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Karma Thegsum Choling Minneapolis H.H. 1717th Gyalwa Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism |
Beyond Beginners -- Classes for Serious StudentsREGISTRATION & INFORMATION TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Classes:MEDITATOR'S RETREATS PROGRAM Ð ESPECIALLY FOR: 1) SANGHA MEMBERS WHO SIT ON TUESDAY EVENINGS AND WANT A FASTER - DEEPER PATH. 2) SANGHA MEMBERS WHO HAVE A SCHEDULING CONFLICT WITH OUR TUESDAY EVENING SHAMATA MEDITATION. THIS IS THE ALTERNATIVE GROUP MEDITATION TIME FOR YOU. & 3) FOLKS ESTABLISHING DAILY MEDITATION PRACTICE IN THEIR LIVES WHO ARE NOT KTC MEMBERS & WOULD NOT, THEREFORE, BE ATTENDING KTC SANGHA PRACTICE ON TUESDAY EVENINGS. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT GROUP PRACTICE FOR YOU.In order to purposely transform one's consciousness, a minimum of four things is necessary: 1) an authentic teacher, 2) an authentic, disciplined meditation habit, 3) group meditation practice, & 4) regularly scheduled retreat time. We live in very busy times, with a lot of noise, stress, violence, and increasing worldwide suffering. Proportionately, in contrast, little time is spent in silence. The retreats in the MeditatorÕs Retreat program are KTC member-run, quiet, happy, nourishing days, offering a way for people to stay in town but still get group practice and retreat time into busy schedules. Recharge your practice, and help the planet and everything on it with these retreat days. At any given moment, there is nothing worth more than the compassionate, peaceful, grounded, centered, healthy, growing consciousness that comes from meditation practice and retreat time. These in-town retreats for people who already know how to do Shamata meditation are held at KTC Minneapolis and include sitting meditation, walking meditation, an organic vegetarian lunch, and karma yoga meditation. Whole day participants only. Tuition $45/$35 mem
TONGLEN: TIBETAN HEALING MEDITATION Tonglen meditation is extremely well suited to the time we are living in, such a high level of suffering for all sentient beings. Tonglen (taking & sending) meditation provides a particularly powerful and uniquely positive way to make use of strong emotions. The practice requires connecting to emotions such as anger, sorrow, jealousy, fear, physical & mental pain, etc, and then transforming the energy into relief from suffering. Tonglen is an excellent meditation practice to have in oneÕs arsenal when you, or someone you care for, needs the ability to transcend mind/body pain, and at the same time put the ability to do so to good use in the world. This course is suitable for meditators of all levels including beginners. It is especially helpful for health care professionals, caretakers, and those who are seriously ill. Prerequisite: Shamata meditation instruction. If you are unable to attend one of the Shamata classes, call KTC to schedule private instruction. 12 CEUs for nurses. Tuition $109. Materials Fee $10 to instructor. The class is taught by KTC sangha member Sheila Duddy. Sheila graduated as a registered nurse from Bryn Mawr, and works in Hospice Care at North Memorial Hospital. She has been studying Buddhism for more than 18 years. For most of that time Tonglen meditation has been her main practice. She is currently engaged in the preliminary practices to Mahamudra meditation. Tonglen Meditation instruction will be given at the first class by Lama Pamela Holtum.
21 PRAISES OF GREEN TARA Taking a step into the traditional daily practice structure of Tibetan Buddhist Kagyu monasteries we will spend 3 months learning and chanting the 21 Praises of Tara, a piece of the longer Green Tara practice that is done as the day breaks early every morning in Kagyu monasteries. Dietary restriction: No alcohol or meat prior to Tara practice on the day of the practice. Copies of the 21 Praises will be provided and will also be available for purchase from the KTC store. Tuition Donation. Every Thurs, Sept. 16 to Dec. 16 6-7AM at KTC No registration necessary. A TEACHING ON THE MAHAMUDRA LINEAGE PRAYER THAT WE ARE CHANTING BEFORE SANGHA PRACTICE Within the Mahamudra Lineage Prayer (Dorje Chang Tungma) lies the entire path of Mahamudra. Ven Lama Karma Shedrup describes it as "an extremely pithy and profound instruction." It is in common use in all the major schools of the Kagyu tradition. It is used in personal practice within the Kagyu monasteries. A short time ago we began chanting it at KTC before Sangha practice on Tuesday evenings. And it is used by all Kagyu lay practitioners who are doing Mahamudra practice. It was composed by the great teacher Penkar Jampal Zangpo after his completion of 18 years of solitary retreat on Mahamudra meditation on an island in the middle of a lake in northern Tibet, and is held to have unparalleled blessing. It is beautiful, and has an energy about it that causes people to want to chant it, as we have experienced in our shrineroom. His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa requested of Ven Thrangu Rinpoche that he give a teaching on this Mahamudra Lineage Prayer especially for the benefit of western students so that they may understand the nature of the path. It is this commentary by Thrangu Rinpoche that Lama la will use as the basis for this teaching. It is a verse-by-verse commentary that covers all aspects of the path and practice. Sangha members should bring their pechas to the teaching. Tuition includes handout and lunch & tea on Saturday. A small number of work study spots with reduced tuition are available to full time students and low income individuals on a needs basis. Those interested in work study should send an email to karma@ktcminneapolis.org Tuition $80 / 64 mem
TIBETAN ALPHABET & LETTER COMBINATIONS CLASS Learn the Tibetan alphabet and what the stacked letters and letter combinations sound like. Many sacred texts are still in Tibetan only, not transliterated and not translated into English. Serious Kagyu lineage students will encounter high-end practices that, while an oral teaching on the meaning of the practice will be presented, doing the practice will require the ability to read Tibetan phonetically. For instance, it is necessary to be able to read Tibetan phonetically in order to do the Three-Year retreat at Karme Ling Retreat Center. This class will be taught by Sonam Arti, the kind Tibetan lady who came to live at KTC while preparing Lama la for Three-Year retreat, or a Tibetan teacher of her choosing. The class will meet in 2 hour sessions, for a minimum of 5 weeks, at a time that is agreed upon by all of the students. Students who finish this class will have an opportunity to practice reading Tibetan sacred materials with Lama la to develop reasonable proficiency. Tuition $125 / 100 mem KTC Course # TALF04 Registration deadline for this class is Oct 15th. Meeting time for the first class will be determined after registration closes from who registers and when they can meet. The complete schedule for the classes will be set up at the first class. Be sure to include your email address and home phone number on your registration form so we can contact you to set up the date & time for the first class. REGISTRATION & PAYMENT Register with KTC or the listed Community Education office. Pay by credit card or check. Call the school district Community Education Office or go to their website for instructions to register for a class offered through them, or at one of their buildings. KTC accepts payment by credit card in person, over the telephone, by mail, or by fax (952-926-5049). Registration Form (Print, Fill Out & Fax) Payment by check is accepted by mail or in person. To pay in person, please call ahead (952) 926-5048. |