Our new website is now active! We will continue to add content and make improvements. Come visit us again and again at   

YOGI LAMA GURSAM returns to Tucson July 3-6. He will be giving instructions on lung, or subtle winds and body, and Jigme Lingpa's Longchen Nyingtik. Please see details below.

FALL CLASSES - Fall classes start in September - see details below.

CHOKHOR DUCHEN - We will celebrate the Buddha's teaching called the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma on Thursday, July 31. See details below.

PRAYER REQUEST - We are offering a Prayer Request Service.  Please see details below.

TIBETAN BUDDHIST MEDITATION HOUR

INNATE HAPPINESS: REALIZING COMPASSION-EMPTINESS is my new book on the complete path of Tibetan Buddhism, available as an eBook from Amazon.com. Please see details below.

We are always working on some new ideas to enrich our offerings.

Don't forget TWITTER and FACEBOOK! This is a good way to get notices and reminders of events, special days in the Tibetan Buddhist calendar, along with dharma quotes to support your practice. Try them out! Go to our new website AwamInstitute.org to connect with us.

In Buddhanature,

Khenpo Dean

Lung in Tibetan means wind or breath. It is particularly related to the subtle winds and body, as well as enlightened body, speech, and mind. These winds or energies are said to move through the psychic channels of our subtle body or vajra body. There are different winds in different areas of the subtle body with different energies. These are most commonly associated with completion-stage practices such as tummo (inner heat) and other practices of the Six Yogas of Naropa. The yogi uses breathing and meditation to bring the lung or subtle winds into the central channel, controlling and using them to transcend the impure illusory body to realize the enlightened state of pure illusory body.

Longchen Nyingtik can be translated as the heart-essence of infinite expanse. The Nyingtik teachings are the innermost secret teachings of Dzogchen (Great Perfection). This cycle of Dzogchen teachings was revealed by the great scholar and adept Jigme Lingpa (1730-1798). According to the legend, Jigme Lingpa was in a retreat at Chimpu near Samye Monastery in Tibet, when he has a series of visions of Longchen Rabjam (1308-1364), the famous Nyingma scholar-practitioner who had collected and commented upon the two branches of Dzogchen instructions called the Vima Nyingtik and Khandro Nyingtik. Jigme Lingpa received these two lineages of instructions and was urged by repeated requests of dakinis (sky dancers) to reveal these visions in the form of tantric sadhanas (practice texts) and teachings. Longchen Nyingik brings together the two lineages into a unified series of practices of Dzogchen. Lama will be teaching from a text called "Heart Essence, the Vast Expanse" by Jigme Lingpa, which was published in "Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse: A Story of Transmission" by Anne Carlyn Klein.

Yogi Lama Gursam went to monastery at a very young age, received teachings as a monastic, and studied and practiced as a monastic. Then Lama Gursam went to study in Tibetan University Sarnath, Varanasi, India to get both bachelors and masters degrees in Buddhist Philosophy, History, and languages. Upon graduation he received a special award for scholastic achievement from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. After the university, Lama Gursam was requested to assist His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche. Lama volunteered for five years as an assistant, as a teacher, and helped with many other duties. Lama Gursam then completed the traditional three year retreat. Since then, every year Lama has gone on retreat in various mountains, including some of Milarepa's caves. He then returns for six months each year to provide teachings in the West. He also leads pilgrimages to holy places in India and Nepal. Lama teaches in English, and always tries to focus on the practical application of the Dharma in everyday life.

Our Prayer Request Service has been added to our activities and will be available through our website.  We will perform this service for you or anyone you desire - including animals and other beings - there is a suggested donation amount for each service.  Services from a White Tara Practice to the complete forty-nine day reading of the "Tibetan Book of the Dead" are offered.  Visit our website for more details.

Sundays, 11:15 am - 12:15 pm (MST) or on Skype

Ada Peirce McCormack Building's Little Chapel, U of A Campus

"Sangha" refers to our dharma companions on the path. This includes practicing together, which is said to multiply the effects for each person by the number of participants. Please join our group of regular participants for the Meditation Hour. Khenpo Dean leads a one-hour practice including chanting, a variety of deity practices, a short dharma talk, and blessing. This is an opportunity for group practice in a convenient weekly format. Everyone is welcome to attend. FREE (donations gratefully accepted)

The Meditation Hour is now available via Skype each week. Please send a contact request to "Awam Tibetan Buddhist Institute" at least one day before the event. On the day of the event, to avoid disruption, please call in before the start time of 11:15 MST. (NOTE - Arizona does not do daylight savings time). Please turn off your microphone during the event to eliminate feedback. The Meditation Practice Manual is available on our website at www.AwamInstitute.org so you may chant and practice with us online. 

An eBook by Khenpo Drimed Dawa

The eBook is available from Amazon.com for only $9.99. Free readers are available for most computers and other devices. May ALL beings be happy!