Now that I have this great ship, a precious human life, so hard to obtain, I must carry myself and others across the ocean of samsara. To that end, to listen, reflect, and meditate. Day and night, without distraction, is the practice of a bodhisattva. (verse 1, 37 Practices, Padmakara trns.)
The Bodhisattva Vow, the Vow to be of benefit to all sentient beings, is a vow that has the seed potential of ripening in all our lifetimes to come, and possibly, if not probably, one we've taken in many other lifetimes! To think of this from an ultimate perspective is a beautiful, aspirational ideal, yet from a relative perspective it can be daunting, especially in light of climate change, pandemics, political upheaval and all else we are dealing with in the here and now!
This study and practice course will utilize the solid, simple yet profound teachings of Gyelsay Togmay Sangpo's Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas. This text was inspired by Shantideva's Bodhicaryavatara, so in studying one, we are studying both. We will focus on the many ways we can apply these teachings into our daily practices of 'self-care for the long-haul'-for ourselves and for all sentient beings.
This class will meet online on two Saturdays in November: the 14th and 28th; and three Sundays in December: the 6th, 13th, and 20th. Classes will be held from 10:00 am to noon PDT
Donation levels:
The full series: $175/ $225/$275
Individual sessions: $35/ $50/ $75
Recordings of the classes will be available for those who cannot attend in person.
Registration is required to attend these sessions.
Register for the series or individual classes at:
https://sukhasiddhi.org/event/self-care-through-the-lens-of-the-37-bodhisattva-practices/2020-11-14/
-----------------------------
Led by Susan Shannon, M. Div, BCC
Rev. Susan Shannon has been a student and practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism for 45 years, and has studied with many of Tibet's greatest teachers here and abroad. Since being ordained as an Interfaith Minister and becoming a clinical chaplain, Susan's ministry has been focused on transformational programs in prison ministry. Her work is rooted in the principals of restorative justice and emotional literacy, fostering interconnectedness and healthy community engagement. Susan has dedicated her life to the study of sacred Buddhist texts, in various languages as well, and especially loves bringing forth the wisdom of Shantideva's The Way of the Bodhisattva to as many people as possible.