Tibetan: Wylie Transliteration: blo sbyong Phonetics: lo-jong Lo: rational mind, ordinary consciousness, conceptual mind, intellect, attitude Jong: train, learn, cleanse, purify, practice English: mind training While most of Buddha’s teachings could be described as method to train the mind, lojong is in a specific category of methods to train the mind or reorient ourselves to respond to ourselves, others, and the circum-stances of our lives from the perspective of altruism. These methods highlight the practices of equalizing self and other and ex-changing self and other. There are many differ ..read more

Photo Credit: Suzanne Lucas Pilgrimage is a practice in which we turn our spiritual aspirations to the path of visiting sacred places, connecting with the energy there, praying, and meditating. We can either travel on transport or walk the whole way. Both are valuable. We can share joyful companionship, and rest in the amazing presence in temples, churches, and other places of worship, the wonder of nature, and the beauty of architecture, paintings, statues, and other art. Pilgrimage can also be a solo journey, and be equally meaningful and life changing. When we undertake a spiritual journey ..read more

Tibetan: Wylie Transliteration: blo sbyong Phonetics: lo-jong Lo: rational mind, ordinary consciousness, conceptual mind, intellect, attitude Jong: train, learn, cleanse, purify, practice English: mind training While most of Buddha’s teachings could be described as method to train the mind, lojong is in a specific category of methods to train the mind or reorient ourselves to respond to ourselves, others, and the circum-stances of our lives from the perspective of altruism. These methods highlight the practices of equalizing self and other and ex-changing self and other. There are many differe ..read more

Pilgrimage is a practice in which we turn our spiritual aspirations to the path of visiting sacred places, connecting with the energy there, praying, and meditating. We can either travel on transport or walk the whole way. Both are valuable. We can share joyful companionship, and rest in the amazing presence in temples, churches, and other places of worship, the wonder of nature, and the beauty of architecture, paintings, statues, and other art. Pilgrimage can also be a solo journey, and be equally meaningful and life changing. When we undertake a spiritual journey on our own or with others, w ..read more

TILOPA (988-1069) The human founder of the Kagyu school is Tilopa. He meditated unceasingly in the deep jungles of India and is one of the most celebrated of the Indian mahasiddhas. Through tantric mastery, he met the Buddha in his primordial form as Vajradhara (Dorje Chang) and is known to be the first human to receive the Mahamudra teachings. As a teacher, he taught through inspired poetry as he sung about his experiences of realization. His primary disciple was Naropa. NAROPA (1016-1100) Naropa was a great scholar at the Buddhist University at Nalanda but, after being visited by a dakini ..read more

The line of more than 70 practitioners gathered outside the Corte Madera Inn in the late July evening air was quiet and respectful as they waited to enter the hall to receive the Chenrezig Empowerment.  Some were local sangha members who lived nearby and others had flown across country for this opportunity to be with Kalu Rinpoche in person.  Some had taken refuge with the previous Kalu Rinpoche 50 years ago and some were there to take refuge for the first time.  Overall, there was an atmosphere of peace, anticipation, and joy.   At last, after a delayed US Visa prevented h ..read more

Long before Beth Bartl started exploring Buddhism, she was walking the path. Fifteen years ago, Beth signed up to be a Big Sister and was matched with a local 6-year-old.  The two of them went to parks, libraries, camped out and joined in family birthday parties, forming a strong bond.  Over the years the girl’s family slipped into crisis until Social Services removed the children and asked Beth and her husband, Gary, a psychotherapist, if they would consider becoming foster parents.  Deeply concerned about the future of these girls, Beth and Gary said yes and became instant par ..read more

Vajrayana practice, also known as secret mantra practice and tantric practice, can appear from an observer’s point of view to be exotic, inaccessible, and far removed from our practical ordinary, daily experience.  After all, how could practices that originated in India in the 5th-7th centuries and that were further developed in Tibet not long after that be relevant to our complex and multifaceted Western lives today? Whether we are parents, teachers, activists, artists, musicians, healthcare or mental health professionals, whether we work in the fields of tech, engineering, science, law ..read more

IN THIS ISSUE Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche’s Inspiring Words to the Sukhasiddhi Foundation Sanghaby Lama Döndrup Introducing Our Newly Designed Depth Practice Programsby Lama Döndrup ARTICLE: Getting Curious About Suffering is the Antidote to Despair and the Beginning of Joyby Jane Brunette UPCOMING CLASSES & EVENTS SIMPLE BUDDHISM FOR COMPLEX TIMES with Rev. Susan Shannon Sundays Oct 2 - 30 DHARMA DEEP DIVE:The Lives of the Karma Kagyu Lineage Masters Part 3 - Gampopa & Karmapawith Lama Döndrup Sundays Oct 16 - Nov 20 AWAKE IN THE WORLD: Turning Adversity to the Pathwith Rev. Susan Shan ..read more

The Sukhasiddhi Foundation sangha had the great honor and blessing of steeping in two weekends of teachings from Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche this past summer. He generously offered teachings by Sukhasiddhi, Niguma, and Metripa as well as offering a powerful Amitabha empowerment. While Rinpoche was not able to give these teachings in person, he did so on Zoom from his center in Vancouver. The transmission was palpable, and this was a helpful reminder of the illusory nature of space and time.  It was particularly meaningful to receive the teachings of Sukhasiddhi and Niguma, the two wisdom dakini ..read more