Special Events and on-going classes and practices, both at the Center and streaming on Zoom, are described and links provided.

Two events: Ngondro Practice and Guru Rinpoche Puja happen Sunday, January 1st. Start the New Year right!

Photo note: This shot of the gate is from "the back" - the view as you are leaving Dorje Ling. It could not have been taken from this angle before because tree branches were there. Sadly, in the holiday storm, we lost two trees, which also took out our power (just our electrical power, that is). I wanted a picture that represented heartfelt wishes for calmer days, here and there and everywhere.

Sangha Gathering and Potluck,

Saturday, January 7, 2:00-5:00

(Second attempt; your sadder-now-but-wiser Newsletter compiler says "Check here for weather updates, including on day of event.")

New News:

Scheduling: Due to COVID concerns:

1. please test if you may have been exposed recently.
2. Please bring a mask. We will have the Sangha meeting from 2:15-3:15, masks required. Then we will share food and drink, masks optional.
3. Bring your thoughts, dreams and visions for Dorje Ling in 2023. Let's find ways to support the center and each other as a sangha.

Also:

NOT TOO LATE: AFTER-GIFTS!

If you have dharma items you would like to give away to a new home, please bring them. We will have a table set up for such gifts. Bring something and also, most importantly, take something, it will be our own sort of open-ended dharma gift exchange.

And:

New to Dorje Ling/ Yes, yes, you are invited!. This party is open to all.

SAVE THE DATES:

FEBRUARY, 17-21, 2023

LOSAR: Tibetan New Year

Year of the Water Rabbit

Tashi Choling will celebrate Losar with three afternoons of Vajrakilaya practice on February 17-19. We will gather at Dorje Ling to join these sessions on Zoom, and Lama Chonam and Sangye Khandro will give some talks with time for Q & A.

At Dorje Ling, we will honor the traditional cleaning day on Monday, February 20 with work parties, and also gather for Vajrasattva practice and Sangha get-together on Losar Day itself: Tuesday, February 21, 2023.

ALL are welcome to attend.

More details to follow closer to the dates.

Practices and Classes

January 2023

Matthew Small, current program director, will be leading the pujas from Dorje Ling in these winter months, while Keith LaCoste, our usual umzed from Tashi Choling, is on retreat.

PHOTO:

His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche

Ngondro Practice

All Sunday mornings 11:00-12:15

Offered both at Dorje Ling and on Zoom

We have printed texts at the temple and we share screen the text for Zoom attendees.

Matthew will be starting a class on the Ngondro in February.

The Ngondro is a preliminary practice for students who want to enter the path of Vajrayana Buddhism. It provides a spiritual foundation by which we can refine our body, speech and mind in order to become a more suitable vessel to receive Buddhism’s blessings. 

Doing a regular Ngondro practice builds compassion, integrity and perseverance. 

Practitioners gain the confidence and clarity we need as we begin to progress along the path. 

We practice the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro, which we have received from a close and direct lineage. This Ngundro was written by Dudjom Lingpa and his reincarnation, H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche. Dudjom Rinpoche himself appointed Ven Gyatrul Rinpoche, our Spiritual Director, to establish Yeshe Nyingpo centers in the West, (including Dorje Ling in 1980).

Ngondro Zoom link

Meditation Class

Wednesday nights

7:00-8:30

Offered in person

at Dorje Ling

No prerequisites needed

Everyone invited

Drop-ins encouraged



Buddhist meditation is a practice of wakeful presence. During meditation, everything outside ourselves is left as it is. Attention is focused on the present moment. The purpose of meditation is to wake up from the maze of habitual distractions and dissatisfactions. The goal is to be simply present, to experience things as they are.

There are many different types of Tibetan Buddhist meditation. Currently, these Wednesday night sessions are a survey of different techniques, including: silent sitting practices with awareness on the breath, like calm abiding; analytical practices like insight meditation; loving-kindness, and compassion meditations like sending and receiving. 

These Wednesday night sessions are an evolving exploration of the different types of meditation Buddhism has to offer. We practice together in the shrine room.

Lunar Day Puja Schedule

All pujas are offered in the Shrine Room and streaming.

We have texts available.

If you attend in person, please bring a tsok (food) offering to share.

Puja Times: 4:00-6:30 Pacific

Guru Rinpoche

Sunday, January 1

Tuesday, January 31

Full Moon

White Tara

Friday, January 6

Dakini Day

Yeshe Tsogyal 

Tuesday, January 17

New Moon

Troma Nagmo

Saturday, January 21

What is a puja?

Puja is a Sanskrit word which means worship. A puja is a Deity Yoga ritual that generally involves liturgy and visualization. Performing pujas is very beneficial for the energy of the Dharma Center and for the participants themselves. 

Zoom LInk and All You Need to Know to Attend Pujas streaming from Dorje Ling