What is the path to freedom?
We explore selected dharma topics in a very interactive way, without lectures, exploring together. You can ask questions, clarify and express your opinion.
Meditation is always there, as the basis. Freedom really only comes through following the path personally, deepening your understanding and trying it out, seeing how it fits in your own practice and everyday life.
Date & time
Term one: September 13 – October 25
Each Saturday
- 9:00 to 9:15 am there is a guided meditation practice
- 9:15 Martin takes a look at questions or issues that participants raise then or have asked about previously.
On Wednesday (every two weeks)
- 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Martin explorers Ngöndro practice gently, based on Mingyur Rinpoche’s book, Turning Confusion into Clarity.
- 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 Martin gives a presentation, usually focused on deepening our experience of meditation practice. He also goes into topics like preparing for death, how dharma can bring change in our everyday experience.
The following Wednesday (every two weeks)
- 7:00 p.m. to 7:25 Cecily continues exploring the teachings in real life contexts, giving examples, posing questions, in a contemplative way, gently discovering for ourselves, finding out how it all works.
- At 7:25 you can join a small group of fellow explorers in a breakout room to share any insights or discoveries you found or to raise questions. A quiet space is available if you prefer.
- At 7:40 there’s a book club based on Mingyur Rinpoche’s book In Love with The World.
- 8:05 until 8:30 we guide a compassion practice, exploring first Loving Kindness for some weeks then going into Tonglen.
Each Wednesday at 8.30 pm we dedicate any merit for the benefit of beings and love to hear any comments, questions or feedback you have.
You can choose which aspects to attend. There’s no expectation that you follow everything. With videos to watch later you can follow at your own pace. But as the idea is to explore together, hearing and responding to your questions is crucial and helps everyone.
You can email your questions if you prefer.
Audience
There are no restrictions on who can join and when. Feel free to sample what’s available and decide what works for you.
Cost
There is no charge for attending, but you can donate to Rigpa if you find it useful and would like to express your appreciation.
Registration
When registering, you can choose whether or not to get email reminders etc.
Course Leaders
The presentations will draw from the teachings of both contemporary Buddhist teachers, a deep and ancient lineage of meditation instructions from the Buddhist tradition and contemporary scientific discoveries.
Cecily Leonard
Cecily first met the dharma in 1978 and found meditation, introduced then, helped settle her chaotic mind, bit by bit. Soon too, she met several teachers whose ease and clarity and profound advices show who we are, how we can be. Cecily tries out their advice as best she can in everyday life, and loves exploring the richness of all this with others along the way.
Martin Leonard
Martin has been studying Buddhist teachings for over forty years and has received teachings from such eminent Tibetan masters as Dudjom Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He has completed a three year retreat. His style is both humorous and approachable.
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