DOCSLIB.ORG

The Founding Vision of Naropa University

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Founding Vision of Naropa University The Founding Vision of Naropa University "Let East Meet West and the Sparks Will Fly" Reed Bye Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche arrived in Boulder, Colorado, in early 1970 to teach a course on Buddhism at the University of Colorado at the invitation of two faculty members who had read his first book, Meditation in Action. Quite quickly, he began to attract other students who wanted to explore Buddhist spiritual teachings under his guidance. It became clear to those living in Boulder at the time that there was a great deal of energy and creativity in Trungpa's style of presenting the Buddhist tradition to Western students. He had found receptive ground upon which to create situations for teaching. By early 1973, among other projects, Trungpa began to suggest to students the idea of beginning of a school where Buddhist teachings could mix with Western intellectual and artistic traditions. Marvin Casper, later to become a professor of psychology at Naropa, was one of those involved in the initial conversations and described the inspiration for starting such a school: "The basic idea was an institute that would create an interface, a dialogue, between Buddhism and the intellectual culture of the West, as well as with other spiritual traditions. ... I remember at some point Rinpoche talked about creating sparks by juxtaposing different traditions. The idea was that if you look at things from different perspectives, you can get to their essence. If people from different traditions challenge and com' pare their approaches, they could go beyond conceptual mind to new perspectives."1 The colorful history of the birth and development of this idea—into what is today a fully accredited university with a four-year undergraduate college, six graduate departments, a school of extended studies, and numerous online degree programs—is a many-chaptered story beyond the scope of this article. Here I wish to simply shed light on the educational vision that produced Naropa University. The Founding Inspiration It is important to note that from its inception Naropa has grown quite literally from the ground up. There have been very few large donations that might have allowed it to skip any steps in the growing process, and step-by-step growth, seems to have been an important part of its vision: that a timely idea can be realized from a simple inspiration, through cooperation and dedicated effort. An emphasis on process and journey, personal and institutional, was integral to Trungpa's teaching in all the endeavors he and his students undertook. "In his style, Rinpoche would just start something and then see how it developed, going step by step. We didn't have any great master plans in terms of how Naropa could evolve in time," Casper recalled.2 Trungpa evoked the image of organic growth as follows: "The usual way of cooperation is based on the sense of sculpturing a product rather than just letting it grow.... 'Letting it grow1 is not based on the end product, you are simply concerned with the developmental process. You nourish what needs to be nourished, care for what needs care, and destroy what needs to be destroyed. You are not particularly concerned with what 'die outcome will be or how long it will take. There is no need to dwell on the details of your own contribution. At the same time to let it grow does not mean total wildness in which everything is allowed."3 In 1974, Naropa Institute began its existence as a summer program, with a luminous visiting faculty of artists, intellectuals, historians, and psychologists, including Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Bateson, Gary Snyder, Anne Waldman, Ram Dass, John Cage, Herbert Guenther, Barbara Dilley, Joan Halifax, and Stanislav Grof. All were invited on the basis of life work seen as "resonating with the essence of dharma."4 Although the operating budget and resources were very small, almost all of those invited to attend and teach accepted. On June 1 o, fifty-five faculty and sixteen hundred students gathered at Naropa's opening convocation ceremony, held in a large auditorium on the University of Colorado campus. On that occasion, Trungpa spoke to the heart of the new project: "The Naropa Institute developed from the idea of working with what exists in this country and also with traditions around the world The basic point here is that we could work together, we could relate with each other on the basis of trust—which seems to be lacking enormously in the Western educational tradition."5 He went on to say that such a project did not require or imply a reformation of the Western educational tradition per se but rather a "new way of looking at education." One of the problems he found in U.S. culture as he was encountering it at this time was its attitude toward its own traditions. A large-scale rejection of what were felt to be outmoded societal mores and values spurred generational suspicion and cynicism about tradition altogether and doubt that anything vital and relevant to contemporary life could be found in established cultural institutions. So, perhaps ironically, the first spark from the meeting of East and West in the vision of Naropa University was the suggestion that students should think twice about rejecting their own heritage: "We could reignite our pilot light by respecting, trusting, and acknowledging the tradition in which we have grown up. Whether it is Eastern or Western does not really matter, we could still do it. There are enormous possibilities in relating with the dignity of our culture, which we haven't acknowledged."6 Thus, Trungpa argued for recognition and appreciation of one's cultural heritage and its accumulated wisdom. Such wisdom, he explained, is held in cultural customs and practices, so that to ignore or reject them is largely to reject oneself and one's access to human wisdom. "We can regard tradition as the foundation and stepping stone for learning rather than something to be rejected. You cannot grow if you cut off your root."? In his later book Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, he wrote: How to construct a building has thousands of years of history behind it. First human beings lived in caves; then they learned how to build huts. Then they learned how to construct a building with pillars and columns. Finally they learned how to construct a building without columns in the center, with arches spanning the ceiling, which is a remarkable discovery. Such wisdom has to be respected. Many people must have been crushed when they tried to build a structure without central columns and it collapsed. People must have sacrificed their lives until a model was developed that worked. You might say that such an accomplishment is insignificant, but on the other hand, the failure to appreciate the resourcefulness of human existence . has become one of the world's biggest problems.8 At the same time, to idealize or dwell in the forms of the past can lead to blindness to the circumstances of one's present situation. In order to incorporate both knowledge and respect for tradition and awareness of the particular present, Trungpa explained that we must learn to open our eyes to newness, "the magic of the present moment, [which] joins the wisdom of the past with the present."9 The nonconceptual experience of nowness keeps wisdom fresh and adaptable; without it, our inherited wisdom shrinks into cultural habits and dogma. When corruption, enters a culture, it is because that culture ceases to be now, it becomes past and future. Periods in history when great act was created, when learning advanced or peace spread, were all now. You have to maintain nowness ... so that you don't corrupt now, and so that you don't have false synonyms for now at all. The vision of enlightened society is that tradition and culture and wisdom and dignity can be experienced now and kept now on everyone's part.10 The founding inspiration of Naropa University as an educational institution, then, involved the weaving of academic study and the practices of mindfulness and awareness. This was to be a school where scholarly disciplines would be pursued along with contemplative practices that uncover the direct experience of nowness. In this way, the wisdom within cultural traditions and academic disciplines could be received and extended into the world with fresh life. Normally in secular academic study, one does not find much direct involvement with the wisdom traditions of cultures. Nonconceptual religious practice, for instance, is not often brought together with historical and doctrinal study. This kind of engagement, even at an introductory level, requires a depth of instruction and trust that purely intellectual study can only suggest. As a result, the Western academic tradition tends to look at religion from a scholarly perimeter. Perhaps the same generalization could be made about psychology, the arts, and other disciplines as well. There are, of course, many challenges that arise when wisdom traditions are presented with attention to their spiritual as well as historical and doctrinal dimensions. The first is that of ensuring trustworthy and authentic presentation of the material, and addressing the question of how that authenticity can be gauged. Over the years, Naropa has had to work with a number of such challenges, while attempting to remain true to its specific educational mission "to encourage the integration of the teachings of world wisdom traditions with modem culture."11 "Integration" implies more than the objective study of history and belief systems within such traditions; it involves inner or spiritual understanding as well. This kind of teaching demands authentic presentation and reception of living traditions in a world susceptible to materialism, fundamentalism, and various forms of aggressive factionalism and appropriation.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Great Heart Way : How to Heal Your Life and Find Self-Fulfillment
    Great L Heart WAY Hbw to Heal Your Life and Find Self-fulfillment ILIA SHINKO PEREZ jth GERRY SHISHIN WICK id *ir^/ More praise for THE GREAT HEART WAY "I find that the Great Heart method skillfully addresses the fundamental issue of practicing with hidden emotional issues. The value of Great Heart is that it lays out a clear method with vivid and compelling evidence of how it works. I wholeheartedly endorse this book." —Wendy Egyoku Nakao, Abbot, Zen Center of Los Angeles "Incisive, import^t, and wfflSftfteretense. It is a skillful orTering^dapt^^^JJPj^yi duals as well teachers an< —Pat Enkyo O'Hara, Ph.D.^ Wot, "The Great Heart Way will help paople to resolve ) deep-seated issues that may not be^ccessible through traditional meditation alal^V <^ —Joan Halifax, Roshi, Ph.D., author of The Fruitful* Dc^iei "An important book. I highly recommend it for all seekers." —Anne Seisen Saunders, Abbot, Sweetwater Zen Center "Eminently practical and optimistic." —Jean Smith, author of Now! The Art of Being Truly Present .r-.?>-./ The Great Heart Way How to Heal Your Life and Find Self- Fulfillment ILIA SHINKO PEREZ GERRY SHISHIN WICK A WISDOM PUBLICATIONS • BOSTON Wisdom Publications 199 Elm Street Somerville, MA 02144 USA www.wisclompubs.org © 2006 Great Mountain Zen Center No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system or technologies now known or later developed, without permis- sion in writing from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Perez, Ilia Shinko.
    [Show full text]
  • Chariot of Faith Sekhar Guthog Tsuglag Khang, Drowolung
    Chariot of Faith and Nectar for the Ears A Guide to: Sekhar Guthog Tsuglag Khang Drowolung Zang Phug Tagnya Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition 1632 SE 11th Avenue Portland, OR 97214 USA www.fpmt.org © 2014 Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system or technologies now known or developed, without permission in writing from the publisher. Set in Goudy Old Style 12/14.5 and BibleScrT. Cover image over Sekhar Guthog by Hugh Richardson, Wikimedia Com- mons. Printed in the USA. Practice Requirements: Anyone may read this text. Chariot of Faith and Nectar for the Ears 3 Chariot of Faith and Nectar for the Ears A Guide to Sekhar Guthog, Tsuglag Khang, Drowolung, Zang Phug, and Tagnya NAMO SARVA BUDDHA BODHISATTVAYA Homage to the buddhas and bodhisattvas! I prostrate to the lineage lamas, upholders of the precious Kagyu, The pioneers of the Vajrayana Vehicle That is the essence of all the teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni. Here I will write briefly the story of the holy place of Sekhar Guthog, together with its holy objects. The Glorious Bhagavan Hevajra manifested as Tombhi Heruka and set innumerable fortunate ones in the state of buddhahood in India. He then took rebirth in a Southern area of Tibet called Aus- picious Five Groups (Tashi Ding-Nga) at Pesar.1 Without discourage- ment, he went to many different parts of India where he met 108 lamas accomplished in study and practice, such as Maitripa and so forth.
    [Show full text]
  • His Eminence Chöje Ayang Rinpoche – Background, Lineage and Previous Lives
    His Eminence Chöje Ayang Rinpoche – Background, Lineage and Previous Lives His Eminence Chöje Ayang Rinpoche was born into a nomadic family in Eastern Tibet (Kham). At his birth special signs appeared. His mother dreamed of a Buddha- like being who emanated a golden vajra that merged into the crown of her head. During another dream a bright light appeared, like a shooting star from the west. It dissolved into her body, filling the whole earth and sky with red light. The young boy was recognised by a delegation of high lamas, including His Holiness The 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ayang Drubchen Tenpai Nyinpa, Nelong Drubchen, Traleg Kyagbon, and the tutor of His Holiness Drikung Kyobgon Chabra Rinpoche, as the mind (wisdom) emanation of Terton Rigzin Chögyal Dorje and the seventh incarnation of the founder of the Ayang Monastery in Eastern Tibet (Kham), which was built around 1580 C.E. as a branch of the main Drikung monastery. He took his monk's vows and received his early training at Drikung Thil Changchub Ling, the main Drikung Kagyu monastery in central Tibet. From 1951 to 1955 he studied at Drikung Nyima Changra Philosophical College in central Tibet. From Khenpo Tsense Sangpo he received all the Nyingthig initiations and teachings as well as his first Phowa teaching according to the Nyingma tradition. From the great Drikung lama Nyizong Tripa he received all the initiations of Rinchen Ter Dzod and Kagyu Nag Dzod. From his own monastery, Ayang Thupten Rinpoche, who was also the tutor of the head of the Drikung lineage, bestowed on him teachings of the Six Yogas of Naropa and Mahamudra.
    [Show full text]
  • Engaged Buddhism & Women in Black: Our Grief Is Not a Cry For
    The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning Volume 9 Winter 2003-2004 Article 5 2003 Engaged Buddhism & Women in Black: Our Grief Is Not a Cry for War Candace Walworth Naropa University Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/jaepl Part of the Creative Writing Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Disability and Equity in Education Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, English Language and Literature Commons, Instructional Media Design Commons, Liberal Studies Commons, Other Education Commons, Special Education and Teaching Commons, and the Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons Recommended Citation Walworth, Candace (2003) "Engaged Buddhism & Women in Black: Our Grief Is Not a Cry for War," The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning: Vol. 9 , Article 5. Available at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/jaepl/vol9/iss1/5 This Essay is brought to you for free and open access by Volunteer, Open Access, Library Journals (VOL Journals), published in partnership with The University of Tennessee (UT) University Libraries. This article has been accepted for inclusion in The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning by an authorized editor. For more information, please visit https://trace.tennessee.edu/jaepl. Engaged Buddhism & Women in Black: Our Grief Is Not a Cry for War Cover Page Footnote Candace Walworth is Associate Professor at Naropa University, a Buddhist-inspired university in Boulder, Colorado. This essay is available in The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning: https://trace.tennessee.edu/jaepl/vol9/iss1/5 20 JAEPL, Vol.
    [Show full text]
  • Employee Handbook
    Employee Handbook Updated December 1, 2018 Welcome to Naropa University. On behalf of my staff and faculty colleagues and especially our students, I am delighted that you have chosen to work with us. As a pioneer in offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees based upon contemplative education, Naropa has an international reputation and is a significant educational, cultural and economic force in Boulder. A well-supported staff is the key to best serving our students, presenting meaningful programs and performances to the public, and growing and sustaining Naropa in the future. That support includes, of course, a commitment to fair salary and benefits, but also means the creation and maintenance of a safe and collegial workplace and opportunities for each of us to grow personally and professionally while part of the Naropa community. This handbook outlines the established policies and benefits that assist in meeting those goals. I ask you to become familiar with them, take advantage of the variety of benefits offered to our employees and feel free to bring any questions to your supervisor. Thank you for choosing to work at Naropa. I look forward to meeting you. Sincerely, President Charles G. Lief REVOCATION OF PRIOR HANDBOOKS AND POLICIES THIS HANDBOOK, AND THE POLICIES CONTAINED HEREIN, APPLIES TO ALL CURRENT EMPLOYEES (STAFF, FACULTY AND EMPLOYED STUDENTS) OF NAROPA UNIVERSITY AND ENTIRELY REPLACES AND SUPERSEDES NAROPA UNIVERSITY’S PRIOR HANDBOOKS EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 1, 2018. NAROPA UNIVERSITY HAS DEVELOPED THE FOLLOWING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR ALL EMPLOYEES SO THAT WE MAY OPERATE UNDER THE SAME GUIDELINES OF PERFORMANCE AND BEHAVIOR.
    [Show full text]
  • The Life and Revelations of Pema Lingpa Translated by Sarah Harding, Forward by Gangteng Rinpoche; Reviewed by D
    HIMALAYA, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies Volume 26 Number 1 People and Environment: Conservation and Management of Natural Article 22 Resources across the Himalaya No. 1 & 2 2006 The Life and Revelations of Pema Lingpa translated by Sarah Harding, forward by Gangteng Rinpoche; reviewed by D. Phillip Stanley D. Phillip Stanley Naropa University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya Recommended Citation Stanley, D. Phillip. 2006. The Life and Revelations of Pema Lingpa translated by Sarah Harding, forward by Gangteng Rinpoche; reviewed by D. Phillip Stanley. HIMALAYA 26(1). Available at: https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya/vol26/iss1/22 This Research Article is brought to you for free and open access by the DigitalCommons@Macalester College at DigitalCommons@Macalester College. It has been accepted for inclusion in HIMALAYA, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Macalester College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. of its large alluvial plains, extensive irrigation institutional integrity that they have managed to networks, and relatively egalitarian land-ownership negotiate with successive governments in Kangra patterns, like other Himalayan communities it is also to stay self-organized and independent, and to undergOing tremendous socio-economic changes get support from the state for the rehabilitation of due to the growing influence of the wider market damaged kuhls. economy. Kuhl regimes are experiencing declining Among the half dozen studies of farmer-managed interest in farming, decreasing participation, irrigation systems of the Himalaya, this book stands increased conflict, and the declining legitimacy out for its skillful integration of theory, historically of customary rules and authority structures.
    [Show full text]
  • A Guide to Shamatha Meditation
    A Guide to Shamatha Meditation by Thrangu Rinpoche Geshe Lharampa Copyright © 1999 by Namo Buddha Publications. This teaching is taken from the much longer The Four Foundations of Buddhist Practice by Thrangu Rinpoche. The teachings are based on Pema Karpo’s Mahamudra Meditation Instructions. This teaching was given in Samye Ling in Scotland in 1980. These inexpensive booklets may be purchased in bulk from Namo Buddha Publications. If it is translated into any other language, we would appreciate it if a copy of the translation. The technical terms have been italicized the first time to alert the reader that they may be found in the Glossary. Dorje Chang Lineage Prayer Great Vajradhara, Tilopa, Naropa Marpa, Milarepa, and lord of the dharma Gampopa The knower of the three times, the omniscient Karmapa The holders of the lineage of the four great and eight lesser schools. The lamas Trikung, Tsalung, Tsalpa, and glorious Drungpa and others To all those who have thoroughly mastered the profound path of mahamudra The Dagpo Kagyu who are unrivalled as protectors of beings I pray to you, the Kagyu gurus, to grant your blessing So that I may follow your tradition and example. The teaching is that detachment is the foot of meditation; Not being possessed by food or wealth. To the meditator who gives up the ties to this life, Grant your blessing so that he ceases to be attached to honor or ownership. The teaching is that devotion is the head of meditation. The lama opens the gate to the treasury of the profound oral teachings, To the meditator who always turns to him, Grant your blessing so that genuine devotion is born in him.
    [Show full text]
  • Journey Without Goal the Tantric Wisdom of the Buddha Chögyam Trungpa
    JOURNEY WITHOUT GOAL The Tantric Wisdom of the Buddha Chögyam Trungpa Study Guide Kalapa Recordings KALAPA RECORDINGS Copyright 2008 Kalapa Recordings All Rights Reserved All photographs used in the DVD set are by Andrea Roth and are used by permission of the Shambhala Archives. Special thanks to Carolyn Gimian who prepared this guide. Kalapa Recordings 1084 Tower Road Halifax, NS B3H 2Y5 [email protected] 2 Journey without Goal: The Tantric Wisdom of the Buddha This seminar on tantra was given by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche at Naropa Institute (now Naropa University) in the summer of 1974, the first year of Naropa. The seminar was edited into the book Journey without Goal: The Tantric Wisdom of the Buddha, which should be the main reference and reading material for the DVD class. Chögyam Trungpa took an approach to Vajrayana Buddhism that is unique in its experiential flavor. He felt that the sacredness and secrecy of tantra should be guarded. At the same time, he felt that there was much that could be shared with a general audience. The DVD series Journey without Goal reflects both of these qualities. In working with the book and the DVDs together, students need to be aware that some material from the original lectures was condensed in the book or inserted into another chapter. Questions and answers were not included in the book per se, although some material from the questions and answers has been interwoven into the body of the book. The DVD series was piloted in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as a weekly class over a period of about four months.
    [Show full text]
  • Generate an Increasingly Nuanced Understanding of Its Teachings
    H-Buddhism Sorensen on Labdrön, 'Machik's Complete Explanation: Clarifying the Meaning of Chöd: A Complete Explanation of Casting Out the Body as Food' Review published on Friday, September 1, 2006 Machig Labdrön. Machik's Complete Explanation: Clarifying the Meaning of Chöd: A Complete Explanation of Casting Out the Body as Food. Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2003. 365 pp. $29.95 (cloth), ISBN 978-1-55939-182-5. Reviewed by Michelle Sorensen (Center for Buddhist Studies, Columbia University Department of Religion) Published on H-Buddhism (September, 2006) An Offering of Chöd Machik Labdrön (Ma gcig Lab kyi sgron ma, ca. 1055-1153 C.E.) is revered by Tibetan Buddhists as an exemplary female philosopher-adept, a yogini, a dakini, and even as an embodiment of Prajñ?par?mit?, the Great Mother Perfection of Wisdom. Machik is primarily known for her role in developing and disseminating the "Chöd yul" teachings, one of the "Eight Chariots of the Practice Lineage" in Tibetan Buddhism.[1] Western interest in Chöd began with sensational representations of the practice as a macabre Tibetan Buddhist ritual in ethnographic travel narratives of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries.[2] Such myopic representations have been ameliorated through later translations of Machik's biography and various ritual manuals, particularly those describing the "banquet offerings."[3] Since Western translators have privileged the genres of biographical and ritual texts, the richness of indigenous materials on Chöd (both in terms of quantity and quality) has been obscured.[4] This problem has been redressed by Sarah Harding's translation of Machik's Complete Explanation [Phung po gzan skyur gyi rnam bshad gcod kyi don gsal byed], one of the most comprehensive written texts extant within the Chöd tradition.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mindfulness Sampler
    The Mindfulness Sampler Shambhala Authors on the Power of Awareness in Daily Life Mindfulness Sampler fourth pass 2-3-14.indd 1 2/3/14 11:54 AM This page intentionally left blank. THE MINDFULNESS SAMPLER f Shambhala Authors on the Power of Awareness in Daily Life shambhala Boston & London 2014 Mindfulness Sampler fourth pass 2-3-14.indd 1 2/3/14 11:54 AM Shambhala Publications, Inc. Horticultural Hall 300 Massachusetts Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02115 www.shambhala.com © 2014 by Shambhala Publications, Inc. Cover photograph: Apples in Bushel © Kevin Thomas and Andrea Pluhar All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. eisbn 978-0-8348-2961-9 eisbn 978-0-8348-2981-7 (Shambhala.com edition) Mindfulness Sampler 2-4-14.indd 2 2/4/14 2:53 PM CONTENTS f Introduction v Happiness and Peace Are Possible 1 Thich Nhat Hanh The Liberating Practice of Mindfulness 19 Jack Kornfield Not Causing Harm 33 Pema Chödrön The Practice of Ordinary Life 41 Jan Chozen Bays, MD The Four Foundations of Mindfulness 61 Chögyam Trungpa Mindfulness in Relationships 101 David Richo Work’s Invitation to Wake Up 119 Michael Carroll Mindfulness Sampler fourth pass 2-3-14.indd 3 2/3/14 11:54 AM iv C Contents Raising Mindful Kids 133 Eline Snel Mindfulness and Addiction 145 Lawrence A. Peltz, MD Mindful Communication 171 Susan Gillis Chapman Further Readings 197 Mindfulness Sampler fourth pass 2-3-14.indd 4 2/3/14 11:54 AM INTRODUCTION f “Life is accessible only in the present moment.” This revo- lutionary teaching of the Buddha, as emphasized by the great Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, is the hallmark of the mindful- ness movement—and it is taking the world by storm.
    [Show full text]
  • Shambhala Mountain Center Buddhism | Meditation | Mindful Living | Yoga Fall | Winter
    SHAMBHALA MOUNTAIN CENTER BUDDHISM | MEDITATION | MINDFUL LIVING | YOGA FALL | WINTER FALL Learn to Meditate Align Body and Mind Deepen Relationships Explore your Creativity Reconnect with Nature Transform Your Life 2016 – 2017 2016–2017 Program Highlights Meditation Intensives 18 Week-Long Fall Meditation Retreat: The Shape of Awake with Hope Martin 20 Enlightened Society Dathun with Acharya Daniel Hessey 26 Week-long Spring Meditation Retreat with Susan Piver and Lodro Rinzler Mindfulness 16 Mindfulness and Compassion Meditation Retreat with Shastri Janet Solyntjes & David Spound 23 Mindful Self-Compassion Intensive with Megan Leuchars & Michelle Becker 24 Mindful Heart Communication: A Path to Warmth, Dignity and Confidence Acharya Susan Chapman & Gregory Heffron 24 Introduction to Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction with Janet Solyntjes Personal and Societal Transformation 7 2nd Annual Wisdom in Action with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Venerable Pannavati, Bishop Marc Andrus, Acharya Fleet Maull & more 8 Yoga, Purpose, and Action Leadership Intensive with Seane Corn, Suzanne Sterling & Hala Khouri 19 Dismantling Racism with Meditation: A Workshop for White People with Kara Dansky Buddhism 10 2nd Annual Wisdom Rising: An 14 Making the Most of What We Have: Exploration of the Divine Feminine in Lojong Mind Training Buddhism with Rev. angel Kyodo williams, with Anyen Rinpoche Karma Lekshe Tsomo, Acharya Susan Skjei & Allison Choying Zangmo & Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel 18 Medicine Buddha and the Fivefold 12 Finding Happiness Within: Path of Mahamudra
    [Show full text]
  • Reading the History of a Tibetan Mahakala Painting: the Nyingma Chod Mandala of Legs Ldan Nagpo Aghora in the Roy Al Ontario Museum
    READING THE HISTORY OF A TIBETAN MAHAKALA PAINTING: THE NYINGMA CHOD MANDALA OF LEGS LDAN NAGPO AGHORA IN THE ROY AL ONTARIO MUSEUM A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Sarah Aoife Richardson, B.A. ***** The Ohio State University 2006 Master's Examination Committee: Dr. John C. Huntington edby Dr. Susan Huntington dvisor Graduate Program in History of Art ABSTRACT This thesis presents a detailed study of a large Tibetan painting in the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) that was collected in 1921 by an Irish fur trader named George Crofts. The painting represents a mandala, a Buddhist meditational diagram, centered on a fierce protector, or dharmapala, known as Mahakala or “Great Black Time” in Sanskrit. The more specific Tibetan form depicted, called Legs Idan Nagpo Aghora, or the “Excellent Black One who is Not Terrible,” is ironically named since the deity is himself very wrathful, as indicated by his bared fangs, bulging red eyes, and flaming hair. His surrounding mandala includes over 100 subsidiary figures, many of whom are indeed as terrifying in appearance as the central figure. There are three primary parts to this study. First, I discuss how the painting came to be in the museum, including the roles played by George Croft s, the collector and Charles Trick Currelly, the museum’s director, and the historical, political, and economic factors that brought about the ROM Himalayan collection. Through this historical focus, it can be seen that the painting is in fact part of a fascinating museological story, revealing details of the formation of the museum’s Asian collections during the tumultuous early Republican era in China.
    [Show full text]