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E-News: September/October 2016
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Dear Friends,
The sudden arrival of fall this year coincides with a whirwlind of meritorious activites and more rejoicing at the center! At the end of September and  begin
ning of October
we received invaluable teachings from
Ven. Amy Miller
on chapter eight of
Shantideva's
Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life.
Venerable also led us in meditation as part of our series on cultivating
gratitude and in our Medicine Buddha puja. We practiced generosity by collecting funds to support the
Maitreya Buddha Kushinagar project, one of the vast visions of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and our Compassion in Action volunteers cared for the animals at Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary.
We enjoyed the extended residency of
Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi
who led our invigorating bodhicitta retreat at Menla, taught a Discovering Buddhism session on the Eight Verses of Thought Transformation, offered refuge and lay vows, and taught Buddhism in a Nutshell. We have been blessed with precious
Dharma teachings by skilled, wise, and compassionate teachers!
On the horizon, our second annual fundraising auction is fast approaching on Thursday, 10 November, a special opportunity to generate merit through benefitting the Dharma. Auction organizers
Jennifer Kim,
Leilani-Kali Rivers, and
Caitlin Bailey have been devoting astounding joyous effort and tireless care to gathering the generous donors and volunteers that will launch an event supporting the flourishing of the Dharma and our center in striving for the ultimate happiness of all sentient beings. Thank you!
May these meritorious activities, the virtues of our holy teachers, and the big hearts that blossom at SMC all continue working harmoniously together so that all beings may swiftly find ultimate happiness!
With Oceans of Big Love,
Desmond
Director
Shantideva Meditation Center - FPMT NYC
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Welcome New Volunteers
New Treasurer 
Please welcome Sean Tanaka, our new Treasurer!
Ven. Lhundub Chodron, who had served as our Treasurer for several years, has stepped down due to her new Directorship role at
Land of Calm Abiding
, upon the request of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. We are very grateful for her guidance and service, as well as for Sean to take over the role.
In addition to being a member of Shantideva Meditation Center, Sean attended the Light of the Path Retreat this summer with Rinpoche. Professionally, he is presently a senior manager in the Internal Audit and IT Consulting practice at Protiviti Inc., a global consulting firm that provides business risk solutions and internal audit services.
New Membership Manager
We rejoice to welcome Lisa Besso as our new Membership Manager! Lisa formally met the Dharma and the FPMT in 2012 when she was lucky enough to have spent time living and working in Raleigh, NC. The Kadampa Center (FPMT) quickly became central to her life and changed her view of the world. She volunteered within the vast community of Kadampa Center and was fortunate to be able to help with the Light of the Path Retreat in 2014. Lisa found Shantideva Meditation Center in 2014 when she moved back to her native New Jersey. Lisa has worked in education for many years helping universities internationalize their campuses. Her master's work in education was done at Fordham University and Columbia University Teachers College.
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Open Volunteer Positions
Be part of the Shantideva
volunteer team! We are looking to expand our volunteer positions. If you are interested in volunteering, please
contact us.
"
Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something
." - Author Unknown
Click
here for details on our volunteer positions:
host visiting teachers, registration manager, annual auction volunteers,
assist with video, and volunteers for altar setup.
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Featured Event
Thursday, November 10 at 7pm
at Salomon Arts Gallery
General admission ($25) and sponsorship tickets are now available!
Join us for a delightful evening as we raise funds to sustain Shantideva Meditation Center and foster wisdom, compassion and peace in our world. We'll have live music, delicious hors d'œuvres and a complimentary selection of drinks.
Featured items include: Blessed Malas by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Print by Khen Rinpoche Nicholas Vreeland (Abbot, Rato Monastery), Burmese Wooden Bowl, Tickets to Disney World, Vegan Cruelty-Free Handbags by Gunas, Massages by Eowyn Levene, and more!
For more information and to purchase tickets, please click here.
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Upcoming Events
Tuesdays: November 1-22 from 7 to 8:30pm
at Jewel Heart Center
This new four-week series will provide tools for living a happier life in a more fluid and open way. Seeing how everything is constantly changing, we achieve a more dynamic understanding of reality that avoids extreme states of mind. This series incorporates advice and practices to use between sessions, and we'll check in on our experiences each week. It is most beneficial to attend the entire series, although it's also possible to attend individual sessions.
For more information and to register, please click here.
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Wednesdays: November 9 - December 21 from 7pm to 9pm
at Jewel Heart Center
In this module, we will work to enhance our ability to bring about the realization of emptiness, discuss and practice different methods to use in meditation on emptiness, and practice accumulation of merit and purification of obstacles, which are indispensable for generating realizations within the mind. Discovering Buddhism study groups are geared for students who wish to deepen their understanding of fundamental Buddhist concepts.
For more information and to register, please click
here.
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Saturday, December 24 - Wednesday, January 4
Winter Break 
Shantideva Meditation Center will be closed for Winter Break.
We look forward to resuming activities after the break and wish you a restful and rejuvenating start to the new year.
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Upcoming Pujas
Pujas are offered twice monthly beginning at 7pm
Shantideva Meditation students gather regularly for pujas,
a practice in which prayers are offered to enlightened beings to request blessings and invoke help. Pujas help
clear away obstacles and allow practitioners to realize their worldly and spiritual aspirations. Come as an observer or participant in this highly beneficial practice! There is now no need to register in advance.
Guru Puja with Tsog
lays the whole path to enlightenment on our mindstream, connects us more strongly to our teachers, and allows us to quickly and effectively accumulate merit and purify negative karma.
Friday, November 18 & December 9 from 7pm to 9:00pm
Green Tara Puja is known to quickly remove the many inner and external obstacles to our worldly success and spiritual development, helping us to accomplish our goals and bringing us closer to enlightenment.
Friday, November 25 from 7pm to 8:30pm
Medicine Buddha Puja
purifies and heals on all levels - physical, mental, spiritual, and environmental. This puja is considered particularly powerful for people who are sick or have recently died.
Friday, December 16 from 7pm to 8:30pm
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Practice Generosity
Shantideva Meditation Center relies entirely on the generosity of individual donors to support our activities. Every gift at any level is needed and deeply appreciated. To create positive potential to collectively keep the wheel of Dharma turning, please consider offering your support. Thank you for your kindness and generosity!
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Rejoice! Recent Dharma Activities
Ven. Amy Miller taught on the eighth chapter of Master Shantideva's
Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, a critical chapter that explains the significance of meditative absorption and how to achieve it.
Audio of the teachings will be available soon!
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The Source of Lasting Happiness: "The Art of Meditation
and How to Develop the Fully Awakened Heart"
with Ven. Amy Miller. October 1-2, 2016
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From October 18th to 30th, Venerable taught an array of Dharma topics such as bodhicitta, lojong (mind training), an introductory course on Buddhism for complete beginners, taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and more. Audio of the teachings will be available soon!
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Attendees at the teaching: "Living the Dharma: Refuge in the Three Jewels" with Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi. October 25, 2016
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Tuesday Meditations 
This series incorporated advice and practices to use between sessions.
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Wednesdays: September 14 - October 26 from 7pm to 9pm
We examined the distinctions between self-cherishing and the radical thought of cherishing others more than ourselves, as well as their respective advantages and disadvantages. We also studied the special techniques of mind training, or "lo-jong," which allow us to transform problems into happiness.
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Saturday, September 24 from 11am to 4pm
On September 24th, Compassion in Action volunteers helped create a new space for the pigs living at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary and recited/played precious mantras for the farm animals.
Photos of the event are available
here
. We look forward to visiting the farm for another Compassion in Action event in 2017!
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For the month of September, the Center offered all proceeds to FPMT's Maitreya Buddha Project in Kushinagar. After many years of hard work, this project of infinite merit is coming to fruition. Always aspiring to help fulfill the holy wishes of most precious Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, we are happy to announce that the Center is donating
$1,595
to this immensely meritorious endeavor. Thank you for all the donations!
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Acknowledging Our Contributors
Thanks to those who enable Shantideva Meditation Center to exist and offer benefit.
VISITING TEACHERS: September and October 2016
Ven. Amy Miller and Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi
VOLUNTEER & STAFF CONTRIBUTORS: September and October 2016
Treasurer: Ven. Lhundub Chodron, Caitlin Bailey,
Meg Sweetland Baker,
Tara Baltazar, Arnaud Berger, Lisa Besso, Jane Bosveld, Josh Builder,
Lauren Coleman, Bonnie Costa, George Michael Cuesta, Gustavo Cutz,
Charles Freehhof, Sam Go, Desmond Hosford,
Christian Howard,
Jennifer Kim,
Charlotte Lowson
, Dana McCurdy,
Gail Pickett,
Sheila Richardson,
Leilani-Kali Rivers,
Gigi Salomon, Jan Tilley
MEMBERS:
September and October
2016
Jed Aicher, Hailey Aldren, Volodymyr Andreiev, Ricardo Aragon, Tara Baltazar,
Arnaud Berger, Joel Bernardo, Steven Bernhaut, Elizabeth Besso,
Jane Bosveld,
Robyn Brentano, Josh Builder, Jeff Caspari,
Emma Cobb,
Mary Cotta, Catherine DeLong, Jaleh Farahani,
Marc Freed,
Charlie Freehof, Augusto Giacoman,
Sam Go,
Snehy Gupta,
Pattie Hansen,
Jeff Holloway, Desmond Hosford, Marianna Janicelli, Bill Kelly,
Marcus Keyzer,
Jennifer Kim, Mary La Rosa, Charlotte Lowson,
Wendy McCaffery,
Aniko Muriglan, Sheila Odessey, Michael Pafford,
Georges Piette, Sheila Richardson, Marianne Richter,
Leillani-Kali Rivers,
Victoria Samosvatova, Jay Sautter, Vijay Sharmapuri,
Pamela Sherrid,
Sean Tanaka,
Jan Tilley,
Elisabeth Wassman,
Janna Weiss, Johan Wiberg, Michael Wick,
Jesse Willard
ADDITIONAL DONORS & SPONSORS:
September and October
Venerable Amy Miller, Venerable Tenzin Chogkyi, Tara Baltazar, Gregor Beer, Arnaud Berger, Lauren Coleman, Bonnie Costa, Charles Freehof,
Desmond Hosford, Jennifer Kim, Birgit Matzerath,
Georges Piette,
Wendy MCaffery, Duncan Wall, Curtis Waters
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About Us
Shantideva Meditation Center is dedicated to cultivating wisdom and compassion through the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism within the New York community.
We are affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), which is based on the Gelugpa tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa of Tibet as taught by Founder, Lama Thubten Yeshe, and Spiritual Director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
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