Our Center offers free weekly chanted meditations on Sundays at noon.These are very blissful melodies, chanted to a CD that bring a lot of inner peace.There are other pujas on other days as well. Please check our on-line calendar HERE for times and drop in for some mental peace.
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The Essence of Wisdom Sutra – the Great Mother
On the first Sunday of each month 12:00pm-1:00pm
This meditation is a powerful method for overcoming hindrances and obstacles by reciting the Heart sutra. If you have been feeling stuck, or experiencing problems in your life, this is a powerful method to free you mind and find confidence and solutions.
Medicine Buddha Prayers
On the second Sunday of each month 12:00pm-1:00pm
Medicine Buddha is a Buddha Doctor whose function is to release living beings from outer and inner sickness by bestowing blessings upon them. By relying upon Medicine Buddha sincerely, we can heal from heavy physical and mental disease, find release from the internal pain of the three poisons – attachment, anger and ignorance – and receive protection from many other dangers and obstacles.
Heart Jewel Prayers
On the Third Sunday of each month 12:00pm-1:00pm
This is the daily practice of Kadampa Buddhists around the world and includes two practices revealed by the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri. The first is a special Guru yoga in which we visualize our Spiritual Guide as Je Tsongkhapa, who himself is a manifestation of Manjushri. By relying upon this practice, we purify negativity, accumulate merit, and receive blessings.
In this way, we will naturally accomplish all the realizations of the stages of the path of Sutra and Tantra, and in particular we will attain a very special Dharma wisdom.
Prayers for the Recently Deceased (Powa)
On the fourth Sunday of each month 12:00pm-1:00pm
A traditional practice in which we make heartfelt prayers for the fortunate rebirth of all those who have recently passed away. The practice is appropriate for any sentient being, including family, friends and animals. If you wish you may bring a photo of the person who has died and a small offering such as fresh fruit, chocolate or flowers to place on the shrine.
Liberation from Sorrow (Tara Prayers)
On the 8th day of each month check calendar for times
Tara is a female Buddha, whose name means “Rescuer”. She is the embodiment of swift compassion. If we rely upon Tara sincerely and with strong faith, she will protect us from all obstacles and fulfill all our wishes. Each of the Twenty-one Taras is a manifestation of the principal Tara, Green Tara. Tara is also known as the ‘Mother of the Conquerors’.
Tara is our common mother, our Holy Mother. When we are young we turn to our worldly mother for help. She protects us from immediate dangers, provides us with all our temporal needs, and guides and encourages us in our learning and personal development.
Offering to the Spiritual Guide on the 10th day of each month check calendar for times
The special Guru yoga practice of Je Tsongkhapa in conjunction with Highest Yoga Tantra, which also includes all the essential practices of the stages of the path to enlightenment. By relying upon Je Tsongkhapa, our compassion, wisdom, and spiritual power naturally increase. The practice of relying upon a Spiritual Guide, or ‘Guru Yoga’, is the root of the spiritual path and the foundation of all spiritual attainments. Guru yoga is a special method for receiving the blessings of our Spiritual Guide. In Kadampa Buddhism, Guru Yoga is practiced in association with Je Tsongkhapa, an emanation of the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri. Although the main practice is reliance upon the Spiritual Guide, it also includes all the essential practices of the stages of the path (Lamrim) and training the mind (Lojong), as well as both the generation stage and completion stage of Highest Yoga Tantra.
Please note this practice includes a “tsog” offering and it is customary to bring a small offering to put on the altar such as fresh fruit, chocolate or flowers.
Wishfulfilling Jewel on the 25th of each month check calendar for times
A special Guru yoga practice of Je Tsongkhapa’s tradition combined with a special practice of relying upon the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. This practice is the very essence of Kadampa Buddhism. In the first part we visualize our Spiritual Guide as Buddha Je Tsongkhapa and make prayers and requests to purify negativity, accumulate merit and receive blessings. Next we make prayers to the Dharma Protector, Dorje Shugden. Through these prayers we can overcome obstacles to our practice and create favorable conditions so that we can nurture and increase our pure Dharma realizations.
Please note this practice includes a “tsog” offering and it is customary to bring a small offering to put on the altar such as fresh fruit, chocolate or flowers.
Protector Prayers (Wishfulfilling Jewel or Melodious Drum) Quarterly on the 29th of the month
check calendar for dates/times
For the ADVANCED practitioner, this special Guru yoga practice of Je Tsongkhapa’s tradition, combined with either the middling or extensive sadhana, or “method of attainment,” for relying on the Dharma Protector. This is a powerful method for receiving spiritual protection, increasing our merit and Dharma realizations, and for purifying negativity.
Please note this practice includes a “tsog” offering and it is customary to bring a small offering to put on the altar such as fresh fruit, chocolate or flowers.
Bodhisattva’s Confession of Moral Downfalls
This is one of the most powerful Buddhist methods for purifying our mind of all negativity, The Bodhisattva’s Confession of Moral Downfalls. In this short practice, we request these 35 Buddhas to witness our confession and dedication of merit, and we prostrate in their presence.
Quick Path to Great Bliss (Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment required to participate)
Check with the Resident Teacher for times.
The extensive self-generation practice of Vajrayogini. She is a female enlightened Deity of Highest Yoga Tantra who is the manifestation of the wisdom of all Buddhas. To practice the sadhana successfully we should first receive the empowerment of Vajrayogini, and then study authentic instructions on the practice such as those found in the commentary New Guide to Dakini Land.