When we see suffering we all want to do something about it, and many of us are called to the path of service including service in our jobs, as family members, as volunteers as well to our friends and our community. This calling is often a long journey; it is easy to get lost or tired. Joy and inspiration can give way to frustration and depletion, and the overwhelm that comes when we feel that there’s so much at stake.
We all need support to shore up our commitment and strengths, to persevere and sustain our compassionate action. The goal of this course is to provide tools for your path of compassionate action. Everyone is welcome to participate – each half-day module stands on its own while it contributes to the overall theme of Sustainable Service. You may attend either the morning or afternoon session, or the entire day. The Program includes lecture, interactive discussion and meditation.
The Program has eight topics presented in individual modules, and these modules will be offered in quarterly day-longs over the coming year. For each training date, one module will be offered in the morning and one in the afternoon. You can find a complete description of the Program at lionsroardharmacenter.org.
July 12, 2025
Morning module: What’s Holding You Back – 9:30 am – 12:30 pm.
We might feel called to a path of service with a clear intention and an empathic connection to others, but still feel that there is something holding us back. We might aspire to establish a more regular spiritual practice, but find despite our best intentions, our habits don’t change. What’s holding us back?
In this module, we will explore the obstacles to our spiritual path and the path of service, and how we might be able to apply awareness and compassion to overcome them.
Afternoon module: Compassionate Boundaries – 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
It’s easy to think that being kind and compassionate means that we have to be available to everyone, 24/7, and do whatever it is they ask of us. We feel guilty about saying “no” or valuing our own needs. As a result, instead of feeling open and compassionate, we end up feeling resentful, stressed, and burned out. Is this really the meaning of compassion? How can we set boundaries compassionately so that we can hold ourselves with care while helping others?
November 8, 2025
- Module Five: Managing Conflict Compassionately and
- Module Six: Self-compassion: What it is and is not and how it can make you happier
March 7, 2026
- Module Seven: Managing Emotions Mindfully
- Module Eight: Reclaiming Joy
Lunch will be on your own with water and coffee supplied at the temple. Parking available in the adjacent parking lot and on the street.
For questions, please contact Susan Farrar at info@lionsroardharmacenter.org.
Tenzin Chogkyi (she/her/hers) is a teacher of workshops and programs that bridge the worlds of Buddhist thought, contemplative practice, mental and emotional cultivation, and the latest research in the field of positive psychology. Tenzin first became interested in meditation in the early 1970s and then started practicing Tibetan Buddhism in early 1991 during a year she spent studying in India and Nepal. She completed several long meditation retreats over a six-year period and took monastic ordination with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, practicing as a monastic for nearly 20 years. Since 2006 she has been teaching in Buddhist centers around the world and taught in prisons for 15 years.
She is currently based in Santa Cruz, California. You can find more about her at unlockingtruehappiness.org.
