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| April Events: Lama Karma’s Guided Practice & More! |
| Dear Dharma Friends, We’re excited to share our events for April at KTC SoCal! This month, we’ll continue with:• Lama Karma’s Guided Meditation Practice • Lama Adam Berner’s teachings on “On the Wings of Wisdom and Compassion” • Lama Kathy Wesley’s ongoing book study of Mingyur Rinpoche’s “Joyful Wisdom” • Regular Chenrezig practice • Mindfulness Meditation classes on the first and third Saturdays of the month We look forward to another month of practice, reflection, and deepening our understanding together. Yours in Dharma,KTC SoCal |
- April 3 | Lama Karma Guided Practice
- April 5 | Mindfulness Mediation
- April 10 | Lama Adam – On the Wings of Wisdom and Compassion
- April 17 | Lama Kathy – Joyful Wisdom Book Study
- April 19 | Mindfulness Mediation
- April 24 | Chenrezig practice
| April 3 Guided Practice |
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| 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. |
| April 5 & April 19 Mindfulness Meditation Classes |
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| Join Dr. Charles Dawes, senior meditation practitioner and KTC SoCal Board member, first and third Saturdays in Desert Hot Springs for instruction on practicing mindfulness meditation. Classes are held at 11 am, Hidden Springs Country Club, Community Center Clubhouse, 14912 Yerxa Rd, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240. Classes are free, open to all, reservations not required. |
| April 10 Lama Adam – On the Wings of Wisdom and Compassion |
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| Most of us begin meditation by learning to let go. Through practices such as calm-abiding meditation, we notice thoughts and concepts and then repeatedly train to let them go. This is a partial 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 interactive 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 lively 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. |
| April 17 Lama Kathy Wesley – Joyful Wisdom Book Study |
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| 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.” |
| April 24 Chenrezig Practice |
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| 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. Regardless of your experience or familiarity with the practice, we welcome you to join us. |
ZOOM starts at 6:15 PM PST with a 15-minute silent meditation; regular teaching begins at 6:30. Please be mindful when entering at that time. We encourage you to keep your video on as much as you’re comfortable. Seeing each other’s faces helps create a sense of presence and connection in the space we’re sharing today.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81574392660
Phone
+1 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 815 7439 2660
Ask questions via chat and keep them concise and to the point. If you have more in-depth questions, we can arrange an interview with the teacher.
| Inspirational Quote: In addition to developing relative bodhichitta in our post meditation experience, the text says, “In all your activities, train with these instructions.” We put our words into action so that when we meet others who are better off than we, who are happy, who do good actions and so forth, and instead of being jealous or competitive, we make the wish: “May they have happiness. May they be successful in what they do. May their activities increase.”When we meet others who don’t do anything special, we make the wish: “May they progress and give rise to the noble attitude of bodhichitta. May they have this happiness.” When we see others who are suffering, we make the wish: “May they be free from suffering. May they be quickly relieved of the causes of suffering and experience peace.” When we meet people who are actively involved in creating the causes for suffering by hurting others, we make the wish, “May they quickly stop this harming and attain happiness. Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche Teaching Link: A Secret to Quickly Calm Down Your Mind — Mingyur Rinpoche |