SPIRITUAL: Special Class

In order to find peace and happiness, we have to understand how exactly our mind views the world, what emotions are positive versus negative, and ways to control how we think and act. Buddhism has a very precise model of the mind and its mental factors that details the exact process of how we use our five senses, how that turns into conceptual thought, and how much is going on at a deeper, subconscious level. Once you understand how the mind works, you have invaluable tools to becoming your own therapist!

Special guest teacher Venerable Robina Courtin is known for her easy to understand and dynamic presentation of Buddhism, understanding our mind and emotions. For more about her biography, visit, and sponsorship opportunities, please go to our Visiting Teacher page.

Anger causes harm to anyone who feels it, making the mind unhappy, causing frustration and stress, hurting relationships, and even causing physical problems like high blood pressure, tight and sore muscles, lack of sleep, and more. Learn about the antidote to anger - patience - and how to develop it to have a happier life and relationships. If we are holding a grudge and feeling resentment, another key can be forgiveness - learning how to forgive by letting go of anger, while not encouraging someone's harmful actions. 

Special guest teacher Venerable Robina Courtin is known for her easy to understand and dynamic presentation of Buddhism, understanding our mind and emotions. For more about her biography, visit, and sponsorship opportunities, please go to our Visiting Teacher page.

Debate is an important aspect of studying Buddhism, because it clarifies understanding and eliminates doubt. Monastics train in debate and use it throughout their studies to test whether they can quote the Buddhist texts, know the definitions of various terms, and defend a theory to the point where there is no longer any doubt of its truth. There are very specific rules about the form of debate to keep it on track as well! Geshe Wangmo will provide us with an introduction to debate as she learned it in her advanced studies, and explain how important it is for eliminating doubt in Buddhist practice. It's extremely rare to find a Westerner who is fluent in Tibetan, who was able to not only debate in monastic training but also attain a Geshe degree, so we are really honored to have this opportunity!

Sponsorship

If you are interested in sponsoring this extraordinary teaching, please email membership@kadampa-center.org with the details and your personal dedication to be posted and read at the event.

Of course support at all levels is appreciated, so you can also support this special event by making a donation of any amount online, in the bookstore, or by check or cash in any of the donation boxes. The center programs are funded by the generosity of our members, so every dollar helps.

Part of the money raised is given to Geshe Wangmo from the center in our gratitude for her teachings, however personal offerings made to Geshe Wangmo directly are encouraged as well, and can be given to her at anytime during her visit. Traditionally, these are presented with a kata (white offering scarf, available in the bookstore) during the dedications or in the lobby as she arrives or departs, but offerings can be done anytime - don't be shy, just go on up!

Big love!

Sandy Carlson
Membership Coordinator
membership@kadampa-center.org

Debate Class - Saturday (Partial) - $125
Debate Class - Saturday (Full) - $250

Potluck Lunch: Please bring a vegetarian/vegan potluck dish to share for the lunch break, so everyone can stay and discuss the morning's teachings. A dish that serves about 4 people is recommended, and some gluten-free dishes are a bonus. We have limited kitchen facilities for heating food or refrigeration, so please bring a crockpot for hot dishes and put cold dishes in a cooler bag. We also ask that you put your name on serving dishes and utensils and please take them and any leftover food home with you.

Adding jewels to your statue is a lovely offering to the Buddhas on your altar. While traditionally in Tibet the jewels were often coral and turquoise (see the center's Kalachakra statue's jewels), we'll be using Swarovski crystals and seeing them as diamonds, rubies, emeralds, etc. like on our Tara statues. This class is a hands-on opportunity to "bling" one Buddha statue. Once you learn how, you can do this on your own, and even offer to tsa tsas and other holy objects.

A $5 materials fee is needed to participate, payable at the event, and of course donations to the center for the class itself are gratefully accepted. 

This workshop is for traditional Tibetan bronze statues or tsa tsas, and meant for deities that have ornaments like necklaces, crowns, etc. (So most Shakyamuni Buddha statues don't have a place to put jewels - just possibly on the third eye). Your statue should also be already filled and consecrated - the jewels are like the final touch! Please ask Sarah Brooks (program@kadampa-center.org) if you aren't sure about your statue and coming to the workshop.

Class size is limited, so pre-registration is required. If a waiting list is needed, the class will be offered again soon. To register, please email program@kadampa-center.org with the following information:

First and last name:

Buddha you will be bringing:

Height of the statue/tsa tsa: