Saturday Morning Meditation (ongoing)
Hosted by Land Of Medicine Buddha (Santa Cruz County, California)
Via ZOOM and In-Person
Every Saturday 9:00 – 9:45am Pacific Time (12:00 – 12:45pm Eastern time)
en. Amy’s Guided Meditations blend a refreshing and insightful combination of accessibility, practicality, and depth – a path that demonstrates we can all build a rich and consistent meditation practice. Approachable for beginners as well as long-term practitioners who might like to reinvigorate their practice, these weekly, hour-long sessions lend regular support to combat laziness and procrastination. What could be better?! It’s a wonderful way to lend meaning to your life and to enjoy your weekend! Please Register Here.
Choosing Kindness: Empathy, Emptiness, and Empowerment in Challenging Times with Ven. Amy Miller (ongoing)
Hosted by Land Of Medicine Buddha (Santa Cruz County, California)
In-Person and Via Zoom
2nd and 4th Mondays Every Month (In-Person and on Zoom)
July 11, 25, August 8, 22, September 12, 26, October 10, 24, November 14, 28
6:30–8pm Pacific time (9:30 – 11:00pm Eastern time)
In our daily lives, we are often bombarded by external experiences that show cruelty and heartlessness. The overlay of the Covid pandemic hasn’t helped much as well and then add our relentless addiction to social media. These instances too often contribute to a world that can appear cruel, angry, polarized, and fixated on material gain. Anxiety, depression, and stagnation follow, and as a result, many of us harden our hearts and fall into judgment, blame of self or others, or simply numbing out. By responding in this way, an authentic flow of who we really are, and our inter-connectedness gets blocked and a negative ruminating mind takes over.
The good news is there’s a way out of this cycle! Using mindfulness, self-compassion and meditation techniques, we can bring presence, clarity, compassion, joy and connection back into our lives.
In these ongoing Monday evenings twice each month, Ven. Amy Miller will help us explore how being present with our pain, fear, aversion and moving with kindness through these less than comfortable mind states is the key to transformation. Open to all levels. Drop in whenever you can.
A Roadmap To Happiness
Hosted by Shantideva Center (Brooklyn, New York)
Via ZOOM
Tuesdays, Jan 4 – Feb 1, 7:00 – 8:30pm Eastern Time (4:00 – 5:30pm Pacific time)
How do we create a realistic roadmap to happiness when our mind often feels preoccupied and imbalanced with the various challenges of life? Join this insightful and practical exploration of how to cultivate lasting happiness while keeping suffering to a minimum as we navigate a more meaningful path through life. Using references from The Book of Joy (discussions with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu), along with exercises in self-compassion and mindfulness, this program will weave eight pillars of joy (perspective, humility, humor, acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, compassion, and generosity) into the realistic tools necessary to undertake that journey. Open to all levels.
Loving Oneself
Hosted by Land Of Medicine Buddha (Santa Cruz County, California)
Via ZOOM
Feb. 14 6:30pm – 8:00pm (Pacific Coast Time)
LOVING ONESELF ~ LOVING OTHERS ~ AND DEVELOPING A GOOD HEART
“To love oneself is not contradictory to what Mahayana Buddhism teaches. The Mahayana teachings are not saying one should not love oneself. Renouncing oneself and cherishing others is not contradictory to loving yourself. In fact, practicing the Mahayana teaching, bodhichitta, is the best way to love yourself, to take care of yourself…
…Problems come from not understanding the meaning of loving oneself. One should give freedom to oneself, love oneself, but what does it mean? If we have a wrong understanding of this, we will always be followed by problems. In Buddhism, particularly in Mahayana Buddhism, the best way of loving oneself is to pull out the root of all problems, which is right in one’s own heart: the ego, the self-centered mind. So if one lets go of cherishing the I, then it doesn’t matter what situation one is experiencing, the problem becomes non-existent.” – LAMA ZOPA RINPOCHE, Jamyang Buddhist Center 1996
Read the entire two page article here: LOVING ONESELF
DB: Presenting the Path
Hosted by Thubten Kunga Ling (Deerfield Beach, Florida)
Via ZOOM
Tuesday nights 7:00 – 8:30pm Eastern time (4:00 – 5:30pm Pacific time)
7 weeks: Feb. 15, 22, Mar. 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, and optional practice day, April 1
In this course Venerable Amy will help us gain a clear idea of the path to enlightenment, especially its three main components: renunciation, bodhichitta, and the right view of emptiness. You will understand the progressive, step-like structure of the Lamrim, its origin in the teachings of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, the three scopes, where you fit at your present stage of spiritual development, what you need to do next, and how you get from there to enlightenment.
Discovering Buddhism: Refuge in the Three Jewels
Hosted by Land Of Medicine Buddha (Santa Cruz County, California)
Via ZOOM
Monday nights 6:30pm – 8:00pm (Pacific Coast Time)
7 weeks: Feb. 21, 28, Mar. 7, 14, & 21, and optional practice day, Mar 26th
Topics covered in this course include:
• The Meaning of Refuge
• Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha Jewels
• The Essential Practices of Refuge
• Refuge Vows
Taking refuge means depending on something to keep us safe and happy. There are so many ordinary things that we take refuge in – money, friends and family, relationships, sports, keeping fit, social media, possessions (and even insurance policies to protect our health and possessions) – but the problem is, these are not reliable; life shows us that they don’t always work! During these challenging times of the pandemic, how often do we choose less than satisfactory coping mechanisms that end up contributing to more anxiety and depression in our lives? Happily, the Buddha gave us a profound and reliable alternative – taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Explore what true Buddhist Refuge means and how the Three Jewels – Buddha, Dharma, Sangha – inspire and motivate our practice. By understanding the essence of the Three Jewels, we can develop a healthier mindset that can lend to a more balanced life.
In addition, find out about the advantage of taking lay vows and their role in supporting and enhancing our spiritual growth.
If you are interested in delving deeper and taking some committed time to put these teachings into practice, please note that Amy will also be leading a daylong online retreat on Refuge in the Three Jewels from 10am to 4pm P.S.T. on Saturday 26th March. Registration for this standalone event will open soon.
Preparing for Death with Confidence and Compassion
Hosted by Thubten Kunga Ling (Deerfield Beach, Florida)
Via ZOOM
Mar 30 7 – 9pm Eastern time (4 – 6pm Pacific time)
While we generally think of death as an anxiety-producing experience of loss, it can also be a time of great opportunity if we have trained our minds. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has commented that it is possible to die with joy, without fear, and without regret. In this talk, Venerable Amy will help us prepare for this important time of transition and teach us how we can train our minds for a more peaceful and happy death. She will also help us understand what happens at the time of death, how we can utilize thought transformation (lojong) and other techniques, how mantras and prayers can be helpful, and how to help others who are passing away. Open to all levels.
Mindful Self-Compassion During Difficult Times
Hosted by Thubten Kunga Ling (Deerfield Beach, Florida)
Via ZOOM
Apr 1 7 – 9pm Eastern time (4 – 6pm Pacific time)
The challenges we are currently facing can be overwhelming and disorienting, especially in a culture that has conditioned us to constantly gain, achieve, and produce. The fear and discomfort of the ongoing Covid pandemic and its uncertainty can be unnerving as we all adjust to what the new “normal” looks and feels like. In addition, the various conflicts in the world right now, layer another level of fear, anxiety and depression on many. What do we do when our discomfort turns us to fear, boredom, guilt, and loneliness? It is through these negative mind states that an authentic dynamic flow of who we really are, along with our unique interconnectedness, gets blocked. This is the perfect moment to lean into the pause, step back and gain a broader, healthier perspective. By incorporating practices of mindfulness and self-compassion, this workshop explores a path for moving through these less than comfortable experiences to a deeper and more positive transformation overall. Open to all levels.
Presenting the Path Practice Day ( Open to all even if you have not attended the class)
Hosted by Thubten Kunga Ling (Deerfield Beach, Florida)
Via ZOOM
Apr 2
10:00am – 11:45am Session
11:45am -12:15pm Lunch (bring your own)
12:30 – 1:30pm Meditation
1:30 – 2:00pm Questions and Answers and Break
2:00 – 4:00 class with break in between
The Roadmap to Happiness
Hosted by Thubten Kunga Ling (Deerfield Beach, Florida)
Via ZOOM
Apr 3 11am – 12:30pm
This program offers participants a practical roadmap of how to cultivate happiness and overcome suffering in the midst of life’s challenges. Interweaving the “Steps on the Path” (Lam Rim), the foundational philosophy of Tibetan Buddhism, with The Book of Joy (discussions with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu), this course explores the eight pillars of joy (perspective, humility, humor, acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, compassion, and generosity) along with the realistic tools necessary to undertake that journey. Open to all levels.
Discovering Buddhism: Transforming Problems
Hosted by Tse Chen Ling Center (San Francisco, California)
Via ZOOM
Wednesday nights 9:00 – 10:30pm Eastern time (6:00 – 7:30pm Pacific time)
6 weeks: April 6, 13, 20, &27, May 4 & 11, and optional practice day, May 15
Cherishing others is like a great holiday for the mind, a wonderful vacation
from the oppressive self-cherishing thought. ~ Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Cherishing oneself is the major obstacle to happiness and to entering the path to enlightenment. By seeing how the mind creates problems, controlled by self-cherishing, we can learn to counter false projections and develop compassion and wisdom. Every situation can be made beneficial.
In this module, we’ll consider the disadvantages of self-cherishing and the advantages of cherishing others more than ourselves. We’ll get inspired to practice caring more for others, and learn how to employ the special techniques of mind training, or lojong, as a means to transform problems into happiness and learn to like problems as much as ice cream
Learn the disadvantages of self-cherishing and the advantages of cherishing others. Learn to employ the special techniques of mind training (lojong) to transform problems into happiness.
The Path to Joy
Hosted by Centre Kalachakra (Paris, France)
Via ZOOM
April 8 10am – 12noon Pacific time and 1 – 3pm (Eastern time) and 7 – 9pm (Paris time)
April 9 and 10: 5 – 7am and 7:30 – 9am Pacific time (8 – 10am and 10:30am – 12noon (Eastern time) and 4 – 6pm and 6:30 – 8pm (Paris time)
These sessions offer participants a practical roadmap of how to cultivate happiness and overcome suffering in the midst of life’s challenges. Interweaving the “Steps on the Path” (Lam Rim), the foundational philosophy of Tibetan Buddhism, with The Book of Joy (discussions with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu), this course explores the eight pillars of joy (perspective, humility, humor, acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, compassion, and generosity) along with the realistic tools necessary to undertake that journey. Open to all levels.
Mindful Self-Compassion During Difficult Times
Hosted by Institute Vajra Yogini (Lieu dit Clauzade, France)
Via ZOOM (Direct access to Zoom, click here)
May 7 8am – 9:30AM Pacific Time and 11 – 12:30 PM
May 8 8am – 9:30AM Pacific Time and 11 – 12:30 PM
The challenges we are currently facing can be overwhelming and disorienting, especially in a culture that has conditioned us to constantly gain, achieve, and produce. The fear and discomfort of “social distancing” or being “isolated with others” for too long can be quite unnerving as we all adjust to what the new “normal” looks and feels like. For many, the sudden pause is causing some severe discomfort, fear, boredom, guilt, and loneliness. By responding in this way, an authentic dynamic flow of who we really are, along with our unique interconnectedness, gets blocked. This is the perfect moment to lean into the pause, step back and gain a broader, healthier perspective. By incorporating practices of mindfulness and self-compassion, this workshop explores a path for moving through these less than comfortable experiences to a deeper and more positive transformation overall. Open to all levels.
Choosing Kindness: Empathy, Emptiness, and Empowerment in Challenging Times with Ven. Amy Miller
Hosted by Land Of Medicine Buddha (Santa Cruz County, California)
In-Person and Via Zoom
2nd and 4th Mondays Every Month (In-Person and on Zoom)
July 11, 25, August 8, 22, September 12, 26, October 10, 24, November 14, 28
6:30 – 8pm Pacific time (9:30 – 11:00pm Eastern time)
In our daily lives, we are often bombarded by external experiences that show cruelty and heartlessness. The overlay of the Covid pandemic hasn’t helped much as well and then add our relentless addiction to social media. These instances too often contribute to a world that can appear cruel, angry, polarized, and fixated on material gain. Anxiety, depression, and stagnation follow, and as a result, many of us harden our hearts and fall into judgment, blame of self or others, or simply numbing out. By responding in this way, an authentic flow of who we really are, and our inter-connectedness gets blocked and a negative ruminating mind takes over.
The good news is there’s a way out of this cycle! Using mindfulness, self-compassion and meditation techniques, we can bring presence, clarity, compassion, joy and connection back into our lives.
In these ongoing Monday evenings twice each month, Ven. Amy Miller will help us explore how being present with our pain, fear, aversion and moving with kindness through these less than comfortable mind states is the key to transformation. Open to all levels. Drop in whenever you can.
Discovering Buddhism: All About Karma
with Ven. Amy Miller
Hosted by Land Of Medicine Buddha (Santa Cruz County, California)
In-Person and Via Zoom
6 Wednesday evenings, 6:30 – 8pm Pacific time and 9:30 – 11pm (Eastern time)
July 13, 20, 27, August 3, 10, 17
Practice Session: Saturday, September 10, 1 – 4pm Pacific time
(4 – 7pm Eastern time)
Do you want to understand why bad things happen to good people? Learn the essentials about the law of cause and effect and generate a clear understanding about how karma works. Discover effective tools to accumulate merit – the cause of happiness and success – and purify mistaken actions done in the past. In addition, explore ways to become adept at dealing with life most effectively and thereby take control of your future.
Classes are open to all levels and will include lecture, meditation, discussion and question and answer along with exercises to practice each week. A final practice session of meditation and discussion to deepen your experience concludes the module.
HH Dalai Lama Birthday Celebration
Hosted by Shantideva Center (Brooklyn, New York)
Via ZOOM
Wed Jul 6, 7 – 8:30pm EDT ONLINE
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is having a birthday, and we invite you all to come celebrate with us! As the spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness has devoted his life to bringing happiness to all living beings everywhere
On the event of the His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso’s 87th birthday, come celebrate with Shantideva Center as Venerable Amy Miller leads us in praises and practices compiled by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
The very best gift we can give to our kind teachers is the offering of our own sincere spiritual practice. As part of this evening’s events, we also invite you to come prepared with a photo of His Holiness, and an additional offering of tea and sweet food, to be used in our practice together. Bring Your Own Bodhicitta!
Tara Puja – Four Mandala Offerings to Cittamani Tara
Hosted by Land Of Medicine Buddha (Santa Cruz County, California)
July 7, 2022 at 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm (Pacific Coast Time)
Tara Puja – Four Mandala Offerings to Cittamani Tara is a great way to clear out obstacles to work, relationships and general disharmony in your life.
Heruka Vajrasattva Tsog
Hosted by Land Of Medicine Buddha (Santa Cruz County, California)
July 8, 2022 at 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm (Pacific Coast Time)
A tsog is an offering ceremony that represents assembling all of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in a visualization of a sacred dance. Tsog means “gathering” or “assembly.” Those practicing highest yoga tantra normally have a commitment to do this practice twice each month.
The Lama Chopa (or Guru Puja in Sanskrit) is a profound guru yoga practice which connects us more deeply to our teachers and the inspiration of all of the buddhas.
The Heruka Vajrasattva practice is a unique delightful experience as well, merging our innate wisdom with that of all of the holy beings, all done through visualization and chanting.
Discovering Buddhism: Death and Rebirth
Hosted by Shiwa Lha Center (Rio de Janero, Brazil)
Via ZOOM
July 30 & July 31
11:30am – 1:30pm and 2:30 – 4:30pm Pacific time
Explore the process of death and rebirth and its impact on how we live our lives. Learn to fulfill your purpose in life, resolve conflicts, and develop skills to help yourself and others at the time of death. In this module you will explore life, death and rebirth and the nature of mind. Learn to use the fear of death to overcome the fear of death. Discover how to use the certainty and imminence of death to enhance your quality of life.
Chokhor Duchen
Hosted by Shantideva Center (Brooklyn, New York)
Via ZOOM
Aug 1, 7 – 8:30pm EDT ONLINE
After his enlightenment under the bodhi tree, Shakyamuni Buddha rested in the profundity of that experience for seven weeks. Only after supplication from innumerable bodhisattvas and the great deity Brahma did the Buddha agree to teach what he had realized to his dedicated disciples. Thus, the Buddha set the wheel of Dharma in motion by sharing the precious Dharma jewel!
Chokhor Duchen is the Tibetan Buddhist holiday that marks this great occasion, the Buddha’s very first teaching at Deer Park in Sarnath, India. On this auspicious day, karmic results (both positive and negative) are multiplied by one hundred million, as Lama Zopa Rinpoche is fond of sharing from the Vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic. Make the most of this astounding karmic opportunity by joining an evening of practice and prayers!
Chokhor Duchen also marks FPMT’s International Sangha Day and provides an opportunity for the lay and monastic communities to come together in recognition of our interdependence. It is especially meritorious to make offerings to our teachers and the sangha on this holy day.
The very best gift we can give to our kind teachers is the offering of our own sincere spiritual practice. As part of this evening’s events, we also invite you to come prepared with a photo of His Holiness, and an additional offering of tea and sweet food, to be used in our practice together. Bring Your Own Bodhicitta!
Chokhor Duchen
Hosted by Land Of Medicine Buddha (Santa Cruz County, California)
In-Person and Via Zoom
Aug 1, 6:30 – 8:00pm PST
After his enlightenment under the bodhi tree, Shakyamuni Buddha rested in the profundity of that experience for seven weeks. Only after supplication from innumerable bodhisattvas and the great deity Brahma did the Buddha agree to teach what he had realized to his dedicated disciples. Thus, the Buddha set the wheel of Dharma in motion by sharing the precious Dharma jewel!
Chokhor Duchen is the Tibetan Buddhist holiday that marks this great occasion, the Buddha’s very first teaching at Deer Park in Sarnath, India. On this auspicious day, karmic results (both positive and negative) are multiplied by one hundred million, as Lama Zopa Rinpoche is fond of sharing from the Vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic. Make the most of this astounding karmic opportunity by joining an evening of practice and prayers!
Chokhor Duchen also marks FPMT’s International Sangha Day and provides an opportunity for the lay and monastic communities to come together in recognition of our interdependence. It is especially meritorious to make offerings to our teachers and the sangha on this holy day.
The very best gift we can give to our kind teachers is the offering of our own sincere spiritual practice. As part of this evening’s events, we also invite you to come prepared with a photo of His Holiness, and an additional offering of tea and sweet food, to be used in our practice together. Bring Your Own Bodhicitta!
Vajrayogini Self Initiation
Hosted by Land Of Medicine Buddha (Santa Cruz County, California)
August 20, 2022 at 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm (Pacific Coast Time)
October 19, 2022 at 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm (Pacific Coast Time)
November 18, 2022 at 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm (Pacific Coast Time)
Open only to those who have had highest yoga tantra initiation, particularly Vajrayogini, and for the actual self initiation part, for those who have completed the appropriate approximation retreat and fire puja.
Please arrive at least a half hour before start time if you have offerings to share and/or would like to help with set up.
Discovering Buddhism: Death and Rebirth
Hosted by Shiwa Lha Center (Rio de Janero, Brazil)
Via ZOOM
Aug 27 & 28
11:30am – 1:30pm and 2:30 – 4:30pm Pacific time
Explore the process of death and rebirth and its impact on how we live our lives. Learn to fulfill your purpose in life, resolve conflicts, and develop skills to help yourself and others at the time of death. In this module you will explore life, death and rebirth and the nature of mind. Learn to use the fear of death to overcome the fear of death. Discover how to use the certainty and imminence of death to enhance your quality of life.
Buddhism in a Nutshell
Hosted by Shantideva Center (Brooklyn, New York)
Via ZOOM
Tuesdays, Sep 6, 13, 20, 27 & Oct 4, 7 – 8:30pm EDT ONLINE (4:00 – 5:30pm Pacific time)
Are you curious about Buddhism? Would you like to find out more without any long-term commitment? If so, this five-session course is for you!
Buddhism in a Nutshell is a great opportunity to get an overview of basic Buddhist philosophy and principles and learn how to integrate them into your life.
Join us for a refreshing overview of Buddhist practice. In addition to readings and discussion, you will receive simple meditation instruction to bring this time-tested philosophy from the head to the heart. All are welcome!
It will be most beneficial if you can attend the whole series but you can also register for individual stand-alone sessions if you prefer.
Discovering Buddhism: Transforming Problems
with Ven. Amy Miller
Hosted by Land Of Medicine Buddha (Santa Cruz County, California)
In-Person and Via Zoom
September 7, 14, 21, 28 and October 5, 6:30 – 8:00pm Pacific Time
Practice Period: October 8, 1:00 – 4:00pm
Explore how to overcome self-absorbed thinking using the special techniques of Mind Training (lojong) and the Eight Verses to transform problems into happiness. Delve into ways to direct more awareness toward others by understanding the advantages of cherishing them and how that can become a source of happiness. Meditation and readings included. Open to all levels although better for those with some background in Buddhism. 5 Wednesday Evening Sessions and 1 three-hour practice period on Saturday.
Mindful Self-Compassion and Meditation Techniques for Challenging Times
Hosted by Dharmakaya Center (Reno, Nevada)
In-Person and Via Zoom
Oct 6-9