June dharma discussion - "Living a Spiritual Life - Daily, In Retreat, and Over a Lifetime" (June 16, 23, 30) - Completed

Dear friends,

Over the next three Tuesdays (June 16, 23, and 30th), we'll be discussing the practicalities of living a spiritual life, as it applies to the various cycles of time that govern our lives. It helps to start with a macro view, by establishing what we should aim for over the course of an entire lifetime. With that foundation, we can then map out what each day can look like in the context of a lifetime that's devoted to the sacred. Finally, we'll explore how to prepare for and accomplish deep retreats, which are a special and critical part of our lives if we are to make real progress toward our ultimate goals.

As a guide for how we should think about the arc of an entire life, we'll review the text "Source of All My Good" by Je Tsongkapa (1357-1419), as well as The Seven Step Practice For Developing a Good Heart in the Tradition of Geshe Chekawa (1101-1175).

Then, we'll look at a single day within a spritual life, using as a guide Lama Sumati Marut's extensive advices on how to use every hour in a day as a means for living meaningfully. (detailed teachings at www.aci-la.org)

Finally, we'll introduce Lama Thupten Pelma's instructions on how to prepare for and conduct a retreat -- only by withdrawing from the 'noise' of everyday life can we find the deep silence that's so conducive for achieving realizations. (detailed teachings available at: http://www.dmes.org/terms/2004-2005/Fall/CheckingIn )


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"Living a Spiritual Life - Daily, In Retreat, and Over a Lifetime"

Pre-Class Meditation: 7.00 - 7.30p

Class Time: 7.30p - 9.15p

Dates: June 16, 23, and 30th (2009)

Venue: 51B Temple Street, 2nd Floor (in Chinatown)

Cost: Free of charge (donations welcome to cover printed materials, and as a gift to venue host) - no registration necessary, feel free to let friends know

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Best wishes,
Alvin
tel 9138 5438

MANAGING YOUR KARMA - completed

MANAGING YOUR KARMA
For those of you who had the fortune of attending Lama Marut's teachings on emptiness last week, you heard him emphasize that we as spiritual practitioners must develop the wisdom that understands the world comes from us, not at us. And these projections are driven by our karma. We as beings are totally changeable, with infinite potential, and by extension, so is the world for each of us. We just have to learn how to "work the karma."

In this 'Dharma Essentials' discussion class, we will explore the marriage of karma and emptiness, focusing on the karma side of things. For the course readings, Lama Marut has selected verses from two classic works: Treasure House of Knowledge (Abhidharmakosha) by Master Vasubandhu (350 AD), and a commentary on this work, Illumination of the Path to Freedom, by Gyalwa Gendun Drup, His Holiness the First Dalai Lama (1391-1474). If you were excited by the possibilities suggested by the emptiness teachings last week, then you will find the karmic techniques presented here to be a practical starting point for realizing the full potential of your spiritual life.

Description: Dharma Essentials - How Karma Works

Dates: Mondays in February (Feb 2, 9, 16, 23)

Time: 7.30p - 9.30p

Cost: Free (donations for handouts and venue welcome)

Venue:

20A Smith St, 2/f

Chinatown

http://www.streetdirectory.com/asia_travel/travel/travel_id_1/travel_site_1908/

The location is a shophouse and you go upstairs to reach 20A -- if you get lost, give Alvin a call on 9138 5438

Discussion leader: Alvin Lee

RSVP: please RSVP to
alvin.lee@riskmetrics.com or 9138 5438 so that we can prepare course handouts.

About Alvin Lee -- Alvin has been a student of Buddhism and yoga philosophy since 1999. He has studied in New York and California with Ven. Sumati Marut, Geshe Michael Roach, and the late Khensur Rinpoche Geshe Lobsang Tharchin. Alvin relocated to Singapore in 2002, and has helped lead several dharma discussion groups and retreats.