Namchak Community Blog
The Four Thoughts of Buddhism
Table of Contents THE FOUR THOUGHTS OF BUDDHISM Not a numbers person? You might be after you read this blog. There are a lotof numbers in Tibetan Buddhism: We have the Three Poisons, the Four Noble Truths, the Five Aggregates, the Three Jewels, and the list goes on. At Namchak we jokingly refer to this copious use of numbers as “Tibetan...
Walking the Bodhisattva Path: Bodhisattva and Refuge Vows Explained
An in-depth look at refuge and bodhisattva vows and the meaning of being on the bodhisattva path.
Bodhi what? Bodhicitta? Bodhisattva? What’s the difference?
A Tibetan Buddhist explanation of bodhisattva and bodhicitta and meditation practices for developing bodhicitta.
How to Develop Equanimity According to Tibetan Buddhism
According to Tibetan Buddhism in order to develop equanimity it requires understanding the causes and conditions that contribute to suffering.
The Three Poisons
Unfortunately, the Three Poisons we discuss often in Buddhism do not come with attention-grabbing labels. They tend to sneak into our lives and cause suffering until we gain an awareness of them. Though not always pleasant, gaining that awareness and learning to work with them is necessary for ending Samsara. Most of us have a “favorite” that we...
10 Journal Prompts for Introspection & Self-Awareness
Have you ever journaled or wanted to add that to your meditation practice but didn’t know how to get started? Journaling is a great way to record your thoughts, relieve stress, and self-reflect. Grab a cup of hot tea, your favorite blanket, and settle in as we give you some easy prompts to get you started. Consider these: How am I feeling about...
4 Guided Meditations to Invigorate Your Practice
With the change of seasons comes the opportunity to reinvigorate our practice. Whether you’re feeling burned out or just ready for a change, here are some of our favorite guided meditations for you to try. Clearing the Stale Energies. Not sure how to start off your sit? We’ve got you! Follow along as Lama Tsomo guides you through a Tibetan breath...
Shamata: Tibetan Style
Like the rest of the world, we’ve shifted the way we do things in order to navigate the ever-changing COVID-19 crisis. When physical distancing became the norm to keep us all safe, we started brainstorming how best to support our community during these new times. We shifted our retreats online and launched virtual learning groups. Lama Tsomo...
When We Heal Ourselves, We Can Heal Others
Last week on Awakin Calls, Jacques Verduin, an expert in prison rehabilitation and Founding Director and Minister of Transformation of Insight-Out and Founder of its GRIP (Guiding Rage into Power) Program, and Lama Tsomo discussed how we can free ourselves from prisons of our own making. Their perspectives and life experiences come together to...
3 Reasons To Do A Self-Directed Retreat
The need or desire to stay connected to what’s happening right now, to soak in all the information we can to make informed decisions, and to make sure we stay active in the world can cause us to feel burned out emotionally and mentally. While it can leave us feeling selfish, one of the best things to do is take a break. Be easy on yourself. Yes,...