Gompa

The Misleading Mind

Friday, Oct. 14 7-8:30 pm
Saturday, Oct. 15 10 am-noon, 1:30-4:30 pm
Sunday, Oct. 16 1:30-4:00 pm

This weekend workshop has useful tools for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. We each have the potential to transform our suffering into happiness, to free ourselves from the prison of our problems. As practiced in Buddhism for more than 2,500 years, the process involves working with, rather than against, our depression, anxiety, and compulsions. We do this by recognizing the habitual ways our minds perceive and react — the way the mind misleads.

Author and psychotherapist Karuna Cayton presents the essence of Buddhist teachings about the nature of mind so that anyone can use them. The practical exercises and inspiring real-world examples he provides show how one can neutralize suffering and step onto the path of a radically liberating self-understanding. The workshop is based on his book of the same name, which is an excellent source for more information about these techniques.

“Much of Buddhist thought encourages us to embrace our problems like old friends. It even encourages us to seek out our problems as a way to train our minds and to break free from the control of our disturbing (but sometimes unseen) emotions. Great practitioners like the Dalai Lama even claim to enjoy problems because, like our best friends, problems honestly and accurately reflect ourselves back to us. There is no clearer measure of our interior health than the nature of our problems.” ~ Karuna Cayton

Karuna Cayton has been a student of Buddhist psychology and philosophy for over 30 years. A long time student of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, he worked for the lamas at Kopan Monastery from 1975-1988. During that time he created and taught the secular studies program for the resident Tibetan and Nepali monks. He also assisted in running the Buddhist programs for foreign visitors and was the co-founder and director of the city center in Kathmandu, Himalayan Yogic Institute. He has been on the FPMT Board of Directors since 1988.
 
After returning to the US in 1988 he received his MA in Clinical Psychology from JFK University in 1992. He has worked at the Children's Health Council at Stanford University and trained interns in Narrative Therapy at Mental Research Institute (MRI) in Palo Alto.
 
Currently, he is the director of The Karuna Group, a coaching and counseling project. The Karuna Group works with individuals, couples and families as well as assists business leaders in transforming their organizations into preeminent enterprises based upon the Buddhist principles of Wisdom, Compassion, and Ethics. Karuna also teaches workshops and classes in the integration of western and Buddhist psychology.

Sponsor Karuna's visit

 In keeping with our tradition, Kadampa Center does not charge a fee to attend these courses. We do rely on donations and sponsorships to be able to offer them! 

The Misleading Mind

Friday, Oct. 14 7-8:30 pm
Saturday, Oct. 15 10 am-noon,1:30-4:30 pm  (Bring your own lunch and join in discussion)
Sunday, Oct. 16 1:30-4:00 pm

This weekend workshop has useful tools for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. We each have the potential to transform our suffering into happiness, to free ourselves from the prison of our problems. As practiced in Buddhism for more than 2,500 years, the process involves working with, rather than against, our depression, anxiety, and compulsions. We do this by recognizing the habitual ways our minds perceive and react — the way the mind misleads.

Author and psychotherapist Karuna Cayton presents the essence of Buddhist teachings about the nature of mind so that anyone can use them. The practical exercises and inspiring real-world examples he provides show how one can neutralize suffering and step onto the path of a radically liberating self-understanding. The workshop is based on his book of the same name, which is an excellent source for more information about these techniques.

“Much of Buddhist thought encourages us to embrace our problems like old friends. It even encourages us to seek out our problems as a way to train our minds and to break free from the control of our disturbing (but sometimes unseen) emotions. Great practitioners like the Dalai Lama even claim to enjoy problems because, like our best friends, problems honestly and accurately reflect ourselves back to us. There is no clearer measure of our interior health than the nature of our problems.” ~ Karuna Cayton

Karuna Cayton has been a student of Buddhist psychology and philosophy for over 30 years. A long time student of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, he worked for the lamas at Kopan Monastery from 1975-1988. During that time he created and taught the secular studies program for the resident Tibetan and Nepali monks. He also assisted in running the Buddhist programs for foreign visitors and was the co-founder and director of the city center in Kathmandu, Himalayan Yogic Institute. He has been on the FPMT Board of Directors since 1988.
 
After returning to the US in 1988 he received his MA in Clinical Psychology from JFK University in 1992. He has worked at the Children's Health Council at Stanford University and trained interns in Narrative Therapy at Mental Research Institute (MRI) in Palo Alto.
 
Currently, he is the director of The Karuna Group, a coaching and counseling project. The Karuna Group works with individuals, couples and families as well as assists business leaders in transforming their organizations into preeminent enterprises based upon the Buddhist principles of Wisdom, Compassion, and Ethics. Karuna also teaches workshops and classes in the integration of western and Buddhist psychology.

Sponsor Karuna's visit

 In keeping with our tradition, Kadampa Center does not charge a fee to attend these courses. We do rely on donations and sponsorships to be able to offer them! 

The Misleading Mind

Friday, Oct. 14 7-8:30 pm
Saturday, Oct. 15 10 am-noon, 1:30-4:30 pm
Sunday, Oct. 16 1:30-4:30 pm

This weekend workshop has useful tools for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. We each have the potential to transform our suffering into happiness, to free ourselves from the prison of our problems. As practiced in Buddhism for more than 2,500 years, the process involves working with, rather than against, our depression, anxiety, and compulsions. We do this by recognizing the habitual ways our minds perceive and react — the way the mind misleads.

Author and psychotherapist Karuna Cayton presents the essence of Buddhist teachings about the nature of mind so that anyone can use them. The practical exercises and inspiring real-world examples he provides show how one can neutralize suffering and step onto the path of a radically liberating self-understanding. The workshop is based on his book of the same name, which is an excellent source for more information about these techniques.

“Much of Buddhist thought encourages us to embrace our problems like old friends. It even encourages us to seek out our problems as a way to train our minds and to break free from the control of our disturbing (but sometimes unseen) emotions. Great practitioners like the Dalai Lama even claim to enjoy problems because, like our best friends, problems honestly and accurately reflect ourselves back to us. There is no clearer measure of our interior health than the nature of our problems.” ~ Karuna Cayton

Karuna Cayton has been a student of Buddhist psychology and philosophy for over 30 years. A long time student of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, he worked for the lamas at Kopan Monastery from 1975-1988. During that time he created and taught the secular studies program for the resident Tibetan and Nepali monks. He also assisted in running the Buddhist programs for foreign visitors and was the co-founder and director of the city center in Kathmandu, Himalayan Yogic Institute. He has been on the FPMT Board of Directors since 1988.
 
After returning to the US in 1988 he received his MA in Clinical Psychology from JFK University in 1992. He has worked at the Children's Health Council at Stanford University and trained interns in Narrative Therapy at Mental Research Institute (MRI) in Palo Alto.
 
Currently, he is the director of The Karuna Group, a coaching and counseling project. The Karuna Group works with individuals, couples and families as well as assists business leaders in transforming their organizations into preeminent enterprises based upon the Buddhist principles of Wisdom, Compassion, and Ethics. Karuna also teaches workshops and classes in the integration of western and Buddhist psychology.

Sponsor Karuna's visit

 In keeping with our tradition, Kadampa Center does not charge a fee to attend these courses. We do rely on donations and sponsorships to be able to offer them! 

Dharma in Parenting

Thursday, October 13, 7-8:30 pm

Raising kind, caring, compassionate children in our culture is a huge challenge. In this class, Karuna Cayton will explore with parents (or anyone who is interested) how to awaken our children to the Mahayana concepts of loving kindness and compassion.

Karuna Cayton has been a student of Buddhist psychology and philosophy for over 30 years. A long time student of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, he worked for the lamas at Kopan Monastery from 1975-1988. During that time he created and taught the secular studies program for the resident Tibetan and Nepali monks. He also assisted in running the Buddhist programs for foreign visitors and was the co-founder and director of the city center in Kathmandu, Himalayan Yogic Institute. He has been on the FPMT Board of Directors since 1988.
 
After returning to the US in 1988 he received his MA in Clinical Psychology from JFK University in 1992. He has worked at the Children's Health Council at Stanford University and trained interns in Narrative Therapy at Mental Research Institute (MRI) in Palo Alto.
 
Currently, he is the director of The Karuna Group, a coaching and counseling project. The Karuna Group works with individuals, couples and families as well as assists business leaders in transforming their organizations into preeminent enterprises based upon the Buddhist principles of Wisdom, Compassion, and Ethics. Karuna also teaches workshops and classes in the integration of western and Buddhist psychology.

Sponsor Karuna's visit

 In keeping with our tradition, Kadampa Center does not charge a fee to attend these courses. We do rely on donations and sponsorships to be able to offer them! 

Practicing Compassion in Daily Life

Wednesday, October 12, 7-8:30 pm

Buddhism offers profound practices to increase and deepen our capacity for compassion. From tonglen (the practice of giving our happiness and taking others' suffering) to exchanging self with others, these exercises train our minds to think of the welfare of others. In this session, Karuna will discuss how to bring those practices from the meditation cushion into our daily lives and interactions.

Karuna Cayton has been a student of Buddhist psychology and philosophy for over 30 years. A long time student of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, he worked for the lamas at Kopan Monastery from 1975-1988. During that time he created and taught the secular studies program for the resident Tibetan and Nepali monks. He also assisted in running the Buddhist programs for foreign visitors and was the co-founder and director of the city center in Kathmandu, Himalayan Yogic Institute. He has been on the FPMT Board of Directors since 1988.
 
After returning to the US in 1988 he received his MA in Clinical Psychology from JFK University in 1992. He has worked at the Children's Health Council at Stanford University and trained interns in Narrative Therapy at Mental Research Institute (MRI) in Palo Alto.
 
Currently, he is the director of The Karuna Group, a coaching and counseling project. The Karuna Group works with individuals, couples and families as well as assists business leaders in transforming their organizations into preeminent enterprises based upon the Buddhist principles of Wisdom, Compassion, and Ethics. Karuna also teaches workshops and classes in the integration of western and Buddhist psychology.

Sponsor Karuna's visit

In keeping with our tradition, Kadampa Center does not charge a fee to attend these courses. We do rely on donations and sponsorships to be able to offer them! 

Kadampa Center is pleased to host  Karuna Cayton, a psychologist and long-time student of Buddhism, for several days of teachings.

Practicing Compassion in Daily Life

Wednesday, October 12, 7-8:30 pm

Buddhism offers profound practices to increase and deepen our capacity for compassion. From tonglen (the practice of giving our happiness and taking others' suffering) to exchanging self with others, these exercises train our minds to think of the welfare of others. In this session, Karuna will discuss how to bring those practices from the meditation cushion into our daily lives and interactions.

Dharma in Parenting

Thursday, October 13, 7-8:30 pm

Raising kind, caring, compassionate children in our culture is a huge challenge. In this class, Karuna Cayton will explore with parents (or anyone who is interested) how to awaken our children to the Mahayana concepts of loving kindness and compassion.

The Misleading Mind

Friday, Oct. 14 7-8:30 pm
Saturday, Oct. 15 10 am-noon, 1:30-4:30 pm
Sunday, Oct. 16 1:30-4:00 pm

This weekend workshop has useful tools for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. We each have the potential to transform our suffering into happiness, to free ourselves from the prison of our problems. As practiced in Buddhism for more than 2,500 years, the process involves working with, rather than against, our depression, anxiety, and compulsions. We do this by recognizing the habitual ways our minds perceive and react — the way the mind misleads.

Author and psychotherapist Karuna Cayton presents the essence of Buddhist teachings about the nature of mind so that anyone can use them. The practical exercises and inspiring real-world examples he provides show how one can neutralize suffering and step onto the path of a radically liberating self-understanding. The workshop is based on his book of the same name, which is an excellent source for more information about these techniques.

“Much of Buddhist thought encourages us to embrace our problems like old friends. It even encourages us to seek out our problems as a way to train our minds and to break free from the control of our disturbing (but sometimes unseen) emotions. Great practitioners like the Dalai Lama even claim to enjoy problems because, like our best friends, problems honestly and accurately reflect ourselves back to us. There is no clearer measure of our interior health than the nature of our problems.” ~ Karuna Cayton

Dharma for a Happy Life

Sunday, Oct. 16  10:30 am - noon

Karuna will lead our regular Sunday morning Dharma for a Happy Life teachings. This is an interactive session that includes both teachings and discussion.

Karuna Cayton has been a student of Buddhist psychology and philosophy for over 30 years. A long time student of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, he worked for the lamas at Kopan Monastery from 1975-1988. During that time he created and taught the secular studies program for the resident Tibetan and Nepali monks. He also assisted in running the Buddhist programs for foreign visitors and was the co-founder and director of the city center in Kathmandu, Himalayan Yogic Institute. He has been on the FPMT Board of Directors since 1988.
 
After returning to the US in 1988 he received his MA in Clinical Psychology from JFK University in 1992. He has worked at the Children's Health Council at Stanford University and trained interns in Narrative Therapy at Mental Research Institute (MRI) in Palo Alto.
 
Currently, he is the director of The Karuna Group, a coaching and counseling project. The Karuna Group works with individuals, couples and families as well as assists business leaders in transforming their organizations into preeminent enterprises based upon the Buddhist principles of Wisdom, Compassion, and Ethics. Karuna also teaches workshops and classes in the integration of western and Buddhist psychology.

Sponsor Karuna Cayton's visit

In keeping with our tradition, Kadampa Center does not charge a fee to attend these courses. We do rely on donations and sponsorships to be able to offer them!

We offer this Medicine Buddha Puja to benefit Richard Potter, our long-time member, who passed away September 5.
Those who wish to can gather afterward for dinner.

Medicine Buddha Puja is particularly beneficial for those who have passed away and are passing through the bardo.

Many eons ago, seven bodhisattvas strongly prayed for the temporal and ultimate happiness of all sentient beings, that their names become wish-fulfilling in order to heal both the mental and physical sicknesses and diseases of sentient beings. They vowed that their prayers will be actualized during these degenerate times when the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha are in decline. When they became enlightened, one of the ten powers of a Buddha is the power of prayer - that means that all the prayers that have been made get fulfilled. As the Buddha's holy speech is irrevocable, you can wholly trust in their power to quickly grant blessings to help all sentient beings in these degenerate times. They are called the Seven Medicine Buddhas, the main one is `Lapis Buddha of Medicine, King of Light'. Buddha Shakyamuni taught the teachings on the Medicine Buddha, and according to one tradition, is also considered as one of the Medicine Buddhas, and hence the Eight Medicine Buddhas.

The seven Medicine Buddhas manifested in order to pacify the obstacles to the achievement of temporary happiness, liberation and the ultimate happiness of full enlightenment. They are powerful in healing diseases as well as for purification. The Medicine Buddha practice can be used to help purify those who have already died and liberate them from suffering. It is also very powerful in bringing about success, both temporary and ultimate.

The reason why the Medicine Buddha practice brings success is that in the past when the seven Medicine Buddhas were bodhisattvas practicing the path to enlightenment, they promised and made extensive prayers to actualize all the prayers of living beings of the degenerate time when the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha are in decline. They generated a very strong intention to become enlightened for this reason; this was their motivation for meditating on and actualizing the path.

Lama Zopa says, "It is very important that the elaborate Medicine Buddha puja with extensive offerings be done regularly. The offerings should be as extensive and as beautiful as possible, and done in order to benefit all sentient beings."

Every Friday from 12:00-1:00, come to the Center (BYOL, bring your own lunch) and hang out around the big conference table.

Connections made now will support you and your practice in the future!

“Time is an illusion, lunch time doubly so.” ~ Douglas Adams

Learn the definition and purpose of meditation, how to sit, how to set up a meditation session, different meditation techniques, and how to deal with obstacles to meditation.

Students who have had prior teachings on Buddhist meditation (Discovering Buddhism, Meditiation 101, etc.) are invited to participate in this evening practice. Led by the Discovering Buddhism teacher, Shankha Mitra, this session is aimed at students in the course, but is also open to students who meet the above criteria. An important part of the Discovering Buddhism course is trying the practices, and this class allows students the opportunity to have guidance and the support of group practice to learn.