“You are karma. You cannot separate yourself from karma. Your body, speech and mind are karma. “Lama Yeshe: The Buddha taught that we create our world and everything in it was created according to how we use our body, speech and mind. Everything we do creates karma, positive or negative, which ripens when the right conditions come together resulting in our experience of our lives now and as they could be. Find out what karma is and how it works. The key to understanding our present and changing our future lies in understanding karma. The Buddha gave clear teachings on how to work with karma to change our lives, attain liberation, and become fully enlightened Buddhas. It’s up to us to work with these teachings. Find out how it all works and start changing your life. Ven. Steve will teach Friday night, two sessions on Saturday and end with a final session Sunday morning.

Suggested donation: Members: $67.50/full course including lunch Sat, or $20/session (no one turned away for lack of funds) Nonmembers: $90/full course including lunch Sat, or $20/session (no one turned away for lack of funds) Free for Sangha

A very special purification practice for developing compassion. This 2 1/2 day retreat consists of three sessions a day (Saturday and Sunday) of reciting praises and prayers to Chenresig, making offerings and doing prostrations. Retreat ends after first session on Monday (at approximately 8am - followed by breakfast and cleanup). On the first day, we take the Eight Mahayana precepts and have one meal (and unlimited drinks) and on the second day, we abstain completely from all eating, drinking, and speaking. In this way, the body is purified by abiding in the retreat, the speech is purified through the recitation of mantra and prayers, and the mind is purified by compassionate motivation. This is a powerful retreat though not appropriate for those with health issues for whom fasting is unsuitable. Prior retreat experience and study of lam rim useful. There will be a gathering of retreatants the night before (February 24th) to talk about logistics and set up our seats at 7pm. Lunch on Saturday provided along with drinks throughout the day. Sunday will be a total fast. Breakfast on Monday provided. PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED-VERY LIMITED SPACE!!! Because we are not a residential center, we ask for patience and tolerance from all who attend. Participants will either commute or sleep in dorm situations (or in the bookstore). Participants must bring their own bedding and towels. If you have any questions, please contact us at chokyi@tsechenling.org

Suggested donation: $80 for members - work study applications are available for members; $108 for nonmembers - work study applications are available for nonmembers; Free for Sangha

What does the Dalai Lama think is most important for Americans to know about Tsongkkhapa's lamrim teachings? When the Dalai Lama left Tibet, he personally carried his own copy of Tsongkhapa's Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path (lamrim chenmo). In the 2008, His Holiness opened that very same book and--for the first and only time--taught it to Western audience. Professor Newland will give an overview of Tsongkhapa's treatise and will explore the creative way the Dalai Lama illuminated the text, not merely rehearsing it point by point, but making his own arguments about what is most essential within it. Workshop will be based on the forthcoming Snow Lion book, From Here to Enlightenment: The Dalai Lama's teachings on the Spiritual Path. 4 sessions: 1 Friday, 2 Saturday and 1 Sunday morning.

Suggested donation: $67.50 for full weekend including Saturday lunch with member discount $90 for full weekend including Saturday lunch Free for Sangha