When we feel discouraged about ourselves, or about our ability to practice the dharma or meditation, we need to find ways to stay encouraged about dharma – and about life. This talk begins with KTC Sangha friends sharing the methods they use to stay encouraged, and ends with a lesson about the Buddha’s ultimate teaching about encouragement – connecting with our Buddha Nature.
The Buddha’s core teaching that “all things come from causes” can help us feel more gratitude every day of our lives. By understanding the interconnectedness of all beings and all phenomena, we can cut through prejudice and expectation and develop more empathy and love. The talk ends with a brief guided meditation to develop love and gratitude.
When we’re on a journey we may feel tired and upset along the way, but if we open our minds to the world and develop compassion for ourselves and others, even difficult journeys can be transformative.
Every Buddha began their journey with the heartfelt desire to awaken for the benefit of all beings. We can formalize this intention by taking the bodhisattva vow. Lama Tom explores the preciousness of the intention and relates the vow to lineage and teachers. Lama Tom urges practitioners to look at their everyday encounters as a practical way to develop Bodhicitta.
Even though Buddha didn’t teach the existence of a soul, this common English slogan has some meaning for Buddhists. Meditation, reflection and self-awareness can lead to changes in our lives, but only if we are willing to be honest with ourselves about our day-to-day motivations, thoughts, words and actions. This talk speaks to the Buddhist practice of daily reflection and how it can be a force for change in our minds and lives.
Taking time away from a busy life is not easy, but when we do, we are able to absorb ourselves in our practice and find new meaning and new freedom in its presence. In this talk Lama Kathy describes how to structure a one-day or two-day retreat to get started with the practice
Sometimes it’s difficult to see beyond the mundane complexities of our lives – our assignments, our work, our chores – so to get closer to our spiritual life, sometimes we have to remove ourselves from our everyday world and plunge ourselves into the world of the sacred. Retreat, in which we place our attention on meditation and prayer: and Pilgrimage, where we meet sacred objects and teachers – are two time-tested ways of bringing us closer to the spiritual. This talk describes both, and how one might plan to do a retreat or pilgrimage.
Engendering Bodhichitta Through the Path of a Good Heart
When we see other beings suffer, it’s difficult to remain unmoved. We feel the sting of injustice; we feel the rush of anger; we feel the flood of compassion; we want to know how to harmonize all these feelings and know what to do when times are tough. What does it mean to encounter The Other – the person whose views are so different from ours that we fear and feel anger toward them? How do we turn hate into love – and is that even possible? This talk will share ideas from Buddhist teachings and suggest ways to encounter – and feel love for – The Other that is within us.
Buddhist teachings say the first of the perfect virtues that lead to Buddhahood is Generosity. How can we reach beyond our illusions and delusions of self and other and practice true compassion and generosity? It might be easier than you think.
Location:
645 W. Rich St.
Columbus, OH 43215
Email:
info@columbusktc.org.
Phone:
614-228-6546
Mailing address:
Columbus KTC
PO Box 14946
Columbus, OH 43214