Sessions @ Queenstown Dharma Centre, 12 Lake St,
Saturday 27 February – Sunday 27 March
except Invercargill – Calendar (.ics, .docx)
Please note the following points regarding logistics and protocol during the Lama’s visit.- Please arrive 15 minutes early for classes, to allow time for everyone to settle before the teachings start.
- If driving, please make sure you allow plenty of time for traffic- and parking-related delays. Queenstown is busy at this time of year. In addition, there will be no parking on Man Street from 29-Feb to 3-Mar because of asphalting work.
- Please be mindful in and around the shrine room. In particular, please maintain silence and minimize contact with others, as far as is practical. All phones, etc, must be turned off completely (not just put in silent mode) before entering the shrine room. The Lama’s flat is directly above the shrine room, and he deserves the utmost respect.
- Any additional information for those that have registered for retreats will be sent by email.
February 27 to 28, Saturday & Sunday, 7pm: What is Buddhism? What is Dharma? What is meditation? A classical and modern perspective. $5 per session
March 1 to 3, Tuesday to Thursday, 10am and 7pm each day: From the Four Noble Truths to Dzogchen: The Three Turnings of the Buddha’s Teaching (Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana) and the Nine Vehicles of the Nyingma tradition, including detailed teachings on Empowerments and Sadhana: A theory, instruction and practice course. $5 per session
March 5 to 7, Saturday to Monday, Sat and Sun 10am and 2pm, and Mon 7pm: Teachings and meditations of The Heart Sutra – One charge $25. Registration* required, followed by March 8,Tuesday, 7pm, The Empowerment and the meditation of Prajnaparamita and reading/explanation of the practice. No charge. May make Gift/Dana to Lama.
March 7 to 11, Monday to Friday, 10am: Introducing the Drikung Yangzab Dzogchen: Outer and inner teachings and preliminary meditations. $5 per session
March 12 to 13, Saturday and Sunday, Sat 3pm and Sun 9:30am: Invercargill Allowing the Mind to be Easeful with Life: the key steps and stages. What are the reasons for cultivating an easeful body and mind? What’s possible? What is a genuine easeful, kind, effective, alert and compassionate mind? Benefits. How is this quality possible?
What do we need to cultivate and understand? What is meditation? Why practice? The steps and stages. The View, Meditation and Conduct. The most essential points of understanding and practice. $5 per session. Numbers Limited. To register, contact Judith Stewart 03-2113081 or judith.stewart@
March 15 to 17, Tuesday and Wednesday 10am, 2pm and 7pm, Thursday 10am and 2pm. Mini-retreat. All about Karma:Meditations on causality using mindfulness as the tool: the root and beginning practice of Insight/Vipassana. (Can be combined with The Six Parami Mini-retreat for a 10 day retreat). One charge $30. Registration* required.
March 17 and 19, Thursday 7pm and Saturday, 9am. Reguge, Precepts and Bodhisattva Commitments: Arising from a formal and heartfelt request by students, Lama Mark will be offering the teachings and blessing of: Taking Refuge, Precepts and the Bodhisattva Vow. Given in the traditional way, it is a two part process:
First is a teaching on understanding Refuge, Precepts and the Bodhisattva commitments. This will take place at 7pm on Thursday, 17th March. Second, on Saturday, 19th March at 9am is the ceremony for taking Refuge, Precepts and the Bodhisattva Vow. This two part method gives people the opportunity to reflect on the meaning, importance and profound commitments before attending the ceremony.
This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone who has previously taken Refuge, Precepts and the Bodhisattva commitments to attend the teachings and/or the ceremony to refresh their commitments. No charge. May make Gift/Dana to Lama.
March 19 to 24, Saturday to Thursday, 10am and 7pm each day. Mini retreat. The Six Parami. Meditation, instructions and practice on the Parami, the six key relative and absolute practices and attainments to carry us over to the Transcendent experience: step-by-step teachings and practice. (Can be combined with All About Karma Mini-retreat for a 10-day retreat) One charge $60. Registration* required.
March 26 to 27, Saturday and Sunday, Sat 10am and 2pm, and Sun 10am. Mirror of the Mind.Maha Yoga/Dzogchen teachings and instructions on understanding and meditating on the nature and unity of all appearance/experience and emptiness (Sunyata). Understanding the reflective and unobstructive aspect of mind and awareness. $5 per session followed by
March 27, Sunday @ 4pm, The Empowerment of White Tara (No charge. May make Gift/Dana to Lama),followed by a community potluck meal @ 6pm.
- Session and registration fees are modest to enable the contribution of Dana for the teacher in accordance with one’s individual means.
- Regular Queenstown programme on hold for this period.
- Please pass this on to anyone you may feel would be interested.
* To register: Email name and contact to laverdurelara@gmail.com, and deposit registration fee into Kiwibank: 38-9006-0765486-09, with surname in “Particulars”
For more info: www.dharmacentre.org.nz or Lara @ 021 204 4854