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This 8-week course is designed to be a thorough introduction to Calm Abiding Meditation. It is suitable for all ages and persuasions, and there is no commitment - all are welcome. Lama Choedak Rinpoche will help you to understand your calm abiding nature, and explain how you can integrate this sense of calmness into the activities of everyday life, and how to transform negative situations into something positive. Shamatha or calm abiding meditation is the foundation to many higher levels of meditation practice. Under the expert guidance of Lama Choedak Rinpoche you will learn to overcome the common obstacles to meditation by skilfully applying the appropriate antidotes. Any meditator would benefit from Rinpoche's interpretation of the instructions on the five obstacles and the eight antidotes to Calm Abiding meditation. Note: Wear loose, comfortable clothing. If you are unable to sit on a cushion, chairs are available.

NOTE: Lama Choedak Rinpoche also conducts meditation classes on Tuesdays 12:30 - 1:30pm at ANU, Sports & Rec Bldg (19 North Rd Acton) for students and nonmembers. Please contact THEM: sports@anu.edu.au  6125 2273.

Pha Dampa Sangye was an elusive Indian Buddhist saint who travelled to Tibet on at least four or five occasions. During one of the visits, he allowed his body to be used by Kamalashila's holy mind. Some people think he is also none other than Bodhidharma, the great Indian monk who promoted in China what came to be known as Zen Buddhism. In Tibet, he is best known as Pha Dampa, the founder of Chod practices. There is a very famous teaching he gave in Dingri known as the 'One Hundred Teachings of Pha Dampa Sangye'. In this term, Rinpoche will teach on these famous and succinct instructions, full of pearls of wisdom for happy living. It is all for this life! All are welcome! 

More and more people are turning to Buddhist philosophy because it offers practical and logical wisdom, and in order to lead a kind and meaningful life. In Mahayana Buddhism, one does not renounce the pressing issues of life in exchange for spiritual tranquillity; instead, one learns to deal with them in a calm, wise and compassionate manner. In an informal setting, Rinpoche will teach this course based on his life experience applying the philosophy. There will be a short guided meditation in each session, and time for questions and answers.

Friday night talk starts 7pm at Karuna. Weekend teachings run 9:30 to 4:30 at Theosophical Society. Please book. These teachings are hosted by the Rongton Buddhist Centre, Brisbane. For all information and for bookings, please check www.rongtonbuddhistcentre.org or contact them 07 3352 4730 rongtonbrisbane@gmail.com

Kate McAnergney has been teaching Yoga for six years. She teaches a dynamic, flowing style of Yoga focusing on the integration of sound, breath, movement and internal awareness. Kate approaches asana (physical yoga) practice with a sense of curiosity and playfulness. An intuitive and down to earth teacher, she encourages her students towards finding a sense of contentment and peace of mind through embracing the body in all it's potential whilst accepting it's limitations. As well as teaching several asana sessions over the weekend, Kate will also be offering yoga nidra, restorative yoga practices and chanting.

Joel Orenstein grew up in a Tibetan Buddhist community and has practiced meditation for much of his adult life. He believes that through regular practice all people can develop greater awareness and clarity to experience calm in their lives. Joel has been teaching meditation classes, workshops and retreats over the past five years. A long-time student of Lama Choedak Rinpoche, Joel will be working in tandem with Kate to introduce meditation and other mindfulness practices over this weekend.

Healthy vegetarian food with all diets/allergies catered for.

Previous yoga experience would be beneficial but not essential.

Kate and Joel regularly run yoga retreats at SIBA including the Queen's Birthday long weekend 8-11 June 2012. Email Kate if you would like to be kept in touch with when these will be occurring.

Relax and nurture yourself and your family in beautiful, green, tranquil surroundings at a friendly and peaceful dedicated place of healing in the Snowy River Country of East Gippsland.

During the five days the following classes, workshops and individual treatments will be on offer -

• Yoga
• Meditation
• Alexander Technique
• Massage
• Tibetan Massage
• Singing and chanting
  
• Shiatsu and Japanese Needling
  
• Children's programme
  

This residential retreat offers a choice of workshops, seminars and individual consultations with alternative health care professionals. There will also be daily classes in the Buddhist art of healing meditation as well as yoga sessions.

Families are welcome.

Gain from the knowledge and expertise of experienced health care practitioners. Revitalise your mind and body with clean air and healthy vegetarian food in a friendly and peaceful Buddhist community.

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Calm Abiding meditation is a joyful practice which enables us to be calm and to gain insight into the nature of the mind. It reveals the causes which lead to suffering when all we ever want is to be happy. If our perception is out of focus, then everything we see will be distorted. Such realisation enables us to live life from our source. It frees us from the habitual tracks of thinking which lock us into limited ways of seeing and experiencing ourselves and the world.

All aspects of meditation will be explained from correct posture to dealing with obstacles such as drowsiness to excitation as well as Buddhist wisdom and its application in everyday life. This knowledge will help us to put situations into context, reducing the need to blame others and ourselves. This leads to self awareness and eventually, inner freedom. The teachings are precious as they allow us to live in harmony and add dignity to everything we do.

Tai Chi is a system based on training the mind, body and spirit. Its gentle yet powerful movements cultivate and stimulate the qi (essential energy). The essence of Tai Chi is Qigong, that is, the cultivation of energy. During the retreat, you will energise yourself the Wudang Taoist Qigong of Ba Duan Jin (Eight Section Brocade). It is so named because of the silk like quality it brings to the body and its energy. These exercises help to open and strengthen the joints and sinews of the body. They have a beneficial effect on major organs of the body - heart, lungs, kidneys, spleen and stomach. Practising this medical Qigong helps the body to adjust internally and regulate excess heat or cold. Thus, balance is restored. The Eight Section Brocade will gently loosen the body and revitalise your energy.

Tai Chi is presented and taught by masters Brett Wagland and Fontaine Ip. They are founders of Tai Chi Academy in Canberra.

This retreat is designed to give you a balance between sitting and moving states of meditation, maintaining the sense of deep relaxation, peace and calm experienced by both practices. This is a rare opportunity to gain insight into the body-mind and to use it as a tool to experience a taste of your true nature.

Everyone is welcome, beginner or advanced.

The practice of Nyung-ne is a fundamental traditional Buddhist practice that combines discipline and meditation to help us purify our negativities and develop wise compassion. In the Buddhist context, compassion is a positive response based on a deep understanding of suffering and the causes of suffering.

The basic aim of the practice is to purify negative karma by abstaining from (1) killing, (2) stealing, (3) sexual activity, (4) telling lies and (5) drinking or taking any intoxicants. These are the five precepts. In addition to these five, one also abstains from (6) eating meat and eating after midday, (7) singing, dancing, playing music, wearing perfumes and (8) sitting on high seats. Noble silence is also observed even though it is not one of the precepts.

Mahayana stresses the importance of dedicating one's fasting and prayer for the benefit of all sentient beings. When Vajrayanists observe the eight precepts for two days, together with the meditation of Avalokiteshvara practice, they call it 'Nyung-ne'.

In skilfully combining devotional practices with the eight precepts, Nyung-ne accentuates the effective restoration of wholesome qualities and purification of unwholesome deeds. One takes the precepts in combination with twelve or more hours of devotional practices of prostrations, meditation and chanting of Dharanis of Avalokiteshvara. In terms of the three remedies taught by the Buddha, observing the eight precepts is the discipline component; meditating in the form of Avalokiteshvara is the meditation component; and coming to understand the merit in following these practices is the wisdom component.

Lama Choedak Rinpoche will preside over the retreat including giving the necessary empowerment of 1,000 Armed Avalokiteshvara on the Friday evening. The retreat finishes on monday morning after the last session of Nyung Ne before breakfast.

There will a group of practitioners continuing with the Nyung Ne practice for a further seven sets. The eight sets of Nyung Ne are popularly done in the Tibetan tradition of the two week honouring of Saga Dawa (Vesak). The eight sets will be completed on Buddha Day, 4 June 2012. Those taking part in the first Nyung Ne set (18 - 21 May) may stay on the complete more sets of the Nyung Ne or all eight. If you wish to take part in additional sets of Nyung Ne please contact us.

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Kate McAnergney has been teaching Yoga for six years. She teaches a dynamic, flowing style of Yoga focusing on the integration of sound, breath, movement and internal awareness. Kate approaches asana (physical yoga) practice with a sense of curiosity and playfulness. An intuitive and down to earth teacher, she encourages her students towards finding a sense of contentment and peace of mind through embracing the body in all it's potential whilst accepting it's limitations. As well as teaching several asana sessions over the weekend, Kate will also be offering yoga nidra, restorative yoga practices and chanting.

Joel Orenstein grew up in a Tibetan Buddhist community and has practiced meditation for much of his adult life. He believes that through regular practice all people can develop greater awareness and clarity to experience calm in their lives. Joel has been teaching meditation classes, workshops and retreats over the past five years. A long-time student of Lama Choedak Rinpoche, Joel will be working in tandem with Kate to introduce meditation and other mindfulness practices over this weekend.

Healthy vegetarian food with all diets/allergies catered for.

Previous yoga experience would be beneficial but not essential.

Kate and Joel regularly run yoga retreats at SIBA. Email Kate if you would like to be kept in touch with when these will be occurring.

Sickness is a common suffering of all living beings.  However, according to Tibetan medicine, most illnesses are psychosomatic.  Ill health that is generated by one's unwholesome attitude cannot be cured by conventional medicine alone.

This residential retreat will help you understand how certain mind states can contribute to ill health, and to learn how to apply the appropriate antidotes.  Discover the connection between thoughts, behaviour and speech, and the positive and negative effects they have on your health.

At this workshop Lama Choedak Rinpoche will give the empowerment of Medicine Buddha's meditation and impart the transmission of the healing mantra passed down through an unbroken lineage since the time of the Buddha.

This weekend provides a complete training  in practical as well as theoritical session on how to do the Healing Buddha's meditation.  You will also learn how to use it to assist friends and relatives who may be ill or dying.  This profound meditation technique will compliment any form of medical treatment.  This practice can reduce the side effects and increase the effectiveness of any medication.  It is especially recommended for health professionals and those who are interested in learning self-healing.

Meditation has a proven record in its ability to improve health, awaken happiness and give a clear perspective on life. To learn to meditate you need an experienced teacher and a well defined path. Calm Abiding Meditation can help you become relaxed, focussed and peaceful. It enables you to identify the real causes of unhappiness and recover from stress, anxiety and tension.

Lama Choedak Rinpoche has committed his focus on the fundamental authentic Buddhist practices that are most effective and relevant to the Westerners that he teaches. The practice of Calm Abiding meditation remains one of the most popular Buddhist meditation methods. Rinpoche has taught this technique to tens of thousands of people over the past 25 years having developed a practice and teaching programme that is unique in its depth and lucidity. Interpreting traditional scriptural teachings, this is more than just meditation but an introduction to Buddhism.

Newcomers to meditation will find the instruction clear and meaningful while experienced practitioners discover new tools for engaging with their meditation practice that they did not have before.

Lama Choedak Rinpoche will give the empowerment of Avalokiteshvara, Bodhisattva of Compassion and impart the instruction on this daily sadhana practice and the recitiation of the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM.

Meditation is a tool to help change undesirable habits, improve self-confidence and to add a touch of dignity and sacredness to your life. You will be able to integrate a sense of calmness into everyday activities, and transform negative situations into something positive. Come and enjoy learning a time-proven skill that will bring you lifelong happiness.

Training the Trainer Programme

Those who complete the Ten-day Calm Abiding Meditation retreat are invited to take part in the annual Training the Trainer which immediately follows on from the Ten-day retreat. This three day programme is an intensive training for those with some experience with meditation to facilitate 8-week Calm Abiding Meditation Courses. Hundreds of students of Lama Choedak Rinpoche have lead these 8-week course all over Australia and New Zealand and taught the benefits of meditation to thousands of people. For more information click here.

Training the Trainer is an intensive residential training programme that prepares experienced students of meditation in how to facilitate an eight week course teaching others Calm Abiding Meditation.

The programme is compiled according to Lama Choedak Rinpoche's popular 8-week meditation course plan. There is a comprehensive folder of notes including teaching plan and teaching notes on each of the eight weeks as well as a complete set of MP3 recordings of the 8-week course as taught by Rinpoche.

The minimum prerequiste for taking part in the course is that you must have completed a 10-day Calm Abiding meditation retreat with Lama Choedak Rinpoche.

The Training the Trainer course is now in it's 9th year and has seen hundreds of experienced meditators trained in how to carefully instruct others how to meditate.

For more information click here

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