeles
• May 16  | Lama Karma – Guided Practice
• May 18 | Meditation Class – Desert Hot Springs
• May 23  | Lama Kathy – Joyful Wisdom Book Study
• May 30 | Chenrezig Practice – Zoom

May 2 Lama Lodro Lhamo – Special Event & Ngöndro

Lama Lodro Lhamo will teach on Ngöndro, known as the “preliminary practices” in Tibetan Buddhism. At the beginning of the session, Lama Lodro will officially welcome our new name and website, offering us a blessed start on our continued spiritual journey. Lama Kathy, Lama Karma, Khenpo Tenkyong, and Lama Adam will also attend this momentous announcement. Ngöndro, the foundational practice is not just essential but transformative. It is a powerful tool that purifies the mind, accumulates merit, and creates a robust framework for advanced Vajrayana practices. It’s a journey that systematically and profoundly prepares the practitioner for higher levels of meditation and realization, aiming to transform their ordinary perception and purify obstacles on the path to enlightenment. Ngöndro is not just a practice; it’s a transformative and purifying process that fosters a deep connection to one’s spiritual path and the wisdom of the tradition. Lama Lodro will answer any questions, whether you are already practicing or just thinking about starting.

May 4 & May 18 Meditation Class – Desert Hot Springs

Our classes cater to both newcomers and experienced practitioners, offering practical techniques of Shamata (tranquility), Vipassana (insight), and Tong-Len (sending-receiving) meditation. These methods, deeply rooted in centuries-old Buddhist traditions, have been proven time and again to enhance meditation practice and lead to a more peaceful and balanced life. Charles Dawes is a senior meditation practitioner and Board member of Karma Thegsum Chöling Southern California. He has a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from the California Institute of Integral Studies. He was a student of Ven. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. Classes are in-person in Desert Hot Springs and, starting in June, will also be broadcast via Zoom.

May 9 On the Wings of Wisdom and Compassion with Lama Adam Berner

Most of us begin meditation by learning to let go. Through practices such as calm-abiding meditation, we notice thoughts and concepts, then repeatedly train in letting them go. This is not a complete path to the rich experience of awakening, though, as our daily lives continually demonstrate that, in fact, there are plenty of things we do need to pick up. Discerning what is to be adopted and how to do so is, in many ways, the territory of Lojong, or “mind training”, which is best known for its hallmark practice of taking and sending (tong-len) and its list of 59 pithy slogans. This series of discussions will explore the Lojong teachings found in Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche’s Great Path of Awakening, as expanded on by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in his book Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness. With guided practice and discussion, we’ll extend our understanding of the relationship between compassion and non-conceptuality and why they are considered to be like the two wings of a bird, both necessary for us to take flight.

May 11 In-person Chenrezig Practice May 30 Zoom Chenrezig Practice

Our new in-person group chanting practice is in Los Angeles. The day-off reminder email includes details of the time and location. Chenrezig’s practice is a profound meditation that cultivates compassion and lovingkindness. It is open to all and will be in English and Tibetan. 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 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. We welcome you to join us regardless of your experience or familiarity with the practice. 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.

May 16 Lama Karma Drodhul – Guided Practice

Lama Karma Drodhul‘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.

May 16 Lama Kathy Wesley – Joyful Wisdom Book Study

Lama Kathy Wesley will teach Joyful Wisdom, which addresses the timeless anxiety problem 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.”

Inspirational Quote:

When we’re talking about investigating, such as looking to see where the mind arises, where it rests, and where it goes, we’re talking about the work we do during a formal session of meditation, the period of sitting on a cushion. When we do that, particularly when we have the opportunity to do it in a retreat session, some experience does arise and we get some sense of what it’s about. The point is that when we get up off the cushion or leave the retreat, we do not forget about that experience completely but sustain it by maintaining mindfulness, or recollection, and awareness of it.

Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

Teaching Link:
Compassion for Planet Earth with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche