Ani Pema Talk 2025 FAQ

The Special Live Talk by Pema Chödrön will take place on Wednesday, July 16. In-person registration is full.

Schedule:
8:30 am – 9:20 am: Opening Chants & Guided Meditation session
9:20-10am: Break
10-12: Ani Pema Talk

OPTION 1 FROM NORTH BOULDER:
Driving Directions from Four Mile Creek Parking Lot down Lee Hill Road and Broadway in North Boulder (copy and paste the link if it doesn’t open) http://goo.gl/maps/ZMDH7 

OPTION 2 FROM CENTRAL BOULDER:
Driving Directions from Four Mile Creek Parking Lot down Boulder Canyon Drive in Central Boulder (copy and paste the link if it doesn’t open) http://goo.gl/maps/8ZEPc 

For both options, follow these directions once you are on Peak to Peak (Hwy 72):

• After the sign for Ward and after the turn off for Brainard Lake, there is a small pub/cabin on left called the Millsite Inn. Just over a 1.2 miles past the Millsite Inn, begin slowing down.
• Parking staff will be at the turn off to the parking field to assist you. 
• There will be orange cones marking the turnoff to the parking field.

No. This is a fundraiser talk. Pema Chödrön generously donates the proceeds of her dharma talk at Nyingma Summer Seminar to offer significant support for the activities of Mangala Shri Bhuti. One of Pema’s main teachers is Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. She spends much of the year in retreat at Samten Ling, one of MSB’s three main centers.

The afternoon talk by the Venerable Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche on 7/16 is currently open for registration in person and streaming.

In person registration here >>

If you are interested in live streaming, please visit this page >>.

In the summer, teachings are held outdoors in our large shrine tent. During other programs, teaching and practice are held indoors in the center’s shrine room. A shrine room is a sacred space in which we connect with the Three Jewels (the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha), hear the teachings and ultimately connect with our own enlightened nature.

The following are guidelines that help us remain mindful and respectful of the precious opportunity we have to hear the teachings and study and practice the Dharma.

• Personal belongings (lunches, backpacks, coats, etc.) also should be kept with you at your seat.
• When entering and leaving the shrine room it is customary to offer a gesture of respect. This can be done by placing your palms together at your heart and bowing slightly.
• Conversation should be kept to a minimum in and around the shrine room. 
• Turn off all cell phones and watch alarms.
• Dress appropriately. Revealing clothing such as halter tops and shorts are not appropriate attire. Hats should be removed before entering the shrine room.
• Chant books, texts, liturgies, sacred images should be treated with respect. Do not place them directly on the floor or step over them.

• Catered, vegetarian lunch was available by pre-order. There are limited meals available day of.
• We will serve complementary tea and coffee throughout the program. 
• ​Bottled water, soft drinks and ice cream will also be available for sale.
• If you have special dietary needs, please come prepared with your own food.

The parking area is a few hundred feet from the main shrine hall. The terrain is rocky and the elevation is over 9,000 feet. There are steep stairs and gravel pathways. Sturdy walking shoes are essential in the summer. The outhouses are along a dirt pathway 50-feet from the shrine room or shrine tent in the summer.

Pets, alcohol, illegal drugs, and weapons of any kind.

• Notebook, pens
• Personal water bottle
• Food for lunch, snacks
• Sunglasses, sunhat, sunscreen, insect repellant
• Clothing that you can layer (average summer temperatures are between 43-86º F, average winter temperatures 11-37º F)
• Shawl/blanket (cool in mornings/evenings)
• Rain poncho/small folding umbrella
• Katag (prayer scarf) and envelope for final day’s teacher offering
• Walking shoes or sandals that can easily be taken on and off (shoes are not permitted in the shrine room)
• Meditation cushions are provided, but if you would like to bring your own, please do.

Phüntsok Chöling is accessible to individuals with mobility impairments or other disabilities. Please contact us if you have any special needs, regarding any questions or concerns you might have.

Pema Talk Schedule: July 16. 10am -12pm MT.

You DO NOT have to log into the website to watch the Live Stream of Pema’s Talk. 

Just click the link below to watch the talk. You may need to refresh your browser close to the start time of the talk (10am MT).

https://wisdomproductions.org/webinar/pema-2025

Thank you!

The fair weather in the Boulder area is one of its attractions—often mild, sunny and dry throughout the year. Though we’re only forty-five minutes from Boulder, the mountain weather at Phüntsok Chöling is much less predictable, because of the dramatic elevation change. This is likely to produce a much greater variability in temperature (especially at night), and in precipitation. Rain or an afternoon thunderstorm are frequent possibilities during the summer, and snow is likely anywhere from September through April. Nights and early mornings can be chilly at any time of year at Phüntsok Chöling, so it’s always useful to have something warm for layering. The sun can be intense at all times of the year, and, at higher elevations, because the atmosphere is thinned, sunscreen protection is especially important.

The altitude at Phüntsok Chöling is over 9,000 feet. For comparison, Boulder is 5,430 feet and Denver is 5,280 feet. If you live at a location near sea level (e.g. Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, St. Louis), you are likely to experience some noticeable physical effects from the higher elevation. Please expect these, so you won’t be overly concerned. Most people will have some shortness of breath, especially with any exertion (climbing stairs; carrying luggage); and some people report feeling headaches or upset stomach for the first day or two after arriving. Sleeping may also be fitful or interrupted. The acclimation period varies from one person to the next, but for most people, their discomfort is limited to the first 36 hours, though you still may get winded easily for much longer.

​Some travelers may prefer to spend an extra day or two in Denver or Boulder in order to make the transition more smoothly. Many of the effects of altitude change are due to relative dehydration because of the drier climate and the body’s adjustment mechanisms. Please keep in mind that much of the acclimation process can be accelerated by drinking plenty of water—more than you may be accustomed to drinking. In fact, some travelers avert much of the initial discomfort by drinking plenty of water prior to and during the day of travel, and arrive very well-hydrated.