Reading Transmission Event with Lama Karma!


Those of you who know Lama Karma Drodhul know that he has a unique gift for giving Tibetan-language Reading Transmissions – a blessing in which a Tibetan text is read quickly to a student as a way of offering a blessing for the student to recite and study the text.


At the conclusion of the Medicine Buddha Empowerment on Saturday afternoon Aug. 20, Lama Karma will give the reading transmission for the following sadhanas, which are common sadhanas recited at Columbus KTC:
Tashi Prayer

Chenrezig/Amitabha

Green Tara

White Tara (Situ Rinpoche and Jamgon Kongtrul)

Medicine Buddha

Milam Lungten

Ngondro


The event will begin sometime between 3 and 4 PM Saturday Aug. 20. If you do not plan to attend the empowerment, please come to KTC at 3 PM and remain in the Lower Level Community Room until the Empowerment is completed. The Transmission group will be invited up to the shrine room when the empowerment concludes.


There is no charge for the Reading Transmission, but it is customary to make a small monetary gift to the teacher giving the Transmission. 
There is no need to bring a copy of the sadhana texts with you. This will be a listening event only.


Pre-registration is requested. 
You will find the FREE registration for the Reading Transmission Event at the very bottom of the “Tickets” list on the Eventbrite site for Lama Karma’s weekend program:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-everyday-wisdom-of-meditation-with-lama-karma-drodhul-tickets-377880890917?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb

Bodhisattva Vow Offered at KTD Aug. 6 and 7 

Khenpo Ugyen Tenzin, who recently visited Columbus KTC, will be giving the Bodhisattva Vow in a special two-day ceremony at our “home” monastery, Karma Triyana Dharmachakra in Woodstock, NY the first weekend in August. The program will run from Saturday Aug. 6 to Sunday Aug. 7. For details visit: https://ktdevents.org/reg/1fmBeH.php?eID=0806TE_22

Lama Karma Drodhul to Give Medicine Buddha empowerment Aug. 20th

Good News! Based on results of our sangha survey, we have asked Lama Karma Drodhul to give us the Medicine Buddha Empowerment during his visit to Columbus KTC in August. The empowerment, preceded by the Refuge Vow ceremony (for anyone who would like to begin their Buddhist path) will be at 3 PM Saturday Aug. 20 at KTC. The Refuge Vow ceremony is free of charge, but we request a $25 donation for the empowerment.

Want to register for Lama Karma’s visit? https://www.eventbrite.com/e/377880890917

Medicine Buddha is the embodiment of enlightened purification and healing for mind and body.

The empowerment will be a blessing for all, and is a permission-blessing to learn the visualization and meditation of Medicine Buddha that is recited monthly on Second Sundays at KTC. Interested in Refuge? Write to Lama Kathy at lamakathy@columbusktc.org.

KTC Chant Practices Return to Zoom

Also, due to the pandemic surge, KTC will be moving all of its chant practices (including Sunday morning Green Tara, Medicine Buddha and Chenrezig) back to a virtual environment starting Sunday July 23. Tuesday night Chenrezig will remain virtual as well. We will let you know when we plan to resume in-person chanting.  May all beings benefit!

Pandemic Surge Postpones KTC Nyungne 

We are sorry to announce that due to the upsurge in COVID-19 cases in Central Ohio, our medical advisors have recommended that we postpone our Nyungne Retreat, originally set for Aug. 5-8.  We hope to reschedule the retreat when case counts begin falling again. 

Meanwhile, Lama Tom Broadwater will be offering a second pre-Nyungne class in August or September, to review the prayer text, the visualizations, and the melodies. Details in next week’s newsletter. 

SAVE THE DATE! Lama Karma Drodhul to Teach on “Everyday Wisdom of Meditation” at KTC Aug. 19-21

We are delighted to announce that the upcoming Aug. 19-21 visit with Lama Karma Drodhul, originally planned as a Zoom-only workshop, now will be an IN-PERSON and VIRTUAL lama visit!
Lama Karma, who has completed two three-year retreats and published a wonderful biography of his uncle, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, will be teaching on “The Everyday Wisdom of Meditation” and will offer a Refuge Ceremony and Vajrayana empowerment as well.
WATCH this newsletter for more details and registration information, which will be shared soon!

And while we are on the subject …


Help Select The Empowerment for Lama Karma’s Teaching Weekend in August
Lama Karma Drodhul has graciously agreed to offer an empowerment to bless our Dharma students during his in-person visit to KTC in August. The empowerment will be offered during an afternoon session on Saturday, August 20, 2022.

Empowerments are special blessing ceremonies in which a lama ritually purifies and blesses a student and authorizes them to visualize themselves as a Buddha or Bodhisattva. It is a powerful method of developing an awakened mind. 

In May, Khenpo Ugyen Tenzin bestowed the Chenrezig empowerment; which blessing would you like to have next?


Choices are:
– Amitabha Buddha

– Medicine Buddha

– Green Tara


Please complete this survey before 12 noon by Sunday, July 17th. 

Pop-Up Refuge Ceremony THIS Saturday July 16 at 12:30 PM!

We’ve had some requests for a near-term Refuge Ceremony so folks can participate in the Nyungne Reading Transmission on Saturday afternoon. 


So we will offer a Refuge Ceremony at 12:30 PM Saturday July 16 at KTC. 


Refuge is a short ceremony that begins a person’s Buddhist path. In the ceremony a student takes the Buddha as their teacher, the Dharma as their path, and the Sangha as their community. 


Want to read more? Here’s a link to an article about Refuge.


If you wish to participate in the ceremony – this week, or during Lama Karma Drodhul’s visit August 19-21 – please contact Lama Kathy at lamakathy@columbusktc.org.


The ceremony is free of charge. 

Please Attend the Columbus KTC Security Workshop

As we all are unfortunately aware, we are living in increasingly unpredictable, and sadly, all too often, dangerous times. To that end, Columbus KTC thought it would be a good idea to review best practices for security and safety at our new center. We have invited Officer Frank Hall and other law enforcement officers from the Columbus Division of Police to present a free workshop for all Columbus KTC members and friends to learn basic skills to maintain a safe environment. The workshop will take place on Saturday, July 23rd from 10 am to noon at the Columbus KTC building. 


During this workshop you will learn personal safety tips, how to respond to an intruder using de-escalation methods, and review expectations when law enforcement or EMS arrive on scene. The workshop will also include a role-play to provide an opportunity to practice when security situations arise. We hope you can join us!

Elevator Update

Good news – the elevator at the Columbus KTC building is once again working. We apologize for any inconvenience while it was out of service. 
That being said, the elevator technician had a few suggestions for us to follow:

  1. When opening the building on Sundays or coming in at a time when there is no regular program, it’s recommended to push the elevator buttons without getting on the elevator. Once the elevator has gone up and down, it’s fine to use it. 
  2. As mentioned previously, please ride the elevator as much as possible. The more we use it, the better the elevator will perform. 
  3. Do not prop the doors open. This causes an elevator to generate an error and to stop working. Instead, use the elevator keys to open and close the elevator doors. 

Thank you for your help with keeping our elevator safe and running smoothly! 

In-Person 10 AM Sunday Chant Practices Start THIS Week!

It’s taken us a while to arrange our new space for 10 AM Sunday in-person pujas, but we are delighted to start in-person chanting practices THIS month at KTC!

For now, the chant practices (also called pujas) will take place in the Children’s Room from 10-11 AM, with the exception of the Ngondro Book Study and practice group, which will start (also in the Children’s Room) at 9 AM and conclude at 11.

Covid precautions will be in effect; masks must be worn during the chant.


Schedule is as follows:
First Sunday: Chenrezig, Bodhisattva of Compassion
Second Sunday: Medicine Buddha
Third Sunday: Ngondro Group (Book Study starts at 9 AM; practice follows at 10)
Fourth Sunday: No practice (Mahakala puja will start in future months)
Fifth Sunday: Chenrezig, Bodhisattva of Compassion


ALL PUJAS WILL CONTINUE ON ZOOM as usual. Looking forward to chanting as a group again. May all beings benefit!