Excerpt from Keeping the Dalai Lama Waiting & Other Stories – Karma Thinley Rinpoche & the Snake – what would you have done?
In the video below Lama Shenpen introduces the story of Karma Thinley Rinpoche and the Snake, and describes how she likes to leave some of the stories in her book open ended, in order to ask the reader, what would you have done? What spiritual teaching would you have received if you were in Lama’s place? What have you taken away from the story? Read the full excerpt below: Continue reading Excerpt from Keeping the Dalai Lama Waiting & Other Stories – Karma Thinley Rinpoche & the Snake – what would you have done?
Can we practise Love and Compassion to inanimate objects such as mountains?
For me love and compassion is what happens between beings – not inanimate objects. Yet we do talk about communion with nature and the landscape don’t we? We talk of caring for the world around us and treating it with gentleness and respect – which feels a bit like love and compassion. Maybe that is because we intuit that somehow it is not all somehow ‘out there’… Continue reading Can we practise Love and Compassion to inanimate objects such as mountains?
How can we practise with the antidote to the ‘near enemies’ of the Four Apramanas? Correcting distortions of Love, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy & Equanimity
If love is wishing others well and feeling connected in a trusting and open way, then when we notice we have an agenda such as ‘I would love you if you were not so….’ – we can acknowledge that judgemental quality as our own desire and attachment and work with how to become more gentle, open and generous. Continue reading How can we practise with the antidote to the ‘near enemies’ of the Four Apramanas? Correcting distortions of Love, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy & Equanimity
Weekend Retreat with Lama Shenpen: The Seven Points of Mind Training
Lama Shenpen continues teaching on this year’s theme of Love and Compassion by exploring the classic text from Atisha on the Seven points of Mind training. From next Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th July. Booking form HERE. Lama Shenpen will be talking about the nature of our compassionate heart as Openness, Clarity and Sensitivity. These teachings will also introduce the theme of how to incorporate … Continue reading Weekend Retreat with Lama Shenpen: The Seven Points of Mind Training
How does imagination fit into the process of reflection and meditation?
When we try in an ego-centric way – or manipulate our experience to be what we think it should be – then it’s kind of aggressive, ambitious and pushy. But when we are simply playing in the openness of awareness – trying things out in a relaxed and gentle way that feels really alive and kind of beautiful… Continue reading How does imagination fit into the process of reflection and meditation?
How Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche Directed Lama Shenpen to North-west Wales
The following is a series of excerpt from Lama Shenpen’s life story book, published in May 2020: Keeping the Dalai Lama Waiting & Other Stories – An English Woman’s Journey to Becoming a Buddhist Lama. In the passages below we learn about the extraordinary circumstances that led Lama Shenpen to be based in North Wales – due to a divination and prophecy by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Continue reading How Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche Directed Lama Shenpen to North-west Wales
Examining Awareness: How can we know Awareness is not created and conditioned?
There is no evidence that there was ever a time when awareness was not there – so it’s a possibility that it is not created. The more familiar one becomes with awareness in one’s Dharma practice the more sense it makes that it is not created – it is not constructed from our thoughts like everything else we know of – awareness is what constructs the thoughts and gets confused by them. Continue reading Examining Awareness: How can we know Awareness is not created and conditioned?
Video: The importance of having clarity of intention – our intentions in this life carry on to the next
In the short video below Lama Shenpen talks about the importance of having clarity of intention and following through on whatever intention you have – when things get tough, we don’t have to abandon our goal, we just return to the original intention. “…That’s a really good message for this time, that it isn’t all hopeless and useless… Continue reading Video: The importance of having clarity of intention – our intentions in this life carry on to the next
Are We Fooling Ourselves? Lama Shenpen talks to a student about checking that our motivation and practice is genuine
We don’t have to be perfect before we begin – so yes we do start off taking Refuge and practising Dharma with mixed motives. There is no point in developing renunciation if people don’t have a sense of something they trust in first. If they don’t trust in anything at all then what is the point of banging on about suffering and impermanence? Continue reading Are We Fooling Ourselves? Lama Shenpen talks to a student about checking that our motivation and practice is genuine
How does rejoicing in the good qualities of others make those qualities arise in us?
It is the same principle as pranidhanas – you think of qualities that you admire and your heart responds and you find yourself wishing to be like that oneself – as you orientate yourself towards that wish those qualities are already being awakened within you. Continue reading How does rejoicing in the good qualities of others make those qualities arise in us?
