Karma Thegsum Chöling Jacksonville

Special Announcement from Director Michael Turnquist

By samantha.thach3Posted on Posted in Fundraiser, News/Misc
In an effort to raise $10,000 for our Permanent Center Fund by the end of the summer please read the following letter from our KTC Jacksonville Director, Michael Turnquist, as to the importance of our endeavor.
https://www.gofundme.com/new-home-for-ktc-jacksonville​
Letter_header

Dear Friends and Supporters of Karma Thegsum Choling Jacksonville,

As we enter our 32nd year of serving the Northeast Florida community, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has supported the activity of Karma Thegsum Choling Jacksonville!

Truly, this recognized center for the practice and study of Kagyu Dharma in North America has remained faithfully committed to providing authentic opportunities for the hearing, contemplation, and practice of the Buddhadharma. The center has, and continues to host, recognized and highly respected teachers of the Karma Kagyu Tradition to Jacksonville.

Many teachings, practice instructions, and blessings, have been offered over the decades.
Through the blessings of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley Dorje, and his representative in North America, the Venerable Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, a strong and flourishing Dharma practice center has been established here.

It has been a long term aspiration of our teachers as well as center members to establish a permanent home for the KTC.

In keeping with our commitment of serving the local community as well as fulfilling the wishes of our teachers, I am writing you today to ask for your continuing support with this very important project.

Our teachers strongly endorse, as well as encourage support for KTC Jacksonville’s initiative to establish a permanent center and have also contributed significantly to this worthy cause.

KTC Jacksonville has been at our current location at McDuff Avenue for 15 years. As center membership has grown, the need for a larger facility that can accommodate increased interest in the Dharma has become a priority. In order that we be able to serve our community well into the future, it has become vital that we move forward with, and complete, this long aspired for project.

Please consider supporting KTC Jacksonville by contributing to our permanent building fund. All donations specified for this purpose are held in escrow for this purpose. This is a wonderful opportunity to support the activity of our teachers by contributing generously at our KTC Jax go-fund-me page. Please contact our treasurer, Casey Stone for additional information.

Thank you again for your support of authentic Buddhadharma in Northeast Florida!

Yours in the Dharma,
Michael Turnquist, Director, Karma Thegsum Choling Jacksonvillefooter 2

If you would like to donate to our cause please click here for our gofundme link.

 

Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche Webcast April 27-29th

By samantha.thach3Posted on Posted in Events, Teachings, Ven KKR

Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche Webcast April 27-29th “Chakme Démön:
Aspiration Prayer of Sukhavati”

We are pleased to announce that the next KTC webcast with Khenpo
Karthar Rinpoche will be Karma Chagme’s “Prayer for Offering
Prostrations.” Please join us in receiving this precious teaching
from our beloved teacher. Lama Yeshe Gyamtso will be translating.

Chakme Démön (also known as the  “Aspiration Prayer of
Sukhavati”) was written by Chakme Rinpoche. This is a prayer
aspiring to be reborn in Sukhavati, the Land of Great Bliss created
by the power of the compassionate aspirations of Buddha Amitabha.
Once born there, one will experience no suffering, and will practice
the Dharma until complete enlightenment.

Born in eastern Tibet in 1924, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche is one of the
great masters of the Karma Kagyu lineage and Tibetan Buddhism. Khenpo
Rinpoche, who received most of his training and education in Tibet
before the Chinese invasion, is highly accomplished in meditation,
philosophy, and all monastic arts. As abbot of Karma Triyana
Dharmachakra Monastery (KTD) in Woodstock, New York; spiritual guide
of thirty-five Karma Thegsum Choling (KTC) affiliate centers; and
retreat master at the Karme Ling Retreat Center in Delhi, New York;
Rinpoche has touched the hearts and minds of many thousands of
students.

Live Webcast Teaching Schedule:

Friday – 4/27

Evening: 7:00–8:30 p.m. EDT

Saturday – 4/28

Morning: 10:30 a.m.–noon EDT

Afternoon: 3:30–5:00 p.m. EDT

Sunday – 4/29

Morning: 10:30 a.m.–noon EDT

Afternoon: 2:30–4:00 p.m. EDT

We will submit questions to Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche via e-mail after
the morning sessions.

There is no cost to attend this webcast but monetary offerings are
greatly appreciated as they allow us to meet the costs of keeping our
center open and to continue bringing the authentic dharma to the
Jacksonville area.

About KTC Jax

Karma Thegsum Chöling Jacksonville KTCJax is a Tibetan Buddhist
Practice Center of the Karma Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddha Dharma.
The Kagyu lineage is one of the four major schools of Tibetan
Buddhism & is often called “The Whispered Lineage” because its
highest teachings are still passed in an unbroken line from teacher
to student since the days of the Buddha.

Founded in June of 1986, we’re also an affiliate Center of Karma
Triyana Dharmachakra, the North American seat of His Holiness the
Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. The Venerable
Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, Abbot of Karma Triyana Dharmachakra
monastery in Woodstock, New York, guides our Center.

Please visit! We welcome all those interested in the study and
practice of Tibetan Buddhism, and offer a range of activities to
satisfy practitioners and visitors alike.

Lama Lodro Lhamo Visit Next Week: Fundraising Dinner and Dharma Talk & Green Tara Teaching and Retreat April 20-22

By samantha.thach3Posted on Posted in Fundraiser, Teachings, Visiting Teachers
 

4th Annual KTC Jax Benefit Dinner & Dharma Talk With Lama Lodro Lhamo

It is the great hope of Karma Thegsum Choling Jacksonville to one day have a permanent location of our own where we can teach and practice Dharma, always with a motivation to benefit countless sentient beings. To foster this vision, we will host our 4th Permanent Center Fund Benefit Dinner at Ani Karma Lhamo’s Residence, to be held Friday, April 20th at 7:00 PM. This year we are honored to host Lama Lodro Lhamo, a remarkable teacher of the Karma Kagyu tradition. Lama Lodro attended our inaugural Benefit Dinner in 2015 and we are blessed to have her teach here again as KTC Jacksonville gets closer to having a building of its own. Please join us for a wonderful vegan meal, and especially, to hear a Dharma Talk by Lama Lodro called “Enlightened Women in Buddhist History.” Numerous women have attained Enlightenment in Buddhist history. Lama Lodro will share with us the inspiring and amazing stories of some of these extraordinary women and show how everyone can begin to traverse the path toward perfect and complete Enlightenment.

ABOUT LAMA LODRO: Lama Lodro Lhamo has been a student of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche since 1990. She completed three consecutive three-year retreats at Karme Ling under Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, and received her full monastic vows (bhikshuni ordination) in 2008. She is currently the women’s retreat master at Karme Ling Retreat Center. She has a master’s degree in Buddhist Studies from Columbia University. She’s also fluent in Chinese, English, and Tibetan.

Participants will be able to share company & conversation with this wonderful Lama of the Karma Kagyu Tradition as well as enjoy delicious Vegan Vietnamese food. “Pho Chay” will be the main dish served. Pho Chay is a popular, traditional Vietnamese rice noodle soup with vegetables and a unique, flavorful broth. We also hope to have some tasty vegan desserts!

Due to the incredible success of the Benefit Dinner in past years, we will offer two levels of Registration for participants this year:

KTC Supporter Level- $25 per person
KTC Donor Level- $50 per person

Those who register at the “KTC Donor” Level will receive a gift on behalf of KTC Jacksonville! This was made possible by a Center member. Please register ahead of time so we can have a head count of how many are attending(we need to know how much delicious food to cook!). Register for the dinner with Casey Stone at the center or email him. He will give you a ticket with Ani Lhamo’s address. If you are contacting him by email, his email is yo***********@***il.com. You can also preregister online by visitingktcjax.org. All proceeds raised from the dinner go directly to KTC Jacksonville Tibetan Buddhist Mediation Center, a 501c3 approved nonprofit.

We always appreciate all of our Members and friends who make donations to KTC Jacksonville. Let us come together in support of KTC Jacksonville. We offer our most sincere gratitude and a deep bow to all!

4th Annual Benefit Dinner & Dharma Talk Paypal Registration

Suggested Donation



Green Tara Teaching and Retreat
with Lama Lodro Lhamo April 21-22nd
We are honored to host Lama Lodro Lhamo April 21-22 while she teaches the practice of Green Tara, the female Buddha of Enlightened activity. You don’t want to miss this special opportunity to connect with Lama Lodro and participate in this retreat! We hope to see some new and old faces attend!
 
Green Tara is a gentle female embodiment of universal compassion. She represents the virtuous, enlightened, and miraculous activity of all Buddhas. She reaches out her hand in the gesture of granting protection, freeing one from fear, obstacles, and difficulties. With her right foot stepping forward, she is alert, determined, and ready to actively help all who call upon her.
 
Green Tara is known as the ‘Swift One’ or the ‘Swift Liberator’ due to her immediate response to those who request her aid. Green Tara’s compassion for the welfare of all living beings is said to be even stronger than a mother’s love for her children. She is the one who helps us cross over the ocean of suffering and guides us upon the path of enlightenment.
 
Lama Lodro will teach on the Green Tara text, ritual, chanting, music, and lead practice sessions. It’s wonderful to have this precious opportunity deepen our connection with Green Tara as we do this practice the first Saturday of every month at KTC and it bestows great blessing.
SCHEDULE
Saturday, April 21st
9-10:30 AM–Reading Transmission & Instruction
10:45 – 12 PM –Green Tara Puja
1:30 – 3 PM–Practice Instruction
3:15 – 4:45 PM–Green Tara Puja
7:00-8:00 PM Refuge Ceremony*
Sunday, April 22nd
9-10:30 AM–Practice Instruction
10:45 – 12 PM –Green Tara Puja
1:30 – 3 PM–Practice Instruction
3:15 – 4:45 PM–Green Tara Puja
*If you would like to take Refuge and begin your formal path as a Buddhist please arrive at least 15 minutes before hand and let a board member know so Lama Lodro can be prepared.
Note: Please arrive a few minutes before hand as specific practice times may be adjusted. We will send out an e-mail with any changes.
SUGGESTED DONATIONS/FEES:
$25 per Session or
$80 for the Entire Retreat Weekend
PLEASE NOTE: KTC Jax brings authentic Buddhist teachers to the Jacksonville area year-round for programs and retreats. Suggested donations are requested to offset the costs associated with holding these special events. We always greatly appreciate your generosity but no one has ever been turned away because they couldn’t make a donation. We want as many people as possible to attend. Volunteer Scholarships are also available for those interested. Please let us know!
Lama Lodro will also be teaching 4/23-4/24 at Gainesville KTC on Shower of Blessings, a guru yoga practice connected with Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) for more information visit here.

 

FIRST LIGHT CEREMONY AND LAMP OFFERING FOR WORLD PEACE

By samantha.thach3Posted on Posted in Uncategorized
Buddha Shakyamuni said in the Sutra on Offering Lamps:
 
These are the results of offering lamps:
You will not lose consciousness at death.
You will illuminate all directions.
You will see fine things never before seen.
You will definitely be reborn in a higher state
And take your seat among the enlightened beings.
 
Many such benefits are described in sutras and tantras. Through the centuries, light has been a powerful symbol and substance. Light creates warmth and connection; light inspires hope, love, and life.
 
We would like to invite and welcome everyone to join us in KTC Jacksonville’s annual First Light Offering for World Peace ceremony, to be held Monday, January 1st 2018 at 10:30 am.
 
First Light is a special day initiated by our parent monastery KTD in the new year 2000.  First Light has been held on January 1st by KTD, and KTCs all around the world, every year since. This year, we will once again gather to hold First Light, a ceremony through which we make aspirations, dedications, offerings, and prayers for world peace and the happiness of all beings in this upcoming New Year. We will hold an Amitabha Practice, followed by a light offering ceremony dedicated to those we may wish to remember who have passed away, those who are ill, and all beings who may suffer. Each participant will have the opportunity to light a candle for his or her own loved ones, make aspirations, or offer prayers.
 
First Light is also an auspicious occasion to renew our commitment to practice for the benefit of all sentient beings & to make offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as represented by our shrine. Making offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is considered highly meritorious and an effective way of removing obstacles.
 
Participants are encouraged to bring individual offerings: particularly flowers, fruit, sweets, baked treats, or monetary offerings. This too is considered especially meritorious. We ask that those bringing offerings please try to arrive around 9:30 am in order for offerings to be placed and the shrine properly prepared by volunteer shrinekeepers. 
 
Following the ceremony we will hold a vegetarian potluck luncheon to which all are welcome.  Please feel free to bring a vegetarian dish of your choice. 
 
We will also have tickets available for the Winter Raffle Fundraiser to raise funds for the KTC during the upcoming year. The winner will be picked during the luncheon.
You do not have to be Buddhist to attend.
We welcome all interested in learning more about Buddhism.

Chenrezik & Sitting Meditation Instruction with Lama Losang  and 3rd Annual Benefit Dinner & Dharma Talk

By samantha.thach3Posted on Posted in Events, Teachings, Visiting Teachers

lamalosang 2

 
Chenrezik & Sitting Meditation Instruction with Lama Losang 
 
We are excited to announce that on October 21th Lama Losang will be visiting to give instruction on the Chenrezik Sadhana practice. Chanted weekly this practice develops and enriches an attitude of loving-kindness and compassion for all beings without exception. Lama will also give instruction on Sitting Meditation also known as Shamatha, the foundation practice of Tibetan Buddhism. These teachings will take place at KTC Jacksonville. Lama Losang will also preside over our 3rd Annual Benefit Dinner at Ani Lhamo’s House later in the evening.
 
SCHEDULE:
10:30am-12:00pm- Practice Instruction
12:00pm-2:00pm- Lunch Break
2:00pm-4:00pm- Practice Instruction
6:30pm- 3rd Annual KTC Jax Benefit Dinner & Dharma Talk With Lama Losang
 
SUGGESTED DONATION/TEACHING FEES:
$10 Suggested Donation
 
Endlessknot 2

 

3rd Annual KTC Jax Benefit Dinner & Dharma Talk With Lama Losang
It is the great hope of Karma Thegsum Choling Jacksonville to one day have a permanent location of our own where we can teach and practice Dharma, always with a motivation to benefit countless sentient beings. This aspiration has become more urgent since KTC experienced, last year, a disastrous flooding incident of the building we have rented for 14 years now. The aspiration for a permanent location for our KTC, owned and maintained by us, has become ever more urgent.
To foster this vision, we will host our 3rd Permanent Center Fund Benefit Dinner at Ani Karma Lhamo’s Residence, to be held Saturday, September 9th at 6:30 PM. Please join us for a wonderful vegan meal, and especially, to hear a Dharma Talk by Lama Losang called “The Art of Happiness.”
Lama Losang/Dr. David Bole, completed the traditional three year retreat at Karme Ling Retreat Center under the direction of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. He received getsul (intermediate) and gelong (full) monastic ordination from Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche. He is currently serving as the Resident Lama for Gainesville KTC and is the Spiritual Director of all the Florida KTCs. In addition, he received a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Florida. He is a licensed Acupuncture Physician, A.P. and Director of the Traditional Acupuncture Center in Gainesville, Florida. He is also a former member on the Board of Trustees at our parent monastery KTD.
IMG_6856 3
Participants will be able to share company & conversation with this wonderful Lama of the Karma Kagyu Tradition as well as enjoy delicious Vegan Vietnamese food. “Pho Chay” will be the main dish served. Pho Chay is a popular, traditional Vietnamese rice noodle soup with vegetables and a unique, flavorful broth.
Due to the incredible success of the Benefit Dinner in past years, we will offer two levels of Registration for participants this year:
KTC Supporter Level- $25 per person
KTC Donor Level- $50 per person
Those who register at the “KTC Donor” Level will receive a gift on behalf of KTC Jacksonville! This was made possible by a Center member. Please register ahead of time so we can have a head count of how many are attending(we need to know how much delicious food to cook!). Register for the dinner with Casey Stone at the center or email him. He will give you a ticket with Ani Lhamo’s address. If you are contacting him by email, his email is yo***********@***il.com.
You can also register using the paypal button below.
All proceeds raised from the dinner go directly to KTC Jacksonville Tibetan Buddhist Mediation Center, a 501c3 approved nonprofit.

 

Suggested Donation



We always appreciate all of our Members and friends who make donations to KTC Jacksonville. Let us come together in support of KTC Jacksonville. We offer our most sincere gratitude and a deep bow to all!

Lama Karma Drodhul Public Talk and Weekend Teaching August 25-27th

By samantha.thach3Posted on Posted in Events, Teachings, Visiting Teachers

We have exciting news that Lama Karma Drodhul will be returning to KTC Jacksonville for a weekend program August 25th-27th! Lama Karma will give a public talk, teachings at KTC Jax, offer Refuge (the ceremony by which one formally becomes a Buddhist), and bestow the Amitabha Empowerment.

Lama Karma is Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche’s principle attendant and assistant. As a youth, Lama Karma excelled in all aspects of Dharma study and Thrangu Rinpoche sent him to the United States to deepen his understanding of the Dharma under the tutelage of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. In March 2004, Lama Karma completed his first, and in February 2008 his second, traditional three-year, three month retreat under Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche at Karme Ling Retreat Center. He is now one of the Drubpons (retreat masters) at Karme Ling and travels to centers throughout North America to teach. He is the author of “Amrita of Eloquence: A Biography of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche.”

Lama Karma’s weekend program at KTC JAX will be a teaching on “The Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind to Dharma”(also known as the Four Ordinary Foundations). The Four Thoughts are taken as a profound contemplation leading us to a direct confrontation with our own personal reality. He will also introduce us to the Ngondro practice. Knowing the Four Thoughts is essential to beginning the Ngondro practice. If you are interested in formally stepping onto the Buddhist path, Lama Karma will offer Refuge. Following the Refuge Ceremony, Lama Karma will bestow the precious Amitabha Buddha Empowerment.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
Friday, August 25th 7 PM
Public Talk: Death and Dying
Location: Buckman Bridge Unitarian Universalist Church
8447 Manresa Ave, Jacksonville, FL
$5 Suggested Donation for Public Talk

Saturday, August 26th
10am-12pm: Teaching
12pm-2pm: Lunch Break & Interviews
2pm-4pm: Teaching
6:30pm: Refuge Ceremony
7pm: Amitabha Buddha Empowerment(Refuge required)
Location: KTC JAX

Sunday, August 27th
10am-12pm: Teaching
12pm-3pm: Lunch Break & Interviews
3pm-5pm: Teaching & Closing Remarks
Location: KTC JAX

SUGGESTED DONATIONS/TEACHING FEES:
$25 per session or for only Empowerment
$80 non-members/$72 members for entire weekend(including Empowerment)


 

Suggested Donation



**KTC JAX brings authentic Buddhist teachers to the Jacksonville area year-round for programs and retreats. Suggested donations are requested to offset the costs associated with holding these special events. We always greatly appreciate your generosity! No one has ever been turned away due to lack of funds. Volunteer Scholarships are available for those interested. Please let us know!**

We hope to see old and new faces in attendance to these precious teachings with Lama Karma! Please share if you know anyone interested. If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask.

KTC Jax Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche Webcast

By samantha.thach3Posted on Posted in Teachings, Ven KKR, WebcastTagged , , 1 Comment on KTC Jax Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche Webcast
Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche Webcast Invite
We are pleased to announce that the next KTC webcast with Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche will be Karma Chagme’s “Prayer for Offering Prostrations.” Please join us in receiving this precious teaching from our beloved teacher. Prostrations are the first foundation of the Preliminary Practices. Khenpo Rinpoche will teach the meaning and benefits of prostration practice, categories of prostrations, how to practice prostrations, and the   story behind Karma Chagme’s “Prayer for Offering Prostrations.”
 
Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche picture
Born in eastern Tibet in 1924, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche is one of the great masters of the Karma Kagyu lineage and Tibetan Buddhism. Khenpo Rinpoche, who received most of his training and education in Tibet before the Chinese invasion, is highly accomplished in meditation, philosophy, and all monastic arts. As abbot of Karma Triyana Dharmachakra Monastery (KTD) in Woodstock, New York; spiritual guide of thirty-five Karma Thegsum Choling (KTC) affiliate centers; and retreat master at the Karme Ling Retreat Center in Delhi, New York; Rinpoche has touched the hearts and minds of many thousands of students.

Live Webcast Teaching Schedule:

Friday – February 10th
Evening: 7:00-8:30 p.m. EST

Saturday – February 11th
Morning: 10:30 a.m.-noon EST
Potluck Luncheon
Afternoon: 3:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m. EST

Sunday – February 12th
Morning: 10:30 a.m.-noon EST
Afternoon: 2:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. EST

There is no cost to attend this webcast but monetary offerings are greatly appreciated as they allow us to meet the costs of keeping our center open and to continue bringing the authentic dharma to the Jacksonville area.

As noted on the schedule, there will be a vegetarian potluck between the two Saturday sessions. Attendees are welcome to bring a favorite dish to share.  (We will also be offering the ‘work yoga’ of house cleaning our center after lunch and welcome any donation in this regard as well.)

 

Karma Thegsum Chöling Jacksonville • 1258 South McDuff Avenue • Jacksonville, Florida 32205
(904) 357-0663
Visit us at https://ktcjax.org  and http://facebook.com/ktcjax
Scroll to top