Speaker: Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. This LINK was originally given by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche on November 2, 2014 at Phuntsok Choling, in Ward, Colorado. It is the third in the series called, “The Seven Riches of the Aryas”, and it covers “Jinpa” which is Tibetan for generosity. Rinpoche speaks of generosity as a “hook” for a happy, joyful and meaningful life.

Speaker: Fredi Kaufmann. Fredi reflects on how the relationship we cultivate with our experiences determines how much we suffer. When we reject experiences by ignoring them, assigning meaning to them, or trying to fix them, we contract, and suffering increases. When we open our heart in full acceptance of the present moment, suffering recedes. Shamatha practice cultivates our capacity to calmly abide with whatever arises.

Speaker: Dungse Jampal Norbu. Dungse-la points out that last thing we usually do in difficult circumstances is to appreciate and respect them. We tend to respond in a dualistic framework to get rid of “the bad” and grasp onto “the good.” As practitioner’s of the Dharma, we have the opportunity to use adversity to work with our own mind. We can see beyond the consensus view using the lenses of emptiness and interdependence.

Speaker: Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. This LINK was originally given by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche on October 5, 2014 at Phuntsok Choling, in Ward, Colorado. This is the second talk in the series called, “The Seven Riches of the Aryas”, and this talk covers “Tsultrim” which is Tibetan for discipline. Rinpoche speaks about Buddhist ethics and delves into the topic of treating others as we would like to be treated as a way to cut through religious dogma and cultivate peace in our lives.

Speaker: Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. This LINK was originally given by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche on April 6, 2014 at Phuntsok Choling in Ward, Colorado. It is the first in a series of talks given by Rinpoche called, “The Seven Riches of the Aryas”, and it covers “Tepa”, which is Tibetan for Faith. In this first talk, Rinpoche contrasts the differences between a life with and a life without devotion and faith. He examines how devotion supports one’s life, bringing ease and happiness, and a sense of security and sanity and how the flow of intelligence and discernment happens through acceptance and faith in situations. He explains how fear and anxieties do not stick in the core of one’s heart when devotion is present.

Speaker: Scott Gallagher. Scott explores what Rinpoche meant by two phrases he used in the 2022 Nyingma Summer Seminar: “thinking from the frame of mind of the Dharma” and “catching the beginning of the tail of liberation.” In the face of major life transitions, Scott suggests that, for him, “thinking from the frame of mind of the Dharma” means cultivating self-reflection and perseverance, and taking inspiration from the great masters, who overcame the same kinds of challenges that we experience. And that “catching the beginning of the tail of liberation” calls for transforming habitual mind, deepening our understanding of both the relative and absolute truths, and remembering the suffering and futility of samsara.

Speaker: Dungse Jampal Norbu. We can practice with whatever arises in our life, immediately. Even our busyness and especially our challenges in daily life are opportunites to look at life through the lens of the Dharma. We can “Make Good Art” with whatever arises. At the root of all suffering is self-importance. We don’t grow in the Dharma or even experience genuine connection until we start to let go of this self-importance. Enthusiastically engaging in service to the sangha is a powerful context for releasing self-importance.

Speaker: Alex Rocha. Alex reflects on how a challenging situation led him to re-assess his progress on the path. Years of diligent practice may lead us to overestimate our attainments and allow pride to creep in. But a crisis that jolts us out of our complacency can force us to see how deeply we have really assimilated the teachings. We can regard such experiences either as obstacles or as opportunities to grow. Alex relates how he navigated this kind of experience to gain more humility and a deeper appreciation of shamatha, renunciation, taking refuge, and familiarization with the nature of mind.

Speaker: Nicholas Carter. Nick contemplates the importance of making the Dharma your own by meeting your own experience directly. To do so, it is necessary to overcome the habit of believing in a solid self; to cut through the ego’s storytelling; and to engage in self-reflection, vigilant introspection, mindfulness and contemplation. These practices make it possible simply to be present with the body and one’s actual experience, and in this way to cultivate humility, strength, resolve and courage.

Speaker: Dungse Jampal Norbu. Speaking from the 25th annual Nyingma Summer Seminar on the second weekend, covering the Mahayana vehicle, Dungse-la encourages not being a loyalist to the ego’s narrative and impulses. By applying lojong mind training practice, we can have the tenacity to be with our own mind with the intention to be kind and compassionate. If instead we’re focused on building a fortress around the heart, it will be very hard to see from a Dharmic perspective. Lojong gives us the ability to train in the face of difficulties, to not trust the ego, and see through its desire for immediate gratification for oneself.