Compassion for Animals: Deepening Our Love for Others
2019-03-23 10:30 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
Animals experience many special sufferings. They often live in constant fear, greatly lacking mental and physical freedom. Humans exploit them by the millions without their consent. In this short meditation workshop we will explore methods by which we can deepen our compassion for animals, and use this experience to further our spiritual awareness and development of love for other beings.
This short 1/2 day course will include teachings and meditation in two sessions with a break for refreshments or walking. Meditators of all levels of experience are welcome.
If you would like to Pre-Register to save your place at the workshop, you can do so HERE.

The Blessing Empowerment of White Tara
2019-04-06 10:30 - 17:30 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
During this very special event, the Resident Teacher of Mahakankala Buddhist Center, Keli Vaughan, will grant the Blessing Empowerment of White Tara.
White Tara is a female enlightened being whose function is to bestow long life, wisdom, and good fortune. Because Tara is also the manifestation of the wind element of all Buddhas we can receive her blessings quickly, and by relying on her with faith we quickly receive her protection from contagious diseases, the dangers of fire, and other disasters.
This empowerment is a blissful guided meditation through which we make a deep connection with Mother Tara and receive her healing, joyful, and protective blessings.
The empowerment commentary will focus on the Tantric meditation practice known as self-generation. Practicing this meditation helps us to develop White Tara’s special qualities. Everyone is welcome.
PRE-REGISTRATION WILL BE AVAILABLE HERE ON MARCH 8.
Schedule:
10:30 AM – 11 AM Registration
11 AM – 1 PM – White Tara Empowerment
1 PM -2:30 PM Lunch Break
2:30 PM – 3:45 PM – Empowerment Commentary
4:15 PM – 5:30 PM – White Tara Practice
A guided 4-session retreat on the Four Great Seals will follow on Sunday, April 7. More info HERE.

Meditations on the Four Great Seals
2019-04-07 09:00 - 15:30 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
Everyone is welcome to enjoy this rare opportunity to meditate on the Four Great Seals of Sutra Mahamudra. These meditations create powerful causes to experience a deeply peaceful, blissful mind and permanent mental freedom. With the intention to share this experience with all living beings, we make the whole day of retreat an offering to the world.
By practicing this sequence of meditations in our life, our mind will become progressively more tranquil and positive, and increasingly more pure and powerful; with practice, we will gradually enjoy an experience of lasting peace and contentment from within our own mind.
All sessions will be guided by our Resident Teacher, Keli Vaughan, as a follow-up to the Saturday Blessing Empowerment of White Tara.
Schedule:
Session 1 9:00am-10:00am — All Functioning Things Are Impermanent
Session 2 10:30-11:30am — All Contaminated Things Are the Nature of Suffering
Session 3 1:00pm-2:00pm — Only Nirvana is Peace
Session 4 2:30-3:30pm — All Phenomena Are Selfless
$30 for Whole Retreat/ $10 per Session/ Free for Members of Foundation Program of MBC

Buddha's Enlightenment Day
2019-04-15 17:00 - 19:00 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
Everyone is welcome and invited to join us for Offering to the Spiritual Guide Prayers to celebrate Buddha’s Enlightenment Day.
This beautiful prayer practice is a special Guru yoga of Je Tsongkhapa in conjunction with Highest Yoga Tantra. It was compiled by the first Panchen Lama, Losang Chökyi Gyaltsän, as a preliminary practice for Vajrayana Mahamudra. The main practice is relying upon the Spiritual Guide, but it also includes all the essential practices of the stages of the path (Lamrim) and training the mind (Lojong), as well as both the generation stage and completion stage of Highest Yoga Tantra.
Our prayer booklets are in English, and we have plenty available for use during this special offering. Please join us!

Mala Making Workshop (Lompoc)
2019-06-01 11:00 - 14:30 | 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
Learn the traditional Buddhist technique for making or repairing a mala.
A mala is a ritual object that Buddhists use to count prayers or mantras. For Buddhist practitioners their mala is a very precious and meaningful object. Making a mala is a very meditative practice in itself. This three-hour workshop includes a brief talk on the beautiful minds of prayer, mantra recitation, and concentration, followed by instruction and hands on mala-making.
Join us for this special event! Cost of workshop is $20 for those donating the mala they make to our center for sale in the bookstore — or leave with your very own handmade mala for an extra $10 materials fee.

Special Prayers to Celebrate Geshe Kelsang Gyatso's Birthday
2019-06-03 17:30 - 19:30 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
We dedicate this heart practice of Offering to the Spiritual Guide to the continued good health and long life of our kind Spiritual Guide, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, for his birthday. Everyone is welcome and invited to join us for this beautiful prayer practice.
Offering to the Spiritual Guide is a special Guru yoga of Je Tsongkhapa in conjunction with Highest Yoga Tantra. It was compiled by the first Panchen Lama, Losang Chökyi Gyaltsän, as a preliminary practice for Vajrayana Mahamudra. The main practice is relying upon the Spiritual Guide, but it also includes all the essential practices of the stages of the path (Lamrim) and training the mind (Lojong), as well as both the generation stage and completion stage of Highest Yoga Tantra.
May all living beings have the good fortune to meet you, Venerable Geshe-la. Happy Birthday!

Puja & Potluck (Lompoc)
2019-06-06 17:30 | 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
Save the Date!
Join us for Heart Jewel prayers at 5:30, then a casual community dinner before our teachers leave for the summer.
We have prayer booklets in English for use during this practice.
At 6:30 we’ll eat together and share ideas about how we can help Mahakankala Buddhist Center North continue to flourish.
Bring a vegetarian dish to share — we’ll have plates, cutlery and water.

Training In Mindfulness (Lompoc)
2019-07-03 18:30 - 19:30, 2019-07-10 18:30 - 19:30, 2019-07-17 18:30 - 19:30, 2019-07-24 18:30 - 19:30 | 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
“Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible.” ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
Prayer and meditation are neither small nor passive actions. Rather, they are a force for change in our shared world. Join us to bring peace to our world through the action of meditation, and dedicating our prayers for world peace. Everyone is welcome – you do not need to be a Buddhist to attend.
Each class consists of a guided breathing meditation, a short teaching on Buddhist meditation techniques, and a guided meditation to practice as a group. The preparatory prayers are in English. Prayer booklets are available for use.
If you pre-register for the whole 4-week guided meditation series, you will receive a copy of The NEW Meditation Handbook, authored by renowned Buddhist scholar and Meditation Master, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Pre-register HERE.
Suggested Donation per single class – $10

Guru Yoga Mandala Offering Retreat
2019-09-01 09:00 - 17:30, 2019-09-02 09:00 - 17:30 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
Retreat sessions will be on Sunday, September 1 and Monday, September 2. The first session of the retreat on Sunday will be an introduction to the practices of Guru Yoga and Mandala Offering by our Resident Teacher, Kadam Keli Vaughan. The retreat is open to everyone. Each retreat session is 90 minutes long including prayers.
The practice of Mandala Offering creates vast good fortune and is a method to attain the Pure Land of a Buddha.
Giving with a mind of compassion unmixed with attachment is the first of the Six Perfections. Buddha taught giving as the first of the Six Perfections so that living beings can generate good fortune, or merit, to sustain all necessary conditions for our spiritual practice. While meditation plants the seeds of realizations within our mind, if our mind is devoid of merit, or good karma, we will be planting seeds in barren ground. Accumulating merit creates a rich and fertile mental environment within which our meditations will swiftly ripen and transform into realizations.
The blessings arising from the practice of Guru Yoga are rain that nurtures and sustains the seeds of our meditation. Guru Yoga is a special and powerful method that enables us to receive the blessings of all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and holy beings. Receiving this inspiration into our mind bestows inner peace and gives rise to realizations of renunciation, universal compassion, and wisdom realizing emptiness.
Session 1 9:00-10:30am (Introduction to the practice on Sunday / Regular session on Monday)
Session 2 11:00am-12:30pm
Session 3 2:00-3:30pm
Session 4 4:00-5:30pm
Each session is $5 or $20 for whole day.
Free for Foundation Program students.

Free Meditation Classes at the Lompoc Family YMCA
2019-09-16 | Lompoc Family YMCA, 201 W. College Ave., Lompoc, CA, 93436, United States
Join us at the Lompoc Family YMCA for two meditation classes
Monday, September 16
Morning Class – 10:30-11:30am
Evening Class – 5:30-6:30pm
About the classes:
A daily practice of meditation offers us fresh perspectives on our life. These classes provide an opportunity to pause and relax. Using guided breathing meditation, we’ll create peace in our own mind. No special attire required. You can bring your own cushion or sit in a chair.
About the teacher:
Kadam Keli Vaughan is the Resident Teacher of Mahakankala Buddhist Center in Santa Barbara, CA – a member of the New Kadampa Tradition, International Kadampa Buddhist Union. Kadam Keli has been studying and practicing meditation in this tradition of Buddhism since 1995. She also teaches at Mahakankala Buddhist Center North in Lompoc, CA.

Fall Festival Countdown - Temple Opening
2019-09-26 | International Kadampa Retreat Center Grand Canyon, 6701 Mountain Ranch Resort Dr, Williams, AZ, 86046, United States
For information, please click HERE.

International Kadampa Fall Festival
2019-09-27, 2019-09-28, 2019-09-29, 2019-09-30, 2019-10-01, 2019-10-02, 2019-10-03 | International Kadampa Retreat Center Grand Canyon, 6701 Mountain Ranch Resort Dr, Williams, AZ, 86046, United States
For information and registration, click HERE.

Meditation for Families & Kids
2019-10-27 09:00 - 10:00 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
Through stories, songs, meditation, and crafts, children can learn simple Buddhist principles such as kindness, respect for others, and keeping a happy heart. A parent needs to accompany each child for this class.
Adults will find these introductory teachings valuable as well, and will be able to use what is learned in class throughout the week. Practicing meditation together can support a family life filled with loving-kindness, peace and harmony.
Cost per family: $10

Vajrasattva Purification Retreat
2019-12-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
Everyone Welcome.
Purification practice ensures that the mental environment within which we plant the seeds of meditation is pure and level — not like stony ground.
All Buddhas appear in the form of Vajrasattva to purify the minds of living beings. For this reason the practice of meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva is superior to other purification practices. By relying upon Vajrasattva practice, we naturally become happier and begin to experience ever purer states of mind such as love, compassion, and wisdom.
Using Vajrasattva’s mantra, we concentrate on removing the negative karma in our mind by applying the Four Powers:

Reliance on the Compassion, Wisdom, and Power of Enlightened Beings
Regret for Engaging in Harm and Negativity
The Virtuous Opponent Force of the Mantra of Purification
The Promise to Refrain from Negative Habits of Body, Speech, and Mind

Each meditation session lasts 90 minutes and includes some instruction on the practice, as well as preparatory prayers and time for mantra recitation. Saturday sessions will be guided. Sunday sessions will be self-guided for those who are familiar with the practice.
You are welcome to join us for the entire retreat, or to drop in for any session you have time for. Any meditation retreat becomes more qualified and beneficial if sequential sessions are attended.
An introduction to the practice will be presented by our Resident teacher, Keli Vaughan, on Friday, December 20 at 7pm. This will help beginners and experienced meditators prepare for the retreat.

Retreat Schedule:
Friday
Introduction to Purification Practice 7:00-8:30pm
Saturday (guided)
Session 1 9:00-10:30am
Session 2 11:00am-12:30pm
Session 3 2:00-3:30pm
Session 4 4:00-5:00pm Heart Jewel
Sunday (self-guided)
Session 1 2:00-3:30pm
Session 2 4:00-5:30pm
$15 for each day’s program.
$40 for whole retreat.
Free for monthly members.

Vajrasattva Purification Retreat
2019-12-21 09:00 - 17:00, 2019-12-22 14:00 - 17:30 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
Everyone Welcome.
Purification practice ensures that the mental environment within which we plant the seeds of meditation is pure and level — not like stony ground.
All Buddhas appear in the form of Vajrasattva to purify the minds of living beings. For this reason the practice of meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva is superior to other purification practices. By relying upon Vajrasattva practice, we become happier and begin to experience ever purer states of mind such as love, compassion, and wisdom.
Using Vajrasattva’s mantra, we concentrate on removing the negative karma in our mind by applying the Four Powers:

Reliance on the Compassion, Wisdom, and Power of Enlightened Beings
Regret for Engaging in Harm and Negativity
The Virtuous Opponent Force of the Mantra of Purification
The Promise to Refrain from Negative Habits of Body, Speech, and Mind

Each meditation session lasts 90 minutes and includes some instruction on the practice, as well as preparatory prayers and time for mantra recitation. Saturday sessions will be guided. Sunday sessions will be self-guided for those who are familiar with the practice.
You are welcome to join us for the entire retreat, or to drop in for any session you have time for. Any meditation retreat becomes more qualified and beneficial if sequential sessions are attended.
An introduction to the practice will be presented by our Resident teacher, Keli Vaughan, on Friday, December 20 at 7pm. This will help beginners and experienced meditators prepare for the retreat.

Retreat Schedule:
Friday
Introduction to Purification Practice 7:00-8:30pm
Saturday (guided)
Session 1 9:00-10:30am
Session 2 11:00am-12:30pm
Session 3 2:00-3:30pm
Session 4 4:00-5:00pm Heart Jewel
Sunday (self-guided)
Session 1 2:00-3:30pm
Session 2 4:00-5:30pm
$15 for each day’s program.
$40 for whole retreat.
Free for monthly members.

NYE Meditation
2019-12-31 18:30 - 19:45 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
“Only by creating peace within our own mind and helping others to do the same can we hope to achieve peace in this world.”
Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
Please consider joining us during the early part of your New Year’s Eve. Together we can create a healthy world with a shift in the way we think and perceive. We make that shift through contemplation, prayer, and meditation.
Bring a friend! Celebrate our collective wish to remove suffering from our world. The evening’s program will include a guided meditation and prayers to Avalokiteshvara, Buddha of Compassion.
This event is free of charge, but donations are always welcome.

Concentration Retreat Intro
2020-01-03 19:00 - 20:30 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
In this introduction to the practice of retreat we will review setting retreat boundaries and the levels of concentration we can accomplish through continual familiarity with one meditation object.
During the silent retreat that follows, the center will be open for meditators who wish to deepen their practice of concentration in four sessions. Silence will be observed within the center during retreat.
Each session will begin with the preparatory practices of prayers, up to visualizing receiving blessings from Buddha Shakyamuni and all the Enlightened Beings.
The remainder of the session will be in silence with no concluding prayers. Timed chimes will alert participants to each session’s end.
GUIDELINES FOR THIS 2-DAY RETREAT

Please come prepared with your meditation object. When training in developing concentration we practice meditating on the same object in all sessions. Examples of meditation objects: Equanimity, Death and Impermanence, Renunciation, Compassion, Taking, Giving, Emptiness of the Body
Please arrive early so you can start prayers on time. Coming late will disrupt others’ session.
Once the session starts, please be prepared not to leave your cushion or chair. This determination will support your practice as well as prevent disturbing each other’s practice.

Cost to attend whole retreat including introductory talk – $40.
Introductory talk on Friday – $10.
Each stand-alone session – $5.
Thank you for supporting Meditation in Santa Barbara!

Silent Concentration Retreat
2020-01-04 10:30 - 18:30, 2020-01-05 13:45 - 16:45 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
The center will be open for meditators who wish to deepen their practice of concentration in four sessions. Silence will be observed within the center during retreat.
Each session will begin with the preparatory practices of prayers, up to visualizing receiving blessings from Buddha Shakyamuni and all the Enlightened Beings.
The remainder of the session will be in silence with no concluding prayers. Timed chimes will alert participants to each session’s end.
SCHEDULE
Saturday:
Session 1 10:30 am – 11:45 am
Session 2 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm
Session 3 3:30 pm – 4:45 pm
Session 4 5:15 pm – 6:30 pm
Sunday:
Session 5 1:45-3:00pm
Session 6 3:30-4:45pm
GUIDELINES

Please come prepared with your meditation object. When training in developing concentration we practice meditating on the same object in all sessions. Examples of meditation objects: Equanimity, Death and Impermanence, Renunciation, Compassion, Taking, Giving, Emptiness of the Body
Please arrive early so you can start prayers on time. Coming late will disrupt others’ session.
Once the session starts, please be prepared not to leave your cushion or chair. This determination will support your practice as well as prevent disturbing each other’s practice.

Cost to attend whole retreat (including Friday introduction) $40, or $5 per session.
Thank you for supporting Meditation in Santa Barbara!
