The Buddhist Mind Science series is being offered in collaboration with Thubten Norbu Ling, our sister FPMT center in Sante Fe, New Mexico. The centers will alternate handling registrations. For this first Module, TNL will handle the registration. This new and transformative series is suitable for beginners and those wishing to deepen their practice.

Sundays Jan 5, 2025 – Jan 26, 2025

Time: 9:00AM – 10:30AM (PT)

Where: Online Only

About:

What is it that we all are pursuing? Do we succeed in it? Should we explore more carefully and wisely how to fulfill our deepest yearnings? How could we contribute to others’ happiness as well?

We will explore such questions from an experiential point of view, using both scientific and Buddhist knowledge of the mind and meditation, in a journey that may translate into increasing lasting happiness and a positive impact on oneself, others, and the world. The course “Cultivating Lasting Happiness: What Buddhism and Science have to Say about It” focuses on an exploration of what leads to dissatisfaction and suffering, and what contributes to happiness for oneself and others. The fundamentals of meditation and mind training are introduced, especially in the areas of establishing a meaningful direction in life, balancing the mind with equanimity and a caring attitude, and nurturing warmheartedness and wisdom drawn from the Buddhist tradition. It is complemented by references to current scientific understanding on our nervous system, values, subjective well-being, neuroplasticity, and altruism.

The Journey “Cultivating Lasting Happiness” gradually unfolds as a journey along different topics:

1. ‘A Universal Need’ explores the common ground that we all want to find happiness and overcome suffering and presents initial techniques to balance body and mind.

2. ‘Are We Pursuing Happiness in the Best Way?’ is an initial exploration of the Buddhist Four Truths and a suggestion to probe into common ways to pursue happiness—are we succeeding?

3. ‘Following the Scent of Lasting Happiness’ encourages us to establish meaningful directions and to find ways to cultivate lasting happiness and activate our potential.

4. ‘Meditation and Mind Training’ presents tools for doing so.

5. ‘Wisdom and Warmheartedness’ as a source of lasting happiness presents tools to cultivate the fundamental qualities of warmheartedness and wisdom and invites us to explore their contribution to our own and others’ happiness.

6. ‘Enhancing Wisdom and Warmheartedness’ further explores these fundamental qualities.

Register Now for this wonderful new series through Thubten Norbu Ling

About Vajrapani Institute

Vajrapani Institute for Wisdom Culture was the first Tibetan Buddhist Retreat Center in America.  Vajrapani aims to provide a friendly and conducive environment for people of all nationalities to learn, put into practice the teachings of the Buddha, and connect with other Dharma practitioners.  Located on 70 acres of secluded land within the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz mountains, Vajrapani Institute has been an immersive space for people of all backgrounds to find and deepen their spiritual practices, with the main goal of bridging the gap between the head and heart of practice.