Gaden Choling Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Centre

Haven't been to the weekly Dharma Study Class in a while? Want to come but don't feel prepared? A detailed outline for each week's topic is available online, summarizing that week's chapter in the text we've been using (The Joyful Path of Good Fortune). You can review past topics online to get caught up quickly, or print a PDF version of this week's topic. Links to each week's chapter summary are given in the Dharma Study Class schedule.

P.S. Don't be overly concerned about being prepared. You can just come by and we'll have a copy of that evening's topic summary handout for you there!

A complete audio recording of the recent Long Life Puja for Rinpoche is now available here. You can listen online, else download the mp3 files at medium or high quality. What a great event!

We will be offering a short series of classes for people interested in exploring Buddhism and meditation perhaps for the first time. Everyone is welcome to attend and details about this 4 week program are outlined below. If you have any questions about the content of this course, please email Bryan Pietersma: frysk (at) sympatico.ca

The Dharma Study Class this Thursday, May 7th, 2009, will begin one-half hour early. Class will start at 7:00pm, rather than 7:30pm.

Please join us for a wonderful evening of performances, music, stories, poetry and invocations. Our friends at Snow Lion: the Meditation Shop have organized a benefit evening of healing with music, stories, and movement in support of Gaden Choling Mahayana Buddhist Centre and Gitche M'Qua Centre for Healing and Dying.

Rinpoche is only in Toronto for a short visit this time, but we are fortunate that he has agreed to offer a very special initiation that many of us have not received before.

Messages from Ann and Rob with some announcements and final details about the upcoming Dakini Long Life Puja.

A final dress rehearsal for the upcoming Long Life Puja will be held at the Seneca College Conference Centre on Saturday April 25 from 6 pm - 9:30 pm. All are welcome to participate. Even if you are not presenting any offerings, you may want to consider attending the dress rehearsal. Understanding the flow of the puja will enhance your experience and enjoyment of the puja as well as improve your ability to stay focused during the actual event.

Our new weekly Dharma Study Program is beginning on Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 7:30 pm. In this series of classes we will be studying the stages of the path to enlightenment or "Lam Rim" as it is referred to in Tibetan. The study of Lam Rim is considered the foundation for all our practices within Tibetan Buddhism and is essential for both new students and advanced practitioners. Each week we will study and discuss a section from the comprehensive text by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso entitled Joyful Path of Good Fortune and also learn to meditate on the various topics and stages of the path. All new and returning students are welcome to join in this study program. We hope you can begin with us at the first meeting on March 19th, but please also feel free to drop-in or join at a later date.

We are holding a series of rehearsals to prepare for the forthcoming Long Life Puja for Zasep Rinpoche. Rehearsals will be held each Sunday, usually from 2-4pm but with some exceptions, and will focus on various sections of the puja. As we draw closer to the date of the Long Life puja, we will engage in full rehearsals of the Long-Life puja. The melodies of the puja are not difficult to learn but practise will help build confidence and familiarity which will enhance the flow and energy of the puja. Practise and familiarity will also enhance your experience and enjoyment of the puja. All are invited, so please do come out.