 |
| August Events: Lama Karma Chenrezig Practice |
| Dear Dharma Friends, We are delighted to announce that Lama Karma’s Chenrezig Practice is now a monthly event. Lama Karma will begin with a brief teaching followed by guiding us in the Chenrezig Puja. • Lama Adam Berner’s teachings on “On the Wings of Wisdom and Compassion” • Lama Kathy Wesley’s last book study of Mingyur Rinpoche’s “Joyful Wisdom” • 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 |
- August 2 | Mindfulness Mediation
- August 7 | Lama Karma – Chenrezig Practice
- August 14 | Lama Adam – On the Wings of Wisdom and Compassion
- August 16 | Mindfulness Mediation
- August 21 | Lama Kathy – Joyful Wisdom Book Study
| August 2 & August 16 Mindfulness Meditation Classes |
 |
| 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. |
| August 7 Lama Karma – Chenrezig Practice |
 |
| Join us with Lama Karma as he guides us in Chenrezig Practice, a profound meditation cultivating compassion and lovingkindness. Chenrezig, known as Avalokiteshvara, embodies compassion in Tibetan Buddhism. Through this practice, we tap into the limitless wellspring of compassion, extending it to all sentient beings. It’s a beautiful opportunity to nurture our hearts, deepen our connection with others, and foster positive change in the world. Whether you’re new to this practice or have practiced it before, everyone is welcome to participate. |
| August 14 Lama Adam – On the Wings of Wisdom and Compassion |
 |
| 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. |
| August 21 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.” |
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:
“Drive all blames into one.”
Sometimes the sense of “I” is regarded as the single and most important entity in the entire world: ”I am incredibly important and valuable!” That is what is called “self-cherishing,” and this deep-rooted belief is exactly what is to be eliminated in the practice of Mind Training. We may think that self-cherishing is some intrinsic component of our being, but it isn’t. It is just a thought that pops up and this is why it can be eliminated…. Whatever problems we have, the amount of suffering they cause is directly related to how strongly we regard ourselves as being outstanding. Even the more general and large-scale suffering of samsara—birth, old age, sickness, and death—is ultimately caused by self cherishing, by ego clinging.
Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche
Teaching Link:
Awakening: Three Practices for Navigating Life’s Challenges with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche