Lots going on!

It’s a busy time right now, but very exciting!

The Welcoming the Unwelcome book discussion group has been a wonderful journey so far. It is so inspiring to hear my Dharma brothers and sisters discuss this book and how it is impacting their lives. Sometimes realizing that many others are going though the same challenges and confusion as we are can help us feel less alone or defeated. And to see that even relatively small progress can be cause for rejoicing.

There are three big upcoming projects on my plate at the moment. First, I’m preparing for an 11:30 Dharma Talk for Columbus KTC on March 21st. The topic is something I’ve wanted to share for a long time, which is the Five Skandhas, or how ego seemingly freezes the open, spacious, and relaxed nature of mind.

Next, on April 21st, I will present a Tibetan Overview for Phonetic Readers. This is something I’ve received many requests for. Most Western practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism interact with the Tibetan language exclusively through phonetic translations. But there is a lot we can learn about written Tibetan and the meaning of these unfamiliar words, even as a phonetic reader. This workshop will be a basic fly-over of the landscape of Tibetan language represented by our phonetic characters.

Finally, preparations are under way for our first Chöd workshop at Columbus KTC. Lama Tsultrim Gyaltsen of Karme Ling Retreat Center (and my retreat master for my three-year retreat) will be teaching the main program on April 24th, but there is a good bit of preparation that needs to be made beforehand, including giving the reading transmission of the text to those who need it, and teaching how to use the musical instruments involved in this practice.

I’m very happy about all of this. So grateful to be able to share whatever I can with the KTC community and beyond. These teachings can reduce and, gradually, eliminate our suffering altogether, making us capable of effectively benefiting others. What could be a more worthy endeavor than to train our minds in loving-kindness and compassion?