Dr. Satya has been studying with Pema Khandro since 2001. She is the Director of Operations for Ngakpa International since 2010, and is a board member. Satya is the Clinic Director of the Yogic Medicine Institute since 2004, a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, as well as a NAMA certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and Panchakarma Specialist. Her Doctoral Research specialized in acupuncture & herbal treatments of the endocannabinoid system to modulate pain and inflammation for healthy aging and longevity.
Practice Texts
Texts generally require ritual initiation and permission to practice with the blessings of the lineage.
Protected: 2024.8.Dzogchen.San Diego
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Protected: Buddhism & Sexuality.Self-Paced Course
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Protected: Buddhist Ethics.Self-Paced Course
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Protected: Bardo Teachings.Self-Paced Course
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Protected: Women in Tantric Buddhism.Self Paced Course
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2022.07.Troma Nagmo.Fierce Compassion
The Troma Nagmo Retreat
Online with Pema Khandro
July 15-17, 2022
9-12pm PST // 12-3pm EST // 5-8pm BST
The meditation practice of the black wrathful Dakini, Troma Nagmo, unlocks the innermost wisdom mind. It is a gateway to the profound wisdom that sees things as they are, that faces reality in its full range of expressions – of horror and beauty, rupture and peace, death and renewal. Troma Nagmo is the black wrathful dakini who escorts beings to the state beyond fear, an advanced meditation for discovering resilience, bravery and intensely compassionate presence.
This online retreat focuses on the fierce compassion meditation of Troma Nagmo, This is the fiercely compassionate form of Vajrayogini.
This retreat is taught by Buddhist scholar and Lama, Pema Khandro in an online format to support retreat practice at home. Learn more about Pema Khandro here. There are no prerequisites required to attend. Pema Khandro will bestow the lung, teachings, and practice of Troma in its classical form, from the Rinchen Trengwa Chod, a very direct cycle that cuts to the essence of the dakini wisdom. Join us for this rare opportunity to engage in the profound practice of Troma.
2022.6.Buddhism After #MeToo
A dialogue between two Buddhist teachers and scholars, making sense of Buddhism, lineage, transmission and devotion in light of abuse revelations in the #metoo movement. This conversation focuses on how these issues have shaped our approaches to dharma practice and teaching. This is not prescriptive advice, but instead a conversation and reflection on how our practice and teaching approaches have changed and will continue to change with great concern for all survivors and for the future of women in Buddhism.
Damchö Diana Finnegan
After a career as a journalist based in New York and Hong Kong, Damchö Diana Finnegan ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1999. In 2009, she received her PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with a thesis on gender and ethics in Sanskrit and Tibetan narratives about Buddha’s direct female disciples in the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya. After completing her dissertation she worked closely with the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, serving as co-editor on various publications, including Interconnected: Embracing Life in a Global Society and The Heart Is Noble: Changing the World from the Inside Out. In 2007, she co-founded Dharmadatta Nuns’ Community (Comunidad Dharmadatta), a community of Spanish-speaking Buddhist nuns, based first in India and later in Mexico. Together with the other Dharmadatta nuns, she leads a large Latin American community with a commitment to gender and environmental justice as part of its spiritual practice. At the same time, Damchö continues to participate in academic circles, presenting at conferences, editing books, and engaging in various research projects. The most recent publication on which she collaborated, a translation from Sanskrit and Tibetan of the manual for conferring full ordination to women, was published in 2021 by Hamburg University’s Numata Center for Buddhist Studies under the title: “The Buddhist Nuns’ Ordination in the Tibetan Canon.
Pema Khandro
Pema Khandro is a teacher and scholar of Buddhist philosophy. She has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, a Master’s degree specializing in Tibetan buddhism and she is currently completing her Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies at the University of Virginia. She is a Fulbright-Hays scholar and currently a Ford Foundation Fellow. Her scholarly research focuses on the history of Dzogchen and on gender studies. Pema Khandro is also the founder of Ngakpa International and its three projects, The Buddhist Studies Institute, Dakini Mountain and the Yogic Medicine Institute. She is an authorized Lama and lineage holder of the Nyingma and Kagyu traditions and was enthroned as a tulku to carry on the lineage of her predecessor, the first Pema Khandro, an early twentieth century yogini in Eastern Tibet. She has led a vibrant world-wide community since 1999. Through the Buddhist Studies Institute, she also offers a complete curriculum of training in Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy and practice.
Women in Tantric Buddhism.old
This is the missing history of women in Tantric Buddhism. This course addresses the fascinating story of nuns, mothers, teachers, consorts, prophets and disciples. Taught by scholar-practitioners whose groundbreaking research on women and Buddhism has changed the way we think of Buddhist history. This course will address the history of women in Buddhism, the history of yoginis and dakinis in India and Tibet, the stories of important Buddhist women, Buddhist philosophy on gender, sex and sexuality, the role of the consort in historical Tibet and contemporary manifestations and so much more. History of Women in Buddhism Free Introduction with Pema Khandro Love and Cultural Trauma – Dialogue with Pema Khandro and Holly Gayley Dakini’s Warm Breath – Dialogue with Pema Khandro and Judith Simmer-Brown Dakini’s Encouragement in the Life of Sera Khandro – Dialogue with Pema Khandro and Sarah Jacoby Buddhism, Birth and Abortion – Dialogue with Pema Khandro and Amy Langenberg Gender and Sexuality in Buddhism in Contemporary Tibet with Holly Gayley Dakini Wisdom: The Feminine Principle in Tibetan Buddhism with Judith Simmer-Brown Dakinis’ Encouragement in the Life of Sera Khandro with Sarah Jacoby $270 General Tuition Member Discounts Holly Gayley, Associate Professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, is a scholar and translator of contemporary Buddhist literature in Tibet and Himalaya. Her research areas include gender and sexuality in Buddhist tantra, ethical reform in contemporary Tibet, and theorizing translation, both literary and cultural, in the transmission of Buddhist teachings to North America. Gayley is author of Love Letters from Golok: A Tantric Couple in Modern Tibet (Columbia University Press, 2016), co-editor of A Gathering of Brilliant Moons: Practice Advice from the Rimé Masters of Tibet (Wisdom Publications, 2017), translator of Inseparable Across Lifetimes: The Lives and Love Letters of the Buddhist Visionaries Namtrul Rinpoche and Khandro Tāre Lhamo (Snow Lion, 2019), and editor of Voices from Larung Gar: Shaping Tibetan Buddhism for the Twenty-First Century (forthcoming in 2021). Dr. Gayley‘s numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals explore the emergence of Buddhist modernism on the Tibetan plateau and a new ethical reform movement spawned by cleric-scholars at Larung Buddhist Academy in Serta. Her recent publications on the topic include “Controversy over Buddhist Ethical Reform: A Secular Critique of Clerical Authority in the Tibetan Blogosphere” (Himalaya Journal, 2016), “Non-Violence as a Shifting Signifier on the Tibetan Plateau” (Contemporary Buddhism, 2016 with Padma ‘tsho), “Reimagining Buddhist Ethics on the Tibetan Plateau (Journal of Buddhist Ethics, 2013), and “The Ethics of Cultural Survival: A Buddhist Vision of Progress in Mkhan po ‘Jigs phun’s Advice to Tibetans of the 21st Century” in Mapping the Modern in Tibet (International Institute for Tibetan and Buddhist Studies, 2011). In addition, Dr. Gayley is co-founder of the Tibet Himalaya Initiative at CU Boulder, co-chair of a five-year seminar on “Transnational Religious Expression: Between Asia and North America” at the American Academy of Religion, and part of the founding team for the Contemplative Resource Center at CU Boulder. During her early years of teaching at Naropa, Judith worked with the Vidyadhara on various projects. He always encouraged her to trust her own experience, to teach, and to “not care so much what other people think.” Judith taught at Seminaries, served on the founding faculty of the Ngedon School, directed a series of Buddhist-Christian conferences, and influenced Naropa Institute through its early, difficult years. Judith continues to teach at what is now Naropa University, chairing the religious studies department; guides the Ngedon School; and serves on several international Buddhist-Christian dialogue groups. Judith founded Naropa’s Engaged Buddhism program, and has been a member of the Board of Directors of Shambhala International since 1995. In 1980 Judith married Richard Brown, chair of the education department at Naropa. They have two children, Owen and Alicia. Judith’s special passion has long been the Vidyadhara’s teachings on “feminine principle,” which led her to research and write Dakini’s Warm Breath: The Feminine Principle in Tibetan Buddhism, published by Shambhala Publications in 2001. Sarah Jacoby studies Asian Religions with a specialization in Tibetan Buddhism. She received her B.A. from Yale University, majoring in women’s studies, and her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Virginia’s Department of Religious Studies. She joined Northwestern University in 2009 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the Society of Fellows in the Humanities at Columbia University. Her research interests include Indo-Tibetan Buddhist doctrine and ritual in practice, studies in gender and sexuality, Tibetan literature, autobiography studies, Buddhist revelation, the history of emotions, Buddhism in contemporary Tibet, and eastern Tibetan area studies. For an overview of Professor Jacoby’s research and teaching, see the article “Treasure Seeker” recently published by Northwestern News. Professor Jacoby has received an American Council of Learned Sciences (ACLS) Fellowship and an American Academy of Religion International Collaborative Research Grant. Her research has also been funded by The Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation, the Charlotte W. Newcombe Dissertation Writing Fellowship, the Fulbright Hays Dissertation Research Fellowship, and multiple Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships (FLAS). Her first monograph Love and Liberation: Autobiographical Writings of the Tibetan Buddhist Visionary Sera Khandro (Columbia University Press, 2014) is the winner of the 2016 E. Gene Smith Book Prize from the Association of Asian Studies for books on Inner Asia and a finalist for the 2015 American Academy of Religion Book Award for Excellence in Historical Studies. Love and Liberation is the first study in any language of the autobiographical and biographical writings of one of the most prolific female authors in Tibetan history, Sera Khandro Künzang Dekyong Chönyi Wangmo (also called Dewé Dorjé, 1892–1940). She was extraordinary not only for achieving religious mastery as a Tibetan Buddhist visionary and guru to many lamas, monastics, and laity in the Golok region of eastern Tibet, but also for her candor. This book listens to Sera Khandro’s conversations with land deities, dakinis, bodhisattvas, lamas, and fellow religious community members whose voices interweave with her own to narrate what is both a story of love between Sera Khandro and her guru, Drimé Özer, and spiritual liberation. Her other books include Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience (Oxford University Press, 2014, co-authored with Donald Mitchell), and Buddhism Beyond the Monastery: Tantric Practices and their Performers in Tibet and the Himalayas (Brill, 2009, co-edited with Antonio Terrone). Her current book project examines rare biographical and ritual texts written by the early 18th-century Tibetan religious hierarch Lelung Zhepai Dorjé. In 2015 and 2018 Professor Jacoby was voted by Northwestern students onto the ASG Faculty Honor Roll. In 2014 she was awarded a Searle Center for Advanced Learning and Teaching Innovation in Teaching Grant. In 2012, she was voted onto the ASG Faculty Honor Roll and awarded a teaching excellence award from the Department of Religious Studies. Courses she teaches include Introduction to Buddhism, Buddhism and Gender, Buddhist Auto/biography, Tibetan Religion and Culture, Theory and Methods in the Study of Religion, Religion, Sexuality, and Celibacy, and Feminist Theory and the Study of Religion. For information about the Khyentse Foundation Buddhist Studies Lecture Series that Professor Jacoby is chairing, see here. Pema Khandro is a scholar and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism. She is the founder of the non-profit organization Ngakpa International and oversees its projects, the Dakini Mountain Retreat Center, the Buddhist Studies Institute and the Yogic Medicine Institute as well as Ngakpa House, a charity which supports the education of children and elders in the Himalayas. Pema Khandro’s academic work specializes in the history of Dzogchen and as well as the culture and literature of Tibetan yogis. She has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, a a Master’s degree specializing in the study of Tibetan Buddhism and is currently completing her Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies at the University of Virginia. She speaks English, Tibetan, Chinese and Spanish languages. Pema Khandro is an authorized Lama and lineage holder of the Nyingma and Kagyu lineages and one of few westerners recognized and enthroned as a tulku, a Buddhist leader who carries on the lineage of a predecessor. She ordained in the Nyingma tradition and was authorized to pass this non-monastic lineage of ordained Buddhist Yogis, also known as naljorpas and ngakpas on to her students, a task which she has been dedicated to since 1999. As a teacher of Vajrayana, she specializes in Dzogchen, a contemplative and philosophical tradition which emphasize cultivating awareness and presence as the goal of the path. Pema Khandro also specializes in teaching Chod and the other esoteric Buddhist practices for lay people and householders which focus on direct access to cultivating intrinsic wisdom. Pema Khandro emphasizes the importance of the body-mind connection, natural health and nutrition. She is certified as Tibetan Naturopath and Ayurvedic practitioner, and is three times certified as an Advanced Hatha Yoga teacher. She has led dozens of courses in nutrition, yoga teacher trainings, yoga therapy trainings, meditation trainings and courses in natural medicine for health practitioners from every field. Today, Pema Khandro continues to be an advocate of the relevance of traditions of Tibet’s Buddhist Yogis as Buddhism takes shape in North America. She runs a residential center, leads a thriving community, runs a clinic and Ngakpa Intl, the non-profit organization which oversees Dakini Mountain, the Yogic Medicine Institute and the Buddhist Studies Institute. She teaches courses regularly, pursues research projects and continues to cultivate a close relationship with her students and friends who work together in Ngakpa Intl and the North American Community of Buddhist Yogis. For more details visit: Pema Khandro Extended Biography …Women in Tantric Buddhism – Online Classes
Women in Tantric Buddhism – Self Paced Coursework
Course Tuition
Click on “Have a coupon?” and apply your discount code to receive your member discount. Learn more about Membership Here.Teacher Bios
Raised a minister’s daughter in Nebraska, Judith Simmer-Brown began meditation practice as a student of Suzuki Roshi. It was while teaching religion and Buddhism at Western Washington University in Bellingham that Judith received a flyer inaugurating The Naropa Institute. Meeting the Vidyadhara at that first summer session in 1974 “blew her world apart,” and Judith fled back to Bellingham, “not sure whether to hide or pack.” But when offered a position in the new Buddhist Studies M.A. program at The Naropa Institute in 1977, Judith accepted one-week’s notice to join the tiny faculty. She never left.
For answers to frequently asked questions visit: Pema Khandro FAQ
Ngakpa Training 4 – The Precious Treasury of Words and Meaning
Zoom Link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87066158932?pwd=OHQvUU16a3d2SVEzUHZkcVJBTXVQZz09
Welcome to Ngakpa Training! The ground!
In the Presence of Dying.Self Paced
Facing realities of dying, death and grief are central to our human experience.
This series offers Buddhist reflections on dying, loss, grief, illness and pandemics. It includes classes on Buddhism and Dying from the point of view of experts in diverse fields such as caregiving, hospice, buddhist ministry, Tibetan Buddhist history and past-life research. It also includes a training in Buddhist funerary practices, known as Zhitro, led by Pema Khandro.
Classes led by Pema Khandro, Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Chagdud Khandro, Julie Rogers, Jim Tucker, Koshin Paley Ellison, Dr. Bill McGrath
COURSE OUTLINE
Buddhist Wisdom for Death and Dying: Interview & Lecture Series
- Chagdud Rinpoche in conversation with Pema Khandro
- Dr. Jim Tucker in conversation with Pema Khandro
- Shugen Roshi in conversation with Pema Khandro
- Julie Rogers in conversation with Pema Khandro
- Koshin Paley Ellison in conversation with Pema Khandro
- Dr. William McGrath: Buddhist Responses to Widespread Diseases in Tibet
Instructions and Explanation on the Six Bardos: Part One
- Introduction: The Story of Mandarava
- The Bardo of Dying
- The Bardo of Clear Light
- The Bardo of Becoming
Instructions and Explanation of the Six Bardos: Part Two
- The Bardo of Existence
- The Bardo of Dreaming
- The Bardo of Meditation
Introduction to the Zhitro – Tibetan Buddhist Funerary Practice
- Overview of the Teachings, Lineage and Source Text
- Lung (Oral Transmission) of the Zhitro Practice
- Explanation of the Zhitro
- Guided Zhitro Practice
ABOUT THE TEACHERS
Pema Khandro is a teacher and scholar of Buddhist philosophy. She is currently completing her Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies at the University of Virginia. Pema Khandro is the founder of Ngakpa International and its three projects, The Buddhist Studies Institute, Dakini Mountain and the Yogic Medicine Institute. She is an authorized Lama and lineage holder of the Nyingma and Kagyu traditions and was enthroned as a tulku to carry on the lineage of her predecessor, the first Pema Khandro, an early twentieth century yogini in Eastern Tibet.
Chagdud Khandro is the spiritual director of Chagdud Gonpa in Brazil. She was ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist teacher in 1997, by Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche—a great master of the Nyingma school. Khadro and Chagdud Tulku were married in 1979. She remained his devoted student for twenty-three years. She has taught the meditation of Phowa, transference of consciousness at
the moment of death, since 1986.
Jim Tucker, M.D. is Bonner-Lowry Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia. He is Director of the UVA Division of Perceptual Studies, where he is continuing the work of Dr. Ian Stevenson with children who report memories of previous lives. A board-certified child psychiatrist, Dr. Tucker worked with Dr. Stevenson for several years before taking over the research upon Dr. Stevenson’s retirement in 2002.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi is the Head of the Mountains and Rivers Order, abbot and resident teacher of Zen Mountain Monastery. Shugen entered full-time residential training in 1986 after studying mathematics and receiving a degree in classical music. He received dharma transmission from John Daido Loori, Roshi in 1997. His teachings on Zen, social justice and environmental stewardship have appeared in various Buddhist journals.
Julie Rogers has been a student of Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche since 1983. She is the author of TLC’s end of life manual ‘Instructions for the Transitional State’, published in 2007 (vimalatreasures.org). Julie received hospice and bereavement training at Ashland Hospital in Oregon where she volunteered for two years, and was employed as a caregiver for elders and developmentally disabled adults for over twenty years.
Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison is an author, Zen teacher, Jungian psychotherapist, and ACPE Certified Chaplaincy Educator. After more than a decade as a chaplain and psychotherapist, Koshin co-founded the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.The non-profit center offers contemplative approaches to care through education, carepartnering, and Zen practice.
William McGrath M.D. is the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Assistant Professor of Buddhist Studies at New York University. His research interests include Buddhism in East and Central Asia, Tibetan and Chinese medical traditions, Tibetan language and history, and the intersections of religion and medicine. He recently edited a volume entitled Knowledge and Context in Tibetan Medicine.
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Special Thanks to our producers of this program at the Buddhist Studies Institute: Pema Khandro, De’dzin Drolma, FaJun Real and Satya Shiva.
2022.3.Resting in Dharma Poetry
A one day meditation retreat online devoted to gentle quiet, deep rest and introspection.
Pema Khandro and the Buddhist Studies Institute come together for a day of guided meditations, restorative yoga, chanting the White Tara meditation and contemplating dharma poetry. Drawing on the great poets of Buddhism, Pema Khandro will teach on Longchenpa’s instructions for Finding Comfort and Ease in the nature of mind.
We will do restorative yoga focusing on establishing deep states of rest and ease in the body. Be sure to have a space ready for yoga and a blissful corpse pose, with blankets, pillows, and meditation cushion. You will find more information to help you prepare in the first course lesson, “How to Prepare for Dzogchen Meditation Retreat”.
Please email info@buddhiststudiesinstitute.org if you have any questions or need any assistance.
Buddhism & Trauma
Both Buddhism and Trauma Studies have asked questions about human suffering. Both explore the profound journey of getting free from the bonds of negative experiences of the past. This series focuses on the dialogue between Buddhism, trauma, and cross-cultural reflections on psychology. Enjoy these engaging dialogues with scholars and teachers on the compelling topic of Buddhism and Trauma.
This series culminates in a day long teaching focusing on Medicine Buddha & Trauma. Co-hosted by The Buddhist Studies Institute and The Yogic Medicine Institute, this daylong will offer buddhist philosophy and yogic methods for relating with trauma in the body and mind.
2021.9.Ngondro Training, Module 4.Intrinsic Wisdom
Entering the Heart of the Vast Expanse
Longchen Nyingthig Ngondro
This is the Course page where all training materials, webinar access, recordings and texts for Module 4 will be posted.
2021.8.Dzogchen Series.Longchenpa’s Life & Teachings
Dzogchen Series
Longchenpa, His Life & Teachings
One of the most celebrated scholars of Tibetan Buddhism was Longchenpa, a fourteenth century philosopher-yogi who wrote about Dzogchen.
Dzogchen is the esoteric tradition of Tibetan contemplation, regarded as the highest and most precious body of knowledge held by the Nyingma tradition. It emphasizes teachings on intrinsic buddha-nature as the ground of reality, as well as contemplative relationship with the elements and environment.
Longchenpa’s work on Dzogchen defined the tradition as it is practiced today. Longchenpa’s extensive collected works synthesized the Dzogchen teachings and their relationship to the exoteric Buddhist philosophical movements.
This series features lectures, scholars and teachers of Tibetan Buddhism specializing in the works of Longchenpa and Dzogchen. These classes will focus on the life and teachings of Longchenpa, followed by a day-long meditation course, all online. Join us in celebrating the history of Dzogchen and reflecting on its developments, views and contributions in the life and works of Longchenpa.
Dzogchen Series
Longchenpa’s Advice to Dzogchen Yogis
with Pema Khandro
Join Buddhist Scholar and teacher, Pema Khandro, online for a day-long meditation retreat and study of Longchenpa’s advice to yogis from The Precious Treasury of Essential Instructions. Longchenpa, one of the greatest masters in Tibetan history explains the essence of sutra, tantra and Dzogchen as essential advice including what to avoid and cultivate on the path of awakening intrinsic wisdom. This includes special wisdom for yogis who live outside monasteries, who require vigilance, mental agility and freedom from extremes. From advice for entering the path and to facing death, as well as how to integrate the variety of Buddhist teachings into their essence, and Longchenpa’s final teaching before his own death, Longchenpa’s advice addresses the practical and profound concerns of living life within the profound view of Buddhist practice. This day long online retreat will explore the teachings of Longchenpa, great luminary of the Nyingma lineage and the great synthesizer of Dzogchen Philosophy who shaped the Dzogchen Heart Essence tradition in the 14th century.
- As this retreat does not include restricted practices, there are no pre-requisites. Anyone is welcome.
- Participants will be invited onscreen for portions of the retreat during group practice, small group discussions and large group discussions.
2021.7.Medicine Buddha & Trauma
Focusing on Medicine Buddha & Trauma. Co-hosted by The Buddhist Studies Institute and The Yogic Medicine Institute, this daylong will offer buddhist philosophy and yogic methods for relating with trauma in the body and mind.
Orgyen Menla, the Medicine Buddha, is the expression of loving compassion and the capacity to heal. He is the form of the Buddha that relieves suffering and disease.
Daily Meditation Resources
Welcome to Daily Meditation
The following resources are everything you need to follow along with your instructor. Daily Meditation is a Free Service to the public. Please donate if you can so we can continue to offer meditation, buddhist education and support for well being through all of our projects.
2021.3.The Bardo Teachings
Bardo refers to the experience of rupture- of endings and uncertainty – that leave us suspended in the liminal spaces between what was and what will be. Bardo refers to dying and post death as well as to states of radical transformation in life. Pema Khandro teaches on the six bardos, Buddhist instructions for how to live wakefully in the phases of change within our lives.
Empathy Training for MIT.Self-Paced
At the time when It is needed most, do you know how to comfort your loved ones? Take care of your own anxiety and anger? Deal with numbness or compassion fatigue?
Internationally renowned Buddhist teacher, Pema Khandro Rinpoche, offers this online Empathy Training as part of the Meditation Instructor Training. This training focuses on how to be there for oneself and others through tough emotions, in stressful times and even when empathy is most difficult to come by.
This training is also led by Aruna Rig’dzin Ross and Satya Shiva, Co-Directors of Ngakpa International, the Buddhist Studies Institute, Dakini Mountain, and the Yogic Medicine Institute.
What you will gain
- Tools for becoming a better person
- Learn to deal with high emotion
- Learn to meditate
- Learn to Self-Regulate
- Learn to listen deeply
- Tools to resolve interpersonal conflict
- Set appropriate boundaries
- Know how to ask for what you want and need
- Tools to take charge of your state of being
- Develop self-awareness
- How to deal with suffering
- Vocabulary for identifying and expressing emotions
- How to work with your own emotions
- Ability to communicate in times of high emotion
- Assessing appropriate contexts for deep communication
- How to know when not to communicate
- Recognizing control dramas
- Steps and practices for healing relationships
2021.2.The Deep Retreat with Pema Khandro
Online Restorative Meditation Retreat with Pema Khandro
After a year of obstacles and stress, we invite you to join us for a weekend of restoration, serenity and serene contemplation of the ultimate purpose of life.
Buddhist Philosophy
Pema Khandro teaches on The Mirror Illuminating the Heart, Dzogchen Nyingthig teachings on the vast view. These beautiful teachings consider the fundamental nature of mind and reality.
Group Meditation Classes
Pema Khandro teaches from the 27 Practices for training for Dzogchen meditation from the sems nyid ngal gso, Longchenpa’s instructions on Finding Comfort and Ease in the Nature of Mind.
Heart Sutra Chanting
Remember the profound teachings that unravel it all at the root. Afternoon Heart Sutra chanting will be led in English by Buddhist Studies Institute Faculty.
Dharma Conversations
Spiritual community is an important aspect of Buddhist practice, and it is even more important during the times of pandemic when in-person gatherings are limited. Join your fellow community members in dharma conversations during afternoon tea breaks (bring your own tea!). These are guided, small group conversations led by the teaching assistants.
Restorative Yoga
Unwind, let go of stress and give your body support. This simple, slow, bliss yoga class is designed to give rest and release to your body and mind. Each afternoon session will begin with an optional yoga class for you to do at home led by Buddhist Studies Institute Faculty.
Deep Practice
Unplug. Disconnect. Take space for inner silence and chanting meditation. Share silence together. Enjoy deep dharma study. This retreat includes guidance and support for taking a break from social media and news to create space for reflection and to declutter the mind. There is an optional one hour social media period suggested each day for those who want to reduce but need to stay plugged in.
Tuition
Sliding Scale: $270-395
50% Discount for Snow Lion Members
Free with Sustainer Membership, All Access Pass
*Apply Member Codes at checkout for Membership Discounts
Financial Aid
Financial aid scholarships are available.
The course costs are set at a minimum fee already, with financial aid built into all tuition rates. Because we are a non-profit organization, the costs of all activities and overhead of our organization must be covered by the participants of the courses or donations and all courses are offered at below cost. For those who are experiencing genuine financial hardship and wish to enroll in the course, Financial Aid applications are available.
Email to Apply at Info@BuddhistStudiesInstitute.org. Applications must be received in advance.
Teacher
Pema Khandro is a Tibetan Buddhist teacher, humanitarian and scholar specializing in the philosophy and practice of Tibet’s Buddhist Yogis. Her mission is to make in-depth Buddhist education accessible, to open the doorway to the great treasures of philosophy, meditation, medicine and art contained in Tibetan Buddhism. Pema Khandro is the spiritual leader of the Community of Buddhist Yogis in North America, she is the founder of Ngakpa International, the Buddhist Studies Institute, the Yogic Medicine Institute, Dakini Mountain, and Ngakpa House, a charity which supports the education of children and elders in the Himalayas. Pema Khandro is an authorized Lama and lineage holder of… Learn more about Pema Khandro
2020.10.Valid Cognition with Geshe Sonam
Pramana Study
Valid Cognition Course with Geshe Sonam
What is Valid Cognition?
What are reliable Ways of Knowing?
Study Buddhist logic and epistemology to understand how mind knows, (in Sanskrit, Pramana or in Tibetan, tshad ma) and identify how wrong knowledge causes cyclic suffering. This is the study of a classic text on Valid Cognition, the Pramanavaritika, translated into English by Geshe Sonam.
Dosha in Body, Speech and Mind
DOSHA IN BODY STRUCTURES
VATA | PITTA | KAPHA | |
---|---|---|---|
FRAME | Thin physique, unusually tall or short, possibly extreme | Medium build, moderately developed physique | Larger build, stout, stocky, well developed physique, hold weight |
WEIGHT | Light weight, difficulty holding weight, prominent bones and veins, variable weight gain and weight loss | Strong medium muscles, tend toward even weight | Heavy, tends towards weight gain, easily accumulate fat and water |
COMPLEXION | Darkish, dull tinge, lack lustre | Reddish, ruddy, flushed | Light, pale, pearly |
SKIN TEXTURE | Dry, thin, rough, cracked, prominent veins, wrinkles | Warm, moist, pink with freckles, moles, acne/rashes, sunburn easy | Thick, pale, moist, cool, damp, soggy, soft smooth |
HAIR QUALITY | Course, dry, darker, slightly wavy, scanty, may have dandruff | Fine, soft, moderate, early gray or bald, ruddy head sensitive to sun | Thick, abundant, oily, very wavy, full of luster, may have excessive body hair |
HEAD | Small, long, thin, unsteady, tend toward stiff neck, rigidity of head or excess mobility, erratic movements | Angular, moderate | Large, stocky, steady, round, square, least head movements |
FOREHEAD | Small, wrinkled | With folds | Large, broad |
FACE | Thin, small, long, wrinkled, dusky, dull, gaunt, weathered | Moderate, ruddy, sharp contours, penetrating look | Large, round, fate, white or pale, soft contours, moon-like face, |
NECK | Thin, long, may develop neck problems with loose tendons, may crane or bend the neck | Medium | Large, thick, square, not very long |
EYEBROWS | Small, thin, unsteady | Moderate, fine | Thick, bushy, many hairs |
EYELASHES | Small, dry, firm | Small, thin, fine | Large, thick, oily, firm |
EYES | Small, dry, thin, brown, dull, unsteady, blinking, possible tremors, excessive eye movements, difficult to concentrate eyes on one point for long duration | Medium, thin, red – inflamed easily, green, piercing and penetrating, sensitive to light | Wide, prominent, thick, oily, white, pearly, attractive, tear easily, may have mucous discharge, movements steady not sharp |
NOSE | Thin, small, long, dry, crooked, narrow, pointed | Medium, sharp or pointed | Thick, big, firm, oily, wide nostrils |
LIPS | Thin, small, darkish, dry, unsteady, tend to thin lips, may bite lips, frequently chapped | Medium, soft, red, ruddy lips and face, | Thick, large, oily, smooth, firm, big, attractive |
TEETH & GUMS | Thin, dry, small, rough, crooked, receding gums, may have space between teeth | Medium, soft, pink, gums bleed easily, may suffer inflammatory diseases of the mouth | Large, thick, soft, pink, oily, white |
SHOULDERS | Thin, small, flat, hunched, tend to tight muscles | Medium | Broad, thick, firm, oily |
CHEST | Thin, small, narrow, slight development, narrow epigastric angle | Medium, medium epigastric angle | Broad, large, well or overly developed, broad epigastric angle |
ARMS | Thin, overly small or long, slight development, may have pronounced elbows | Medium, wiry arms | Large, thick, round, well developed, fleshy arms and forearms |
HANDS | Small, thin, dry, cold, rough, fissured, unsteady, tend toward narrow hands with many lines and pronounced knuckles, or irregularity in shape of fingers, prominent veins | Medium, warm even in cold weather, pink | Large, thick, oily, cool, firm, big square or round without many lines |
THIGHS | Thin, narrow | Medium | Well-developed, round, plump |
LEGS | Thin, excessively long or short, prominent knees, may suffer lack of coordination | Medium | Large, stocky, able to stand for long periods of time |
CALVES | Small, hard, tight | Loose, soft | Shapely, firm |
FEET | Small, thin, long, dry, rough, fissured, unsteady, needs to be oiled regularly | Medium, soft, pink, good skin tone and circulation | Large, thick skin on soles, hard, firm |
JOINTS | Small, dry, thin, unsteady, cracking, prominent joints | Medium, soft, loose | Large, thick, well built |
NAILS | Small, thin, dry, rough, fissured, cracked, darkish | Medium, soft, pink | Large, thick, smooth, white, firm, oily |
URINE | Scanty, difficult, colorless, bubbly or frothy, may be difficult to discharge | Profuse, yellow, red, burning, tend toward urinary tract infection | Moderate, whitish, milky, thick urine may have mucus in it |
FECES | Scanty, dry, hard, difficult or painful, gas, tends towards constipation especially in the elderly | Abundant, loose, sometimes yellowish, tends toward diarrhea, may have burning sensation, may get constipated during fevers | Moderate, solid, sometimes pale in color, mucus in stool, abundant, soft |
SWEAT / BODY ODOR | Scanty, no smell, seldom sweat, spontaneous sweat may occur in emotional distress | Profuse, hot, strong smell | Moderate, cold, pleasant smell, sweat profusely during exercise |
APPETITE | Variable, erratic, extremes of appetite, when very hungry may get lightheaded or fearful | Strong, sharp, often can digest anything, can eat large amounts of food without gaining weight, strong appetite and possible anger when hungry | Constant, low |
BALANCE TASTE | Prefers sweet, sour, salty, cooked with oil and spice | Prefers sweet, bitter or astringent food, raw, lightly cooked without oil or spices | Prefers pungent, bitter or astringent food, cooked with spices but not a lot of oil |
CIRCULATION | Poor, variable, erratic, may be prone to palpitations, cold dry extremities and abdomen, | Good, warm, excellent circulation, may be prone to flushed red face | Slow, steady, consistent circulation, may have poor peripheral circulation with cold limbs yet abdomen tends to stay warm |
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
VATA | PITTA | KAPHA | |
---|---|---|---|
ACTIVITY | Quick, fast, unsteady, erratic, hyperactive, generally exhibit some extremes of activity – hyperactivity may bring exhaustion or withdrawal, or extreme mental activity may cause outer activity to be reduced | Medium, motivated, purposeful, goal seeking, active towards a particular aim, focused but not necessarily broad in what they attempt | Slow, steady, stately, not always adaptable in action and may get caught in patterns of not wanting to act much or often |
STRENGTH / EXERTION | Low, poor endurance, starts and stops quickly, often good runners, can develop a great deal of physical adaptability, poor at lifting / carrying weight, tire easily | Medium, intolerant of heat, enjoy demonstrating strength and power but may not have the endurance they would like | Strong, good endurance, but slow in starting, not necessarily high performance |
SEXUAL NATURE | Variable, erratic, deviant, strong desire bu low energy, may have few children | Moderate, passionate, quarrelsome, dominating | Low but constant sexual desire, good sexual energy, devoted, may have many children |
RESISTANCE TO DISEASE | Fear of cold, wind, sensitive to dryness, have the greatest sensitivity to the elements and must protect themselves properly from them | Fear of heat, dislike of sun, fire, most tolerant of cold | Fear of cold and damp, likes wind and sun, do well outdoors, prefer to sunbathe or relax than work or exercise |
DISEASE TENDANCY | Nervous system diseases, pain, arthritis, mental disorders, may suffer from pain and are very sensitive to it, diseases of the bones and nerve mainly through the large intestine | Febrile diseases, infections, inflammatory diseases, burning sensation, diseases of blood and liver | Respiratory system diseases, mucus, edema, susceptible to congestive disorders, particularly diseases of the lung |
REACTION TO MEDICATIONS | Quick, low dosage needed, unexpected side effects or nervous reactions, tend to be hypertensive, erratic reactions to herbs or drugs may be extreme | Medium | Slow, high dosage required, effects sow to manifest, may need strong dosages to notice any effect |
PULSE | Thready, rapid, erratic, superficial, irregular, weak, like a snake | Wiry, bounding, moderate, like a frog | Deep, slow, steady, rolling, slippery, like a swan |
MENTAL FACTORS AND EXPRESSION
VATA | PITTA | KAPHA | |
---|---|---|---|
VOICE | Low, weak, hoarse, may be monotonous with not much strength to voice | High pitch, sharp, may be good orators and strong singers | Pleasant, deel good tone, may have beautiful singing voice |
SPEECH | Quick, inconsistent, erratic, talkative, may ramble on and on, may at times be silent but talking in mind | Moderate, argumentative, convincing, tend to talk ‘at’ rather than with, generally trying to prove a point | Slow, definite, not talkative, like to draw out the state of communication, enjoy being with people without necessarily saying much |
MENTAL NATURE | Quick, adaptable, indecisive, emotions change easily with fluctuating moods, better at information or abstract thought | Intelligent, penetrating, critical, questioning nature, may have a scientific or probing mind, better at ascertaining goals or values | Slow, steady, dull, good with broad principals, strong sentiments, much consistency, may be poor at details, dominated by feelings |
MEMORY | Poor, notices things easily but easily forgets, remember ideas, information, trivia, sensitive to personal remarks | Sharp, clear, remember hurts and insults, but also victories and achievements, memory colored by their will | Slow to take notice but will not forget, remembers personal feelings, love, sentiments, intimate human interchanges, memory is colored by emotion |
EMOTIONAL TENDENCIES | Fearful, anxious, nervous, ungrounded, may show shifting reactions | Angry, irritable, contentious, strong display of emotions | Calm, content, attached, sentimental |
NEUROTIC TENDENCIES | Hysteria, trembling, anxiety attacks, extreme emotional expressions, may have loss of sensory or motor control to the extreme of tremors or convulsions, emotions generally transient and superficial | Extreme temper, rage, tantrums, anger attacks | Depression, unresponsive, sorrow, lethargic |
FAITH | Erratic, changeable, rebel, unsteady and may go contrary to their faith which may be constantly changing, may have faith in many different things | Determined, fanatic, leader, may apply faith in a strong manner and become aggressive | Constant, loyal, conservative, like to stick to faith, unquestioned sense of loyalty, can be attached to the status quo |
SLEEP | Light, tends toward insomnia, tend to sleep less than 4 hours at a time | Moderate, may wake up but will fall asleep again, may have dream-disturbed sleep, tend to sleep 4-7 hours at at time | Heavy, difficulty in waking up, sleep easily, may tend to sleep during the day, tend to sleep for 8-10 hours |
DREAMS | Flying, moving, restless, nightmares, frequent dreaming that may be erratic or disturbed | Colorful, passionate, conflict, may have dramatic dreams that may disturb sleep especially when violent | Romantic, sentimental, watery, few dreams, least able to remember dreams, may have a vague sense of pleasure from dreams |
HABITS | Likes moving, traveling, parks, plays, jokes, stories, artistic activities, dancing, diverse and curious in their habits, sometimes eccentric | Likes competitive sports, politics, debates, hunting, purposeful, competitive, seek results and achievements | Likes water, sailing, flowers, cooking, enjoy luxuriating and relaxing, or to be lazy |
White Tara Meditation
White Tara Meditation with Dr. Satya
Offered live on Tara Day and By Recording – For Members Only
White Tara Meditation is a Buddhist prayer offered in times of calamities, natural disasters, wars, and major obstacles in order to bring peace and healing to the community and environment.
The live class and recording are available to all member levels.
If you are a member and have already signed up for Meditation Mondays you will automatically be invited with the link to join 24hrs before the start.
Next class tbd.
BIPOC Meditation Group
BIPOC Meditation Group with Pema Khandro is for members who are BIPOC to practice together and talk about how race impacts our lives.
If you are interested in learning more about membership, please visit Become a Member or reach out to our Membership Coordinator at membership@ngakpa.org
(If you are a member who has registered for this class, you should have received an email with your Zoom invitation and login information within 48hrs from the time of registration. If you do not see this email, please check your junk/spam folder. If you need help or have any questions, please email info@buddhiststudiesinstitute.org.)
2020.6.In the Presence of Dying
Tibetan Buddhist Teachings on Death & Memorial Service
Led by Pema Khandro
Death, Dying & Rebirth, the Tibetan Bardo Teachings
Pema Khandro presents Tibetan Buddhist teachings on preparing ourselves and loved ones for death.
Guiding Loved Ones Through the Bardo (Shitro)
Instructions and practice for Guiding Loved Ones Through the Bardo (Shitro) for all those who have passed away led by Pema Khandro.
2020.6.Contemplative Care
Pema Khandro Interviews Koshin Paley Ellison on caring for people as they are dying. They discuss being at the bedside of someone who is difficult or angry in their final stage of life. Koshin Paley Ellison describes his work as a contemplative care worker and Zen Buddhist priest.
2020.6.Past Life Research
Pema Khandro Interviews Dr. Jim Tucker on his book Life Before Life, which discusses scientific research documenting the cases children who remember past lives. Pema Khandro interviews Dr. Tucker about these cases and raises questions about the convergences and divergences from Buddhist theories of reincarnation. Dr. Tucker discusses examples of the cases including the fascinating case discussed in his book of the child who remembered being in a war and whose memories were then corroborated by investigation. Dr. Jim B. Tucker is a child psychiatrist and Bonner-Lowry Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. Pema Khandro is a scholar of Tibetan Buddhism and teacher of Buddhist philosophy.
2020.6.Transitional Life Care
Pema Khandro interviews Julie Rogers. They discuss Julie’s manual on Buddhist customs for caring for the body of loved ones who have just passed away. This includes a discussion of how to keep the body at home for a period after the respiration has ceased, how long to leave the body untouched and other Buddhist customs. Julie Rogers is the founder of Transitional Life Care. Pema Khandro is a scholar and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism.
2019.Eastern Ideals & Western Psychology
Pema Khandro and Harvey Aronson discuss the difference between interpretations of anger in Buddhist literature and how anger is understood in English. Harvey also shares about how he came to study bothBuddhism and Psychology. Based on his book, Buddhist Practice on Western Ground, they talk about the problems in Western interpretations of Buddhism.
Pema Khandro is a Tibetan Buddhist scholar and teacher. Harvey Aronson is a Tibetan Buddhist Lama, psychologist and author. This dialogue was filmed in 2019.