http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/ New Kadampa - Clear Light Buddhist Center en kmikyopa@gmail.com Copyright 2008 2008-03-31T20:56:01-05:00 http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/everyone-is-welcome/ http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/everyone-is-welcome/#When:08:00:00Z Note: Except for scheduled classes (see calendar) Clear Light Center is closed May 21-26 for the Kadampa Spring Festival in England. We offer classes, retreats and courses that are suitable for everyone, from those who simply want to relax to those who wish to find lasting inner peace and happiness through following the Buddhist path. Peace in the Heart of Phoenix Clear Light Buddhist Center provides a place of peace and tranquility in the heart of Phoenix, where people can learn about Buddhism and meditation. Here you will find information about: Join us for Sunday Meditations Introductory Meditation classes Use the links above to discover more. Main Menu pages 2007-10-30T08:00:00-05:00 http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/calendar/ http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/calendar/#When:21:34:00Z **Starred events have prerequisites for attendance Main Menu pages 2007-06-01T21:34:00-05:00 http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/how-to-meditate/ http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/how-to-meditate/#When:01:43:00Z The purpose of meditation is to make our mind calm and peaceful. If our mind is peaceful, we will be free from worries and mental discomfort, and so we will experience true happiness; but if our mind is not peaceful, we will find it very difficult to be happy, even if we are living in the very best conditions. If we train in meditation, our mind will gradually become more and more peaceful, and we will experience a purer and purer form of happiness. Eventually, we will be able to stay happy all the time, even in the most difficult circumstances. Usually we find it difficult to control our mind. It seems as if our mind is like a balloon in the wind – blown here and there by external circumstances. If things go well, our mind is happy, but if they go badly, it immediately becomes unhappy. For example, if we get what we want, such as a new possession or a new partner, we become excited and cling to them tightly. However, since we cannot have everything we want, and since we will inevitably be separated from the friends and possessions we currently enjoy, this mental stickiness, or attachment, serves only to cause us pain. On the other hand, if we do not get what we want, or if we lose something that we like, we become despondent or irritated. For example, if we are forced to work with a colleague whom we dislike, we will probably become irritated and feel aggrieved, with the result that we will be unable to work with him or her efficiently and our time at work will become stressful and unrewarding. Such fluctuations of mood arise because we are too closely involved in the external situation. We are like a child making a sand castle who is excited when it is first made, but who becomes upset when it is destroyed by the incoming tide. By training in meditation, we create an inner space and clarity that enables us to control our mind regardless of the external circumstances. Gradually we develop mental equilibrium, a balanced mind that is happy all the time, rather than an unbalanced mind that oscillates between the extremes of excitement and despondency. If we train in meditation systematically, eventually we will be able to eradicate from our mind the delusions that are the causes of all our problems and suffering. In this way, we will come to experience a permanent inner peace, known as “liberation” or “nirvana”. Then, day and night in life after life, we will experience only peace and happiness. To read more on this subject, see The New Meditation Handbook, Transform Your Life, and Eight Steps to Happiness. Meditation 2007-05-02T01:43:00-05:00 http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/2008-international-summer-festival/ http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/2008-international-summer-festival/#When:20:56:01Z with Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso July 25 – August 9, 2008 At the International Summer Festival 2008, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso will grant empowerment and commentary on the practice of 1000 Armed Avalokiteshvara, and commentary to the book Universal Compassion. Please visit the International Kadampa Buddhist Festivals website. Upcoming Events 2008-03-31T20:56:01-05:00 http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/blessing-empowerment-of-arya-tara/ http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/blessing-empowerment-of-arya-tara/#When:19:35:00Z Blessing Empowerment of Arya Tara Saturday, June 7 10 am - 5 pm Tara is the ‘Mother of the Conquerors’. She is the manifestation of the ultimate wisdom of all the Buddhas and also of the completely purified wind element, so she is able to help us very quickly. ‘Tara’ means ‘Rescuer’; so called because she saves us from the outer and inner fears and dangers that we face in this and future lives. She helps all beings with equal love for them – but the amount of benefit we receive depends on our faith in her.  This empowerment will help us to draw closer to our Holy Mother so that she can protect us from all obstacles and fulfil all our wishes. $75 includes lunch ($65 if pre-paid by June 5) Upcoming Events 2008-03-31T19:35:00-05:00 http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/2008-us-kadampa-buddhist-festival/ http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/2008-us-kadampa-buddhist-festival/#When:20:09:00Z with Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso May 23 – 26, 2008 At the International Spring Festival 2008, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso will grant the empowerment and commentary to the practice of Buddha Vajrapani. The Festival will be held at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre in England. Upcoming Events 2008-03-27T20:09:00-05:00 http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/living-meaningfully-dying-joyfully/ http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/living-meaningfully-dying-joyfully/#When:16:59:00Z A course on Death and Dying Saturday, May 10 • 4 pm - 8:30 pm We are alive, therefore we will die. This is the simplest, most obvious truth of our existence, and yet very few of us have really come to terms with it.  Gen Lingpur will share Buddhist insight into death and dying, helping us develop an awareness of our own mortality in a way that can totally enrich and transform our human life. In particular, she will explain a very powerful, yet simple practice called ‘transference of consciousness’. Mastery of this will enable us to meet our death with grace, clarity and fearlessness, attain rebirth in a Pure Land, and experience happiness in all our future lives. $25 includes light supper Upcoming Events 2008-03-27T16:59:00-05:00 http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/year-at-a-glance-2008/ http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/year-at-a-glance-2008/#When:01:37:00Z APRIL 2008 Apr 5, Sat, NKT Day Apr 5, Sat, Vows (teaching and ceremony) Refuge, Bodhisattva and Pratimoksha Apr 8, Tues, Tara Day Apr 10, Thur, Offering to the Spiritual Guide Apr 11-13, Fri, Nyung Na purification retreat Apr 15 Tue Buddha’s Enlightenment Day Apr 15 Tue Precepts Apr 17, Thurs, Introduction to Buddhist Rituals Apr 20, Sun, No TTP Apr 25, Fri, Offering to the Spiritual Guide Apr 25, Fri, New York Festival begins Apr 27, Sun, No TTP MAY 2008 May, 3 Sat, Day Course: Art of Enlightenment May 4, Sun, Sojong Ordained only May 8, Thu, Tara Day May 10, Sat, Offering to the Spiritual Guide May 10, Sat, 1/2-day course: Death & Dying May 13, Tue, Free Book Talk - Barnes & Noble, Greenway Pkwy & Scottsdale Rd. May 17, Sat, Precepts May 18, Sun, No TTP May 23, Fri, UK Spring Festival begins May 25, Sun, No TTP May 25, Sun, Tsog Day May 29, Thu, Melodious Drum JUNE 2008 Jun 4, Wed, Geshe-la’s birthday– Offering to the Spiritual Guide Jun 7, Sat, Green Tara Empowerment Jun 8, Sun, Tara Day Jun 8, Sun, Free bookstore talk, Barnes & Noble, Desert Ridge Shopping Center, Tatum & 101 Jun 10, Tue, Offering to the Spiritual Guide Jun 15, Sun, Precepts Jun 15, Sun, Last TTP class of term Jun 21-27, Sat-Fri, Refuge Retreat Jun 25, Wed, Offering to the Spiritual Guide Jun 29, Sun, Melodious Drum JULY 2008 July 8, Tue, Tara Day July 10, Thu, Offering to the Spiritual Guide July 15, Tue, Precepts July 25, Fri, UK Summer Festival begins July 25, Fri, Tsog Day July 29, Tue, Protector Day AUGUST 2008 Aug 8, Fri, Tara Day Aug 10, Sun, Offering to the Spiritual Guide Aug 15, Fri, Precepts Aug. 17, Sun, TTP resumes Aug 25, Mon, Offering to the Spiritual Guide Aug 29, Fri, Melodious Drum SEPTEMBER 2008 Sep 8, Mon, Tara Day Sep 10, Wed, Offering to the Spiritual Guide Sep 15, Mon, Precepts Sep 22, Mon, Buddha’s Return from Heaven Day Sep 25, Thu, Offering to the Spiritual Guide Sep 29, Mon, Melodious Drum OCTOBER 2008 Oct 8, Wed, Tara Day Oct 10, Fri, Offering to the Spiritual Guide Oct 15, Wed, Precepts Oct 25, Sat, Je Tsongkhapa Day, Offering to the Spiritual Guide Oct 29, Wed, Melodious Drum Oct 31, Fri, Paris Festival begins NOVEMBER 2008 Nov 1, Sat, NKT Temples Day Nov. 2, Sun, No TTP Nov 8, Sat, Tara Day Nov 10, Mon, Offering to the Spiritual Guide Nov 15, Sat, Precepts Nov 25, Tue, Offering to the Spiritual Guide Nov 29, Sat, Melodious Drum Nov 30, Sun, No TTP DECEMBER 2008 Dec 8, Mon, Tara Day Dec 10, Wed, Offering to the Spiritual Guide Dec 12, Fri, California Dharma Celebration begins Dec 15, Mon, Precepts Dec 25, Thu, Tsog Day Dec 29, Mon, Melodious Drum About the Center 2008-03-03T01:37:00-05:00 http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/dealing-with-anger/ http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/dealing-with-anger/#When:16:37:00Z Anger is one of the most common and destructive delusions, and it afflicts our mind almost every day. To solve the problem of anger, we first need to recognize the anger within our mind, acknowledge how it harms both ourself and others, and appreciate the benefits of being patient in the face of difficulties. We then need to apply practical methods in our daily life to reduce our anger and finally to prevent it from arising at all. What is anger? Anger is a deluded mind that focuses on an animate or inanimate object, feels it to be unattractive, exaggerates its bad qualities, and wishes to harm it. For example, when we are angry with our partner, at that moment he or she appears to us as unattractive or unpleasant. We then exaggerate his bad qualities by focusing only on those aspects that irritate us and ignoring all his good qualities and kindness, until we have built up a mental image of an intrinsically faulty person. We then wish to harm him in some way, probably by criticizing or disparaging him. Because it is based on an exaggeration, anger is an unrealistic mind; the intrinsically faulty person or thing that it focuses on does not in fact exist. Moreover, as we shall see, anger is also an extremely destructive mind that serves no useful purpose whatsoever. Having understood the nature and disadvantages of anger, we then need to watch our mind carefully at all times in order to recognize it whenever it begins to arise. There is nothing more destructive than anger. It destroys our peace and happiness in this life, and impels us to engage in negative actions that lead to untold suffering in future lives. It blocks our spiritual progress and prevents us from accomplishing any spiritual goals we have set ourself - from merely improving our mind, up to full enlightenment. The opponent to anger is patient acceptance, and, if we are seriously interested in progressing along the spiritual path, there is no practice more important than this. Taken from the book “How to Solve Our Human Problems” by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso About 2008-02-20T16:37:00-05:00 http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/members-calendar/ http://www.meditationinarizona.org/en/members-calendar/#When:16:13:00Z Calendar times are reset to your computer’s time zone setting. If you are not set to Arizona time, please adjust accordingly. 2008-01-24T16:13:00-05:00