About this event
This month’s Sangha gathering: Tuesday, February 13, 5:30-7:30 pm MST
Offered in-person in Missoula and online (Address and Zoom link sent upon registration)
Celebrate the beginning of a new year and join us for a special One Community gathering featuring Lama Tsomo on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, a time that aligns with the auspicious occasion of Losar, the Tibetan New Year.
As we step into the Year of the Wood Dragon, Lama Tsomo will guide us through the profound teachings of a 1,200-year-old Tibetan Buddhist prophecy. This auspicious alignment marks the beginning of a critical year for both individual and collective action, according to the insights embedded in the prophecy. Given the current global challenges, this prophecy serves as a beacon, highlighting the potential for positive change in the days to come.
Lama Tsomo will lead us through the Brief Spontaneous Fulfillment of Wishes practice and a brief overview of Guru Rinpoche’s prophecy, imparting its teachings with a focus on how everyday acts rooted in wisdom and compassion can bring about significant change. Our gathering goes beyond mere discussion; it’s an open invitation to actively participate in a movement that transcends geographical limits.
Through the lens of wisdom and compassion, we can shift the course of these challenging times. The prophecy has a timeline, urging us to act promptly to shape a different future.
During this One Community, we will:
– Gain insights into who Guru Rinpoche was and the relevance of his predictions to this crucial year.
– Engage in group practice of the Guru Rinpoche mantra and Spontaneous Blessings prayer as a collective force for positive change.
– Explore project practice opportunities and discover ways to engage in group activities, setting the tone for the year ahead.
Read more about the SEOT project at www.seotproject.org
Details:
This month’s Sangha gathering: Tuesday, February 13, 5:30-7:30 pm MST
Location: Online via Zoom and in person at the Namchak Retreat Ranch office in Missoula.
About the Teacher:
Lama Tsomo is an American lama, author, and co-founder of the Namchak Retreat Ranch. Born into a Midwestern Jewish household, she followed a path of spiritual inquiry and study that ultimately led to her ordination as one of the few American lamas in Tibetan Buddhism. After a decade of practice, she became fluent in Tibetan and now teaches students in the U.S. and abroad. She is particularly passionate about reaching young people and supporting those working for positive social change. Fascinated by science from an early age, Lama Tsomo often weaves research findings into her candid and humorous teachings. She holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Jungian studies. She is the author of Why Is the Dalai Lama Always Smiling?, the Ancient Wisdom For Our Times series, an exploration of Tibetan Buddhism meditation that includes: Why Bother? An Introduction; Wisdom & Compassion (Starting with Yourself); and book three of the series, Deepening Wisdom, Deepening Connection just released this October 2022. Along with the Namchak Community, she created Taking a Breath: A Meditation and Reflection Journal, a hands-on guide for developing and improving meditation practice.
About the teacher
Lama Tsomo is an American lama, author, and co-founder of the Namchak Retreat Ranch. Born into a Midwestern Jewish household, she followed a path of spiritual inquiry and study that ultimately led to her ordination as an American lama in Tibetan Buddhism. After a decade of practice and studying closely with Tulku Sangak Rinpoche, she now teaches students in the U.S. and abroad. She is particularly passionate about reaching young people and supporting those working for positive social change. She holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Jungian studies. Lama Tsomo is the author of the Ancient Wisdom For Our Times series, a Tibetan Buddhist practice series.
Address and Zoom Link
Missoula address and Zoom link will be provided upon registration. Please note: Confirmation emails from Eventbrite often end up in spam/promotions tab. Please check there if you do not see the confirmation email.
Our Community Commitments
In order to co-create a brave, inclusive, anti-oppressive and learning centered space, in our community we each agree to:
- Be inclusive of diverse opinions and backgrounds through treating each other with respect and appreciation.
- Commit to words and actions of non-harm within our group interactions.
- Learn by immersing in and committing to the practices at hand.
- Hold personal sharing in confidence.
- Be present, practice mindful listening, and not offer unsolicited advice.
- Allow and invite for equal sharing of voices as well as the right to pass.
- Take care not to speak for others in the group.
- Assume good intent and come from a place of curiosity and care.
- Come as we are with permission to be “raggedy.”
- Be mindful of and take personal and collective responsibility for our own biases including the use of language that may “other,” “cancel,” or dehumanize any person, groups of people, and/or their experiences.
- Ask for consent before hugging or initiating physical contact during in-person gatherings.
- Use the “Ouch/Oops” tool to address hurtful comments and language in the moment and to allow space for repair.*
We aspire for this sangha to be a place of refuge
*Ouch/Oops . This is a tool for addressing hurtful comments/language in the moment. If someone says something hurtful, anyone can bring attention to it in the moment by saying “Ouch” and then explaining what was hurtful. If it is a word choice issue, be sure to give the first speaker the chance to rephrase and try again (remember, it’s okay to be raggedy, and we are all assuming good intent!) When someone says something that comes out wrong or hurts someone else, they should start with “Oops” – first, acknowledge the impact of their words, and then try again. This can also be done outside of the event if someone feels an “Ouch,” but does not feel comfortable sharing it with the group at that time. We aspire for this sangha to be a place of refuge.