Learn to Meditate in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Anyone can learn basic meditation and experience the benefits that come from having a peaceful mind. Buddhists respect all people and are happy to help anyone regardless of whether they subscribe to another faith, or to none.
No. Anyone can learn basic meditation and experience the benefits that come from having a peaceful mind. Buddhists respect all people and are happy to help anyone regardless of whether they subscribe to another faith, or to none.
You are not required to bring anything to class.
Please wear comfortable clothing that will allow you to sit in a crossed-leg position if you are able to do so. Be modest in your dress and respectful of the spiritual environment. Shoes are not permitted in the temple and will need to be removed before entering.
No drinking or eating while in the temple please. Quiet, respectful and harmonious behavior is always appreciated. And joy is welcome!
Please do not place religious books or texts on the floor at any time, and do not step over any texts that might inadvertently be on the floor or a bench.
BUDDHIST MEDITATION
Calm and Clear: The Buddhist Meditation Practices of Shamatha (Mental Quiescence) and Vipassana (Insight)
Of all the aspects of our life, what goes on within – our thoughts, feelings and emotions, and our very sense of being – are at the same time the most intimate and yet the most mysterious we will ever experience.
Discovering this inner world, achieving mental calm and freedom from turbulent emotionality and gaining clear insight into the profound depths of one’s being and true nature has been the goal of Buddhist meditators for over 2,500 years.
Modern science can explore the vastness of the universe and the infinitesimal particles that compose it, and yet we still find ourselves bewildered and overcome by negative emotions. Our lives are driven by the need to escape feelings of dissatisfaction, disappointment and unhappiness, only to find that everything we experience is impermanent, including our own happiness . Clearly seeing the plight of all beings, the Buddha revealed a means of calming the mind and gaining insight into its real nature, providing a practical method to free ourselves from the delusion, suffering and emotional turmoil called samsara (conditioned existence)
Using the profound yet simple technique of mindfulness of the breath, we gradually learn to calm our turbulent thoughts, memories, plans and emotions. Within this clear, radiant space we are able to gain insight into our mental processes and recognize our inherent Buddha Nature – the vast, free and completely enlightened reality at the heart of all beings. This can be practiced by anyone, of any or no religious affiliation whatsoever, the only requirement being a commitment to practice meditation on a daily basis.