Tse Chen Ling is honored to welcome back Ven. Robina Courtin for a three-class series!
In-person and via Zoom / Registration required
Facing Death: Yours and Ours
Sunday, August 13, 2023
10:30am-4:00pm PDT
It's All About Me
Monday, August 14, 2023
6:30pm-8:00pm PDT
Making Friends with Change
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
12:00pm-2:00pm PDT
* See below regarding lunch
Program Descriptions:
Facing Death: Yours and Ours
Death is the one sure thing that will happen to every single one of us, and it can happen anytime. While many of us avoid this topic out of fear, there is another possibility. We can approach the topic with deep curiosity, and learn how to be prepared for our own and others’ death.
Venerable Robina will guide us to understand centuries-old wisdom about the death and dying process, which has been studied and practiced extensively in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. She will help us understand the factors that lead to a peaceful death, what to expect during the death process, and how to help loved ones die.
As Lama Zopa Rinpoche said, “Death itself is not what causes fear ... there is no terrifying death from its own side; the terrifying death is made up by our own mind ... What causes the worry and fear, what makes death so difficult is attachment, desire, clinging: to this life, to the body, possessions, family, friends and so forth.”
By training our mind and preparing well, we can see death in a new light: a call to make our life meaningful while we are alive and an opportunity to move on from this life with courage, grace and a mind free of fear. By releasing our attachments, which are based on an incorrect view of ourselves and reality, we can truly let go at the time of death and experience great joy.
It’s All About Me
24/7, moment by moment, we search for happiness in different ways. We invest enormous time and effort in search of the perfect job, the perfect mate, the perfect home, the perfect meal, the perfect image, and so on. The quest never ends. But does all this effort really provide the lasting happiness we seek? Our experiences show us that something’s not quite right. Things don’t go well, sometimes in devastating ways. And even when things go well, we fear losing what we have. We have an anxious feeling that something is missing and that we are inadequate.
The truth is something is missing! According to Buddhism, what is missing is an understanding of how life actually functions and who we truly are. We are far more than our limited ego thinks we are. Our essence is infinite potential and joy. When we tap into this deeper potential, we uncover our innate capacity to enjoy all we have and appreciate our fundamental goodness. We release our fears and frustrations. We become honest with ourselves and others. We develop deeper confidence. We create meaning out of our lives. And we experience genuine love for ourselves and others.
In this session, Venerable Robina will help us learn how to step out of the shadow of our limited ego into the sunlight of our true potential.
Making Friends with Change
Change is challenging. It often represents loss. We lose our loved ones, our health, pleasant experiences, and eventually our own lives. It can also be difficult to not know what’s coming up next. The possibility of loss and unpleasant experiences is unnerving. But the reality is that change is inevitable. We cannot hold onto any situation, no matter how hard we try. And the harder we try, the more suffering we experience.
Fortunately, change is also one of our greatest allies in life. We can expect that difficult situations will pass. Instead of clinging to the past, we can learn how to enjoy the present moment. And most powerfully, we can utilize change to train and transform our minds. With the right tools, change enables us to evolve and experience deeper levels of happiness from within. We can learn how to handle anything that comes our way with greater ease, wisdom and fearlessness. In this session, Venerable Robina will explore with us how to make friends with change and make change our ally.
* Folks gathered in the gompa will be offered a vegetarian box lunch for a quick, friendly lunch break. Zoom participants are invited to coordinate their own food before the teaching resumes.
About Ven. Robina Courtin:
Since being ordained as a Buddhist nun in the late 1970s, Ven. Robina has worked full-time for Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche's FPMT. Over the years she has served as editorial director of Wisdom Publications, editor of Mandala Magazine, executive director of Liberation Prison Project, and as a touring teacher of Buddhism. Her life and work with prisoners have been featured in the documentary films "Chasing Buddha" and "Key to Freedom."
For more information on the activities and teachings of Ven. Robina Courtin, please visit: www.robinacourtin.com.
Registration:
Advanced registration is required.
We offer all Dharma teachings and center events on a “dana” basis. This means we’re grateful for your generosity but there is no required cost to attend and no one is turned away for lack of funds.
Suggested donation amounts are provided, and we welcome you to offer what you can to help us sustain our programming and make the dharma and events like this possible.
And of course, ordained sangha (ordained nuns and monks) are always welcome free of charge.
If you're not donating at this time but would like to attend, please email [email protected].
In-person and via Zoom / Registration required
Facing Death: Yours and Ours
Sunday, August 13, 2023
10:30am-4:00pm PDT
It's All About Me
Monday, August 14, 2023
6:30pm-8:00pm PDT
Making Friends with Change
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
12:00pm-2:00pm PDT
* See below regarding lunch
Program Descriptions:
Facing Death: Yours and Ours
Death is the one sure thing that will happen to every single one of us, and it can happen anytime. While many of us avoid this topic out of fear, there is another possibility. We can approach the topic with deep curiosity, and learn how to be prepared for our own and others’ death.
Venerable Robina will guide us to understand centuries-old wisdom about the death and dying process, which has been studied and practiced extensively in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. She will help us understand the factors that lead to a peaceful death, what to expect during the death process, and how to help loved ones die.
As Lama Zopa Rinpoche said, “Death itself is not what causes fear ... there is no terrifying death from its own side; the terrifying death is made up by our own mind ... What causes the worry and fear, what makes death so difficult is attachment, desire, clinging: to this life, to the body, possessions, family, friends and so forth.”
By training our mind and preparing well, we can see death in a new light: a call to make our life meaningful while we are alive and an opportunity to move on from this life with courage, grace and a mind free of fear. By releasing our attachments, which are based on an incorrect view of ourselves and reality, we can truly let go at the time of death and experience great joy.
It’s All About Me
24/7, moment by moment, we search for happiness in different ways. We invest enormous time and effort in search of the perfect job, the perfect mate, the perfect home, the perfect meal, the perfect image, and so on. The quest never ends. But does all this effort really provide the lasting happiness we seek? Our experiences show us that something’s not quite right. Things don’t go well, sometimes in devastating ways. And even when things go well, we fear losing what we have. We have an anxious feeling that something is missing and that we are inadequate.
The truth is something is missing! According to Buddhism, what is missing is an understanding of how life actually functions and who we truly are. We are far more than our limited ego thinks we are. Our essence is infinite potential and joy. When we tap into this deeper potential, we uncover our innate capacity to enjoy all we have and appreciate our fundamental goodness. We release our fears and frustrations. We become honest with ourselves and others. We develop deeper confidence. We create meaning out of our lives. And we experience genuine love for ourselves and others.
In this session, Venerable Robina will help us learn how to step out of the shadow of our limited ego into the sunlight of our true potential.
Making Friends with Change
Change is challenging. It often represents loss. We lose our loved ones, our health, pleasant experiences, and eventually our own lives. It can also be difficult to not know what’s coming up next. The possibility of loss and unpleasant experiences is unnerving. But the reality is that change is inevitable. We cannot hold onto any situation, no matter how hard we try. And the harder we try, the more suffering we experience.
Fortunately, change is also one of our greatest allies in life. We can expect that difficult situations will pass. Instead of clinging to the past, we can learn how to enjoy the present moment. And most powerfully, we can utilize change to train and transform our minds. With the right tools, change enables us to evolve and experience deeper levels of happiness from within. We can learn how to handle anything that comes our way with greater ease, wisdom and fearlessness. In this session, Venerable Robina will explore with us how to make friends with change and make change our ally.
* Folks gathered in the gompa will be offered a vegetarian box lunch for a quick, friendly lunch break. Zoom participants are invited to coordinate their own food before the teaching resumes.
About Ven. Robina Courtin:
Since being ordained as a Buddhist nun in the late 1970s, Ven. Robina has worked full-time for Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche's FPMT. Over the years she has served as editorial director of Wisdom Publications, editor of Mandala Magazine, executive director of Liberation Prison Project, and as a touring teacher of Buddhism. Her life and work with prisoners have been featured in the documentary films "Chasing Buddha" and "Key to Freedom."
For more information on the activities and teachings of Ven. Robina Courtin, please visit: www.robinacourtin.com.
Registration:
Advanced registration is required.
We offer all Dharma teachings and center events on a “dana” basis. This means we’re grateful for your generosity but there is no required cost to attend and no one is turned away for lack of funds.
Suggested donation amounts are provided, and we welcome you to offer what you can to help us sustain our programming and make the dharma and events like this possible.
And of course, ordained sangha (ordained nuns and monks) are always welcome free of charge.
If you're not donating at this time but would like to attend, please email [email protected].