***** October 2019 *****

‘Real World Conservation’
An Evening with Dr. Jordan Karubian

Thursday, October 10, 2019
7:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
Suggested donation: $10

We turn on the TV or the radio and learn that fires are burning the Amazon, storms are threatening our shores and coral reefs are withering. Hearing these stories of environmental degradation and loss, we feel sadness and anxiety along with a mounting sense of helplessness: what can we as individuals do to change this downward spiral?

This is the story of how a team of individuals from very different backgrounds and skill sets have come together to make a difference in one of the last great remaining rainforests on the Pacific coast of Ecuador – a ‘conservation hotspot’ of global importance.

About Dr. Jordan Karubian
As Dr. Jordan Karubian, a Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Tulane University, will explain, the key to conserving these exceptional forests is to engage with local human residents in a meaningful and mutually respectful way to find win-win solutions.

Dr. Karubian will present an honest appraisal of what real-world conservation looks like and provide concrete actions that you as an individual can take to make a positive impact.

***

Introduction to Engaged Dharma Theater

A workshop at the crossroads of Engaged Buddhism,
Participatory theater, and Imaginal Practice.

Sunday, October 13, 2019
3:00pm-6:00pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
Suggested donation $20
Please RSVP at info@tibetanhouse.com

Participants will be gently guided into their bodies, hearts, and imaginations, using the ancient technologies of theater and play. Participants will find nourishment for their personal practice and explore together how this can be brought into compassionate action in the world.

Workshop will include a range of different practices including games, exercises, sitting practice, dialogue in pairs and with the whole group.

Suitable for beginners to experienced practitioners. No acting or theater experienced needed!

Led by Lauren Elliot and Derek Roguski
Lauren Elliott has been practicing Buddhist meditation in the Insight tradition for 10 years. During this time, she has logged over a year of silent meditation retreats. In the past few years, she has fallen in love with the Soulmaking teachings from Buddhist teachers Catherine McGee and Rob Burbea and is excited to share this approach to the dharma with others.

Derek Roguski has been practicing Buddhist meditation in both Zen and Insight traditions for 10 years. In this time he has also been a student and facilitator of Theatre of the Oppressed. Over the past year his passion for collective liberation on all levels has driven him to weave these traditions together, exploring what a Dharma Theater might open into. He is also a dedicated student of Catherine McGee and Rob Burbea’s Soulmaking Dharma.

***

***** August 2019 *****

Chamtrul Rinpoche returns to Southeast Louisiana

“To cross the ocean of samsara we need to know what to do,
and we need to do it.
Without study would be like
having an engine without a boat.

And without practice would be like
having a boat without an engine.”

– Chamtrul Rinpoche

Friday, August 2, 2019
7:00pm-9:00pm
Chenrezig: The Buddha of Compassion
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Saturday, August 3, 2019 & Sunday, August 4, 2019
2-Day Retreat
For more information, please contact Clearwater Sanctuary: info@clearwatersanctuary.org or (985) 630-1009

Monday, August 5, 2019
5:30pm-7:30pm
Meditation on Reflections and Reasonings to Experience Emptiness
Samten Choeling Dharma Center
For more information and RSVP contact Ngawang Legshe at (504) 723-1317

Donations are appreciated.
Suggested offering: $20
No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

About Chamtrul Rinpoche

Chamtrul Rinpoche is the recognized reincarnation of a great master and scholar from the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, the oldest school in Tibet.

Having studied many years, he holds a vast and profound knowledge of sutra, tantra, and dzogchen, and has been conferred the title ‘Khenpo’ – roughly equivalent to ‘Doctor of Buddhist Philosophy’.

Known for his nonsectarian quality, he has received all the cycles of teachings, empowerments and transmissions from more than twenty five accomplished masters and scholars from all four major traditions of Tibetan Buddhism – namely, Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug.

Chamtrul Rinpoche currently lives and teaches in India, in the Himalayan town of Dharamsala. Dedicating his life to helping people find inner peace, he also travels the world each year to teach and guide many old and new students.

In his own words:
“Teaching is what I do in this life, wherever someone asks me to teach, I am there. Without discriminating against anybody based on their gender, race, creed and so forth, I wish them to enjoy excellent peace and harmony. I try to the best of my ability to promote the view, meditation and conduct of non-violence, which is the indispensable source for the spread and enhancement of the inner peace of mind.”

***** July 2019 *****

An Introduction to Buddhist Philosophy, 3-Part Series

Wednesday Evenings, 7:00pm-9:00pm
July 3,10,17
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
Sliding scale fee $30 – $40
RSVP appreciated

This 3-part course will constitute a very brief introduction to Buddhism as a philosophy, that is, as an inquiry into the nature of reality and being, the basis and scope of knowledge, the meaning of life, and the nature of our relationship to other beings and to the Earth. At the first meeting, we will explore the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and the Four Noble Truths, the basis for the Buddhist ethics of compassion and non-attachment. At the second session, we will look at the Three Marks of Existence, Anitya, or impermance, Anatman, or no separate selfhood, and Duhkha, or suffering. At the final session, we will examine the most challenging concepts in Buddhist philosophy, Sunyata or emptiness, and Pratitya-Samutpada, or dependent origination.

About John Clark
John Clark is Director of La Terre Institute for Community and Ecology and

Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Loyola University. La Terre Institute is located on 87 acres in the forest of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and is dedicated to the project of social and ecological regeneration on both the local and global levels. His recent books include The Tragedy of Common Sense (2016), Lightning Storm Mind (2017), and Between Earth and Empire, which is forthcoming in June. Since 2005 he has worked with the Loyola summer study program in Dharamsala, in association with the Louisiana Himalaya Association. He directs the LHA’s Tibetan Women’s Scholarship Fund.

*****

Mindfulness for Kids
5-week Class for Ages 9-12

Thursdays, 4:15pm-5:00pm
July 11, 18, 25, August 1, 8
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Sometimes kids’ lives can get busy and out of control, and worries can take over. When that happens, knowing how to pause and regain composure with mindfulness can help! This class introduces kids (ages 9 – 12) to mindfulness as a way to find clarity, manage stress, handle difficult emotions, and navigate personal challenges. With breathing, relaxation, and guided meditation exercises, kids will have an entire toolkit at their disposal. Kids will learn to settle their thoughts and look inward through a series of fun writing prompts, games, and meditation exercises.

About the Teacher

Whitney Stewart was born an adventurer. At 14, she hung off ice-cliffs, summited the Grand Teton, and dreamed of climbing the Himalayas. A sports injury led her to a yoga class where she learned to meditate. At 27, she trekked in Tibet, Nepal, and India where she met meditation masters, including the Dalai Lama. From them she learned more about mindfulness practice. Now she teaches mindfulness to children and college students in New Orleans. She is the author of both fiction and nonfiction for children, including her most recent publications, Mindful Kids: 50 Mindfulness Activities for Kindness, Focus, and Calm, and forthcoming What’s On Your Plate? Exploring the World of Food. For more information about Whitney Stewart, visit hhtp://whitneystewart.com.

Fee: $100 per child, for five weeks. Included in the price is Whitney Stewart’s Mindful Me Activity Book, for use in class and at home.

To register for the five-week session, please contact Tibetan House:: info@tibetanhouse.com.

*****

Locked Film Screening w/ Q&A about Industrial Canal Project

Tuesday, July 16

7:00pm-9:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
This event is free and open to the public.

Join us to learn about a significant project that is proposed to widen the Industrial Canal. Filmmakers and members of the organization CAWIC will be screening the documentary Locked, followed by a Q&A. Topics that will be discussed include the history of the Army Corps’ Lock Replacement project, the decades of action that community residents have taken to stop the project, updates on the status on the project and next steps. Please join us.

About ‘Locked’

Local Urban Ecologist Dr. Josh Lewis tells the hundred year history of the Industrial Canal and Lock that dissects the infamous 9th Ward in New Orleans. He describes the wide reaching effects of how we do water transportation in Louisiana and describes how irresponsible urban planning that ignores ecology has lead to repeated catastrophic flooding in the region since 1927.

This history seeks to educate and mobilize the local community and the country around the intersection of industry, ecology, climate change and politics.

About CAWIC

Citizens Against Widening the Industrial Canal is a community-based non-profit dedicated to preventing construction of the US Army Corps of Engineers proposal to expand the channel and build a new lock. Its members have worked against the project for 25 years because of the significant negative impact on the City of New Orleans, its people, and surrounding environment.

To connect with CAWIC,
Email: CAWIC.L9@gmail.com

Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CAWIC.L9

For more information about the project:

*****

***** June 2019 *****

Awakening the Third Eye Weekend Retreat

Led by Karen O’Connell
Senior Instructor of the
Clairvision School of Meditation

The third eye is a universal pathway to the “teacher inside”. Found both in the Eastern and Western tradition, it is recognized as the “eye of knowledge”. It opens a gateway for your awareness to go beyond the thinking mind, bringing awakening and clarity to your life. Grounded in a simple but profound meditation technique, awakening the third eye provides the foundation for a multitude of spiritual experiences to unfold.

The ‘Awakening the Third Eye’ weekend workshop is an immersion into using the third eye as a means to internalize your awareness and have direct experience of inner realms. Meditation and techniques of inner vision, energetic protection and interpersonal communication will be taught.

Whether you are new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner, this dynamic weekend workshop will give you systematic methods to journey inside.

About Karen O’Connell
Karen O’Connell is a senior instructor at the Clairvision School. One of the original students of the founder of the school, Samuel Sagan, Karen was the first instructor to bring the Clairvision techniques to the US in 1997. She is currently living at the school’s meditation retreat center in Northern California.

Karen has an extensive background as a practitioner of Inner Space Techniques, IST. Her mainstream experience as a clinician in counseling organizations in Australia provides a subtlety and depth to her teaching style.

This is a rare opportunity to have the sublime work of the Clairvision School shared by an original member, steeped in the tradition of the spiritual forces behind the school.

Awakening the Third Eye Weekend Course
June 22, 9:00am – 5:00pm
June 23, 9:30am – 5:00pm
$150 – $175 Sliding Scale
Pre-registration required due to limited space

Contact Tibetan House, (504) 897-9339 or info@tibetanhouse.com
or contact Gael Thompson at (504) 330-3507

*****

Mindful Buddhist Environmentalism throughout the Solar System

Wednesday, June 26
7:00pm-9:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
Suggested donation: $10-$20

As human beings reach further into space, so do the environmental issues that people bring with them. Examples of environmental problems beyond Earth include the mass of space junk that orbits our planet, the mining on the moon that NASA will support by the year 2024, and a human presence on Mars by 2040.

In response, Buddhism possesses some environmental tools that proactively can help us to counteract ecological difficulties in space, such as the vivid values of do no harm, compassion, and lovingkindness. In a stimulating, forward-looking discussion Dr. Dan Capper of buddhismandspace.org will walk us through various space environmental issues as well as possible Buddhist reactions to them. Hopefully, in whatever world people visit, they will tread in an ecologically responsible way, and Buddhist principles can help to ensure this outcome.
About Daniel Capper
Daniel Capper, Ph.D., Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi, is a specialist within religious studies on Buddhism, science, and the environment. With degrees from the University of Virginia and the University of Chicago, he has published the books Guru Devotion and the American Buddhist Experience, Learning Love from a Tiger: Religious Experiences with Nature, and Roaming Free like a Deer: Buddhism and the Natural World. Currently he is working on a research project regarding American Buddhist environmental ethics in space, as evidenced by his web site www.buddhismandspace.org.

*****

Introduction to Tarot

Saturday, June 29
11:00am-1:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas
$40

What can the Tarot teach you about your life? How can you use the cards to give you the upper hand on your daily decisions?Lisa will teach you how to key into messages from the Tarot. No matter what level you are,Tarot professional or just picked up the card, you’ll learn to have a better relationship with them. This two hour class will give you an overall look at some of the ceremony surrounding the Tarot while at the same time, demystifying it in order to make it a daily 21st century aid.Course requirement: Tarot Card deck – Rider Waite Smith preferred.
To register, contact info@tibetanhouse.com.

About Lisa

Lisa comes from a long line of intuitives. Her biggest inspiration was her grandmother, who read cards, tea leaves, coffee grounds… you name it.’Lisa has many gifts as well. She is a clairaudient, claircognizant, clairsentient reader and energy healer. Lisa started reading Tarot cards when she gifted a deck some 30 years ago.New Orleans born and bred, Lisa has read professionally in Hong Kong, Thailand, and the Maldives, among other places. Her clientele spans the globe and she reads mostly by phone.Lisa’s spent her life in communications, whether it was producing TV, teaching college students, or training dogs. Her first love, however, is Tarot.

***** May 2019 *****

Morning Meditations with Tsering la

Wednesday, May 8
9:00am-10:00am

Thursday, May 9
9:00am-10:00am

Friday, May 10
9:00am-10:00am

Saturday, May 11
9:00am-10:00am

There is no adequate way to describe the sublime experience of beginning your day meditating with Tsering la. Here is an opportunity to do so, for four consecutive days.

A great opportunity to practice generosity.
Donations appreciated.

*****

Reflections on Suffering, Disaster, and Awakening
An Evening with John Clark

Tuesday, May 14
7:00pm-8:30pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

$10 suggested donation

During this talk, John will be sharing what he learned from his first encounter with the Tibetan Buddhist community. He will also discuss concept of therapeutic communities and the variety of ways that people experience disaster, suffering and recovery that people go through.

“In August 2005, I spent a month in Dharamsala, India, working to set up a summer study program with the Louisiana Himalaya Association and teaching ESL courses to Tibetans at the Lha Charitable Trust center. While I was there, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. I soon returned to New Orleans to face the disaster and to work with recovery communities in the midst of devastation. My closely intertwined experiences in Dharamsala and in Post-Katrina New Orleans taught me lessons about suffering and loss, attachment and non-attachment, wisdom and compassion, community and care, that have reshaped my view of reality and my hopes for the future.”

About John Clark
John Clark is Director of La Terre Institute for Community and Ecology and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Loyola University. La Terre Institute is located on 87 acres in the forest of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and is dedicated to the project of social and ecological regeneration on both the local and global levels. His recent books include The Tragedy of Common Sense (2016), Lightning Storm Mind (2017), and Between Earth and Empire, which is forthcoming in June. Since 2005 he has worked with the Loyola summer study program in Dharamsala, in association with the Louisiana Himalaya Association. He directs the LHA’s Tibetan Women’s Scholarship Fund.

*****

An Evening of Tonglen with Dapon Will Ryken

Thursday, May 23
7:00pm – 8:30pm
Suggested donation $10 – $20

“Tonglen practice, also known as “taking and sending,” reverses our usual logic of avoiding suffering and seeking pleasure. In tonglen practice, we visualize taking in the pain of others with every in-breath and sending out whatever will benefit them on the out-breath. In the process, we become liberated from age- old patterns of selfishness. We begin to feel love for both ourselves and others; we begin to take care of ourselves and others.”
– Pema Chodron

About Will Ryken
Dapön Ryken became a student of Trungpa Rinpoche in October 1972 and joined the Dorje Kasung in 1975, attending the 2nd Magyal Pomra Encampment in 1979. He became the personal attendant to Rinpoche, and spent thirty years in Boulder in association with Shambala.

Dapön Ryken now lives in Ruskin FL, along with his wife Paula Bickford, Kadö and their three dogs. Will and Paula are active members of the St. Petersburg Fl Shambhala Center and teach around the Shambhala world. This year Dapön Ryken was appointed a Shastri. Dapön Ryken is widely known and beloved around the Shambhala Mountain Center for his insight, wisdom and humor.

For more information, contact Tibetan House, contact info@tibetanhouse.com

*****

Sound Therapy
Led by Diane and Ray Matherne

Saturday, May 25
6:00pm-7:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
Fee: $25
Pre-registration required as space is limited.

To register, contact Tibetan House
info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339

“Our bodies vibrate to a certain frequency. Sound is vibration and energy. Every cell in our bodies responds to sound. When our cells are in harmony with the sound, it brings healing to the body.

Diane and Ray bring sounds of healing to the mind, body and soul with Crystal Singing Bowls, drums and other instruments. The vibration can be felt in the body. Bring your favorite blanket, pillow or anything that will bring ease and comfort in helping to release stress and bring the body to a relaxing state.

Let us celebrate each other in raising our vibration and setting us free from anything that is holding us back from becoming who we are.”

Diane and Ray Matherne come from Houma, LA. They have been doing Sound Therapy for 6 years.

***** April 2019 *****

The Venerable Tsering Phuntsok returns to New Orleans!

Ven Tsering Phuntsok, Tsering la, as he is affectionately and respectfully called, will be with us in New Orleans and Lafayette for April and a bit of May. Tsering la’s arrival always brings a kind of relief, a flavor of levity and lightness. His spontaneously joyful smile reminds us that loving kindness is possible at all times, in any circumstances. If you have not met Tsering la, now is the time! Here is a listing of his public events. As many of you know, he is available for private sessions and blessings. You can contact us here at Tibetan House to set up appointments.

Morning Meditations with Tsering la

Wednesday, April 10
9:00am-10:00am

Thursday, April 11
9:00am-10:00am

Friday, April 12
9:00am-10:00am

Saturday, April 13
9:00am-10:00am

There is no adequate way to describe the sublime experience of beginning your day meditating with Tsering la. Here is an opportunity to do so, for four consecutive days. As a part of the morning practice, Tsering will offering guidance on how to prepare an altar and environment for ritual ceremony. On Sunday, April 14, Tsering will be officiating a Smoke Puja at Tibetan House. We welcome your help in creating the Altar and Space for this wonderful offering.

A great opportunity to practice generosity.
Donations appreciated.

*****

Smoke Puja with Venerable Tsering Phuntsok
at Tibetan House

Sunday, April 14
6:00pm-8:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Every year we look forward to our annual Smoke Puja officiated by the Venerable Tsering Phuntsok, our very dear friend from India and Nepal. Simply explained, a Sang puja, or smoke puja, is a ritual of purification, clearing away stale and stuck energies, in yourself, in the environment, in the general state of affairs. It can be described as clearing of impurities in the midstream of those attending the offering. In truth, the depth of purpose of the Smoke Offering, or the Pure Offering, is far-reaching.

This year’s Smoke Puja Ceremony is in part to appease the land energies in regards to the year long construction happening in our neighborhood at Tibetan House.

According to Sogyal Rinpoche:
Riwo Sangchö means ‘An unceasing offering to the mountain gods’, but it is much more than that. It is a practice of generosity and offering that frees your heart and inspires your generosity to others. It is a practice of prosperity that also brings you confidence. It is a practice of healing through which you repay all your karmic debts and heal your relationships. Riwo Sangchö is also practice of purification in which all your obscurations are purified and burned away in the sang offering. You purify the outer pollution (environmental degradation, disharmony, and physical sickness); You purify the inner pollution (negative emotions, blockages in your channels and imbalances in our energy) ; You purify the secret pollution (fundamental ignorance). Riwo Sangchö is also and especially a practice that enhances your energy and your lung ta, thus making your rigpa more vivid to you.

Please explore these websites for a more comprehensive understanding of what occurs when we join together with Tsering in the Smoke Offering.

http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Riwo_Sangchö

https://samyeinstitute.org/wisdom/sang-puja-cleansing-offering/

http://wcbs.us/rigzinphodrang/events/SmokeOfferingEN.htm

http://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/dodrupchen-III/guide-sang-practice

A great opportunity to practice generosity.
Donations appreciated.

*****

Kham to Kathmandu: Monastic Vajrayana in Motion, A Historical, Demographic, and Ethnographic Study of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling

Presentation by Robert Offner

Tuesday, April 9
7pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
$10 suggested donation

This presentation focuses on Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling monastery in the Kathmandu Valley. The monastery was founded by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, one of the foremost meditation masters of the 20th century from Kham in Eastern Tibet. It will explore:

- Historical context of the how the monastery was founded in the wake of Tulku Urgyen’s escape from Chinese rule in Tibet.– How Tibetan diaspora was received in the Kathmandu Valley and the resurgence of monastic Vajrayana in Nepal.

- Understanding Vajrayana practice and aspects of the term “Tibetan Buddhism.”– How should this term be understood when dealing with monasteries outside of Tibet?– Demographic makeup of the monastery, mainly exploring where in Nepal most of the monks at Ka-Nying come from and how Buddhism is practiced in the home villages of the monks.– Humanizing the monastic experience by presenting the daily rhythms at the monastery, how many of them became monks, and how they are able or not able to uphold their vows

About Robert Offner
Robert Offner has lived in New Orleans off and on since 2008, when he first moved here from St. Louis to study at Loyola. A few years after finishing college, he decided to pursue a master’s degree in Buddhist Studies in Kathmandu, Nepal. This was largely inspired by seeing the Dalai Lama speak to Tulane’s 2013 graduating class in the Superdome and my exposure to zazen practice through the Mid City Zen Center.

Robert spent roughly 3 years studying and practicing Buddhism at Rangjung Yeshe Institue in Kathmandu’s Tibetan neighborhood, Boudha. Founded by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, the institution coexists within Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery founded by his father, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. Robert’s research focuses on the lives and practices of the monks at Ka-Nying and how the Tibetan monastic tradition has resurfaced in diaspora. He recently moved back to New Orleans after completing his studies in Nepal and wishes to share some of these experiences with Tibetan House.

*****

How to Increase Your Love, Compassion, and Wisdom
Dzogchen Buddha Path Teachings with
Bodhi Lama Shannon Young
Friday, April 19 – Sunday, April 21, 2019

Friday April 19
7:00pm-9:00pm
Transforming Suffering into Happiness
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Saturday, April 20
10:00am-12:00pm
Increasing Happiness by Cultivating the Mind in Love and Compassion
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

This morning class will be the first part of a teaching and practice, that will conclude with a practice at the Saint Louis Cemetery No. 2.
3421 Esplanade Ave

Sunday, April 21
10:00am-12:00pm
Wisdom in Daily Life
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

$20 suggested offering.

Bodhi Lama Shannon Young
Venerable Bodhi Lama, Dr. Shannon Young, Pema Shiwa Tso, is an authorized Lama and Dharma Teacher in the Dzogchen Lineage of Buddhism. Shannon received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2001 and has been a practicing Pharmacist for over 17 years. She first studied with her root teacher His Eminence Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche in 2003 and for over 15 years has studied and practiced with Rinpoche while helping establish the Dzogchen Retreat Center, USA and the Dzogchen Shri Singha Foundation.

Lama Shannon graduated from nine Dzogchen Lineage Internships along with many seasonal retreats. In 2014, Lama Shannon also received an advanced degree of Tantra Practitioner at the first Dzogchen Lineage Internship commencement ceremony at the Dzogchen Retreat Center USA. In the same year, Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche authorized Lama Shannon, along with eight other Lamas, as a Venerable Archarya Lama. The Lamas were selected through a dynamic process of divination, prayer, Rinpoche’s 10-year evaluation, and a majority vote of the 2014 Dzogchen Lineage Internship Sangha. Lama Shannon has taught many students in public teaching events, weekend workshops, and tutoring during Dzogchen Lineage Internships.

Following her teacher’s aspirations, she has dedicated her life to practicing and teaching the Dharma, serving as a Director on the the Board of the Dzogchen Shri Singha Foundation, and recently, founding One Path Outreach, a humanitarian aid organization which just completed four clinics in remote villages of Tibet.

***** March 2019 *****

Studying the Buddha Way:
Diving deeply into the Fundamentals of Buddhism

Led by Reverend Michaela O’Connor Bono

4 Part Class Series

Tuesday evenings
March 12- April 2
7:00-8:45pm
$80-$100 sliding scale

To register, contact Tibetan House,
info@tibetanhouse.com

This class will explore how the fundamental teachings of Buddhism relate to our daily life and practice. Every class will include meditation and unpacking essential Buddhist teachings with depth and aliveness. It is suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners.About Reverend Michaela O’Connor Bono
Reverend Michaela O’Connor Bono is a Zen Buddhist Priest, meditation teacher and the leader of Mid City Zen, a sangha in New Orleans, LA. She trained at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and Green Gulch Farm, both monasteries in the Suzuki Roshi lineage. She has served on the board of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship and Sakyadhita USA, a branch of the International Association of Buddhist Women and she teaches meditation in prisons. Rev. Michaela believes everyone has a mystic heart and she loves sharing the practice of meditation, especially with those who think they are bad at it.

*****

***** February 2019 *****

Lama Lena Teachings in Louisiana

February 5 – February 12, 2019

Lama Lena (Yeshe Khaytup)

Lama Lena has engaged in traditional Buddhist study and practice for over 40 years. Her experiences include 30 years of traveling with and translating for the Venerable Wangdor Rinpoche, whose lineage in both Dzogchen and Chagchen she holds. Additionally, she completed a 7 year cave retreat in Tso Pema, India.

Traveling internationally, she teaches in a direct, informal style, blending earthy wit with compassion and incisive clarity. Currently, when not teaching, Lama Lena divides her time between home in the San Francisco Bay Area and India, continuing to assist Ven. Wangdor Rinpoche, and providing medical assistance, as a Doctor of Chinese Medicines, to the Tibetan refugee community, local villagers, and mountain tribe people.

Teaching Schedule

Tuesday, February 5
6:00pm-8:00pm
Lunar New Year: Losar Gana Puja
(Please bring a dish or drink to share – blessing begins at 6:30pm)
LHA Community Center
623 N Rendon Street
New Orleans
lhainfo.org

Wednesday, February 6
3:00pm-5:00pm
“12 links of dependent origination. AKA “Original Oops”. (no sin was involved.)”
Clearwater Sanctuar
Northshore
Contact: info@clearwatersancturay.org or (985) 630-1009
http://clearwatersanctuary.org

Thursday, February 7
6:30pm-8:30pm
The Will of the Ego and the Will of the Spirit
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
New Orleans
info@tibetanhouse.com

Friday, February 8
6:30pm-8:30pm
Buddhist Practices for Awakening into Mindfulness
LHA Community Center
623 N Rendon Street
New Orleans

Saturday, February 9
11:00am-1:00pm and 3pm-5:00pm
Green Tara Practice – Cultivating the Feminine
LHA Community Center
623 N Rendon Street
New Orleans

Sunday, February 10
4:30pm-6:45pm
Fire Puja /blessing ceremony at 4:30pm
Sacred Tara Dance/ Group Performance at 6:00pm
LHAA Community Center
412 Lafayette Street
Lafayette
lhainfo.org

Monday, February 11
6:30pm-8:00pm
Relaxing into the Openness of Mind: Tibetan Buddhism (Dzogchen and Mahamudra)
Camélia House
708 Jefferson Blvd
Lafayette
cameliahouse.com

Tuesday, February 12
6:30pm-8:30pm
“Relaxing into the Openness of Mind”
Mid City Zen Center
3248 Castiglione Street
New Orleans

The Dharma cannot be sold or have a price put on it. In accordance with Tibetan custom, there is no “door fee” for Lama’s teachings. Rather, it is appropriate to make an offering based on what you can manage and the value the teachings have for you. No one is turned away for lack of funds. Offer what you can, if you can.

For more information about the teachings, contact Tibetan House: info@tibetanhouse.com

***** January 2019 *****

Mindfulness for Kids
Ages 9 – 12

Thursdays, 4:15pm – 5:00pm
January 3, 10,17, 24, 31
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

$100 per child, for five weeks. Included in the price is Whitney Stewart’s Mindful Me Activity Book, for use in class and at home.

Class Description
Sometimes kids’ lives can get busy and out of control, and worries can take over. When that happens, knowing how to pause and regain composure with mindfulness can help! This class introduces kids (ages 9 – 12) to mindfulness as a way to find clarity, manage stress, handle difficult emotions, and navigate personal challenges. With breathing, relaxation, and guided meditation exercises, kids will have an entire toolkit at their disposal. Kids will learn to settle their thoughts and look inward through a series of fun writing prompts, games, and meditation exercises.

Author Bio
Whitney Stewart will travel far for a story. She’s trekked in the Himalaya with Sir Edmund Hillary and visited remote Buddhist monasteries in Nepal, Tibet, Myanmar, and Japan. She’s interviewed the Dalai Lama, sat for days in meditation retreats, and even been a puppeteer in France. She is the author of multiple children’s books, and when she is not writing or traveling, she teaches mindfulness and meditation to children.

To register for the five-week session, please contact Tibetan House:

info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339.

*****

Ayurveda for Women’s Health for a Vibrant New Year

Saturday, January 12

11:00am -1:00pm

Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Fee $35

Join us for an empowering workshop designed to empower, inspire and celebrate women’s health, happiness and harmony at all stages of a woman’s life.

Ayurveda translates to “ life wisdom” and it is by exploring this ancient road map for optimal health and longevity that we are given the opportunity to deeply connect with the rhythms of Mother Nature to live a life filled with vibrancy, energy, balance and grace… through every stage of a women’s life.

This workshop will begin with a brief introduction to ayurveda, followed by simple, time tested, ayurvedic recommendations for optimal health for each stage of a woman’s life. We will discuss daily lifestyle routines, ayurvedic herbal remedies, essential oils and more. We will also address some of the specific health concerns that are unique to woman’s journey through life, including hormonal balance, as well as ways to address these health concerns naturally. This workshop is for women of all ages.

Bethany Cantin is an Ayurvedic Practitioner and Yoga Therapist who brings a vibrant energy and a dedicated spirit to 18 years of inspiring others to deepen their connection to life. Bethany is recognized by NAMA ( National Ayurvedic Medical Association) as a certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and has certifications from The Ayurvedic Institute in New Mexico,The Kerala Ayurveda Academy in California, Ayurvedagram in Bangalore, India and Kerala Ayurveda Academy in Cochin, India. She offers ayurvedic workshops, seasonal cleanses, private ayurvedic consultations as well as private yoga therapy sessions.

*****

Introduction to Tarot

Led by Lisa

Saturday, January 26

11:00am-1:00pm

Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas

$40

What can the Tarot teach you about your life? How can you use the cards to give you the upper hand on your daily decisions?

Lisa will teach you how to key into messages from the Tarot. No matter what level you are,Tarot professional or just picked up the card, you’ll learn to have a better relationship with them. This two hour class will give you an overall look at some of the ceremony surrounding the Tarot while at the same time, demystifying it in order to make it a daily 21st century aid.

Course requirement: Tarot Card deck – Rider Waite Smith preferred.

About Lisa

Lisa comes from a long line of intuitives. Her biggest inspiration was her grandmother, who read cards, tea leaves, coffee grounds… you name it.

Lisa has many gifts as well. She is a clairaudient, claircognizant, clairsentient reader and energy healer. Lisa started reading Tarot cards when she gifted a deck some 30 years ago.

New Orleans born and bred, Lisa has read professionally in Hong Kong, Thailand, and the Maldives, among other places. Her clientele spans the globe and she reads mostly by phone.

Lisa’s spent her life in communications, whether it was producing TV, teaching college students, or training dogs. Her first love, however, is Tarot.

***** December 2018 *****

“Form is Emptiness and Emptiness is Form” (Heart Sutra) with Venerable Dr. Thich Dong Tuyen

Sunday, December 9
7:00pm to 9:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
Suggested donation $20

Our instructor for Buddhism from a Zen Perspective, Thich Thien Tri, is very excited to introduce his teacher to you. His teacher, Ven. Dr. Thich Dong Tuyen, is visiting from California and will be in New Orleans for 4 days. He will be at Tibetan House on Sunday, Dec 9th at 7pm.

About Ven. Dr. Thich Dong Tuyen
Ven. Dr. Thich Dong Tuyen, born in 1948 in Thua Thien, Vietnam. He is a highly accomplished scholar with degrees in History, Buddhist Studies and Philosophy.

Ven. Dr. Thich Dong Tuyen is a Standing Member of the Central Dhamma Executive Council of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in US and other countries, the Abbot of Dai Bao Trang Nghiem Temple-California. He has given Dhamma lectures and presentations on Buddhism throughout the world including the United States, Canada, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines, New Zealand, Australia, French and others.

For more information contact
Zen and Mind Family:
zenandmind@gmail.com or zenandmindfamily@gmail.com

Or Tibetan House:
info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339

*****

Being Present with What Is:
A Spontaneous Evening with Will Ryken

Thursday, December 13
7:00pm-9:00pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
It is a wonderful opportunity to sit with Will Ryken.

Will visits New Orleans every two months to sit with a gentleman on death row. We invited him to sit with us at Tibetan House whenever he is town, and he graciously accepted.

To sit with Will, chat with Will, be in the same room with Will, is guaranteed to brighten your perspective and lighten the depths of your being. This is so because Will simply ‘is’. He is a true testament to the teachings that he received from Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

Dapön Ryken became a student of Trungpa Rinpoche in October 1972 and joined the Dorje Kasung in 1975, attending the 2nd Magyal Pomra Encampment in 1979. He became the personal attendant to Rinpoche, and spent thirty years in Boulder in association with Shambala.

https://www.shambhalamountain.org/teacher/dapon-will-ryken/
https://www.shambhalamountain.org

If you would like to know more about Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, check out this page from Shambhala:
https://shambhala.org/teachers/chogyam-trungpa/

***** November 2018 *****

Traditional Tibetan Medicine Workshops

with Sorig Khang Bay Area

Join us November 29 – December 2 for meditations and workshops from the Tibetan medical and spiritual traditions, offered by Jason Whitlow from Sorig Khang Center for Tibetan Medicine! CEUs are pending for these programs.

—

The Five Elements in Health & Spiritual Practice

Talk & Guided Meditation with Jason Whitlow

Thursday, November 29, 2018, 7–9 PM

Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans

The five elements are the essential building blocks of the world around us, as well as of our body, subtle energy, and mind. Outwardly, we seek to balance the five elements to care for the environment and cultivate health and well-being, while inwardly, we seek to recognize their pure nature as light and wisdom. Join us for a talk, purification breathing practice, and guided meditation on the five elements according to the Tibetan medical and spiritual traditions!

This talk and practice is open to everyone.

Learn more & register at: bayarea.sorig.net/nola

Also streamed online.

Suggested Donation: $20

—

Medicine Buddha Healing Meditation with Jason Whitlow

Friday, November 30, 2018, 7–9 PM

Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans

Join us for a guided meditation on the Medicine Buddha, the embodiment of perfect balance and healing wisdom, to harmonize the environment and eliminate the illness and suffering of ourselves and all who struggle. This profound and accessible practice from Tibetan master Ju Mipham Rinpoche uses mantra and visualization, the power of vibration and mind, to balance body, energy, mind, and the world around us, bringing health and well-being on all levels.

This practice is open to everyone.

Learn more & register at: bayarea.sorig.net/nola

Also streamed online.

Suggested Donation: $20

—

An Introduction to Tibetan Medicine:

Cultivating Health, Long Life, & Happiness

Workshop with Jason Whitlow

Saturday, December 1, 2018, 10 AM – 6 PM

Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans

Traditional Tibetan Medicine, known in Tibetan as Sowa Rigpa, is one of the oldest healing sciences on earth. It offers a vast medical knowledge that is accessible to everyone, and cultivates good health and long life together with a happy mind.

Tibetan Medicine offers a holistic, ecological view of health that considers the balance of our body, energy, and mind together with our interdependent relationship with other beings and the environment. It uses preventative and therapeutic methods customized to the unique traits of each individual, making it a truly personalized healthcare system.

In this workshop, we will explore the fundamentals of Traditional Tibetan Medicine, including its essential understanding of health and disease, its sophisticated assessment techniques, and its many practical healing methods including lifestyle and diet guidelines, herbal medicines, massage and external therapies, and healing breath and yoga practices.

This workshop is open to everyone, with no prerequisites.

Learn more & register at: bayarea.sorig.net/nola

CEUs are pending for these programs.

—

Tibetan Hormé Therapy: Soothing Stress, Relaxing Body, Calming Mind

Hands-on Workshop with Jason Whitlow

Sunday, December 2, 2018, 10 AM – 6 PM

Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans

Hormé is one of the essential healing therapies described in the root texts of Tibetan Medicine. This safe, simple, and portable method uses warm herbal compresses and oil to unwind the nervous system, deeply relaxing and nourishing the body and mind.

Hormé can be performed as a standalone therapy, or combined with other healing modalities such as acupuncture or massage. In the Tibetan medical tradition, Hormé is one of the superior remedies for stress, anxiety, and insomnia. It is also excellent for prenatal as well as postpartum care.

In this hands-on workshop we will review the fundamentals of Tibetan Medicine, focusing on the function and disorders of the wind element. We will learn about the historical use of Hormé, as well as how to identify the types of people and conditions it can benefit. We will then study the points where Hormé can be applied, learn how to make the herbal compresses, and practice offering the therapy to each other.

This workshop is open to everyone. Students are encouraged to attend the Saturday workshop as well, especially if this is your first encounter with Tibetan Medicine.

Learn more & register at: bayarea.sorig.net/nola

CEUs are pending for these programs.

Workshop Fees

One Workshop:

Both Workshops:

—

Dakini Healing Mantra Practice & Feast

Guided Meditation with Jason Whitlow

Sunday, December 2, 2018, 6–7 PM

Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans

Also streamed online.

On this auspicious Dakini Day, join us to chant the healing mantra of the five dakinis, the embodiment of enlightened feminine wisdom, power, and the pure forms of the five elements. This simple practice supports health and harmonizes the planet, and is dedicated to the empowerment of women worldwide. We will also offer a feast together in celebration — please bring food and drink to share!

This practice is open to everyone.

Learn more & register at: bayarea.sorig.net/nola

Free

—

Continue Your Studies of Tibetan Medicine & External Therapies!

Students who wish to study Tibetan Medicine in depth are encouraged to attend the online Foundations of TTM workshops offered by Sorig Khang Center for Tibetan Medicine. The next training cycles start October 27–28, 2018, and in the spring of 2019. Learn more at: bayarea.sorig.net/foundations

Sorig Khang and Tibetan House will offer further Tibetan Medicine & External Therapies workshops in New Orleans in 2019 — please join our mailing list for updates!

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About Sorig Khang

Sorig Khang is a nonprofit center offering programs in the study and practice of Traditional Tibetan Medicine and the related Yuthok Nyingthig spiritual lineage in the San Francisco Bay Area, New Orleans, and beyond. It is part of the Sorig Khang International network of Tibetan Medicine centers in over 50 countries around the world. Learn more at: bayarea.sorig.net

About Jason Whitlow

Jason studies, practices, and teaches Tibetan Medicine and the Yuthok Nyingthig spiritual lineage under the guidance of renowned Dr. Nida Chenagtsang, and directs Sorig Khang centers based in the San Francisco Bay Area and New Orleans. Jason graduated with honors from Harvard University, where he studied neurobiology, computer science, and pre-medicine, and has also trained in somatics and trauma recovery.

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***** October 2018 *****

Ayurvedic 8-day Fall Cleanse for Optimal Health and Longevity
Led by Bethany Cantin
October 6 – October 20

Ayurvedic cleanses are used for optimizing health and prolonging life by removing physical, chemical and mental impurities from your body to restore you to a balanced, healthier way of life.

Ayurvedic philosophy believes that food is medicine and that healthy, nutritional, seasonal foods, whole grains, healing spices, along with disciplined self-care are the only medicines we need for vibrant, healthy living.

Fall is an excellent time of year to create physical and mental optimal health and to connect with the rhythms of Mother Nature for rejuvenation, clarity and transformation.

Pre Cleanse meeting
Saturday, October 6, 11:00am-12:30pm

Cleanse Dates
October 14-21

Cleanse Wrap Up Meeting:
Saturday, October 20, 11:00am-12:30pm

We start with a 1.5 hour meeting a week prior to the cleanse start date to familiarize ourselves with the many details of the cleanse. I will provide everyone participating in the cleanse with an in-depth, 20 page manual that will detail every single aspect of the ayurvedic cleanse and this will be reviewed and handed out at the meeting.

In a nutshell, the cleanse is 8 days long and starts with a 3 day diet of whole grains, seasonal fruits veggies. This is followed by 3 days of a mono diet of “kitchari” which is a wonderfully healing, warm, deeply nutritional and cleansing dish of basmati rice, mung beans, spices and vegetables. We finish the cleanse with 2 days of a rejuvenation phase of slowly incorporating smart food choices back into your diet.

Daily rituals that balance and restore you (called dinacharya) are incorporated into every day of the cleanse.

Bethany will send daily emails to everyone participating in the 8 day cleanse to support you in the process and to share additional ayurvedic wisdom that will deepen your experience each day. Bethany will also be available to answer any questions you may have each day of the cleanse.

Please reach out with any questions to: Bethany@NolaAyurveda.com

If you have specific health concerns it is advisable that you see me for a private ayurvedic consultation before the cleanse starts.

Fee $110
To register, contact Tibetan House: info@tibetanhouse.com.

About Bethany Cantin
Bethany Cantin is an Ayurvedic Practitioner and a Yoga Therapist who brings a vibrant energy and a dedicated spirit to 17 years helping others deepen their connection to life. Bethany offers private ayurvedic consultations here at FSY as well as ayurvedic workshops and seasonal ayurvedic cleanses . Bethany is recognized by NAMA (National Ayurvedic Medical Association) as a registered Ayurvedic Practitioner and has certifications from The Ayurvedic Institute in New Mexico, Kerela Academy in California. She completed 2 internships in India at Ayurvedagram in Bangalore and Kerala Ayurveda Academy Hospital in Cochin.

Bethany is also the Director and Founder of The Yoga Foundation, a non-profit organization offering free yoga, meditation programs to the underserved to help foster empowerment, self reliance and self love. Visit NolaAyurveda.com for more information.

Awakening Awareness, One Day Retreat

Soothing the Influence of Stress and Anxiety

A day of practices that will benefit you in times of stress and anxiety, lack of sleep, heartache, overwhelm, deadlines, etc. All practices are easy to learn, easy to remember, easy to implement any time, any where. All you have to do is choose to do them! If you do them often, perhaps there will be less stress in your life and more health and well-being as you gain experiential know how of how stress and anxiety can deplete your body of energy.

11:00am – 1:00pm and 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Lunch break 1:00pm-2:00pm
Pre-registration required as space is limited.

To register, contact Tibetan House
info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339

Retreat led by Gael Thompson, Co-owner of Tibetan House.

Gael is a practitioner of Inner Space Techniques, an experiential modality for evoking and exploring awareness beyond the limits of the ordinary mind. Gael is also a practitioner of NeuroKinetic Therapy, a bodywork modality that reestablishes neuromuscular integrity.

***** September 2018 *****

Being Present with What Is: A Spontaneous Evening w/ Will Ryken

Saturday, September 8, 7:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

It is a rare and wonderful privilege to sit with Will Ryken.

*****

Mindfulness for Kids

5-week Class led by Whitney Stewart

Thursdays, 4:15pm – 5:00pm

September 13, 20, 27, & October 4, 11

For youth ages 9 – 12
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
$100 per child, for five weeks. Included in the price is Whitney Stewart’s Mindful Me Activity Book, for use in class and at home.

Class Description

Teacher Bio

Whitney Stewart will travel far for a story. She’s trekked in the Himalaya with Sir Edmund Hillary and visited remote Buddhist monasteries in Nepal, Tibet, Myanmar, and Japan. She’s interviewed the Dalai Lama, sat for days in meditation retreats, and even been a puppeteer in France. She is the author of multiple children’s books, and when she is not writing or traveling, she teaches mindfulness and meditation to children.

To register for the five-week session, please contact Tibetan House:
info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339.

*****

An Introduction to Ayurveda for Vibrancy, Longevity & Optimal Health

Sunday, September 16

11:00am-1:00pm

Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Cost $35

To register, contact Tibetan House: info@tibetanhouse.com

Ayurveda is a 5000 year old sister science to yoga which translates to “life knowledge”. Ayurvedic principles connect us to the daily rhythms of nature through proper seasonal diets, daily routines (called dinacharya) and simple lifestyle changes, which can increase your vibrancy, longevity and create greater joy and balance in your life.

In this hands-on workshop we will discuss the great elements of Vata (air/either), Pitta (fire/water), and Kapha (earth/water) and how they apply to the seasons, times of day, stages of life and to you as an individual.

We will determine your unique blend of these elements, known as your prakruti, and you will leave with seasonal dietary suggestions, daily routines, as well as suggestions for the best practices to balance your unique being.

Bring a notebook, a pen, and an open mind.

***** August 2018 *****

9-week Courses in
Basic Buddhist Meditation from a Zen Perspective with Thich Thien Tri

Zen teacher Thich Thien Tri, Thay, will be leading this course. He graduated from Vietnamese Buddhist Association with a Bachelor of Arts in Buddhism. Since his arrival in the USA in 2002, Thay has taught in many US cities. In July 2015, he was invited by Van Hanh Buddhist Center of New Orleans to establish ’Zen and Mind Family’.

This course is progressive, each class building on the previous class. You will be introduced to these practices:
• Four Noble Truths
• Six Senses and the objects of Six Senses
• Sitting, standing, walking meditation
• Chanting
• Mani Mantra

This course will take place:
Thursday evenings, 6:30pm-8:30pm
August 9 – September 27

Fee: $200

For more information, contact
Master Thay at (504) 452-0891 or zenandmind@gmail.com

Required pre-registration begins August 1, contact Tibetan House at info@tibetanhouse.com
Location: Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas St.

If you have to miss a class, Thich Thien Tri will be happy to have a make up class with you.

Students who successfully complete the course will receive a certificate and graduate to the next level.

Please let us know if you would like to participate! We need five participants for the course to take place!

Mind-Body-Spirit Based
Relapse Prevention for Addictions
with Dr. Jose Calderon

Wednesday evenings, 7:00pm-9:00pm
August 22
August 29
September 5
September 12
Classes will take place at
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
Fee for the course is $80.

Wanting, aversion, and confusion are at the core of many unskillful behaviors including addictions. Entering and sustaining recovery often requires skillful use of psychological, behavioral and ethical/spiritual tools.

This is a 4-week workshop for those wanting to learn or modify skills to sustain sobriety from chemical or behavioral addictions. This workshop teaches mindfulness, mind-body medicine, and cognitive behavioral skills to support your practice and complement any other form of addiction treatment, 12-steps, SMART recovery, or Refuge Recovery work you may be doing. Selective mind-body skill may include gentle mindful movements and other forms of embodied mindfulness practices, meditation, imagery, cognitive behavioral skills and other.

Participants are required to attend all 4 sessions, come to sessions sober, and commit to practice between sessions.

To register please contact Tibetan House, info@tibetanhouse.com.

About Jose Calderon-Abbo, M.D.
Dr. Calderón is board certified in psychiatry and addiction medicine, with an additional certification in mind-body medicine. He is a long time Vipassana practitioner, and mind-body medicine group facilitator. Dr. Calderon is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry with LSU School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry, Clinical faculty at Tulane University, and is the Medical Director of the New Orleans Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. He is Senior Faculty at the Center for Mind- Body Medicine in Washington DC where he conducts national and international trainings and supervision in mind-body medicine skills for the general public healthcare providers.

***** July 2018 *****

Meditation with Dapön Will Ryken

Sunday, July 1

7:00pm-9:00pm

Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

It is a rare and wonderful privilege to sit with Will Ryken.

Will visits New Orleans every two months to sit with a gentleman on death row. We invited him to sit with us at Tibetan House whenever he is town, and he graciously accepted. This visit he will be speaking more directly about meditation and will lead us in a practice.

https://www.shambhalamountain.org/teacher/dapon-will-ryken/

https://www.shambhalamountain.org

If you would like to know more about Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, check out this page from Shambhala:

https://shambhala.org/teachers/chogyam-trungpa/

*****

Tibetan Buddhist Teachings with Chamtrul Rinpoche

July 24-July 30, 2018

Chamtrul Rinpoche is the recognized reincarnation of a great master and scholar from the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, the oldest school in Tibet.

For more information about Chamtrul Rinpoche, visit his website: http://www.chamtrul-rinpoche.com

Teaching Schedule

Tuesday, July 24,
10:00am-12:15pm: “Relationship between Body, Mind and Energy
1:30am-3:45pm: “Meditation On Selflessness”
Clearwater Sanctuary in Covington
For more information, contact:
info@clearwatersanctuary.org or (985) 630-1009

Wednesday, July 25
10:00am-12:15pm: “Meditation Teaching With Guided Practice ”
1:30pm-3:45pm “Overview Of Vajrayana and Dzochen”
Clearwater Sanctuary in Covington
For more information, contact:
info@clearwatersanctuary.org or (985) 630-1009

Thursday, July 26, 7pm-9pm
Practicing the Union of Emptiness and Compassion
Mid-City Zen Center
3248 Castiglione Street

Friday, July 27, 7pm-9pm
Tong-Len: the Healing Power of Compassion
LHA Community Center
623 North Rendon

Saturday, July 28 – Sunday, July 29
Tonglen Teachings with Guided Meditation
LHA Community Center
623 North Rendon
Saturday, July 28, 11:00am-1:00pm & 3:00pm-5:00pm
Sunday, July 29, 11:00am-1:00pm

Monday, July 30, 6:45pm-8:00pm
Topic to be announced
Samten Choeling Dharma Center
For more information and to RSVP, contact:
Ngawang Legshe at (504) 723-1317

***** June 2018 *****

Tibetan House and Sorig Khang Bay Area Center for Traditional Tibetan Medicine present

Ku Nye Tibetan Massage & External Therapies Trainings
With Sorig Khang Center for Tibetan Medicine

June 15–19, 2018

Public Talk with Eric Rosenbush, L.Ac.
Thursday, June 14, 2018
7:00pm–9:00pm Central
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans
Streamed online at: bayarea.sorig.net/online

Ku Nye Tibetan Massage Level 1

with Eric Rosenbush, L.Ac.

June 15–19, 2018

VFW, 531 Lyons Street

Massage & Acupuncture CEUs pending.

Learn more & register at: bayarea.sorig.net/nola

Ku Nye is the therapeutic massage practice of the holistic healing science of Traditional Tibetan Medicine. Based on the five elements and three humors, it offers methods to balance specific ailments and harmonize the innate constitution.

In this training you will learn:

• Fundamentals of Tibetan Medicine

• Client assessment

• Indications & contraindications

• Preparation & use of herbal oils

• Body mobilization

• Application of heat & cold

• Techniques for tissues, channels, & points

Beneficial for health practitioners & the public:

• Doctors & nurses

• Massage therapists

• Acupuncturists

• Yoga instructors

About Eric Rosenbush, L.Ac.

Eric Rosenbush, L.Ac. is a licensed acupuncturist and practitioner of Tibetan, Chinese, and Ayurvedic medicine and Jyotish Vedic astroscience. He teaches worldwide as a senior Sorig Khang International instructor.

About Sorig Khang

Sorig Khang offers study & practice programs in Tibetan Medicine & the related Yuthok Nyingthig spiritual lineage under the guidance of Dr. Nida Chenagtsang.

For more information, contact:

Sorig Khang

Center for Tibetan Medicine

+1 (415) 842 4862

bayarea@sorig.net

bayarea.sorig.net/nola

—

After Ku Nye Level 1, continue training in additional Tibetan External Therapies:

• Ku Nye Tibetan Massage Level 2

• Channels & Points in Tibetan External Therapies

• Hormé Mongolian Oil Therapy

• Mébum Cupping Therapy

• Métsa (Moxibustion) Heat Therapy

• Yukchö Stick Therapy

• Lum Bath, Steam, & Compress Therapy

Expand your studies of Tibetan Medicine via the Foundations of TTM program:

• Learn the fundamentals of TTM theory

• Train in diagnostic techniques including:

• Pulse reading

• Urine analysis

• Train in treatment methods including:

• Lifestyle guidelines

• Diet regimens

• Herbal medicines

Many modules can be attended online!

Learn more at: bayarea.sorig.net/foundations

*****

***** May 2018 *****

Smoke Puja with the Venerable Tsering Phuntsok

Wednesday May 9
6:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas St

According to Sogyal Rinpoche:

Riwo Sangchö means ‘An unceasing offering to the mountain gods’, but it is much more than that. It is a practice of generosity and offering that frees your heart and inspires your generosity to others. It is a practice of prosperity that also brings you confidence. It is a practice of healing through which you repay all your karmic debts and heal your relationships. Riwo Sangchö is also practice of purification in which all your obscurations are purified and burned away in the sang offering. You purify the outer pollution (environmental degradation, disharmony, and physical sickness); You purify the inner pollution (negative emotions, blockages in your channels and imbalances in our energy) ; You purify the secret pollution (fundamental ignorance). Riwo Sangchö is also and especially a practice that enhances your energy and your lung ta, thus making your rigpa more vivid to you.

Please explore these websites for a more comprehensive understanding of what occurs when we join together with Tsering in the Smoke Offering.

Dharamsala Trip Alumni Reunion

Wednesday, May 9

6:00pm-8:00pm

Everyone who has traveled to India with one of the annual groups from Tulane, Loyola, Ochsner or LMHPCO is invited to attend.

Reconnect with classmates and network with like-minded professionals.

The evening will include a Smoke Puja led by Tsering Phuntsok and a brief presentation on the impact of 15 years of India trips from Louisiana. Perhaps we’ll also brainstorm on ways to continue to serve the Tibetan community in exile.

Food and drinks provided. Feel free to contribute if you are so inclined!

In addition to past participants, anyone attending a trip this year OR interested in joining one of the trips in the future is WELCOME to attend!

*****

Mindful Me Book Launch & Meditation Session for Youth, age 9-11

Saturday, May 12

11:00am-12:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Whitney Stewart, New Orleans’ own, will be with us at Tibetan House to launch her new book, ‘Mindful Me’, written for nine to twelve year olds, and an inspiration for all ages. Whitney is also the author of ‘Mediation is Open Sky: Mindfulness for Kids’ and ‘Mindful Kids: 50 Mindfulness Activities for Kindness, focus and calm, a set of 50 colorful cards. Please come and meet Whitney, bring your kids aged nine to twelve, and experience a mindfulness practice.

About Mindful Me

Sometimes kids’ lives can get busy and out of control, and worries can take over.

When that happens, knowing how to pause and regain composure with mindfulness can help! This easily digestible guide introduces kids to mindfulness as a way to find clarity, manage stress, handle difficult emotions, and navigate personal challenges. With over 30 breathing, relaxation, and guided meditation exercises, including stepby-step instructions, readers will have an entire toolkit at their disposal, and writing prompts will help them process their discoveries.In the activity book, kids will learn to settle their thoughts and look inward through a series of fun writing prompts, games, and meditation exercises. Serving as a guide to reflect upon the lessons learned in Mindful Me, it offers kids a place to record their reflections, creating a tangible account of how far they’ve grown in their meditation practice.

About Whitney Stewart

Whitney Stewart will travel far for a story. She’s trekked in the Himalaya with Sir Edmund Hillary and visited remote Buddhist monasteries in Nepal, Tibet, Myanmar, and Japan. She’s interviewed Nobel laureates, sat for days in meditation retreats, and even been a puppeteer and salad chef in France. She is the author of travel stories, multiple children’s books, and when she is not writing or traveling, she teaches mindfulness and meditation to children.

*****

Chöd Ceremony with the Venerable Tsering Phuntsok

Tuesday May 15
7:00pm – 8:30pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas St

My first experience of the Chöd practice was on a bayou in Atchafalaya Basin. Setting up for the practice began predawn. As Tsering began the hauntingly beautiful practice of Chöd , we watched the mist on the bayou as the sun slowly brought a golden light into the morning.

I have read so many descriptions of this practice. I have heard it practiced many, many times while traveling in India and Nepal. There is no simple, easy way to translate the experience into an explanation. The Tibetan word Chöd translate into ‘to sever’. In context of this practice, it is to sever the ego and is most commonly referred to as ‘Cutting Through the Ego’.

Thank you, Tsering for sharing this powerful practice with us.

If you feel inclined, investigate these sites. There are many others. There are also youtube videos.

*****

Applied Meditation Practices
A Taoist Approach with Stephen Josephs, Ed.D.
and guest, Jose Calderon-Abbo, M.D

Wednesdays, May 16, 23 & 30
7:00pm-9:00pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
Course fee: $60

This 3 module course looks at meditation as a pathway to feeling fully alive in the midst of life challenges. What are normally considered hinderances can, in fact, be gateways to our ever expanding experience of awareness. The practices you will learn are designed to deepen and stabilize your meditation.

In three successive sessions, we will learn specific sets of meditative skills that we will apply to 1) Pain reduction, 2) Unwanted behaviors and thoughts, and 3) The Paradox of Goal Achievement.

You may recognize this approach to inviting, accepting, and embracing all experience as characteristically Taoist in flavor. It is. Yet its principles are not only consistent with non-dual teaching from many traditions, but with recent discoveries in neuroscience.

To quote Lao Tzu:
…And whether a man dispassionately
Sees to the core of life
Or passionately
Sees the surface,
The core and the surface
Are essentially the same,
Words making them seem different
Only to express appearance.
If name be needed, wonder names them both:
From wonder into wonder
Existence opens.

- Witter Bynner translation (used with permission)

The sessions are meant to build on each other in succession but will be valuable as individual sessions, as well.

Stephen Josephs,Ed.D. has practiced meditation and various mind-body disciplines for over 50 years. This includes Taoist “water method” meditation – a method of systematic dissolving of blocks while in a state of non-dual awareness. He has been an executive coach for over 37 years. He co-authored Leadership Agility, a study of how leaders mature in their roles and how maturation affects their capacity to lead. This evolution for executives all comes down to “getting over yourself,” and meditation is offered to leaders as a cure for self-importance. As Lao Tzu would say of a sound man and a leader, “By never being an end in himself, he endlessly becomes himself.”

Jose Calderon-Abbo, M.D. is board certified in psychiatry and addiction medicine, with an additional certification in mind-body medicine. He is a long time Vipassana practitioner, and mind-body medicine group facilitator. Dr. Calderon is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry with LSU School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry, Clinical faculty at Tulane University, and is the Medical Director of the New Orleans Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. He is Senior Faculty at the Center for Mind- Body Medicine in Washington DC. where he conducts national and international trainings and supervision in mind-body medicine skills for the general public, healthcare providers and the department of defense. He is developing and studying an emergent model for relapse prevention and mental health care combining neurosciences, mind-body medicine, and functional medicine for mental health, wellness, and addictions.

Dr. Calderon is the host of Whole Body Mental Health Radio, a radio show that thinks broadly about mental health and addictions, from the mind-body connection and genetics, to the community and the world! This program airs on WHIV, 102.3 FM, on Wednesday evenings, 7:00pm-8:00pm. The archive is available on itunes.

For more information about Dr. Calderon’s practice, visit his website, www.mindfulpsychiatry.com.

*****

Tsering Phuntsok at Tibetan House

Thursday, May 17
11:00am-6:00pm

This photo of our dear friend, the Venerable Tsering Phuntsok, brings so much joy to my heart!!! I think his smile brings joy to anyone who meets him. We are so happy he is here with us again.Tsering will be at Tibetan House all day Thursday, May 17th, 11am – 6:00pm. If you have not met him, please come in and do so. If you have met him, he will be very happy to see you.

Tsering is available for private sessions. You can schedule an astrology readings, or a sitting, or have a question/answer discussions.

Drop in or make an appointment to visit with him.
To connect with Tsering, contact Tibetan House: info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339.

*****

Basic Buddhist Meditation from a Zen Perspective with Thich Thien Tri

Zen teacher Thich Thien Tri, Thay, will be

leading this course. He graduated from Vietnamese Buddhist Association with a Bachelor of Arts in Buddhism. Since his arrival in the USA in 2002, Thay has taught in many US cities. In July 2015, he was invited by Van Hanh Buddhist Center of New Orleans to establish ’Zen and Mind Family’.

We are offering two opportunities for this course:

Saturday evenings, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
June 2- July 28

Fee: $200

Pre-registration is required: contact Tibetan House at 504 897 9339 or info@tibetanhouse.com

Location: Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas St.

If you have to miss a class, Thich Thien Tri will be happy to have a make up class with you.

Students who successfully complete the course will receive a certificate and graduate to the next level.

Please let us know if you would like to participate! We need five participants for the course to take place!

*****

SoulCollage,

Workshop with Catherine Williams

Sunday, May 20
12:45pm-5:30pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
Cost: $40
Please be prompt, doors lock at 1pm

SoulCollage® is an engaging process of making 5″x8″ collage cards. Different than traditional collage, the images come together in ways that may surprise you, each card reflecting an aspect of your personality.

This creative process offers a way of making meaning beyond the world of words through colors and images that appeal to you.

Created by Seena Frost, SoulCollage® has evolved as a way to deepen your connection to self and your own purpose in this world, using images that intuitively call to you.

Eventually you’ll have a deck of personal wisdom cards, created through the knowing guidance of your intuition. Then through an interactive process of ”reading” the card, you will find it offers access to a place of wisdom and kindness in yourself. From this place come messages from your Self to your self, timely and affirming.
About Catherine Williams

Catherine Williams has been a SoulCollage® facilitator since September 2011. With a Master’s Degree in Drama Therapy, she has led workshops for over 20 years combining art, movement and drama therapy. She is certified as a teacher of the Enneagram in the narrative tradition.

*****

Drepung Gomang Monks in New Orleans

May 21-29, 2018

We are overjoyed that the monks of the Sacred Art Tour of Drepung Gomang Monastery in South India will be with us for the end of May. The Sacred Art Tour is committed to preserving the Tibetan Culture, Traditions and Religions.

Thursday, May 24, 7:00pm-9:00pm

Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

***** Vajrasattva Purification Puja

$20 Suggested Offering

Saturday, May 26, 12:00pm-5:00pm

New Orleans Healing Center, 2372 St Claude Avenue

***** 12:00pm-5:00pm Tibetan Goods Market

***** 1:00pm Puja for World Peace

***** 4:00pm Snow Lion Dance

$20 Suggested Offering

Sunday, May 27

~~The Fly at Audubon Park~~

***** 5:00pm Puja

~~$20 Suggested Offering~~

We are very sorry to have to cancel the World Peace Puja this Sunday afternoon, May 27, at the Fly. Unfortunately, the Drepung Gomang Monks from South India have to leave New Orleans earlier than expected.

Our apologies to those of you that were looking forward to this beautiful and timely peace offering

About the Monastery:

“Drepung Gomang Monastic University is one of the most reputed centers (the three great seats: Drepung, Gaden and Sera) for learning, contemplating and practicing Tibetan Buddhist thoughts and science notably known as the second Nalanda University in Tibet. As prophesied in Langsheg Sutra by Lord Buddha: When once Nagaraja Madhopa pledged Lord Buddha with a white conch, Lord Buddha handed it over to Maugalayana, one of his two closest attendants who possessed transcendental miracle-power, with blessed and instructive decree to take it to Gogpa Ri (Garlic Hill) at Gaden in Tibet and hide it there in the hill. It adds that in the future the Bhiksu of Lotus-purity in nature would unearth it and it would thereafter be used as Tsogdhung, to be blown as the signaling medium for gathering to spiritual congregation …..”

( H.E. 80th Abbot /Khen Rinpoche Geshe Lobsang Gyaltsen)

The Sacred Art Tour is also a fundraising venture for the Monastery:

“This monastery solely survives on the donations, contribution and prayer offering and every single fund helps us a lot in taking care of our monks here.

We conveys our sincere thank you to kind donors, sponsors, well wishers for their continuous support which has made this monastery to survive here in exile.

We sincerely appeal everyone to continue kind support towards this monastery and will understand if you are unable to do so. We thank you all once again and will include you all in our daily prayers.”

http://drepunggomang.org/test-tour-page/326-sacred-art-tour-2017-2018

*****

***** April 2018 *****

An Evening with Will Ryken

Thursday, April 12 at 7:00pmTibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Tibetan House is very excited to host Will Rykenfor an evening talk. Dapön Will Ryken became a student of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in October 1972. If you are unfamiliar with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, you can watch the documentary film, Crazy Wisdom.

About Will Ryken
Will Ryken has been teaching in prisons for the

past twenty years and is currently a mentor for a gentleman on death row in Angola state prison in Louisiana.

He first connected to Chögyam Trungpa and the Buddhadharma in Boulder, Colorado in 1972 and that was it. While in Boulder, he became a Dorje Kasung in 1975, lived at Karme Chöling for two years and then was Director of Dorje Khyung Dzong for another two, returning to Boulder until moving to Florida in 2006. Mr. Ryken co-founded the Shambhala Sun Summer camp in 1984, and he is a Dapön in the Dorje Kasung. He currently lives in Ruskin FL. with his wife Paula Bickford. They both teach and play at the St. Petersburg Shambhala Center as well as teaching and assistant directing Shambhala and Kasung Programs around the world. Mr. Ryken is well known for his wisdom and humor.

*****

Offering Two 9-week Courses in

Basic Buddhist Meditation from a Zen Perspective

Tuesdays, 9:00am – 11:00am
April 3 – May 29

and

Saturdays, 6:00pm-8:00pm
April 14 – June 9

For each course:
Fee: $200
Pre-Registration is required.
Minimum 5 students,
Maximum 10 students

Each course remains open for new participants for the first 3 classes.

To register, contact Tibetan House
info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339

Zen teacher Thich Thien Tri will be leading this course. He graduated from Vietnamese Buddhist Association with a Bachelor of Arts in Buddhism. He began his journey in America in 2002 and has taught in many cities in the US. In July 2015, he was invited by Van Hanh Buddhist Center of New Orleans to establish the ‘Zen and Mind Family’ in order to teach how meditation benefits our lives, spiritually, emotionally and physically.

This course is progressive, each class building on the previous class. You will learn sitting, standing, and walking meditation practices. You will study how to chant, the Mani mantra, the Six Senses and the Object of Six Senses, and the Four Noble Truths. Students who successfully complete the course will receive a certificate and graduate to the next level.

*****

Traditional Tibetan Medicine Workshops at Tibetan House
With Sorig Khang Bay Area Center
for Tibetan Medicine

April 5-April 8, 2018

We are excited to announce our next offering of talks, practices, and classes from the Tibetan medical tradition, offered April 5–8 by Jason Whitlow, director of Sorig Khang Bay Area!

And please save the date for a 5-day intensive training in Tibetan Ku Nye Massage, coming June 15–19 at Tibetan House! More details to come.

Learn more at: bayarea.sorig.net

Introduction to Ku Nye Tibetan Massage & External Therapies
Healing the Body, Energy, & Mind

Thursday, April 5, 2018

7:00pm-9:00pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans
Streamed online at: bayarea.sorig.net/online

Traditional Tibetan Medicine (known in Tibetan as Sowa Rigpa) is one of the oldest healing traditions in existence, offering a vast medical knowledge that is accessible to everyone. In addition to its lifestyle, diet, and herbal remedies, TTM contains a sophisticated array of healing therapies including Ku Nye Tibetan massage, Horme Mongolian oil therapy, Lum bath therapy, Yukcho stick therapy, La energy massage, and more.

In this talk, Jason will offer an overview of the external healing therapies in the Tibetan medical tradition. He will describe the unique approach and qualities of each therapy, and explain how they can be used to prevent as well as cure disease. He will also review the fundamentals of typology in Tibetan Medicine, and help us to learn the best therapies for our individual constitution.

Suggested Donation: $20

Eliminating Obstacles Meditation
From the Spiritual Tradition of Tibetan Medicine
Friday, April 6, 2018
7:00pm-9:00pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans
Streamed online at: bayarea.sorig.net/online

Join us for a guided meditation practice to eliminate obstacles and hidden obstructions of all kinds. From the Yuthok Nyingthig, the unique spiritual tradition of Tibetan Medicine, this accessible practice invokes the blessings of the father of Tibetan Medicine and the four activity dakinis to clear away difficulties and develop healing wisdom for the benefit of ourselves and others.

Suggested Donation: $20

Nejang Tibetan Healing Yoga Workshop: Opening the Channels, Balancing the Energy
Saturday, April 7, 2018
10:00am-6:00pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans

Nejang is a simple-yet-profound Tibetan healing yoga practice consisting of breath work, physical exercises, and self-massage. It is designed to improve the function of the sense and inner organs, open the channels, balance the energy, and relax the mind. With roots in the Tibetan Buddhist Kalachakra tradition, it has been prescribed to patients by Tibetan doctors for centuries due to its ability to support health and cure disease.

In this workshop, Jason will introduce the fundamentals of Tibetan Medicine, including the channels and energies of the subtle body, and teach the key points of posture and breath used in Nejang. We will then learn and practice some of the twenty-four Nejang exercises and explore their specific therapeutic applications using the Nejang text and commentaries.

For more information, and to register, please visit: bayarea.sorig.net/nola

Tibetan La Massage
Sunday, April 8, 2018
10:00am-6:00pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans

‘La’ Massage is one of the subtle energetic treatments from the Tibetan medical tradition. It is used to replenish the vital protective energy known as ‘la’, described in both the Tibetan medical and astrological traditions as an essence of our consciousness. ‘La’ energy pervades the body, circulating through it on a lunar cycle and giving us strength and vigor, as well as bliss, sensitivity, and satisfaction. Signs of depleted ‘la’ energy include feelings of tiredness, sadness, and anxiety, a fuzzy mind, and a grayish complexion.

In this workshop, we will review the fundamentals of Tibetan Medicine, including the five elements and three humors, and will learn how their gross and subtle forms (including ‘la’ energy) manifest in our body, energy, and mind. Jason will then introduce the practice of ‘La’ Massage, including the visualizations, recitations, and techniques used to contact and replenish this protective energy. Advice will also be given on how we can gather and protect ‘la’ energy in our day-to-day life, as a means of supporting our vitality and sense of blissful well-being.

For more information, and to register, please visit: bayarea.sorig.net/nola
Workshop Fees
One Workshop:
Register by Mar 25: $120
Register after Mar 25: $150
Both Workshops:
Register by Mar 25: $200
Register after Mar 25: $270

About Jason Whitlow
Director of Sorig Khang Bay Area, Jason graduated with honors from Harvard University, where he studied neurobiology and computer science, and has worked professionally as a somatics teacher and modern dancer. He has studied and practiced for many years under the guidance of Dr. Nida Chenagtsang, a renowned doctor of Tibetan Medicine and holder of the Yuthok Nyingthig lineage.
About Sorig Khang Bay Area

Sorig Khang Bay Area is a nonprofit center offering programs in the study and practice of Traditional Tibetan Medicine and the related Yuthok Nyingthig spiritual lineage. It is part of Sorig Khang International, a network of Tibetan Medicine centers in over 40 countries around the world.
Learn more at: bayarea.sorig.net

***** March 2018 *****

Offering Two 9-week Courses in

Basic Buddhist Meditation from a Zen Perspective

Tuesdays, 9:00am – 11:00am
March 6-May 1

and

Saturdays, 6:00pm-8:00pm
March 10-May 5

For each course:
Fee: $200
Pre-Registration is required.
Minimum 5 students,
Maximum 10 students

Each course remains open for new participants for the first 3 classes.

To register, contact Tibetan House
info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339

*****

Practicing Mindfulness in our Daily Living

An Evening with the Venerable Dr. Thich Tam Duc

Thursday, March 22 at 7:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
Suggested donation $20

Our instructor for Buddhism from a Zen Perspective, Thich Thien Tri, is very excited to introduce his teacher to you. His teacher, Ven. Dr. Thich Tam Duc, is visiting from Vietnam and will be in New Orleans for six weeks. He will be at Tibetan House on Thursday, March 22.

About Ven. Dr. Thich Tam Duc
Ven. Dr. Thich Tam Duc, born in 1953 in Thua Thien, Vietnam. He is a highly accomplished scholar with degrees in History, Buddhist Studies and Philosophy.

Ven. Dr. Thich Tam Duc is a Standing Member of the Central Dhamma Executive Council of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, the Vice Rector and General Secretary of the Vietnam Buddhist Research Institute as well as the Vice Rector & Lecturer of Vietnam Buddhist University in Ho Chi Minh City. He has given Dhamma lectures and presentations on Buddhism throughout the world including the United States, Canada, India, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines, New Zealand, Australia.

For more information contact Tibetan House:

info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339

*****

***** February 2018 *****

Mindfulness Meditation: Journey to a Healthier, Happier Life

Thursday February 22, 7:00 pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
Suggested Donation: $20
RSVP and Questions: hmoutonlandry@gmail.com

Come and start off your New Year by developing or reinvigorating your meditation practice. If you are a meditator and need a refresher or have never meditated and want to learn, this one hour talk with give you everything you need to understand how a mediation practice will improve your relationships, focus, and general well being.

Helen Landry, a New Iberia native, is a contemplative psychotherapist and meditation teacher in Richmond VA.

***** January 2018 *****

Mind-Body-Spirit Based Relapse Prevention Workshop for Addictions

with Jose Calderon-Abbo, M.D. & William Arendell LCSW

Wednesdays, January 3, 10, 17, and 24
7:00pm-9:00pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Fee for the workshop is $80. Proceeds will go to support Tibetan House New Orleans, and the Whole Body Mental Health Radio podcast.
Participants are required to attend all 4 sessions, come to sessions sober, and commit to practice between sessions.

To register please contact Tibetan House, info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339.
Registration deadline is December 31.

Hungry Ghosts. Preta-gati in Sanskrit. Gakidō 餓鬼道 in Japanese. The realm of
hungry spirits; characterized by great craving and eternal starvation

Tibetan Buddhist Teachings w/ Lama Lena
January 12 – January 16, 2018

Lama Lena (Yeshe Khaytup)

Comfortably straddling both East and West, Lama Lena, brings with her 40 plus years of traditional Buddhist study and practice, including a 7 year cave retreat in Tso Pema, India as well as some 30 years traveling and translating for the Venerable Wangdor Rinpoche, whose lineage in both Dzogchen and Chagchen she holds.Traveling internationally, she teaches in a direct, informal style, blending earthy wit with compassion and incisive clarity. Currently, when not teaching, Lama Lena divides her time between home in the San Francisco Bay Area and India, continuing to assist Ven. Wangdor Rinpoche, and providing medical assistance, as a Doctor of Chinese Medicines, to the Tibetan refugee community, local villagers, and mountain tribe people.

At Tibetan House
Introduction to Dzogchen: Direct Mind Perception
Friday, January 12, 7:00pm-9:00pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

At LHA Community Center
Lhundup Teachings: Awakening through our feelings & emotions,
the spontaneous perfection of appearances
Saturday, January 13, 11:00am-5:00pm
LHA Community Center. 623 N. Rendon Street
Session 1: 11:00am – 1:00pm;
Session 2: 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Sunday, January 14, 11:00am-1:00pm (Continued)
LHA Community Center, 623 N. Rendon Street
Session 3: 11:00am – 1:00pm

These three sessions do build upon one another yet you are encouraged to attend at least one, any one, if that is all you are able to do.

At Tibetan House
Refuge Ceremony and Teachings
Tuesday, January 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
This session is for those wishing to go deeper into Buddhism.

Suggested Donation $20 for each talk.
No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

For more information, contact Tibetan House at
info@tibetanhouse.com or call (504) 897-9339.

Awakening the Third Eye, Wenndi Freer in New Orleans

Introduction to the Third Eye, an Evening with Wenndi Freer
Thursday, January 18, 7pm-8:30pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
Free

Have you ever wondered what the Third Eye really is, and what it would be like to experience being in the third eye? In this talk, Wenndi Freer will be taking us into the mysterious and intriguing realm of the Third Eye. She’ll also be introducing us to subtle bodies and how to cultivate awakening by working on these subtle bodies of energy. Following this talk, Wenndi will be leading a workshop, “Awakening the Third Eye”, at Ashtanga Yoga Room, Jan 20 & 21.

Awakening the Third Eye Weekend Workshop
Saturday, January 20, 11:45am-6:00pm
Sunday, January 21, 11:15am-6:45pm
Ashtanga Yoga Room, 2521 Jena Street
Fee: $150

Awakening the Third Eye is for those who want direct experience of deeper states of consciousness and those who want to learn skills for cultivating and managing their energy. You will learn a technique that develops awareness of the third eye, an energetic organ of perception. It will include third eye meditation techniques for awakening spiritual vision, protecting and grounding your energy, quieting your mind, and fast recuperation from fatigue. We will explore easy and powerful ways to incorporate what you are learning into your daily life. The result will be a sense of awakening that has the potential to renew and invigorate your passion for life. Click here for additional details.

Click here to register for the weekend workshop.
For more information, contact Ashtanga Yoga Room, (504) 813 3738.

Basic Buddhist Meditation from a Zen Perspective

9-week course with Thich Thien Tri

Saturdays, 6:00pm-8:00pm

January 20-March 31

Adjustments will be made for Mardi Gras, no class on February 3 and February 10.

This course remains open for new participants for the first 3 classes.

Classes held at Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas St
Fee: $200

Pre-registration required. Contact Tibetan House, info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339.
Space is limited. Minimum 5 students, Maximum 10 students

***** December 2017 *****

Sunday, December 17
10:00am-5:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

There are three important aspects of meditation: mindful attention, open awareness and loving kindness. By practicing these, we can let go of negative mental patterns and expand our heart and mind, bringing about joy, peace and inner freedom. Anam Thubten will teach and guide participants in developing these three aspects of meditation and share Buddhist wisdom on working with our thoughts and emotions.Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and at an early age began to practice in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Among his many teachers, his most formative guides were Lama Tsurlo, Khenpo Chopel, and Lama Garwang. He is the founder and spiritual advisor of Dharmata Foundation, teaching widely in the U.S. and abroad. He is also the author of various articles and books in both the Tibetan and English language. His books in English include The Magic of Awareness and No Self, No Problem. To view Anam Thubten’s teaching and retreat schedule, please visit www.dharmata.org/events-calendar. Through the essential wisdom of Buddhism and his personal experience on the spiritual path, Anam Thubten brings alive the timeless teachings and invites everyone to participate.

Cost: $50 (no one turned away for lack of funds)

To register, contact Gael Thompson at info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 330-3507

Journey from Zanskar

Film Screening & Talk with the Filmmakers
at Unity Church and Tibetan House

Journey from Zanskar, Film Screening
Wednesday, December 27, 6:30pm
Unity of New Orleans Spiritual Center
3722 St. Charles Avenue

Admission: $10.00

Meet Filmmaker Frederick Marx
Thursday, December 28, 7:00pm-9:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Suggested donation: $10.00

About the Film
Zanskar is one of the last remaining original Tibetan Buddhist societies with a continuous untainted lineage dating back thousands of years. In nearby Tibet and Ladakh, in Sikkim, Bhutan, and Nepal, traditional Tibetan Buddhist culture is either dead already or dying. The horror of Chinese government design in Tibet is being matched by the destruction of global economics elsewhere. Zanskar, ringed by high Himalayan mountains in northwest India, one of the most remote places on the planet, has been safe until now. But that’s changing.

In 3-5 years a road connecting Padum, the heart of Zanskar, with Leh, the heart of neighboring Ladakh, will be finished. The route which previously took up to two days by car will take only 4-5 hours. As economic growth descends on Zanskar it will bring with it an end to this unbroken Buddhist social tradition. Will the native language, culture, and religious practice be able to survive? Watch Journey From Zanskar to discover how two humble monks, far from their Buddhist temple, honor their vows by supporting these remote village children to get a great Buddhist education.

About the Filmmakers
Warrior Films produces compelling documentary films about solutions to the world’s problems: Everyday people finding ways to overcome oppressive socio-economic barriers. Most known for HOOP DREAMS, we tell transformational stories that transform lives. Though we specialize in stories of the poor, youth, people of color, the dispossessed… each story is issue specific. We go worldwide to tell the right story.

***** November 2017 *****

Introduction to Tranditional Tibetan Medicine: Cultivating Health, Long Life, and Happiness

Led by Jason Whitlow, Director of Sorig Khang Bar Area

November 16-November 19

We are very excited to announce our first workshops in the fundamentals of Traditional Tibetan Medicine, starting this November! These talks and workshops will be offered by Jason Whitlow, director of Sorig Khang Bay Area.

Sorig Khang Bay Area is a nonprofit center offering programs in the study and practice of Traditional Tibetan Medicine, and the related Yuthok Nyingthig spiritual lineage. It is part of Sorig Khang International, a network of Tibetan Medicine centers, teachers, and practitioners in over 40 countries around the world.

To learn more and register: bayarea.sorig.net.

EVENING TALKS
Thursday November 16. 7:00pm – 9:00pm
“May I Benefit Beings Like the Sun and the Moon”: An Introduction to the Spiritual Tradition of Tibetan Medicine

The Yuthok Nyingthig is the unique spiritual tradition of Tibetan Medicine, practiced by doctors, healers, and meditators from all lineages. Known for its concise methods and swift blessings, it is the perfect practice for modern, busy practitioners. It contains one-of-a-kind techniques to develop intuition and healing abilities while cultivating wisdom and compassion.

These teachings have been transmitted by Dr. Nida Chenagtsang, a renowned doctor of Tibetan Medicine and lineage holder of the Yuthok Nyingthig. In this talk, Jason will introduce the history and singular qualities of the Yuthok Nyingthig, and will give an overview of the structure and approach of this cycle of Vajrayana Buddhist practice. He will also lead a guided meditation and mantra recitation from this tradition.

Suggested donation $20

Friday November 17, 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Medicine Buddha Healing Meditation

Join us for a guided meditation practice on the Medicine Buddha, the embodiment of perfect healing wisdom. From the Mantra Healing Treatise of Tibetan master Ju Mipham Rinpoche, this accessible practice uses mantra and visualization, the power of sound and mind, to heal ourselves and others.

Suggested donation $20
FULL DAY WORKSHOPS
Saturday November 18, 10:00am – 6:00pm
A Personalized Approach to Health: Typology in Tibetan Medicine

One of the oldest medical systems in existence, Tibetan Medicine offers a truly personalized approach to cultivating health based on each individual’s unique typology. Through understanding the distinctive traits of our own body and mind, we can make better choices to prevent and cure disease and to support our own well-being.

In this workshop, we will learn the fundamentals of Tibetan Medicine, including the five elements and three humors that are the foundation of typology. Through interactive exercises, we will determine our own personal typology, and will explore Tibetan Medicine advice about the best diet, lifestyle, and external therapies for each type. We will also learn about simple ‘kitchen pharmacy’ remedies that can be made using the food and spices in our own home

Sunday November 19, 10:00am – 6:00pm
Nejang Tibetan Healing Yoga Workshop

Nejang is a Tibetan healing yoga practice that consists of simple breath work, physical exercises, and self-massage. It is designed to improve the function of the sense and inner organs, open the channels, balance the energy, and relax the mind. With roots in the Tibetan Buddhist Kalachakra tradition, it has been prescribed to patients by Tibetan doctors for centuries due to its ability to support health and cure disease.

Registration Fees for Workshops
One Full Day Workshop:
Register by Nov 4: $120
Register after Nov 4: $150

Both Full Day Workshops:
Register by Nov 4: $200
Register after Nov 4: $270

To register, visit the Sorig Khang Bay Area website: https://bayarea.sorig.net/schedule/

About Jason Whitlow

Jason Whitlow is director of Sorig Khang Bay Area, a nonprofit center offering programs in Tibetan Medicine and the Yuthok Nyingthig spiritual tradition. Jason graduated with honors from Harvard University, where he studied neurobiology and computer science, and worked as a somatics teacher and professional modern dancer. He has studied and practiced for many years under the guidance of Dr. Nida Chenagtsang, a renowned doctor of Tibetan Medicine and holder of the Yuthok Nyingthig lineage

*****

Basic Buddhist Meditation from a Zen Perspective

9-week course with Thich Thien Tri

Tuesdays, 9:00am-11:00am

November 21-January 30
Classes held at Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas St
Fee: $200

Registration for this course is open until December 5.

Adjustments will be made for the holidays.

Pre-registration required. Contact Tibetan House, info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339.
Space is limited. Minimum 5 students, Maximum 10 students

Death and Dying from a Tibetan Buddhist Perspective

Wednesday, November 29

7:00pm-9:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
Suggested Donation: $10

A conversation with Paloma Landry about spiritual preparation and actions that can be done for ourselves and to assist others during the dying process.

About Paloma Landry
Paloma Landry studied Tibetan language at Rangjung Yeshe Institute in Kathmandu, Nepal. After becoming proficient in the Tibetan language she began translating for Tibetan monks and teachers in 2002. Since then she has translated for dozens of lectures on the Tibetan and Buddhist view of death and dying, fielded hundreds of questions in translation on the topic, and facilitated advice and practices to be done during the dying process. After serving as one of the primary care takers for her grandmother and a close friend as they were dying, she realized that Americans are vastly unprepared for death, resulting in enormous stress and suffering for both the patients and their families and loved ones. After exploring this further and studying many articles and legal aspects associated with dying, she began providing death and dying workshops across the U.S. and Canada in hopes that we can be better prepared for this inevitable outcome to our lives.

***** October 2017 *****

Basic Buddhist Meditation from a Zen Perspective

9-week course with Thich Thien Tri

October 14-December 9, Saturday evenings

Saturdays, 6:00pm-8:30pm
Classes held at Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas St
Fee: $200

This course remains open for new participants through October 28.

Pre-registration required. Contact Tibetan House, info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339.
Space is limited. Minimum 5 students, Maximum 10 students

***** September 2017 *****

Basic Buddhist Meditation from a Zen Perspective

9-week course with Thich Thien Tri

Tuesdays, 9:00am-11:30am

September 5-October 31
Classes held at Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas St
Fee: $200

Pre-registration required. Contact Tibetan House, info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339.
Space is limited. Minimum 5 students, Maximum 10 students

***** August 2017 *****

An Evening with Violet Law, Official Translator for Tsering Woeser

Voices From Tibet: Selected Essays and Reportage
written by Tsering Woeser and Wang Lixiong

Wednesday, August 9

7:00pm-9:00pm

Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas

Donations appreciated. Books will be available for purchase.

Voices from Tibet assembles essays and reportage in translation that capture many facets of the upheavals wrought by a rising China upon a sacred land and its pious people. With the TAR, Tibetan Autonomous Region, in a virtual lockdown after the 2008 unrest, this book sheds important light on the simmering frustrations that touched off the unrest and Beijing’s relentless control tactics in its wake. The authors also interrogate long-standing assumptions about the Tibetans’ political future.Tsering Woeser and Wang Lixiong are widely regarded as the most lucid, insightful writers on contemporary Tibet. Their reportage on the economic exploitation, environmental degradation, cultural destruction and political subjugation that plague the increasingly Han Chinese-dominated Tibet Autonomous Region is as powerful as it is profound, ardent and analytical in equal measure, and not in the least bit ideological.Woeser’s and Wang’s writings represent a rare Chinese view sympathetic to Tibetan causes. Their powerful testimony should resonate in many places confronting threats of cultural subjugation and economic domination by an external power.Law works closely with Woeser visiting her in Beijing and Lhasa will share details about Woeser’s current circumstances in the Communist Chinese regime.

Fore more information, here’re two other pieces by Tsering Woeser, trasnlated by Violet Law published in the New York Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/15/opinion/learning-to-forget-tibet-in-china.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/03/opinion/international/tibets-enduring-defiance.html?_r=0

Introduction to Tibetan Medicine

Cultivating Health, Long Life, & Happiness

Thursday, August 17
7:00pm-9:00pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Traditional Tibetan Medicine (known in Tibetan as Sowa Rigpa) is one of the oldest healing traditions in existence. It offers a vast medical knowledge that is accessible to everyone, and supports the cultivation of a happy mind along with a healthy body.

In this talk, Jason Whitlowwill introduce TTM’s essential understanding of health and disease, its sophisticated diagnostic techniques, as well as its many practical healing methods including diet and lifestyle guidelines, natural medicines, and external therapies including massage and acupuncture.

Whitlow will also introduce the unique spiritual tradition of Tibetan Medicine, which contains a complete path of Buddhist practice as well as healing yoga, mantra, and meditation practices.

This talk will also be streamed online at: facebook.com/sorigkhangbayarea

About Sorig Khang Bay Area
Sorig Khang Bay Area is a nonprofit center offering programs in the study and practice of Sowa Rigpa (Traditional Tibetan Medicine) and the related Yuthok Nyingthig spiritual lineage. It is part of Sorig Khang International, a network of Tibetan Medicine centers, teachers, and practitioners in over 40 countries around the world. Learn more at: bayarea.sorig.net

About Jason Whitlow
Jason is director of Sorig Khang Bay Area. He has studied Tibetan Medicine and the Yuthok Nyingthig for many years under the guidance of renowned Tibetan doctor and yogi Dr. Nida Chenagtsang. Jason graduated with honors from Harvard University, where he studied neurobiology and computer science, and previously worked as a somatics teacher and professional modern dancer.

Dakini Mantra Practice
On Thursday morning, August 17, from 10:00–10:30 AM Central, join Sorig Khang Bay Area online to chant the healing mantra of the five dakinis, the embodiment of feminine wisdom and power, to heal both women and men and to harmonize the planet. This short guided practice is open to everyone.
Join online at: www.crowdcast.io/sorig

***** July 2017 *****

Chamtrul Rinpoche in New Orleans

July 18-July 23, 2017

About Chamtrul Rinpoche

Chamtrul Rinpoche is the recognized reincarnation of a great master and scholar from the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, the oldest school in Tibet.

Tuesday, July 18, 6:45pm – 8:00pm
A teaching on “Meditation on Metta Practices”
Samten Choeling Dharma Center
For more information and to RSVP, contact:
Ngawang Legshe at (504) 723-1317

Wednesday, July 19, 1:00pm-3:00pm
Teaching on “Practicing the Two Collections” (of merit and wisdom)
Clearwater Sanctuary in Covington
For more information, contact:
info@clearwatersanctuary.org or 985 630-1009

Thursday, July 20, 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Teaching on “Mind Training”
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Friday, July 21, 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Teaching on “Practicing Mindfulness and Vigilance”
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Saturday, July 22-Sunday, July 23,
Day and a Half Teaching on 12 Links of Interdependent Origination
Swaha Yoga Center, LHA 623 North Rendon Street

Saturday, July 22
11:00am-1:00pm & 3:00pm-5:00pm
Sunday, July 23,
11:00am-1:00pm

All events are free and open to the public.
Donations to help with travel expenses will be much appreciated.
Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the event begins.

An envelope will be provided for an offering that you can present to Rinpoche
at the end of the teaching. This offering reflects
your appreciation of the teacher and the Dharma.

For more information, visit Chamtrul Rinpoche’s website:
www.bodhicitta.org

Basic Buddhist Meditation from a Zen Perspective

9-week course with Thich Thien Tri

Saturdays, 6:00pm-8:30pm
Classes held at Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas St
Fee: $200

Pre-registration required. Contact Tibetan House, info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339.
Space is limited. Minimum 5 students, Maximum 10 students

***** June 2017 *****

Basic Buddhist Meditation from a Zen Perspective

9-week course with Thich Thien Tri

Tuesdays, 9:00am-11:30am
June 13-August 8

Classes held at Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas St
Fee: $200

Pre-registration required. Contact Tibetan House, info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339.
Space is limited. Minimum 5 students, Maximum 10 students

***** May 2017 *****

Evenings with Tsering Phuntsok at Tibetan House

Thursday, May 4
Mantra Chanting for World Peace and Healing for the Lost Soul
7:00pm-8:00pm

Thursday, May 11
37 Practices of Bodhisattva
7:00pm-8:00pm

Thursday, May 18
Pilgrimage in Nepal with Tsering Phuntsok
7:00pm-8:00pm

Venerable Tsering Phuntsok was born in the Himalayas, in a Nepal town bordering India and Tibet. In 1982, at the age of 12, he began his study and practice of Buddhism from his own village monastery. In 1986, at 16 years of age, he joined Palyul Choekhorling Nyingmapa Buddhist Monastery in Bir, India. Tsering Phuntsok has received many teachings and transmissions in both Sutra and Tantra in Tibetan Buddhism from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, H.H. Drupwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche and many others great Masters.

Beginning in 2002, Tsering Phuntsok has been a group host, teacher and leader in programs from the United States, Europe and Mexico that study Tibetan culture and Buddhism in India and Nepal. In 2009, by invitation from universities in the United States, and by direction of his monastic Abbot, H.E. Rigo Tulku Rinpoche, Tsering began traveling and sharing his experience about Himalayan Culture and Buddhism in America and Europe.
Tibetan House is located in Uptown New Orleans,
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Suggested $10 donation to support travel accommodations, meals and expenses.

For more information, visit www.tibetanhouse.com or contact Tibetan House: info@tibetanhouse.com, (504) 897-9339

Basic Buddhist Meditation from a Zen Perspective

9-week course with Thich Thien Tri

Saturdays, 6:00pm-8:30pm
May 13-July 8

Tuesdays, 9:00am-11:30am
May 9-July 11

Classes held at Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas St
Fee: $200

Pre-registration required. Contact Tibetan House, info@tibetanhouse.com or (504) 897-9339.
Space is limited. Minimum 5 students, Maximum 10 students

Dreaming in Color, an Evening with Haiyan Khan- Founder of Santosha Village

Thursday, May 25

7:00pm-8:30pm

Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Join us for an interactive dialogue with Haiyan Khan, founder of Santosha Village, a local organization working to build a tiny house, healing community for the homeless in New Orleans. Haiyan will describe the Village concept and facilitate a discussion on tiny house design, community living, emotional wellness, and creating the space to ask, “what is a meaningful life”.

Suggested donation $10 to support Santosha Village.

For more information about Santosha Village, visit santoshavillage.org or contact haiyan@santoshavillage.org.

***** April 2017 *****

Smoke Offering for New Orleans Commemorating Prayer Flag Day

Thursday, April 20, 7pm

Suggested Offering $10, greatly appreciated.

We are delighted to have The Ven. Tsering Phuntsok with us to officiate our spring Smoke Offering.

A Smoke offering, or Sang, is focused on the Gods of the mountain, the Gods of the sky, the Gods of the river, and the Gods of all aspects. You first invite the Gods of the whole universe, and then you offer especially to the Gods of your local place.

The Sanskrit word for offering is puja meaning to please. A traditional ritual of healing and purification, a puja is offered to overcome negativity that may be obstructing release from suffering. The chanted prayers of the puja promote spiritual, emotional, mental and physical well being.

We will also commemorate Prayer Flag Day, April 20, 2013. On this day we officially invited the City of New Orleans to raise flags as a welcoming gesture to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Ten miles of prayer flags were raised!!!

Traditionally, prayer flags are left flying until there is nothing left of them. Prayer Flags that come down before they disintegrate, should be hung in a forest, rather than put in the trash. If you are ready to replace your prayer flags, or if you have some you want to get rid of, bring them to us on April 20, and we will hang them in a forest.

***** March 2017 *****

Permaculture from Gandhian & Buddhist Perspectives:
Modern & Traditional Approaches in Nepal and India
An evening with Michael Smith, Co-Founder of Woven Earth

Thursday, March 9 at 7pm

This talk and Q&A will define and explore the practice of Permaculture as a contemporary expression of traditional worldviews that advance harmony and freedom within the individual, society and the natural environment. The speaker will provide practical examples that focus on Tibetan Buddhist and Gandhian ethical philosophies, discussing ways to overcome the challenge of practically implementing these perspectives in modern life and spiritual practice.

Michael D Smith, MSW MPH is a Louisiana native and adjunct faculty at the Tulane School of Social Work and Loyola University, coordinating and instructing their India Summer Study Abroad Programs. He teaches courses on culture, contemporary social activism, and the religions of north India, Nepal, and Tibet, drawing on 14 years of extensive travel, language study and work in South Asia. He is a Board Member of the Louisiana Himalaya Association (www.lhainfo.org) and a co-founder of Woven Earth (www.wovenearth.org), which organizes courses in Permaculture and natural building in Nepal and Indonesia.

Thursday, March 9 at 7pm

Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Suggested Donation: $10.00

For more information about Woven Earth: www.wovenearth.org/nepalpermacultureadventure

Dharma Teachings with Lama Lena
March 16-March 19

Lama Lena (Yeshe Khaytup)
Comfortably straddling both East and West, Lama Lena, brings with her 40 plus years of traditional Buddhist study and practice, including a 7 year cave retreat in Tso Pema, India as well as some 30 years traveling with translating for the Venerable Wangdor Rinpoche, whose lineage in both Dzogchen and Chagchen she holds.

Thursday, March 16
Spirituality in Difficult Times
7pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Friday, March 17
Symbolism of Tara from a Dzogchen Perspective
7pm
Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas Street

Saturday, March 18
11:00am-1:00pm, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Spirituality with Lama Lena: Open Minded & Open Hearted Activism
LHA Community Center, 623. North Rendon Street

Suggested Donation $10-20 for each talk.
No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

For more information, contact Tibetan House at
info@tibetanhouse.com or call (504) 897-9339.

Drepung Gomang Monks from India

Tibetan Sacred Arts Tour visits New Orleans, March 19-March 25

OBJECTIVE OF DREPUNG GOMANG MONASTERY’S TOUR
A) To make a contribution to world healing and peace by sharing unique Tibetan Buddhist teachings, sacred religious performances, chanting, and Tibet’s unique identity treasures of culture and authentic traditions.

B) Recognizing well, and very deeply, that there have been great tragedies in every part of the world, we want to share our sympathy and prayers together with you as human beings sharing this planet and sharing the future of this home of ours.

C) To generate a greater awareness of the endangered Tibetan civilization and human rights abuses by the Communist Chinese since 1959. As the situation in Tibet is becoming more desperate by the day, due to massive displacement of Tibetans by Chinese citizens sent there by the Communist government, and ever new rules and difficulties, especially at the monasteries, we need your help now.

D) To raise support for the refugee monks’ community in south India for proper food, improvement in health & hygiene and for providing better education facilities for the monk students. We preserve our tradition and culture.

Click here for short bios of members of the Sacred Arts Tour.

Full Schedule of Events
Saturday, March 18
Drepung Gomang Monks in retreat at Clearwater Sanctuary in Covington, Louisiana.
Teachings or private meeting available upon request.
For more information, contact Clearwater Sanctuary.

Sunday, March 19
Morning Service at Unity Temple
11:00am
3722 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA

Sunday, March 19
Snow Lion Dance
Louisiana Children’s Musuem
2:00pm-3:00pm
420 Julia St, New Orleans

Monday, March 20
Green Tara Puja
Green Tara is the Female Buddha that grants protection and relief from sufferings, generates compassion, love and peace.
4:00pm-5:00pm
The Fly at Audubon Park. The Fly is located on Riverview Drive at the far end of Audubon Park.
Behind the Zoo.
New Orleans, LA

Tuesday, March 21
Opening Ceremony for the Green Tara Sand Mandala
11:00am-12:30pm
Viewing the Creation of the Green Tara Sand Mandala
11:00pm-5:00pm
New Orleans Healing Center
2372 St. Claude Avenue
New Orleans, LA

Tuesday, March 21
Snow Lion Dance
This evening will include the presentation of the Snow Lion pageant as well as Tibetan Chanting and a brief talk.
5:30pm-6:30pm
New Orleans Healing Center
2372 St. Claude Avenue
New Orleans, LA

Wednesday, March 22
Viewing times for the Creation of the Sand Mandala
10:00am-5:00pm
New Orleans Healing Center
2372 St. Claude Avenue
New Orleans, LA

Thursday, March 23
Viewing times for the Creation of the Sand Mandala
10:00am-5:00pm
New Orleans Healing Center
2372 St. Claude Avenue
New Orleans, LA

Thursday, March 23
Green Tara Puja
7:00pm-8:00pm
Tibetan House
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street
New Orleans, LA

Friday, March 24
Last day for viewing the creation of the Sand Mandala
10:00am-5:00pm
New Orleans Healing Center
2372 St. Claude Avenue

Saturday, March 25
Green Tara Sand Mandala Closing Ceremony & Dissolution
The mandala is swept up and shared with the community in a ceremony of gratitude and blessings. This event will include a trip to the Mississippi River where the sand will be released into the water.
2:00pm-3:00pm – PLEASE NOTE THAT THE TIME HAS CHANGED
New Orleans Healing Center
2372 St. Claude Avenue
New Orleans, LA
All events are open to the public.
Donations are appreciated to support the charitable good work of the Drepung Gomang Monastery in India.

At the Healing Center the monks will have a pop-up shop and be selling Tibetan Dharma items, jewelry and gifts.

Meals for the Drepung Gomang Monks

The Drepung Gomang Monks, eight of them plus their driver, will be in need of wonderful New Orleans cuisine from March 19-25. Word has it that they would love to share a dinner with you in your home! If you want to feed the monks but feel that your home too small, you could prepare the meal and dine with them at their residence on Pitt Street in New Orleans. If you are excited by that possibility, please contact us ASAP!

The Drepung Gomang Monks are also in need of lunches from March 21 – 25 while they are creating the beautiful Green Tara Sand Mandala at the New Orleans Healing Center. This would involve preparing the lunch and delivering it to the Healing Center around noon.

Restaurants around the city are also always eager to host the Monks for a meal. They could either create a lunch and have it delivered, or have the monks come to their restaurant and dine for dinner.

It is a wonderfully auspicious experience
and we look forward to your enthusiastic response!!

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Special Guests

Reflections on Suffering, Disaster, and Awakening An Evening with John Clark

Studying the Buddha Way: Diving deeply into the Fundamentals of Buddhism

Led by Reverend Michaela O’Connor Bono

Being Present with What Is: A Spontaneous Evening with Will Ryken

Traditional Tibetan Medicine Workshops

Offering Two 9-week Courses in

Basic Buddhist Meditation from a Zen Perspective

Offering Two 9-week Courses in

Basic Buddhist Meditation from a Zen Perspective

Practicing Mindfulness in our Daily Living

An Evening with the Venerable Dr. Thich Tam Duc

Tibetan Buddhist Teachings w/ Lama Lena January 12 – January 16, 2018

Lama Lena (Yeshe Khaytup)

Journey from Zanskar

An Evening with Violet Law, Official Translator for Tsering Woeser

Voices From Tibet: Selected Essays and Reportage written by Tsering Woeser and Wang Lixiong

Introduction to Tibetan Medicine

Cultivating Health, Long Life, & Happiness

Reflections on Suffering, Disaster, and Awakening
An Evening with John Clark

Studying the Buddha Way:
Diving deeply into the Fundamentals of Buddhism

Being Present with What Is:
A Spontaneous Evening with Will Ryken

Tibetan Buddhist Teachings w/ Lama Lena
January 12 – January 16, 2018

Voices From Tibet: Selected Essays and Reportage
written by Tsering Woeser and Wang Lixiong