Tibetan Monks of Gaden Shartse Monastic College to Visit July 1- 22
The California Institute of Human Science (CIHS) will be welcoming the monks of Gaden Shartse Monastic College—to lead a course on Tibetan Buddhism, as well as a series of healing and empowerment ceremonies. Each offering is designed to help illuminate the nature of mind and provide us with the courage and renewal needed to meet the challenges of a modern life.
This series, which begins on July 1 with a Vajravidarin Healing Ceremony, provides an open door to all who wish to deeply integrate body/mind/spirit and develop wisdom to chart the way ahead.
Highlights also include a Medicine Buddha Empowerment (bringing to light the inner capacity for healing), a Vajrasattva Empowerment (associated with the purification of karma and removal of obstacles) and a White Tara empowerment (associated with compassion and long life).
All of the Community Events series will be held online.
All events are open to the general public.
In addition to our CIHS events, there will also be a fundraiser for the Gaden Shartse Monastery featuring musician Karl Anthony Saturday, July 18th 1:30- 3 pm PST
These lectures are available:
Tuesday, July 14: Tantra theory and practice. $50
Tuesday, July 21: Death, Bardo and Rebirth $50
Register here
Manjushri Empowerment Ceremony with the Tibetan Monks of Gaden Shartse Monastery.
Sunday, June 12th 4 pm
The Gaden Shartse monks will perform the Manjushri Empowerment Ceremony; transferring the mantra and powerful energy of Manjushri to the attendees at this event. Â Â Manjushri is a wisdom deity of Tibetan Buddhism, or a Bodhisattva (Great Being) who wields a powerful sword used to cut through ignorance. There are wrathful and peaceful forms. This empowerment is for a peaceful form. Wisdom helps us see what needs to be done and what is to be abandoned. Through this practice, we receive clear energies to do this.
PRICE: $30 Register here
Vajrasattva Empowerment Ceremony
Wednesday, July 15, 6 pm
The Gaden Shartse monks will facilitate a special Vajrasattva (Buddha of Purification) empowerment ceremony. Vajrasattva is the Buddhist deity of Purification. The practice of the Vajrasattva deity purifies all negative actions committed by our body, through our speech, and in our minds. All that has been contaminated through our own negativities will be cleansed, and we will be able to begin afresh. The Vajrasattva practice is also capable of uprooting and purifying the negative imprints that we have carried over from our previous lives. This empowerment will include the transmission of the 100 Syllable Mantra.
PRICE: $30 Register here
Medicine Buddha Empowerment
Saturday, July 18, 6 pm
The Medicine Buddha (Menla) is the awakened embodiment of the power of healing of all the Buddhas. Join us for the Medicine Buddha empowerment ceremony, and explore the effects of this empowerment on body, mind and spirit. PRICE: $30. Register here.
White Tara Empowerment Ceremony
Sunday, July 19, 4 pm
White Tara is called the "Mother of all Buddhas". She represents the energies of graceful power, compassion, purity and long life. She is one of the main deities used by both Tibetan Yogis/ Yoginis and lay practitioners in the practice of requesting a long and healthy life. Known particularly for her swiftness in fulfilling the long‑life wishes of the practitioner, White Tara is looked to for happiness and inspiration through the mantra OM TARE TUTARE TORE SOHA. The White Tara empowerment is meant to establish a close relationship between the recipient and the bodhisattva.
: $30. Register here.
GADEN SHARTSE MONASTERY
The monks of Gaden Shartse Norling Monastic College arrived in the U.S in February for their 2020-2022 Sacred Arts of Tibet Tour. They were on tour in Grass Valley, CA when the Coronavirus required them to return to their stateside monastery in Long Beach for the quarantine. During this time, the tour monks and monks at Gaden Shartse Thubten Dhargye Ling have offered daily prayers and the creation of Four Sacred Sand Mandalas that were dedicated to the healing and well-being of all sentient beings. Sheltering the monks during this difficult time has been made possible by the kind donations of their sponsors.
The Primary Purpose of the tour is to present the Tibetan perspective of the Buddha's teachings, numerous Empowerment's, Lectures, Secondly, the generous funds donated on the helps Gaden Shartse maintain the University's temples, classrooms, library. texts, kitchens, food, grounds, and fields. Approximately $2.00(USA) is needed to maintain one monk for one day. This includes a small weekly stipend for necessities, and as so represents vast sums of money, for over 1000 monks, every day. Accomplishments of previous tours have provided funds for the construction of new buildings at Gaden Shartse, including the new debate hall. Additional funds raised by past tours have supported medical needs, teachers’ salaries and the day to day expenses of supporting the monastery. This success is due to the help and generosity of those who support the tours. The monks of Gaden Shartse feel deeply indebted to their friends in the West who have given their time, effort, and homes to make the tours possible. They look forward to sharing their sacred arts with new and old friends they've met in previous tours when it's safe to travel and gather again.
