I’m New
Getting started with Columbus Karma Thegsum Chöling
You are welcome here.
Columbus Karma Thegsum Chöling loves to welcome new visitors – it’s an important part of our broader mission to be an open and harmonious place for people to make contact with the Dharma.
Best Times to Visit
The best time to visit is Sunday mornings at 10am.
These classes are offered in-person and virtually.
Read below about what to expect when you visit our classes and programs.
What to Expect
What Happens During the Open Public Sitting Meditation in the Shrine Room
Sundays, 10am
- Please arrive at least five minutes before 10am to allow time for getting settled in. If you are attending virtually, please connect to the web session at least five minutes before the class starts.
- If you are attending in-person, Sunday greeters will show you the way.
- Participants can sit on cushions on the floor or on chairs at the side of the Shrine Room. The session consists of 25 minutes of quiet sitting followed by 10 minutes of silent walking meditation (in a circle in the shrine room) and 25 more minutes of quiet sitting.
- There will be a short opening prayer followed by the ringing of a meditation gong to mark the sitting and walking periods and the session is led by a Meditation Umdze (leader).
- At the conclusion of the Open Meditation, a short dedication prayer is recited. If you prefer to participate virtually, you can join the Open Public Sitting Meditation from the comfort of your own home.
- You may sit for all or part of the session. Some choose to sit for only the first half of the session and go downstairs to the Community Room for tea during the second half. Others choose to join during the walking meditation and stay for the second half.
- Please enter and exit quietly and respectfully, and keep voices low in the Shrine Room.
Introduction to Meditation Class
Sundays, 10am, lower level classroom
- Please arrive at least five minutes before 10am to allow time for getting settled in
- Sunday greeters will show you the way.
- The class consists of a brief introduction to the mission and activities of the KTC
- Short meditation lesson
- Short meditation practice
- Question period.
You may also join this class virtually.
If you’re not free on Sundays, you can call the KTC at (614) 228-6546 to schedule your Introduction to Meditation Class on another day.
Come for tea
Sundays, 11am
Join us for tea, coffee and snacks at the conclusion of our Open Public Sitting Meditation period and Introduction to Meditation Class.
What to Wear
If you are attending these programs in-person, comfortable clothing that is appropriate for sitting cross-legged on cushions works best. Short-shorts, short skirts and tank tops are discouraged.
Note: We also have chairs for sitting, so feel free to use them during your visit.
Masks:
To keep everyone safe, Columbus KTC asks that all members, friends and visitors wear a mask while inside the building. During teatime in our Community Room, when tea, coffee and snacks are served, masks may be removed while drinking and eating.
Dharma Talks
Sundays, 11:30am, one-hour in the Shrine Room.
- Dharma Talks are on various topics, taught either by Resident Teacher Lama Kathy Wesley, or by a senior student of the Columbus KTC.
- Recent talks with Lama Kathy are available on Facebook Live and YouTube.
- You can attend this program virtually if you prefer.
Introduction to Buddhism
Sundays, 11:30am, lower level classroom.
- We offer our free, eight-week Introduction to Buddhism course in the lower level classroom. This happens at the same time, 11:30am, as the Dharma Talk.
- The Introduction to Buddhism course is designed so that you can join at any point – your first visit to KTC is fine! – and covers a variety of basic Buddhist topics.
- You can attend this program online if you prefer.
Green Tara sadhana
Sundays, 8:30am in Shrine Hall or Virtually
- The 90-minute Green Tara sadhana (White Tara 1st Sunday), a chant of the feminine Bodhisattva of Compassion, whose practice is done to remove obstacles and develop our inner compassionate response.
Other Sunday Sadhanas
10-11 AM Sundays
KTC also offers a rotating list of other sadhana practices from 10-11 AM Sundays in the downstairs Children’s Room. Sadhana practice will be chanted in person (and be offered online via the Zoom platform) during times when the Franklin County Department of Health https://myfcph.org lists the county’s COVID status as GREEN (for low community transmission), but when COVID cases increase, sadhanas will switch to online-only. Consult KTC’s newsletter for latest information.
- First & Fifth Sunday: Chenrezig sadhana This chanting meditation invokes the bodhisattva of compassion, Chenrezig and is aimed at awakening and expanding our compassion for all beings.
- Second Sunday: Medicine Buddha
- Third Sunday: Ngondro practice session
The Ngondro, or Preliminary, practices prepare practitioners for Mahamudra meditation, the Kagyu version of Insight (called Vipassana in Sanskrit, and Lhaktong in Tibetan). Special permission and instructions are required to participate in this program.
For links to virtual programs, please see the Online Programs page. Links are updated weekly.