These classes will be led by Thomas Gutherie, a practitioner of nearly a 
decade in our community and an ordained monk for 3 years.  Come hear 
his accessible and light-hearted delivery of this wonderful subject matter.

In the Buddha's teaching there are two component parts of the mind 
consciousness and mental factors. Consciousness is that which is aware of 
its object. It is the bare awareness of its object. "Mental factors," are what 
colors consciousness. They arise together with consciousness and modify 
consciousness. 

Greed, hatred, and delusion are mental factors. Faith, wisdom, and love 
are also mental factors. When these mental factors arise, they arise 
together with certain kinds of consciousness. Though meditation on 
consciousness will be emphasized in this retreat, consciousness and 
mental factors cannot be separated. When you observe consciousness you 
also observe mental factors. When you have anger in your mind you will 
learn how to dispassionately observe and note it, "angry, angry, angry," in 
so doing you are contemplating an aspect of consciousness. Other types of 
consciousness will be noted as well: lust, delusion, love and many others. 

Consciousness itself will also be observed: constricted consciousness, 
scattered consciouness, absorption or jhana consciousness, 
unsurpassable consciousness. 

When you observe consciousness in this way, you will come to see that 
there is consciousness only and no person or being that is its agent. You 
will also recognize that since it arises and fades away every moment it is 
impermanent. When you see its impermanence, you won't cling to it 
through craving or attachment. When there is no clinging that remains 
there can be no formation of karma and you will be able to achieve 
freedom from suffering. Within the Indo-Tibetan traditions these practices 
are known as Mahamudra and Dzogchen.

Step-by-step methodical instruction will be given each week and any 
questions you have may be addressed live in each of the classes or 
through email.   
 
We look forward to seeing you and coming together again in these most 
accessible classes and teachings!

With compassion and insight, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche will reveal during this 
weekend retreat how the ancient teachings of Buddhism can be applied to 
the modern world. Rinpoche focuses on the direct experience of 
recognizing and embracing the nature of our feelings and perceptions. The 
quality of our minds, he says, depends on the quality of the seeds in our 
minds. Buddhism teaches us how to nourish the seeds of joy and 
transform the seeds of suffering so that our understanding, love, and 
compassion can flower. 

Ringu Tulku Rinpoche is a Tibetan Buddhist Master of the Kagyu Order. He 
was trained in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism under many great masters 
such as HH the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa and HH Dilgo Khentse Rinpoche. He 
took his formal education at Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok and 
Sampurnananda Sanskrit University, Varanasi, India and has served as 
Professor of Tibetology in Sikkim for 17 years. His doctoral thesis was on 
the Ecumenical Movement in Tibet. 

Since 1990 he has been traveling and teaching Buddhism and Meditation 
at more than 50 Universities, Institutes and Buddhist Centers in Europe, 
USA, Canada, Australia and Asia. He also participates in various interfaith 
dialogues. He authored several books on Buddhism as well as some 
children's books both in Tibetan and European languages. 

He founded Bodhicharya, an international organization that coordinates 
the worldwide activities to preserve and transmit Buddhist teachings, to 
promote intercultural dialogues and educational and social projects.

For more information, or to sign up, please visit:

http://summitdharmacenter.org/retreats/10032008.html

Live links: