Presented via Zoom by the Santa Monica KTC. All are welcome.

Most of us begin meditation by learning to let go.  Through practices such as calm-abiding meditation, we notice thoughts and concepts, then repeatedly train in letting them go.  This is not a complete path to the rich experience of awakening, though, as our daily lives continually demonstrate that, in fact, there are plenty of things we do need to pick up.  Discerning what is to be adopted, and how to do so is, in many ways, the territory of Lojong, or “mind training”, which is best known for its hallmark practice of taking and sending (tong-len), and its list of 59 pithy slogans.   

This series of discussions will explore the Lojong teachings found in Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche’s Great Path of Awakening, as expanded on by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in his book Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness.  With guided practice and discussion, we’ll extend our understanding of the relationship between compassion and non-conceptuality, and why they are considered to be like the two wings of a bird; both necessary for us to take flight.