Welcome to The Rime Buddhist Center’s fall curriculum. This semester Geshe Tsewang Thinley will continue to lead classes on Shantideva’s Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra. We will be offering Meditation Workshop as well as our redesigned Basics of Buddhism class. We are very excited to offer several of our classes like Wisdom Rising and Preparing for the Refuge Vows both occurring on Wednesday and Thursday night session. Look for details below on these opportunities to deepen your practice with the support of fellow practitioners.

Class and text fees are listed with each class. Use the links in the titles of the class to register for the various classes online. Otherwise print out the registration form and bring it with you to the class. If you have questions about a specific class, please contact Lama Matthew Rice (Lobpön Palden Gocha) by email at spiritual.director@rimecenter.org.

The Way of the Bodhisattva CC309 – Thursdays
Treasured by Buddhists of all traditions, The Way of the Bodhisattva is a guide to cultivating the mind of enlightenment, and to generating the qualities of love, compassion, generosity, and patience. This text has been studied, practiced, and expounded upon in an unbroken tradition for centuries, first in India, and later in Tibet. Presented in the form of a personal meditation in verse, it outlines the path of the Bodhisattvas—those who renounce the peace of individual enlightenment and vow to work for the liberation of all beings and to attain buddhahood for their sake. This class will look at how we how we incorporate wisdom with Bodhichitta.
Instructor: Ven. Geshe Tsewang Thinley
Dates: Nine sessions on Thursdays, beginning on September 5, 2019
Times: 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: The Way of the Bodhisattva – $16.95
Prerequisite: Basics of Buddhism

Meditation Workshop
Meditation has been proven to: lower blood pressure, relieve stress, and help you cope with anxiety. It has also been shown to be very effective with chronic pain, insomnia, and panic disorder. The wonderful thing about meditation is that it can be used anywhere, even on the way to work and has no dangerous side effects. In this one session class you will learn this simple technique that can change your life.
Instructor: Lama Matthew Palden Gocha, Sergio Moreno (Yeshi Garkyi Wangchuk), and Nicole Esquibel (Delek Chodron)
Date: One Session beginning September 11, 2019
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: Free

Basics of Buddhism
Have you always wanted to understand Buddhism? Buddhism is a 2,500 year old tradition that teaches us how to end pain and suffering in ourselves and others. This 8 week course will cover meditation instruction, life of the Buddha, basic Buddhist teachings, as well as practical application of these principles in daily life.
Instructor: Lama Matthew Palden Gocha, Sergio Moreno (Yeshi Garkyi Wangchuk), and Nicole Esquibel (Delek Chodron)
Date: Eight Sessions beginning September 11, 2019
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $50
Text: Into the Heart of Life – $18.95

Four Immeasurables
The Four Immeasurables—the cultivation of loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity – is a rich suite of practices that open the heart, counter the distortions in our relationships to ourselves, and deepen our relationships to others. This class presents a unique interweaving of teachings on the Four Immeasurables with instruction on meditative quiescence, or shamatha practice, to empower the mind. This class will include both guided meditations and discussion on the implications of these teachings for our life.
Instructor: Nora Quiason, MD (Swami Kuvirananda) and Luis Flores (Dakpa Gelek)
Date: Four Sessions beginning September 18/19 & 25/26, 2019 (Note: This is a Wednesday and Thursday class)
Time: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $50
Text: The Four Immeasurables: Practices to Open the Heart – $16.95
Prerequisite: Basics of Buddhism

Wisdom Rising: Journey into the Mandala of the Empowered Feminine
Many seekers on the dharma path have asked for ways they might apply Buddha dharma in their everyday life. In the course we will:
• Review basic Buddhist concepts of emptiness, impermanence and samsara as well as the five poisons (anger, craving, ignorance or close-mindedness, envy and pride) and how they hinder our spiritual growth and impair our relationships.
• Discuss the characteristics of the five buddha families (groups) related to the five poisons
• Introduce the feminine aspect of the Divine (Dakini) and the importance of this empowering quality in our lives. (Note: This is not course for women only. Dakini is beyond gender.)
• Learn how to incorporate this knowledge into our daily meditation as a way to transform encumbered emotions into wisdom.
Instructor: Nora Quiason, MD (Swami Kuvirananda) and Luis Flores (Dakpa Gelek)
Dates: Four Sessions beginning October 23/24 & 30/31, 2019 (Note: This is a Wednesday and Thursday class)
Times: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: Wisdom Rising: Journey into the Mandala of the Empowered Feminine – $26.99
Prerequisite: Basics of Buddhism

Embodied Spirituality Pop-Up Class
Buddhist wisdom has held for millennia that the body itself is the pathway to realization, that awakening does not happen beyond the senses. Yet, because of cultural norms and habituation, most of us live in a dissociative state where we see our bodies as something separate from ourselves, a vessel of sorts. In this interactive class we will learn and apply somatic meditation principles and grounding techniques for a more embodied spiritual life and a healthier relationship with our bodies. This class is suitable for seasoned and beginning practitioners.
Instructor: Sergio Moreno (Yeshi Garkyi Wangchuk)
Date: One Session beginning on Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Class Fee: $30 Class fee
Text: None, Handouts will be given
Prerequisite: Basics of Buddhism

The Way of the Bodhisattva CC310 – Thursdays
Treasured by Buddhists of all traditions, The Way of the Bodhisattva is a guide to cultivating the mind of enlightenment, and to generating the qualities of love, compassion, generosity, and patience. This text has been studied, practiced, and expounded upon in an unbroken tradition for centuries, first in India, and later in Tibet. Presented in the form of a personal meditation in verse, it outlines the path of the Bodhisattvas—those who renounce the peace of individual enlightenment and vow to work for the liberation of all beings and to attain buddhahood for their sake. This class will look at how we how we engage in dedication with Bodhichitta.
Instructor: Ven. Geshe Tsewang Thinley
Dates: Six sessions on Thursdays, beginning on November 7, 2019
Times: 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: The Way of the Bodhisattva – $16.95
Prerequisite: Basics of Buddhism

Preparing for the Refuge Vows
This class is for anyone who is contemplating on taking the refuge vows. Taking the refuge vows is generally considered to be the doorway to the learning and incorporating the Buddhist tenets into one’s life. The aim is to provide the student with the understanding the what, why and how before making the commitment to take the refuge vows.
Instructor: Ven. Geshe Tsewang Thinley and Lama Matthew Palden Gocha
Date: Two Sessions beginning on Wednesday, November 13/14, 2019
Time: 7:45 – 9:00 p.m.
Class Fee: $30 Class fee
Text: None, Handouts will be given
Prerequisite: Basics of Buddhism

Death and Dying in Tibetan Buddhism
This class will guide participants through the Tibetan Buddhist teachings on death and dying, while providing practical tools for end-of-life and estate planning. Learn how to release your attachments, embrace impermanence, cultivate virtue, make the preparations and practices to further our goal of enlightenment during the dying process.
Instructor: Lama Matthew Palden Gocha & Andrea Duloc (Dekyong Wangmo)
Date: Four Session beginning November 20, 2019
Time: 7:45 – 9:00 pm
Class Fee: $30
Text: Dying with Confidence: A Tibetan Buddhist Guide to Preparing for Death – $16.95
Prerequisite: Basics of Buddhism

Other Classes
Rime Membership Class – Wednesdays
Becoming an official member of the Rime Center demonstrates your support of the Center. The four half-hour sessions cover the following topics: 1. Introductions, and over view of Tibetan Buddhism; 2. What does it mean to be Rime; 3. The organizational structure of the Rime Center and explanation of the center’s outreach programs; 4. Program Events and service opportunities – along with a tour of the Rime Center. Upon completion of the classes, students are inducted as new members of the Rime Center sangha and are given a mala personally blessed by H.H. Dalai Lama.
Instructor: Lama Matthew Palden Gocha
DATE CHANGE Dates: Four sessions on Wednesdays, beginning on October 16, 2019
Times: 6:00 – 6:30 pm
Class Fee: No fees
Prerequisite: None

Rime Membership Class – Sundays
Becoming an official member of the Rime Center demonstrates your support of the Center. The four half-hour sessions cover the following topics: 1. Introductions, and over view of Tibetan Buddhism; 2. What does it mean to be Rime; 3. The organizational structure of the Rime Center and explanation of the center’s outreach programs; 4. Program Events and service opportunities – along with a tour of the Rime Center. Upon completion of the classes, students are inducted as new members of the Rime Center sangha and are given a mala personally blessed by H.H. Dalai Lama.
Instructor: Lama Matthew Palden Gocha
Dates: Four sessions on Wednesdays, beginning on December 1, 2019
Times: 9:30 – 10:00 am
Class Fee: No fees
Prerequisite: None

Refuge Vows
Taking refuge in the three jewels is a strict prerequisite for any kind of relationship with the Buddhist teachings. The objects of refuge are the: Buddha, Dharma & Sangha (also known as the precious triple gem) grant protection to the spiritual seeker. The refuge ceremony is when one “officially” becomes Buddhist. The act of taking refuge is a declaration of one’s intention to follow the Buddhist path. The format will consist of two teachings sessions and ending with the refuge ceremony. As part of the refuge ceremony one is also given a new refuge name. At the end of the service we will have a potluck so please bring dish to share.
Instructor: Ven. Geshe Tsewang Thinley and Lama Matthew Palden Gocha
Date: One Session Sunday November 17, 2019
Times: 10:30 – 12:00 pm
Class Fee: No fees, but dana (donation) to the teacher suggested.
Prerequisite: Basics of Buddhism and Refuge Class