Foundation Program
2022-04-12 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-04-19 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-04-26 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
We are studying How to Understand the Mind by living Buddhist Master Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. This book offers us deep insight into our mind, and shows us how an understanding of its nature and functions can be used practically in everyday experience to improve our lives.

Through systematic study and meditation on this program we can deepen our understanding and insight of Buddha’s teachings, gain confidence in our meditation practice, and transform our lives by transforming our own mind. By learning to understand our own experiences of difficulty, problems, and suffering, we will be better able to support to those around us, and impact their lives in a more positive, meaningful way.

This study program requires enrollment, with a commitment to attend scheduled classes. Classes meet on Tuesday nights. Please click here to see Winter/Spring 2022 schedule.

Please ask to speak with our center Admin Director, Teresa Kuntz, our Education Program Coordinator, Mindy Thomas, or Resident Teacher, Kadam Keli Vaughan for information about enrollment. (805) 563-6000

Lunchtime Meditation
2022-04-13 12:30 - 13:00, 2022-04-20 12:30 - 13:00, 2022-04-27 12:30 - 13:00 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
Wednesdays
Stress Relief

Everyone is welcome to drop in at the Center for lunchtime meditations.
Let go of your stress and concerns, unwind, and enjoy a place of peace in the middle of your work week. In our busy lives, we need to nourish our mind as well as our bodies. Come enjoy a relaxing lunchtime break with a guided breathing meditation.

Wednesday Evening Meditation Class
2022-04-13 18:30 - 19:45, 2022-04-20 18:30 - 19:45, 2022-04-27 18:30 - 19:45 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
The Emptiness of the “I”

What if the “I” we cherish and spend so much time and energy protecting is nothing more than an idea? In this series of meditation classes we will learn a traditional Buddhist meditation on the emptiness of the I.
Far from being a mere intellectual exercise, the practice of this meditation creates an experience of freedom from anxiety and worry – and ultimately leads to the realization of the true nature of things: everything, including our I, or self, exists as mere name.

Drop in to any or all classes in this course. Perfect for beginners or those with meditation experience.

Class Fee $10
Each class begins with a guided breathing meditation and brief prayers, and culminates with a second meditation based upon the evening’s topic. Perfect for beginners or those with meditation experience. Open to everyone.
Please arrive a few minutes early to settle, whether in person or online.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84060006948
Meeting ID: 840 6000 6948

Nyungne Fasting & Compassion Retreat
2022-04-14 06:30 - 2022-04-15 17:00 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
This special fasting and purification practice is traditionally done by Kadampa Centers worldwide on Buddha’s Enlightenment day, which we celebrate on April 15.
Thousand-Armed (eleven-faced) Avalokiteshvara – “Mahakaruna” – is the nature of our Guru’s great compassion. Making exquisite offerings, praises, and prostrations to Avalokiteshvara, we accumulate huge merit, purify vast negativity for ourselves and others, and receive powerful blessing to propel ourself swiftly along our path to enlightenment.
Beginning each day we promise to engage in the practice of Mahayana Precepts, with fasting and three sessions of prostrations using the sadhana “Drop of Essential Nectar” over two days. Nyungne is held over two days, but participants can chose to attend only one day.
Usually, the second day is accompanied by a full fast; although strongly recommended, this is not compulsory. The practice culminates in a tsog puja, Offering to the Spiritual Guide, at 6pm on the 15th, Buddha’s Enlightenment Day. Everyone is welcome to join us for this special retreat! ** Please read details about the retreat below. **

FASTING: On the first day it is customary to abstain from all meals except lunch. The second day is a complete fast, abstaining from all food and drink until 6:30am on the following day. Those who are unable to engage in fasting can participate to the extent they are able.
PRACTICE: On both days, participants take Mahayana Precepts at 6:30am and do three sessions of chanted meditation and prostrations (physically or mentally) with the practice of Drop of Essential Nectar.

Cost: $20 for Entire Retreat – Free for Monthly Members
To practice this retreat one must engage in Mahayana Precepts at the start of each day, 6:30am. If you haven’t taken precepts before, please click here to learn about the commitments of precepts.

As a special incentive to those who wish to attend the retreat but cannot attend all the sessions in person, we are offering precepts and all sessions via zoom.

Join Zoom retreat:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88401540998
Meeting ID: 884 0154 0998

Thursday, April 14
6:30 – 7:00AM Mahayana Precepts
7:00 – 8:30AM Session 1
9:00 – 10:30AM Session 2
12:30 – 2:00PM Lunchtime
3:30 – 5:00PM Session 3

Friday, April 15
6:30 – 7:00AM Mahayana Precepts
7:00 – 8:30AM Session 1
9:00 – 10:30AM Session 2
1:30 – 3:00PM Session 3
6:00 – 8:00PM Special Offering to Spiritual Guide Prayer

PRAYER BOOKLETS FOR THE RETREAT

Precepts

Drop of Essential Nectar

Lunchtime Meditation
2022-04-14 12:30 - 13:00, 2022-04-21 12:30 - 13:00, 2022-04-28 12:30 - 13:00 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
Thursdays
A Joyful Path

Everyone is welcome to drop in at the Center for lunchtime meditations.
Joy is a state of mind. In these lunchtime meditations we will hear about different Buddhist views that cultivate joyful minds. These Introductory meditations are based on Lamrim, the backbone of Kadampa Buddhism.

Thursday Evening Meditation Class
2022-04-14 18:30 - 19:45, 2022-04-21 18:30 - 19:45 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
The Emptiness of the “I”

What if the “I” we cherish and spend so much time and energy protecting is nothing more than an idea? In this series of meditation classes we will learn a traditional Buddhist meditation on the emptiness of the I.
Far from being a mere intellectual exercise, the practice of this meditation creates an experience of freedom from anxiety and worry – and ultimately leads to the realization of the true nature of things: everything, including our I, or self, exists as mere name.

Drop in to any or all classes in this course. Perfect for beginners or those with meditation experience.

Class Fee $10
Each class begins with a guided breathing meditation and brief prayers, and culminates with a second meditation based upon the evening’s topic. Perfect for beginners or those with meditation experience. Open to everyone.
Please arrive a few minutes early to settle, whether in person or online.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85226687739
Meeting ID: 852 2668 7739

Meditation for World Peace
2022-04-17 10:30 - 11:45, 2022-04-24 10:30 - 11:45, 2022-05-01 10:30 - 11:45 | CA
“Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible.” ~
Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche

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.
Class is $10, payable through our Donate page.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/98408612855

Meeting ID: 984 0861 2855

Each class consists of a guided breathing meditation, a short teaching on the practice of wisdom and compassion, and prayers (in English) to the Buddha of Compassion. Prayer booklets and downloaded e-prayer booklets can be purchased HERE.

Powa Prayers
2022-04-17 14:30 - 15:15 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
Join us In Person or On Zoom.
Through practicing transference of consciousness — known as ‘powa’ — with faith, compassion, and concentration we can transfer the consciousness of those recently deceased to a higher rebirth or to the Pure Land of a Buddha. The Powa Ceremony can be done either by a group of practitioners or individually on behalf of one or more deceased persons, or countless deceased beings. By engaging in this practice we also create a great collection of virtue, which will also lead us into the pathway to a Buddha’s Pure Land.
All chanted prayers are free.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88127951454
Meeting ID: 881 2795 1454

Guided Lamrim Meditation
2022-04-18 18:30 - 19:45, 2022-05-02 18:30 - 19:45 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
Transform Your Life

In these meditation classes we will familiarize ourselves with the minds of Lamrim.

Lamrim is a special set of meditations presented by the Indian Buddhist Master Atisha that condenses all the essential teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni into a practice that modern people can use in their daily life.

Each class begins with a guided breathing meditation, preparatory prayers, and culminates with a second meditation based upon the evening’s topic. Drop in to any or all classes in this course. Perfect for beginners or those with meditation experience.

Please arrive five minutes early to settle, whether in person or on zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86832404786
Meeting ID: 868 3240 4786

Suggested donation is $10, and you can donate HERE.

Quick Path to Great Bliss
2022-04-19 07:30 - 09:00, 2022-04-26 07:30 - 09:00, 2022-05-03 07:30 - 09:00 | CA
*Highest Yoga Tantra practitioners only, please.

Lunchtime Meditation
2022-04-19 12:30 - 13:00, 2022-04-26 12:30 - 13:00, 2022-05-03 12:30 - 13:00 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
Tuesdays
Simply Breathe

Everyone is welcome to drop in at the Center for lunchtime meditations.
During these half hour sessions we are guided through a simple guided breathing meditation. This type of meditation is perfect for beginners and advanced meditators. By focusing on the breath all our worries, distractions, and obsessive ways of thinking fall away and we experience inner peace. Our mind is refreshed and relaxed and we’ll find it easier to deal with day to day stress.

Dakini Yoga
2022-04-22 06:00 - 07:00, 2022-04-29 06:00 - 07:00 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
*Highest Yoga Tantra practitioners only, please.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84468406969

Meeting ID: 844 6840 6969

Blessing Empowerment of Buddha Vajrapani
2022-04-30 10:30 - 17:00 | Mahakankala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1825 State Street Suite 202, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
An empowerment is a blissful guided meditation through which we make a direct connection with a Buddha, and receive powerful blessings.

Vajrapani is the Buddha of spiritual power; the embodiment of the spiritual strength of all the Buddhas. He appears in a wrathful aspect, displaying his power to overcome all outer, inner, and secret obstacles to spiritual practice.
Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso says, the function of Vajrapani “is to destroy living beings’ enemy of delusions by bestowing special power upon their body and mind.”
The empowerment is a blissful guided meditation through which we connect to Buddha Vajrapani’s enlightened mind. By receiving these inspiring blessings, we can develop our own potential for a fearless heart and gain the confidence we need to progress along the spiritual path. Through the power of our continued practice and Vajrapani’s blessings we can cultivate the courageous compassion of a Bodhisattva, someone who can bring enormous relief to our suffering world.
Everyone is welcome!

PRE-REGISTER HERE

Schedule:
10:30 AM – 11 AM – Walk up Registration and check-in
11 AM – 1 PM – Blessing Empowerment
1 PM -2:30 PM – Lunch Break
2:30 PM – 3:45 PM – Empowerment Commentary
4:15 PM – 5:30 PM – The Yoga of Buddha Vajrapani Practice
