GAIA MANDALA

Winter Course in Buddhist Philosophy
with Charok Sherpa Lama

This winter (in the Northern hemisphere) we have the opportunity to study the Dharma (Buddhist teachings)  in a more formal way with Charok Sherpa Lama as a guide and teacher. We will study together the classic Buddhist text by Shantideva called Bodhicaryavatara: The Way of the Bodhisattva. Charok Lama will offer us an introduction to the text and help us interpret the gems of wisdom that are shared in such a way that we can apply it to our everyday lives and the specific times we are living in. This course will support us to live a daily life of awareness and transformation cultivating the mind of awakening and love (bodhicitta) with the support of a community of practice and a young, refreshing, bright teacher. There is no prior experience with Buddhism or meditation needed.

Topics we will cover:

• The Four Noble Truths
• Buddhist understanding of our mind and mental factors
• The Six Paramitas or Six Perfections: generosity, morality, patience, diligence, meditation and wisdom
• The concepts of Bodhicitta and Bodhisattva
• The view of emptiness or the true nature of reality

Shantideva wrote this text in the 8th century BCE. We will work with the text and the above topics in a refreshing, modern way, exploring together how to apply the wisdom shared here to our own lives and the specific times and challenges we are living in.  There will be plenty of time for discussion with the group and with Charok Sherpa Lama, in that way we create the opportunity to shape the course together as a community in the present moment, so that the teachings may reach your heart and mind in a personal and most helpful way.

Charok Sherpa Lama
Charok Sherpa Lama is the recognized reincarnation of the Nyingma yogi Kushok Mangden (the lama who advised the Earth Treasure Vase practice to Cynthia Jurs). He was born in the Solu Khumbu region of Nepal in 1995. After studying at Kopan Monastery and Sera Je Monastic University, he now travels the world, teaching Buddhist philosophy and practical insights on mindfulness, compassion, and living with purpose. He is known for making these teachings accessible to modern audiences and works as a spiritual guide and life coach.

Dates & Practices
The course starts on November 13th and ends on February 5th. We alternate weekly between a teaching session from Charok Sherpa Lama and a discussion group. All sessions are on Thursdays at 9am MT / 11am ET / 5pm CET. The teaching-sessions are two hours, the discussion groups an hour and a half. The discussion group will be led by Gaia Mandala facilitator Rick Jansen and Charok Sherpa Lama may occasionally join for Q&A.

It is recommended to purchase or borrow the book The Way of the Bodhisattva by Shantideva for this course. However, we will not go through the text line-by-line. Charok will merely offer an in-depth introduction to some of the key-concepts and ideas Shantideva offers in this text, with reference to certain chapters. There will be reading assignments in-between sessions and invitations for reflection and practice. You can purchase the book here or possibly in a local book-store with an extended section on Buddhism.

Teaching sessions by Charok Sherpa Lama:
November 13, 26*
December 11
January 8, 22
February 5

*This is a Wednesday, as the 27th is Thanksgiving in the United States.

Discussion group:
November 20
December 4, 18
January 15
January 29

We invite you to attend all teaching and discussion sessions. Teaching sessions will be recorded and shared soon after the session itself with those registered.

We have lowered the requested contribution for this Winter Course to a sliding-scale between $250-600. We are committed to making our courses accessible regardless of financial circumstances. However, we ask that if you are able to register at the higher end of the sliding scale, please do so, as your financial support is essential to our continuation as an organization and all funds go towards paying all our staff and teachers a fair, livable wage.

No one will be turned away for lack of funds. If you need a reduced price, please don’t hesitate to send an email to Rick Jansen: rick@earthtreasurevase.org briefly describing your situation, your motivation to participate and what you are able to contribute.

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