CHOJE AKONG TULKU RINPOCHE

WEDNESDAY 8TH JUNE 2005

Gelong Thubten & Elizabeth Richardson M.L.I. of Elizabeth Richardson
Associates, Chartered Landscape Architect

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR THE WORKPLACE
Increase your efficiency and enjoy your work
Reduce stress and create an office space conducive to success

DEVELOP NEW SKILLS
Learn techniques to transform working practices

DEVELOP YOUR ENVIRONMENT
Configure the office to maximise employee productivity

FACILITATORS

Gelong Thubten of Rokpa Trust, Buddhist Monk and International Speaker, teaches some of the UK's leading businesses how to improve every aspect of their performance through techniques for calming the mind. This approach is a non-religious method of staying peaceful, focused and centred even in the busiest situations.

Elizabeth Richardson, M.L.I. of Elizabeth Richardson Associates, Chartered Landscape Architect, specialises in the improvement of working, living and natural environments.
With 25 years experience, she has written for various publications and consulted for a wide range of corporate and private clients.

CONTENT

Gelong Thubten will provide relaxation techniques for dealing with stress and increasing focus. Such methods can maximise productivity and improve communication and business skills.

1. Improving concentration
2. Reducing stress
3. Promoting a positive, productive outlook.

Working with the Elements

Weekend retreat on Flatholm Island

Beginning Friday evening 4pm, 20th May 2005
Leaving Monday afternoon 23rd May

During the weekend we will work with the different elements earth, space, fire, water, air through meditation.
We will be meditating on fast flowing water as well as still water, wide open space and lighting an outside fire in the evening for meditation purposes.

The boat is leaving Barry at 4.30pm on the Friday
The boat will arrive back in Barry at 17.40pm on the Monday

Retreat cost to be confirmed

Accommodation (Friday to Sunday night) is £45
Boat trip £15 return

£60 to be paid in advance when booking

Numbers strictly limited so please call or e-mail Rokpa Cardiff
Food will be self-catering

FRIDAY 29TH APRIL 2004 PUBLIC LECTURE
7.30pm
59a COWBRIDGE ROAD EAST, CARDIFF
IS LIFE PASSING YOU BY?

How much of our time is wasted thinking about the past or getting anxious about the future? Sometimes it also feels like our lives are being dictated to by outside circumstances or maybe we are just nagged by a sense that we could be making more of our time.
Gelong Jiga will help us to live life more fully by giving us simple techniques to stay in the moment and take active control of our own lives. This stimulating talk is not religious and will be of great interest for non-Buddhists too

Approaching the Mahamudra

59a Cowbridge Road East
Cardiff
10.00am 4.00pm

Saturday 30th April and Sunday 1st May 2005
Saturday 3rd September and Sunday 4th September 2005
Saturday 10th December and Sunday 11th December 2005

A practical course using methods which can be used within the framework of your daily and working life.
Each session will include meditation and interactive teaching. Gelong Karma Jiga will also be available for private consultation. There will be workshops and retreats to support the course.
This is open to all

GELONG THUBTEN

HOW TO STOP WORRYING AND START DEALING WITH STRESS

Gelong Thubten is a monk at Samye Ling Monastery in Scotland.
Thubten has been a monk for nearly 12 years, and is in high demand presenting courses on Buddhism internationally.

Thursday 12th May 7.30pm
59a Cowbridge Road East

TALKS BY GELONG THUBTEN THIS WEEK

The Twelve Deeds of the Buddha

The Life of the Buddha as presented in the Tibetan Tradition
59 Cowbridge Road East
(at the Junction of Cathedral Road and Cowbridge Road East)
Tuesday 5th
7.30pm

The different types of Vows and Precepts

59 Cowbridge Road East
(at the Junction of Cathedral Road and Cowbridge Road East)
thursday 7th
7.30pm

The meaning of the Dorje Chang Prayer
59 Cowbridge Road East
(at the Junction of Cathedral Road and Cowbridge Road East)
Friday 8th
7.30pm

suggested donation per lecture: £ 5.00

ONE DAY GURU RINPOCHE RETREAT
Saturday, 9th April 2005
10am - 6pm
17 Princes Avenue, Caerphilly

Gelong Thubten will lead a one-day Guru Rinpoche retreat. This is open to those who have taken refuge and received the Guru Rinpoche empowerment. The focus will be on practice, but Thubten will go through the text and explain things.

Donation basis

Ngondro instructions: prostrations and Dorje Sempa
(only for those who have taken refuge and had the Dorje Sempa empowerment)
10am - 4pm

Sunday 10th April 2005
17 Princes Avenue, Caerphilly

suggested donation: £12.50 per morning, £12.50 per afternoon

A Series of Lectures

Tuesday 3rd May 8.00pm
59a Cowbridge Road East

THE 4 DHARMAS OF GAMPOPA
This essential instruction composed by one of the forefathers of the Kagyu Lineage captures the essence of the entire path in a 4-line stanza.

Wednesday 4th May 7.30pm
59a Cowbridge Road East
THE 6 LIGHTS, 6 EMOTIONS PART 1

Dealing with stress, tension and negative emotions through visualising colours. Please bring 6 pieces of off-white paper, and 6 different coloured crayons, chalks
or clour pencils (white, green, yellow, light blue, red, dark blue), plus something to rest the paper on while drawing. The first part of the course will involve learning
to draw what we will visualise.

Thursday 5th May 7.30pm
59a Cowbridge Road East
THE 6 LIGHTS, 6 EMOTIONS PART 2

APPROACHING THE MAHAMUDRA (Year 2)
GELONG KARMA JIGA
Turning what we know and learn into living experience.

A practical course using methods which can be used within the framework of your daily and working life.
Each session will include meditation and interactive teaching. Gelong Karma Jiga will also be available for private consultation.
There will be workshops and retreats to support the course.
This is open to all.

Saturday 22nd January 2005
Sunday 23rd January 2005
10.00 am - 4.00 pm (Lunch 12.30pm - 2.00 pm)
at the Meditation Room
17 Princes Avenue, Caerphilly

Bring lunch to share
Suggested Donation: £25.00 per day

THE ESSENTIALS OF BUDDHISM

THE JEWEL ORNAMENT OF LIBERATION
Je Gampopa

Thubten has been a monk for over 11 years, and is in high demand to present courses on Buddhism internationally.
Thubten also presents courses on understanding and managing stress in the corporate world.
Thubten is a representative of the Rokpa Trust, an international charitable organisation working in the three areas of Meditation Training, Buddhist Psychology and Humanitarian Aid

59 Cowbridge Road East (at the Junction of Cathedral Road and Cowbridge Road East)
Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th January 2005
7.45pm - 9.45pm

This is one of the main text books of the Kagyu Lineage (see translation, "Gems of Dharma Jewels of Freedom" translated by Ken Holmes at Samye Ling) It is an essential study of the main principles of Buddhism, written by Gampopa, one of the forefathers of the Kagyu Lineage, student of Milarepa and teacher of the First Karmapa.

In this course, Gelong Thubten will go through the text, and it will be suitable for beginners and the more experienced alike. Subjects covered will include the Buddha Nature, Compassion, the Spiritual Teacher and the Stages of the Path. Anybody wishing to develop deeper commitment to the path will find this course very useful.
There will be opportunity for questions and discussion.

Followed by a weekend course
Saturday 15th January and Sunday 16th January
at the Meditation Room
17 Princes Avenue, Caerphilly
This will be a combination of teachings and practice

10.00 am - 4.00 pm (Lunch 12.30pm - 2.00 pm)
Bring lunch to share

Suggested Donation: £25.00 per day

THE ESSENTIALS OF BUDDHISM

THE JEWEL ORNAMENT OF LIBERATION
Je Gampopa

Thubten has been a monk for over 11 years, and is in high demand to present courses on Buddhism internationally.
Thubten also presents courses on understanding and managing stress in the corporate world.
Thubten is a representative of the Rokpa Trust, an international charitable organisation working in the three areas of Meditation Training, Buddhist Psychology and Humanitarian Aid

The course is ongoing over several evenings:

Dates in January to be advised

This is one of the main text books of the Kagyu Lineage (see translation, "Gems of Dharma Jewels of Freedom" translated by Ken Holmes at Samye Ling) It is an essential study of the main principles of Buddhism, written by Gampopa, one of the forefathers of the Kagyu Lineage, student of Milarepa and teacher of the First Karmapa.
In this course, Gelong Thubten will go through the text, and it will be suitable for beginners and the more experienced alike. Subjects covered will include the Buddha Nature, Compassion, the Spiritual Teacher and the Stages of the Path. Anybody wishing to develop deeper commitment to the path will find this course very useful.
There will be opportunity for questions and discussion.

APPROACHING THE MAHAMUDRA: PART 4
GELONG KARMA JIGA
4th & 5th December 2004
17 Princes Avenue
Caerphilly
CF83 1HR
Tel: 02920 499185

What's Our Situation?

Is there a problem? If so, what causes it? Taking a closer look at our situation through learning to pay attention to what's going on in our lives and in our minds.

Turning what we know and learn into living experience.

A practical course using methods which can be used within the framework of your daily and working life.
Each session will include meditation and interactive teaching. Gelong Karma Jiga will also be available for private consultation.
There will be workshops and retreats to support the course.

Saturday 4th December 10.00 am - 4.00 pm (Lunch 12.30pm - 2.00 pm)
Sunday 5th December 110.00 am - 4.00 pm (Lunch 12.30pm - 2.00 pm)

Suggested Donation: £25.00 per day

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The Buddhist Approach to Emotions
Tuesday 19th October 2004 7.45 pm
The City Sanctuary

Lectures by Gelong Thubten

Monday 11th October 2004
7.30 pm at The City Sanctuary
How to Meditate

Tuesday 12th October 2004
7.45 pm at The City Sanctuary
How to set up a simple shrine, plus explanation of symbolism

NGONDRO PRACTICE
Dates: Saturday 9th October, Sunday 10th October

Time: 10.00 am - 4.00 pm at the City Sanctuary

Suggested Donation: £25 per day

The Four Ordinary and Four Special Foundations are the mainstay of Kagyu practice. If we build correct foundations in our practice, this will lead to greater stability.
The Ngondro is a set of practices designed to speed up our purification and accumulation, and includes prostrations and mantra recitations.

Important Notes : Please read

The course: Day one will cover the Four Ordinary Foundations, and day two will cover the first two of the Four Special Foundations. Day one: open to all. Day two: only open to those who have taken refuge.
The afternoon session on day two is only open to those who have taken refuge and Dorje Sempa Empowerment.


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TWO DAY RETREAT WITH GELONG THUBTEN

Saturday 30th
Chenrezig practice : open to all

Guru Rinpoche practice:
Sunday 31st October
Open to those who have taken Refuge and the Guru Rinpoche empowerment.

We will do instensive practice on both days and Thubten will give explanations of the practices.

This is a wonderful opportunity for people to come together for practice, either for one or both of the days.

17 Princes Avenue
Caerphilly
CF83 1HR
Tel: 02920 499185

Timings on both days
10am to 8pm.
Lunch: bring and share.
Supper: soup will be provided.
Bring pen and paper

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THE 37 PRACTICES OF A BODHISATTVA BY TOMAY ZANGPO.
Please Note:

To be held at the Meditation Room
17 Princes Avenue
Caerphilly CF83 1HR

Saturday 20th November, Sunday 21st November

Time: 10.00 am to 4.00 pm a
Suggested Donation: £25 per day

This text explores the relationship between compassion and mindfulness. It is an important teaching on how to live a more compassionate life and how to develop one's qualities on the path.

7th October 2004

Evening Teaching : Dharma Teachings
7.00pm - 8.15pm The Old Library, The Hayes, Cardiff

Suggested Donation £10.00 on The Night

Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche
Abbot of Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre, Director of the internationally acclaimed Holy Island Project and the Retreat and Meditation Master for a host of students from around the world. He is a renowned meditation master, recognised for his ability to bridge both Eastern and Western understandings of the mind.

He is also a much loved and respected teacher whose wisdom, compassion, warmth and humour reveal him as a living example of the Buddha's teaching. With his profound insight, acquired through many years of meditation in solitary retreat, and his personal experience of people from both the East and West, Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche is able to demystify and illuminate the Buddha's teachings in a simple yet inspiring way.

His humour and direct, down to earth approach crosses continents and cultures enabling him to give both personal advice and meditation instruction that goes straight to the heart. It is these unique qualities that make him a Lama of and for our time.

He will then attend a Charity Dinner at InFusion Restaurant in aid of ROKPA International on the same evening.
Please book for the meal direct with Alice at InFusion Restaurant, 111-112 Bute Street, Cardiff. Tel: 02920 488118



His latest book will be available for sale.



An indispensable guide to living in the 21st century

APPROACHING THE MAHAMUDRA: PART III

Friday 24th September 7.30pm (lecture)
Saturday 25th September 10am - 4pm - (Lunch 12.30pm - 2pm)
Sunday 26th September 10am - 4pm - (Lunch 12.30pm - 2pm)
Monday 27th September 7.30pm (lecture)

A Suggested Donation Of: £5.00 per evening lecture,
£25.00 Saturday,
£25.00 Sunday

A foundation course introducing Meditation, Relaxation and the Development of Life Management
skills through using the ancient tried and tested methods of Tibetan Buddhism.

These four days will conclude the 1st Year of the course. The focus of these few days will be to re acquaint ourselves with the fundamentals of what we call meditation. We will re introduce ourselves to the process of the practice through understanding how we relate to our minds and our lives. Through relating to our lives with more understanding we will realise that who, how and what we are, is actually enough. We don't have to wish to be someone else or somewhere else. Our present situation is the very best situation. By Simply changing the emphasis of how we focus and what we focus on, we can transform our everyday life into something that has meaning for us and inspires us. Each session will include meditation and interactive teaching.
Gelong Karma Jiga will also be available for private consultation.

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National Geographic will be
Visiting Rokpa Cardiff

13th - 15th September

They are photographing the work we are doing with Velindre Hospital, Cardiff Harlequins Rugby Team, Whitchurch School and The Girl Guides.

The article will appear in National Geographic 2005.

JUNE 25th, 26th & 27th
WORKING WITH THE 5 ELEMENTS

Clive Holmes

During the weekend we will work with the different elements earth, space, fire, water, air through meditation.
We will be meditating on fast flowing water as well as still water, wide open space and lighting an outside fire in the evening for meditation purposes.

Accommodation is self catering and will cost £15 per night. Please book for 3 nights.
It will be necessary for anyone wishing to attend to book themselves in at:

TREFEINON FARM
The Old Stables, Llangorse,
Brecon,
Powys
LD3 OPS
Tel: 01874 658607.
Please contact Liz Sheppard.

Once you have booked yourselves in, please contact Lorraine at ROKPA Cardiff for more information on what to bring.

Clive has been involved with Samye Ling for over twenty years, where he has received teachings from the most eminent lamas. He has completed one year of retreat, edits teachings and lectures for publication and has led many meditation courses at Samye Ling and associated centres.
The Seven Points of Mind Training is a renowned and effective way of following the bodhisattva path. In his commentary, 'The Cood Vase of Nectar, the Profound Meaning of the Oral Instruction on the Mahayana Seven Points of Mind Training' the 19th century master Zhechen Gyaltsab presents this classical training in a direct and complete way. His teachings are particularly relevant today, when much contemporary culture focuses on the self and encourages us to waste our precious human lives on trivia, as they offer the alternative approach of learning to live for the benefit of others and thereby finding our own fulfilment.

The Four Ordinary Foundations
8.00pm Star Centre, Splott road

Thubten will explain these four contemplations which are essential foundations for Buddhist practice. Understanding these four topics helps us to gain more diligence and correct motivation on the path.
Without establishing these proper foundations, it is said that one's practice often lapses and motivation becomes unclear.
The Four Ordinary Foundations are designed to help us to develop the correct point of view for Dharma practice. Instructions will be given on a step-by-step approach to the exercise of contemplation and analysis.
The talks will be based on the traditional texts of the Kagyu lineage.

Course Programme

Tuesday 8th June: DEATH AND IMPERMANENCE
Wednesday 9th June: KARMA, CAUSE AND EFFECT

Friday 11th June: THE SUFFERING OF SAMSARA
City Sanctuary

PLEASE BOOK FOR THIS COURSE
Please contact Rokpacardiff on 02920 499185 for a booking form or email:
Email here

Tuesday 8th, 9th, & 11th June
Whitchurch High School
Classes with Year 9 pupils who are studying Buddhism as part of their curriculum next year

Thursday 10th June
8.00pm

PUBLIC LECTURE / DEALING WITH LIFE'S DIFFICULTIES
City Sanctuary

The Buddhist approach to facing problems with a positive attitude.

HOW TO VISUALISE
Sunday 13th June 2004
City Sanctuary

An explanation of the practice of visualisation in Tibetan Buddhism. The course will include the drawing and visualising of sacred "seed" syllables, as well as general advice on how to visualise the deities of the various sadhanas. Instructions will be based on Jamgon Kongtrul's text
"Creation and Completion"
NOTE: Please bring blue paper and white crayons and white paper and blue crayons (or colouring pencils)

Course Programme

10am : 1pm Morning Session (with tea break at 11am)
1pm : lunch at either Café Europa or the Welsh cafe
2pm : 4.30pm Afternoon Session (with tea break at 3.15pm)
PLEASE BOOK FOR THIS COURSE
Please contact Rokpa Cardiff on 02920 499185 for a booking form or email:

Email here

5th May 2004

National Museum of Wales
Reardon Smith Lecture Theatre 7.30 pm

Advice from the Heart

Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche

How one can benefit from applying Buddhist principles to one's everyday life.

Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche is Abbot of Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre, Director of the internationally acclaimed Holy Island Project and the Retreat and Meditation Master for a host of students from around the world. He is a renowned meditation master, recognised for his ability to bridge both Eastern and Western understandings of the mind.

He is also a much loved and respected teacher whose wisdom, compassion, warmth and humour reveal him as a living example of the Buddha's teaching. With his profound insight, acquired through many years of meditation in solitary retreat, and his personal experience of people from both the East and West, Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche is able to demystify and illuminate the Buddha's teachings in a simple yet inspiring way.

His humour and direct, down to earth approach crosses continents and cultures enabling him to give both personal advice and meditation instruction that goes straight to the heart. It is these unique qualities that make him a Lama of and for our time.

Please note although seating is limited, you can get tickets on the door

6th May 2004
3.30 pm Refuge Ceremony at Insole Court
7.30 pm Dharma Teaching

Please note due to demand these will have to be booked in advance

His latest book will be available for sale.



An indispensable guide to living in the 21st century

Venerable Lama Yeshe Losal is the colourful and charismatic Abbot of Kagyu Samye Ling monastery and Tibetan Centre, Director of the internationally acclaimed Holy Island Project and the much loved and respected Retreat and Meditation Master for a host of students from around the world. This book, based on transcripts from some of Lama Yeshe Losal's recent teachings, was compiled by a dedicated team of those students, who worked together with the common aim of sharing the wisdom and wit of their teacher with a wider audience.

The main body of the book deals with the practical application of Buddhism in one's daily life. In his direct, down to earth style, Lama Yeshe Losal both demystifies and illulminates these profound teachings in such a way as to make them easily understandable and accessible to even the most obdurate mind. With his insight, humour, and knowledge of a broad spectrum of people from both the East and West, Lama Yeshe teaches from the Buddhist perspective on life and gives practical advice, with detailed meditation instructions, in a simple but inspiring way.

Quotes from 'LIVING DHARMA'

"For beginners, it is always very good to approach meditation with a very open mind.
We should not start meditating with the wish to have a peaceful mind,
very good experiences and so on.
To have a 'beginners attitude', we should be open-minded without expectations."

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"Traditionally, the beginner's mind is compared to a big waterfall.
What happens, is that when we start to sit, we get a glimpse of it.
Meditation is not making our mind chaotic but rather makes us see how chaotic it currently is.
This is how we are and we should not be afraid of such experiences."

Proceeds from the sale of this book will be divided between the Samye Sangha Foundation, which helps to support the monks and nuns of Samye Ling in their spiritual endeavours, and the rebuilding of Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche's monastery of Dolma Lhakang in East Tibet.

Ani Kunzang is a fully ordained Buddhist nun, who has completed a four-year closed retreat. She is particularly accomplished in Tibetan Buddhist ritual and music, which she teaches at all the Samye Dzong Centres in Europe. She also gilds and paints statues at Samye Ling.

Saturday 31st January 2004
  Introduction to Meditation
10am - 4pm
(With instruction throughout the day)

Guru Rinpoche Puja
4.30pm
All are welcome.
Beginners, please note that the text is in Tibetan

Learning Tibetan (Part 3)
7.30pm
Please bring your own writing materials, pens, etc.

Sunday 1st February 2004
Chenrezig Sadhana
10am - 4pm

Instructions for those who wish to learn the Chenrezig Sadhana. This practice is one of the main weekly practices of our centre and represents compassion. Explanations will be given on chanting, visualisation, mantra, music and offerings of this profound compassion practice. It is not essential to have had the empowerment in order to do this sadhana.
We will be taught the text, visualisations and listen to the story of Chenrezig.

Please bring a packed lunch

MONDAY 12th JANUARY MEDITATION INSTRUCTION 7.30pm
The evening will consist of a lecture, some meditation practise and questions and answers

WEDNESDAY 14th JANUARY First Colwinston Girl Guides 7pm - 9pm
What is meditation. How to sit in the correct meditation posture. The story of the Buddha. Questions and Answers.

Gelong Thubten will be working with the following organisations from
Monday 19th January - Thursday 20th January

• Welsh College of Music and Drama
• Caerphilly Rugby Club
• Cardiff Prison & the Probation Service

Evening lectures will be

Monday 19th January 7.30pm
Dealing with stress using ancient meditation techniques for modern day living
at the City Sanctuary

TUESDAY 20TH JANUARY 2PM - 4PM AT CHAPTER ARTS,
CANTON CARDIFF
BUDDHIST MEDITATION AND IT'S RELEVANCE TO MODERN DAY LIFE
Dealing with stress for Charity and voluntary Organisation Workers if you would like to come please email me on Bookings
or phone the above.

TUESDAY 20th JANUARY Monmouth Priory 7.30pm

WEDNESDAY 21st JANUARY SWANSEA
56 Bond Street
Sandfields, Swansea

Meditation Instruction
Meditation for people who are beginning and for those with some knowledge of meditation

THURSDAY JANUARY 22nd 6.30pm

HOW TO STOP WORRYING
All are welcome to join us for a social night at Chapter Arts in their restaurant from 7.30pm

Weekend 28th & 30th November

Guru Rinpoche Tsok puja
Friday evening 7 pm
lead by Karma Chodrak

TRAINING THE MIND & WORKING WITH NEGATIVITY
Saturday course taken Karma Chodrak

10am - 12.30pm
Interviews and lunch break 2 Hours. 2.30 - 4.30 with a 30 minute break in between.

Sunday morning
Teaching Tibetan
10am to 11am

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