Samye Dzong's new programme for 2020 out now

Posted on 1 Jan 2020

Kagyu Samye

Dzong London

December Newsletter

News in Brief

Winter Closure - don't forget that our doors will be shutting after Chenrezig on Sunday 15th December and won't be re-opening until 5.00 pm on Wednesday 8th January.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
The new programme is now up on the website for you peruse, but here are a few forthcoming highlights:
Drupon Khen Rinpoche will be visiting us once again to give teachings on Thursday 21st May from 7.00 - 9.00 pm.
An Introduction to Buddhism, with Lama Zangmo, on Saturday 8th February is the first in a series of five monthly one-day workshops which run between Februrary and June. A complete list is available on the website.
Gelong Thubten will be sharing insights from his new book "A Monk's Guide to Happiness" on the weekend of the 22nd-23rd Feburary.
Lama Zangmo will be giving Chenrezig practice instructions on Saturday 29th February. Chenrezig is the Bodhisattva of Compassion and the Chenrezig Puja takes place at the Centre every Saturday and Sunday from 7.00 - 8.00 pm.

1 - Advice from a Yogi, with Lama Zangmo

Lama Zangmo's new monthly course starts on Saturday 18th January from 10.00 - 4.30 pm. It will focus on the text "Advice for the People of Dingri" by Padampa Sangye, an Indian yogi who is said to have travelled to Tibet on three occasions for his first, middle and final stay there.

Padampa Sangye spent most of his final visit to Tibet in the southern region of Dingri, near the border with Nepal. Before he passed away, the parting advice he gave his disciples was these One Hundred Verses of Advice, which cover all aspects of Dharma practice, from the beginning of the path to the result, but as this was his last advice it has special emphasis on impermanence.

Lama Zangmo will go through the text monthly over seven months, mostly on the third Saturday of each month, but please note the exact dates.

This is an ongoing course and is a wonderful opportunity for those wishing to engage deeply in the Buddhist teachings. Participants will gain more understanding of the Dharma, and will be given a regular daily meditation practice each month.

It is a requirement to attend all the monthly classes to the very best of your ability, and it is important to book this course in advance so we know how many texts to print. A handout of the text itself will be provided.

If you are unable to attend a class for a good reason, please contact the office before booking.

Advice from a Yogi with Lama Zangmo will take place on the following Saturdays during 2020:: 18 Jan; 15 Feb; 14 Mar; 18 April; 16 May; 20 June; 25 July.

2 - Maitri and Internal Family Systems, with Alistair Appleton

Maitri meditation offers a really powerful and useful practice for understanding what makes us tick. It also gives us the means to love ourselves wisely.

This weekend draws on Alistair Appleton's work as a therapist and his experience as a meditator in the Buddhist tradition.

The Tibetan teacher, Chögyam Trungpa calls appreciation of others "compassion". Appreciation of our selves is called "maitri". The one without the other is, he says, a 'dead-end'.

Some of us rush towards helping, caring and looking after others in the name of compassion. But without a deep appreciation of the structure of our own being then our love tends to be tangled and distorted. The practice of 'maitri' is the practice of bringing warmth, wisdom and curiosity to the structure of existence we call "self".

In his work as a therapist, Alistair has seen how effective and illuminating the Internal Family Systems model is. It was developed by the American psychotherapist Richard Schwartz, IFS gives a way of staying embodied in a field of open-hearted awareness ("Self" with a capital S). From this you grow aware of the multiple structures of our "little self" (with a small s). This weekend will be exploring how we can use the IFS model in our practice to truly bring our self into the field of maitri.

For more information about the course and to book your place, please visit the Mindsprings website.

Maitri and Internal Family Systems with Alistair Appleton takes place on the weekend of the 11th-12th January, 10.00 - 5.00 pm. Full details of the course can be found on the Mindsprings website where you can also book your place. The workshop is £120 (£60 concessions).

3 - Freedom from the 16 Fears, with Lama Zangmo

Join Lama Zangmo over 4 Thursday evenings starting on 16th January to learn about Green Tara.

Green Tara represents swift activity to overcome obstacles, fears and dangers of many kinds, in particular the sixteen fears and dangers. These sixteen fears represent eight external and eight internal fears and dangers.

When we are in a state of uncertainty, all sorts of possibilities arise and this can give rise to fear and worry. What is around the corner? What is in the darkness? Anything could happen. Lack of certainty and clarity creates fear and this can give rise to many negative emotions.

Lama Zangmo will go through these in detail to give more understanding of both the Tara practice itself, which is done every Sunday morning at Kagyu Samye Dzong London, as well as give more understanding of how to deal with the harmful emotions.

4 - Learn how to calm down in the New Year

For those who come to the New Year feeling slightly frazzled or stressed by the whole Winter Holidays experience, January may prove a fruitful time to start a meditation practice!

Meditation can help bring about a natural sense of peace and well-being that can extend to every aspect of our lives. People who meditate regularly tend to sleep better and handle the ups and downs of daily life with more clarity and ease. A regular meditation practice can bring a greater sense of inner peace and calm an overactive mind.

This January we have two course offerings to assist you in approaching the forthcoming year with a calmer frame of mind:

Bernard Mordan will be leading his Beginners' Meditation

course over four Thursdays starting on 9th January, 7.00 - 8.30 pm.

Also in January, Lama Zangmo will be leading "A Guide to Calm Abiding Meditation" over four Wednesday evenings, starting on 15th January. During this week course you will explore the methods employed to bring a sense of ease to the mind through the practice of meditation.

Please note - for these courses we ask that participants attend all four classes. Unless you are able to attend all the classes, we ask you not to book for the course.

5 - Instructions in the Ngondro, with Lama Zangmo

Join Lama Zangmo to learn about the Ngondro, a practice text by the 9th Karmapa, Wangchuk Dorje, consisting of the four ordinary foundations and the four special foundations.

The four Ordinary Foundations are contemplations on the four thoughts that turn the mind to the Dharma, namely the preciousness of human life, impermanence, karma and its effects, and the sufferings of samsara.

The four Special Foundations are purification and accumulation practices and are: prostrations, recitations of the Dorje Sempa hundred syllable mantra, mandala offerings and guru yoga practice.

The function of the Ngondro is to help us appreciate the importance of Dharma practice, and is a method to practice purification and accumulation of merit.

On Saturday 25th January, Lama Zangmo will give instructions on how to start the first of the special foundations, the refuge and prostrations.

This will be followed on Sunday 1st March by instructions in the Dorje Sempa (Vajrasattva) practice.

PLEASE NOTE - These courses are only suitable for those who have taken REFUGE and are already familiar with the four ordinary foundations. For the first course you should already wish to start the practice of performing one hundred thousand prostrations.