Events

Please join us for our first traditional Tibetan ritual chanting practice or "Sadhana" at Karuna Buddhist Center. This is the feast (tsok) offering of Guru Rinpoche as compiled by the late Bardor Tulku Rinpoche (1949-2021), well-loved teacher of many of us. Through the practice of tsok offering, we swiftly accumulate merit and wisdom, and purify our obscurations, which is the essence of the path to buddhahood.

Visualization exercises where we practice exchanging ourselves with others come from the Lojong or Mind Training tradition and help us develop compassion as we imagine what it might be like to be in someone else's shoes. To quote Shantideva, Strive at first to meditate/Upon the sameness of yourself and others. In joy and sorrow all are equal./Thus be guardian of all, as of yourself. In this workshop, Lama Nancy will lead guided meditations to help develop our […]

We all experience regret about things we have done, especially when we feel ashamed of our past motives or behavior. Buddhism has a number of approaches for processing such events so we can learn from our mistakes and not stay stuck in them--accepting ourselves as imperfect while making better choices in the future.  Lama Nancy will take us through a series of steps for working through our regrets and moving forward in a productive manner.

Khenpo Gangshar Wangpo (1925 -1961) was one of the main teachers of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, as well as other great modern masters such as Thrangu Rinpoche. Mark will give a brief introduction to the life and times, and teachings of Khenpo Gangshar. Then we will use newly translated, short texts of his mind instructions for meditation, contemplation, and discussion together. Mark Nowakowski met the Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1972 and has been his student ever since. […]

Mindfulness--whether in meditation or in daily life--involves awareness, nonjudgment, and acceptance of what is. For most of us, however, judgment of whatever we encounter happens automatically, leading to a lack of compassion for ourselves as well as others. Lama Nancy will talk about unconditional positive regard and how we can cultivate it even if don't necessarily have much experience of it. Learning to accept everybody as they really makes our life much easier while making the world […]

IS EMPTINESS REALLY EMPTY?  Emptiness is one of the most misunderstood concepts in Buddhist philosophy, which is not surprising given that it cannot be fully explained in words and is counterintuitive to our normal perception of everyday reality. As the well-known description in the Heart Sutra–“Form is emptiness and emptiness is form”–suggests, there’s a lot more to understand than, well, “nothing.” By examining the ways in which nothing exists separately, independently, and permanently on its own, we […]

Every Saturday, 10:30-11:30 am, Khenpo Chophel leads us in meditation. Currently we are practicing the 7 stages of sitting meditation under his guidance. Sit on a cushion or in a chair, and stay afterward for tea and informal discussion if you wish, followed by our other Saturday programs at 12 noon. Newcomers are welcome, and no prior experience is required. Free; donation appreciated.

NGONDRO: The 4 Special Foundations, Part I. Khenpo Chophel will begin his teaching on Ngondro with discussion of the 1st Special Foundation, Refuge and Prostrations. Suitable for those who have started Ngondro or plan to do so in the near future. Zoom info: Meeting ID 432 235 3275, passcode Karuna21, Phone: 312 626 6799, passcode 68957239.

Every Saturday, 10:30-11:30 am, Khenpo Chophel leads us in meditation. Currently we are practicing the 9 stages of sitting meditation under his guidance. Sit on a cushion or in a chair, and stay afterward for tea and informal discussion if you wish, followed by our other Saturday programs at 12 noon. Newcomers are welcome, and no prior experience is required. Free; donation appreciated.