First, a note about DANA: Dana (pronounced dah-na) is a Pali word meaning generosity. Dating back to the time of the Buddha, there has existed an interdependence between those who offer the teachings and those who receive them. In keeping with this tradition, our teachers offer the teachings freely and generously. We reimburse our teachers' travel expenses to and from Albuquerque and give them a small per diem for expenses incurred in Albuquerque. This does not cover their expenses at home or other expenses they may have such as health insurance. At sittings, study groups, and retreats, students will have the opportunity to offer voluntary contributions (dana) to the teachers so that they can pay their own living expenses and continue to teach. We hope that you'll be generous to our wonderful teachers.
Details below might change at any time so please check back for
revisions and new information!
Brian Lesage has practiced Buddhist meditation for twenty years.
He has studied in the Zen, Theravada and Tibetan schools of Buddhism.
He was ordained in the Rinzai Zen tradition in 1996. His training
in Vipassana Meditation includes doing extended meditation retreats
in Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, and India as well as numerous retreats
in the U.S. He leads retreats and teaches meditation courses
nationwide. Brian also has a private practice in Somatic Experiencing,
which is a naturalistic approach to healing trauma.
Discussions:
| Date | Day | Activity with Brian | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02/18/10 | Thursday | Sitting and dharma talk at Thursday night meeting on Gateways to Freedom: The Hindrances. | 6:30 pm - 8:15 pm | The Wat |
| 02/19/10 | Friday | Buddhist Movie Night:
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter | 6:30 pm | Mark Steele's House |
| 02/20/10 | Saturday | Study Group: We will examine Engaged Buddhism in the larger
context of Buddhist practice and we will also examine it in terms
of our own spiritual practice. Text: Excerpt from Interbeing:
Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism by Thich Nhat Hanh.
For a copy, send email to  unm.edu | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | RigDzin Dharma Center, 322 Washington St. SE |
| 02/21/10 | Sunday | Meditation and dharma talk on The Second Noble Truth at Sunday night sitting. | 6:30 pm - 8:15 pm | Bhava Yoga Studio, located at 520-A Central SE (corner of Walter and Central) |
| 02/22/10 | Monday | Group: Engaged Buddhism (continued).
Text: (1) Excerpt from The Bond Between Women by China
Galland; for a copy, send email to unm.edu | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | RigDzin Dharma Center, 322 Washington St. SE |
| 02/25/10 | Thursday | Sitting and dharma talk on Gateways to Freedom: The Aggregates at Thursday night meeting. | 6:30 pm - 8:15 pm | The Wat |
| 02/27/10 | Saturday | Hike: Bringing Mindfulness into the Outdoors. Please join us for a mostly silent hike with periods of mindful hiking interspersed with sitting meditation and time for discussion. We will hike the Domingo Baca at Ellena Giegos Open Space. This is a lovely desert hike that winds its way to a canyon with pretty little water falls. The round trip is approximately 4 miles and 400 feet elevation gain. The trail is meandering and not obvious in parts. To ensure that you will be able to find your way back, it is best to do the entire hike with the group. If you must leave early, on your own, it must be during the first 20 or 30 minutes, while the return trail is easy to follow. Bring plenty of water, a snack, hat, sunscreen, and good hiking shoes. Dress in layers. Parking fee is $2 per car. | 8:30 am to 1:30 am | Meet group at shopping center on NE corner of Montgomery and Tramway, by McDonald's. Look for hike leader Sandra Schroeder with her silver Toyota. We will car pool to Elena Gallegos, leaving promptly at 8:30. |
| 02/27/10 | Saturday | Potluck | 5:30 pm | Andrea's House |
| 02/28/10 | Sunday | Half-Day Retreat | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | The Source which is located at 1111 Carlisle Blvd SE |
unm.edu
Gloria Taraniya Ambrosia has been a Dhamma teacher since 1990. She is a student
of the western forest sangha, the disciples of Ajahn Sumedho and Ajahn Chah,
and is a Lay Buddhist Minister in association with Abhayagiri Buddhist
Monastery in California. She served as resident teacher of the Insight
Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts from 1996
through 1999. Taraniya serves as one of the three Core
Faculty at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies where
she does most of her teaching.
General Contact: Our general contact person for teacher residencies is Valerie Roth,
gmail.comPrevious Residencies: See Previous Teacher Residencies.
Dana, again: If you'd like to read more about dana, here is an essay from the Cloud Mountain Retreat Center site: Dana The Practice of Generosity.