UPCOMING EVENTS
Discover your path whether you’re interested in learning to meditate or exploring the most advanced Tibetan Buddhist studies and practices.
Weekly Meditations
Opening The Gate:
Monday Meditation
Every Monday | 7 - 8:15 PM Pacific
Online Only
First Monday of the month: Guided meditation and short dharma talk
Other Mondays: Silent Meditation and short dharma talk
In Person & Online
Last Monday of the month:
Short Green Tara practice
(Tibetan visualization practice) and short dharma talk
Chapters 4–6 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra
Dharma Deep Dive | Course Two
Living the Bodhisattva Path: A 6-Week Exploration of Chapters 4–6 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
8:30 - 11:15 AM Pacific
Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra (The Way of the Bodhisattva) is one of the most beloved and influential texts of the Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition. For centuries, practitioners have turned to it for guidance on how to cultivate wisdom, compassion, and courage in the midst of everyday life.
In this six-week course, we will explore Chapters 4–6, which focus on how the aspiration to awaken for the benefit of beings is sustained and expressed in lived experience.
These chapters examine three essential qualities of the bodhisattva path:
Carefulness — recognizing the responsibility that arises when we orient our lives toward awakening and compassion
Vigilance — learning how to work skillfully with the mind so that clarity and compassion are not carried away by habitual patterns
Patience — discovering how anger, frustration, and adversity can become gateways to strength, resilience, and deeper understanding
Shantideva’s teachings are both profound and practical. They invite us to look closely at the movements of our own minds and to discover how wisdom and compassion can remain steady even in the midst of uncertainty and challenge.
Through teaching, reflection, discussion, and contemplative practice, participants will explore how these classic teachings illuminate contemporary life and offer powerful tools for cultivating a courageous and responsive heart.
No prior study of the Bodhicaryāvatāra is required, and students are welcome to join the exploration at this point in the text.
Fee:
$240 course fee
$200 (base)
$185 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$300 (benefactor)
The deadline to register is Saturday, April 18 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is included in the Bodhi Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in Bodhi, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is NOT included in the Dharma Training Program. If you are enrolled in DTP and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.
About the Teacher
Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work.
Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.
An Evening with Lama Drupgyu
Lama Drupgyu will share some thoughts, then explore topics of interest in conversation with those who have gathered with him.
Please join us for this wonderful opportunity to spend an evening with Lama Drupgyu Tenzin in person. He has been a gifted teacher and member of Sukhasiddhi's Teachers Council for many years.
As an early student of Kalu Rinpoche he became a monk for 21 years and later was the Retreat Master appointed by Kalu Rinpoche to lead the three-year retreat on Saltspring Island, Canada attended by Lama Palden.
Karma: The Power of Intentional Action
Dharma Deep Dive | Course One
Exploring Karma: The Power of Intentional Action
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
8:30 - 1o:15 AM Pacific (Teaching)
10:15 - 11:15 AM Pacific (Tara Puja)
The teaching of karma is often reduced to a simple idea: that what we do comes back to us. While this captures something of its meaning, the Buddhist understanding of karma is both subtler and more profound.
At its heart, karma refers to action and the results that unfold from action. It points to the way our intentions, words, and behaviors participate in shaping our experience moment by moment and over time. In this sense, karma invites us to recognize the power of intentional action in the unfolding of our lives.
In this six-week course, we will explore karma not as a system of reward and punishment, but as a teaching about how experience unfolds through patterns of intention and response. Together, we will look at how actions leave traces in the mind, how habits take shape, and how these patterns influence the way we perceive ourselves, others, and the world.
As we deepen our understanding of karma, we begin to see that the teaching is not meant to make us feel judged or constrained. Instead, it invites a growing sense of awareness and responsibility. It shows us that our lives are not simply happening to us—we are continually participating in how they unfold.
Perhaps most importantly, the teaching of karma reveals that patterns are not fixed. As awareness develops, the momentum of habitual reactions can begin to loosen. In a time when the world often feels pulled by fear, aggression, or reactivity, the teaching of karma reminds us that how we respond still matters. Rather than leaving us bound by the past, this teaching opens the possibility of meeting each moment with greater clarity, care, and wisdom.
Fee:
$240 course fee
$200 (base)
$180 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$300 (benefactor)
The deadline to register is Saturday, April 18 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is included in the Dharma Training Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in DTP, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is NOT included in the Bodhi Program. If you are enrolled in Bodhi and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.About the Teacher
Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work.
Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Twenty-One Praises of Tārā Puja
Twenty-One Praises of Tārā Puja
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
10:15 - 11:15 AM Pacific
Please join us for a community puja of the Twenty-One Praises of Tārā, a traditional chant honoring Tārā as the swift liberator who responds to the needs of the world with wisdom and compassion.
Through the power of collective prayer and praise, we connect with Tārā’s enlightened activity of cultivating courage, clearing obstacles, and strengthening the compassionate heart while generating shared aspirations that support one another and help the wider world remember that clarity, care, and courageous compassion remain available, even in the midst of difficulty.
This gathering is offered in connection with Lama Döndrup Drolma’s Twenty-One Praises of Tārā article series appearing in Lion’s Roar.
All are welcome.
Dana
Base: $30
Supporter: $60
Chapters 4–6 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra
Dharma Deep Dive | Course Two
Living the Bodhisattva Path: A 6-Week Exploration of Chapters 4–6 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
8:30 - 11:15 AM Pacific
Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra (The Way of the Bodhisattva) is one of the most beloved and influential texts of the Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition. For centuries, practitioners have turned to it for guidance on how to cultivate wisdom, compassion, and courage in the midst of everyday life.
In this six-week course, we will explore Chapters 4–6, which focus on how the aspiration to awaken for the benefit of beings is sustained and expressed in lived experience.
These chapters examine three essential qualities of the bodhisattva path:
Carefulness — recognizing the responsibility that arises when we orient our lives toward awakening and compassion
Vigilance — learning how to work skillfully with the mind so that clarity and compassion are not carried away by habitual patterns
Patience — discovering how anger, frustration, and adversity can become gateways to strength, resilience, and deeper understanding
Shantideva’s teachings are both profound and practical. They invite us to look closely at the movements of our own minds and to discover how wisdom and compassion can remain steady even in the midst of uncertainty and challenge.
Through teaching, reflection, discussion, and contemplative practice, participants will explore how these classic teachings illuminate contemporary life and offer powerful tools for cultivating a courageous and responsive heart.
No prior study of the Bodhicaryāvatāra is required, and students are welcome to join the exploration at this point in the text.
Fee:
$240 course fee
$200 (base)
$185 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$300 (benefactor)
The deadline to register is Saturday, April 18 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is included in the Bodhi Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in Bodhi, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is NOT included in the Dharma Training Program. If you are enrolled in DTP and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.About the Teacher
Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work.
Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Opening the Gate: Monday Meditation - Green Tara
Monday Evening Online Meditation: Give yourself the gift of the present moment, connection with community, and the support of ageless love and wisdom.
Chagdrukpa Empowerment
Chagdrukpa Empowerment
Given by Lama Palden Drolma
Sunday, May 31 at 3 PM
Wisdom River Meditation Center and Zoom for those unable to come to the center
Lama Palden Drolma will be leading 2 Chagdrukpa events: the first is an empowerment ceremony for Chagdrukpa in May that will be followed by a Teaching on a practice in June. You can sign up to attend just the empowerment, just the teaching, or both events.
Chagdrukpa, Six-Arm Mahakala, is the primary protector of the Shangpa Lineage. He is also important for HH the Dalai Lama, who received the full transmissions from the previous Kalu Rinpoche.
Chagdrukpa is the fierce form of Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. He removes obstacles, both inner and outer, on the path to awakening, and protects practitioners, again on both an inner and outer level. He is dearly loved by those who come to know him as he is like a best friend. Connecting with this enlightened protector also brings many blessings, both spiritually and in our daily lives.
Empowerment Ceremony: the empowerment (wang) will be given on May 31. The samaya commitment is the daily recitation of a four-line prayer when you take the empowerment that you need to say the rest of your life.
Prerequisites: You need to have taken Refuge Vows and Bodhisattva Vows as well as having done some Chenrezig practice.
Fee/donation:
Empowerment only:
$40 (Fee) | $25 (Members)
Teaching only:
$60 (Fee) | $40 (Members)
Both Empowerment and Teaching:
$80 (Fee) | $55 (Members)
*You are considered a member if you make a monthly recurring donation -- learn more about Sukhasiddhi Membership
The deadline to register: Sat, May 30, 2026 at 5 PM Pacific
Teachings on Death & Dying
In this series on Death and Dying we will cover facing and preparing for one’s own death, being with others as they are dying, and what meditation practices are particularly helpful for these processes.
Chagdrukpa Teaching
Chagdrukpa Teaching
Given by Lama Palden Drolma
Saturday, June 20 at 3 PM
Wisdom River Meditation Center and Zoom for those unable to come to the center
Lama Palden Drolma will be leading 2 Chagdrukpa events: the first is an empowerment ceremony for Chagdrukpa in May that will be followed by a Teaching on a practice in June. You can sign up to attend just the empowerment, just the teaching, or both.
Chagdrukpa, Six-Arm Mahakala, is the primary protector of the Shangpa Lineage. He is also important for HH the Dalai Lama, who received the full transmissions from the previous Kalu Rinpoche.
Chagdrukpa is the fierce form of Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. He removes obstacles, both inner and outer, on the path to awakening, and protects practitioners, again on both an inner and outer level. He is dearly loved by those who come to know him as he is like a best friend. Connecting with this enlightened protector also brings many blessings, both spiritually and in our daily lives.
A Teaching (tri) on his short Torma Offering sadhana along with the text and the reading transmission (lung) will be given by Lama Palden Drolma on June 20 at 3 pm.
Prerequisites: You need to have taken Refuge Vows and Bodhisattva Vows as well as having done some Chenrezig practice.
Fee/donation:
Empowerment only:
$25 (Members) | $40 (General fee)
Teaching only:
$40 (Members) | $60 (General fee)
Both Empowerment and Teaching:
$55 (Members) | $80 (General fee)
*You are considered a member if you make a monthly recurring donation -- learn more about Sukhasiddhi Membership
The deadline to register: Sat, May 30, 2026 at 5 PM Pacific
Annual Summer Retreat
Healing the World Within and Around Us:
Medicine Buddha and Sur Chöd Retreat
Led by Lama Palden Drolma & Lama Döndrup Drolma
This weeklong retreat offers an immersive opportunity to engage deeply with the practice of Medicine Buddha, both as a path of personal healing and as a way of cultivating a responsive, compassionate presence with our loved ones and in the world.
Participants will receive the Medicine Buddha empowerment (wang), along with the reading transmission (lung) and teachings (tri) that support a grounded and meaningful connection to the practice. These transmissions provide not only access to the formal practice, but also a living sense of connection to the lineage from which it emerges.
A significant portion of the retreat will be dedicated to direct engagement with the practice itself. Through repeated sessions of meditation, mantra recitation, and visualization, participants will have the opportunity to become increasingly familiar with the felt sense of the practice, allowing it to move from something we do into something we begin to embody.
The retreat will also include teachings on the practice of Sür Chöd, an evening ritual of offering that expresses generosity in its most expansive form. This practice supports the release of grasping and invites a widening of perspective, as we relate not only to our own experience of difficulty, but also to unseen dimensions of suffering and need, particularly those navigating the bardo between this life and the next. Participants will both learn about and actively engage in this ritual during the retreat.
Throughout the week, teachings will be offered to support:
A clear understanding of the view and intention behind the practices
A sense of confidence and familiarity in engaging them
The integration of these practices into daily life
Participants will also engage daily in Lujong (Tibetan yogic movement) and either Chenrezig or Niguma’s Extraordinary Tonglen practice.
This retreat is suitable for both those who are newer to Vajrayāna and those with prior experience who wish to deepen their connection to Medicine Buddha practice. The emphasis will be on making the practices accessible, experiential, and workable, while also honoring their depth and integrity.
Prerequisites: Have taken Refuge Vows.
In a time when many feel the impact of uncertainty, illness, and collective strain, this retreat offers a space to reconnect with a source of healing that is not separate from our own awareness, one that can be accessed, cultivated, and shared.
Retreat details, schedule, and registration can be found at Sukhasiddhi.org/annualretreat2026.
Opening the Gate: Monday Meditation - Green Tara
Monday Evening Online Meditation: Give yourself the gift of the present moment, connection with community, and the support of ageless love and wisdom.
Teachings on Death & Dying
In this series on Death and Dying we will cover facing and preparing for one’s own death, being with others as they are dying, and what meditation practices are particularly helpful for these processes.
Green Tara Empowerment with Lama Tsang Tsing
Green Tara Empowerment with Lama Tsang Tsing
[Rescheduled from March]
Saturday, July 25 at 2 PM
In Person Only [virtual will be available to anyone who lives outside of the Bay Area OR is unable to attend in person due to health or other issues]
We are pleased to announce that Venerable Lama Tsang Tsing, from the Kagyu Dakshang Chuling center in Eugene, Oregon will be at Sukhasiddhi Foundation’s Wisdom River Meditation Center in late July to bestow three empowerments. An empowerment authorizes us to do a practice and provides a profound transmission and blessing that is a supreme method of purification.
Prerequisites for all of the empowerments:
Participants must have taken formal Refuge Vows ...
and be an active participant in Sukhasiddhi Foundation programs of study, classes, meditations, retreats or events.
Sangha members of Kagyu Takten Phuntsokling (KTP) in Sebastopol are invited as well.
Tara is awakened awareness manifest in a female form whose primary activity is to remove fear, anxiety, and obstacles. She encompasses 21 forms who have many activities. Tara is a beloved figure whose countless devotees have invoked her compassionate presence since late 6th century India. She embodies the lineage of feminine wisdom, which is the essential counterpart to the masculine aspect of skillful means. Of the two wings of wisdom and compassion that carry us to awakening, Tara and the divine feminine are the wing of wisdom of shunyata. She embodies this innate wisdom and unconditional, boundless love as she continuously nurtures and guides all sentient beings.
Fee for Green Tara Empowerment:
$ 35 (Base)
$ 30 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$ 50 (Generous)
*In addition to registration fees, plan to offer a dana donation to Lama Tsang Tsing following each empowerment.
Registration Deadline: Friday, July 24 at 12 PM
Fee for All Three Empowerments: Green Tara, Chöd, and Guru Rinpoche
$ 90 (Base)
$ 75 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$ 125 (Generous)
*In addition to registration fees, plan to offer a dana donation to Lama Tsang Tsing following each empowerment.
About Lama Tsang Tsing
Venerable Lama Tsang Tsing is a meditation master in the Shangpa and Karma Kagyu lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, and is the Resident Lama of the Kagyu Dakshang Chuling center in Eugene, OR, a Center that was established by H.E. Kalu Rinpoche. He is also a spiritual director of Kagyu Takten Putsokling in Sebastopol. Lama Tsang Tsing has received these empowerments from an unbroken lineage of esteemed rinpoches and has maintained the lineage with pure, unbroken samaya.
Chöd Empowerment with Lama Tsang Tsing
Chöd Empowerment with Lama Tsang Tsing
[Rescheduled from March]
Sunday, July 26 at 2 PM
In Person Only [virtual will be available to anyone who lives outside of the Bay Area OR is unable to attend in person due to health or other issues]
We are pleased to announce that Venerable Lama Tsang Tsing, from the Kagyu Dakshang Chuling center in Eugene, Oregon will be at Sukhasiddhi Foundation’s Wisdom River Meditation Center in late July to bestow three empowerments. An empowerment authorizes us to do a practice and provides a profound transmission and blessing that is a supreme method of purification.
Prerequisites for all of the empowerments:
Participants must have taken formal Refuge Vows ...
and be an active participant in Sukhasiddhi Foundation programs of study, classes, meditations, retreats or events.
Sangha members of Kagyu Takten Phuntsokling (KTP) in Sebastopol are invited as well.
The Chöd practice comes from the human wisdom dakini Machig Labdrön. She was one of the most powerful and compelling teachers ever from Tibet. Machig taught Chöd as a radical method for cutting through ego-fixation and cultivating compassion and fearlessness. Through chanting, visualization, and music we welcome negative mind states and harmful forces that ordinarily give rise to fear and reactivity. We make offerings which nourish and satisfy them, and in the process, we come to see the equality of all phenomena and our indestructible true nature.
Fee for Chöd Empowerment:
$ 35 (Base)
$ 30 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$ 50 (Generous)
*In addition to registration fees, plan to offer a dana donation to Lama Tsang Tsing following each empowerment.
Registration Deadline: Friday, July 24 at 12 PM
Fee for All Three Empowerments: Green Tara, Chöd, and Guru Rinpoche
$ 90 (Base)
$ 75 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$ 125 (Generous)
*In addition to registration fees, plan to offer a dana donation to Lama Tsang Tsing following each empowerment.
About Lama Tsang Tsing
Venerable Lama Tsang Tsing is a meditation master in the Shangpa and Karma Kagyu lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, and is the Resident Lama of the Kagyu Dakshang Chuling center in Eugene, OR, a Center that was established by H.E. Kalu Rinpoche. He is also a spiritual director of Kagyu Takten Putsokling in Sebastopol. Lama Tsang Tsing has received these empowerments from an unbroken lineage of esteemed rinpoches and has maintained the lineage with pure, unbroken samaya.
Guru Rinpoche Empowerment with Lama Tsang Tsing
Guru Rinpoche Empowerment with Lama Tsang Tsing
[Rescheduled from March]
Monday, July 27 at 2 PM
In Person Only [virtual will be available to anyone who lives outside of the Bay Area OR is unable to attend in person due to health or other issues]
We are pleased to announce that Venerable Lama Tsang Tsing, from the Kagyu Dakshang Chuling center in Eugene, Oregon will be at Sukhasiddhi Foundation’s Wisdom River Meditation Center in late July to bestow three empowerments. An empowerment authorizes us to do a practice and provides a profound transmission and blessing that is a supreme method of purification.
Prerequisites for all of the empowerments:
Participants must have taken formal Refuge Vows ...
and be an active participant in Sukhasiddhi Foundation programs of study, classes, meditations, retreats or events.
Sangha members of Kagyu Takten Phuntsokling (KTP) in Sebastopol are invited as well.
Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche in Tibet and Bhutan due to his being the pre-eminent Rinpoche of the Vajrayana tradition, was key in establishing Buddhism in Tibet, Bhutan, and in many other Himalayan regions.
He is famous for his ability to transform negative and destructive energies into positive, constructive forces for the benefit of all beings. Guru Rinpoche also buried many treasures- meditation texts, teachings, statues, and other holy objects for future generations, for tertons, or treasure revealers, to find when the time is right. He was the primary teacher to introduce and train students in Dzogchen. Hundreds of meditation practices have come from him to us, including Tara, Vajrakilaya, Tröma, Bardo, and Medicine Buddha, among others.
Receiving this empowerment in an unbroken, alive lineage passed down from him to us transmits to us his blessing and seeds of full realization. You will receive the Guru Rinpoche mantra.
Fee for Guru Rinpoche Empowerment:
$ 35 (Base)
$ 30 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$ 50 (Generous)
*In addition to registration fees, plan to offer a dana donation to Lama Tsang Tsing following each empowerment.
Registration Deadline: Friday, July 24 at 12 PM
Fee for All Three Empowerments: Green Tara, Chöd, and Guru Rinpoche
$ 90 (Base)
$ 75 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$ 125 (Generous)
*In addition to registration fees, plan to offer a dana donation to Lama Tsang Tsing following each empowerment.
About Lama Tsang Tsing
Venerable Lama Tsang Tsing is a meditation master in the Shangpa and Karma Kagyu lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, and is the Resident Lama of the Kagyu Dakshang Chuling center in Eugene, OR, a Center that was established by H.E. Kalu Rinpoche. He is also a spiritual director of Kagyu Takten Putsokling in Sebastopol. Lama Tsang Tsing has received these empowerments from an unbroken lineage of esteemed rinpoches and has maintained the lineage with pure, unbroken samaya.
Teachings on Death & Dying
In this series on Death and Dying we will cover facing and preparing for one’s own death, being with others as they are dying, and what meditation practices are particularly helpful for these processes.
Teachings on Death & Dying
In this series on Death and Dying we will cover facing and preparing for one’s own death, being with others as they are dying, and what meditation practices are particularly helpful for these processes.
Pilgrimage in Bhutan
Join Lama Palden Drolma, a modern Vajrayana master, with a deep and intimate connection to Bhutan on this exceptional opportunity to see the treasures and sacred sites of magical Bhutan.
Twenty-One Praises of Tārā Puja
Twenty-One Praises of Tārā Puja
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
10:15 - 11:15 AM Pacific
Please join us for a community puja of the Twenty-One Praises of Tārā, a traditional chant honoring Tārā as the swift liberator who responds to the needs of the world with wisdom and compassion.
Through the power of collective prayer and praise, we connect with Tārā’s enlightened activity of cultivating courage, clearing obstacles, and strengthening the compassionate heart while generating shared aspirations that support one another and help the wider world remember that clarity, care, and courageous compassion remain available, even in the midst of difficulty.
This gathering is offered in connection with Lama Döndrup Drolma’s Twenty-One Praises of Tārā article series appearing in Lion’s Roar.
All are welcome.
Dana
Base: $30
Supporter: $60
Karma: The Power of Intentional Action
Dharma Deep Dive | Course One
Exploring Karma: The Power of Intentional Action
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
8:30 - 10:15 AM Pacific (Teaching)
10:15 - 11:15 AM (Pacific (Tara Puja)
The teaching of karma is often reduced to a simple idea: that what we do comes back to us. While this captures something of its meaning, the Buddhist understanding of karma is both subtler and more profound.
At its heart, karma refers to action and the results that unfold from action. It points to the way our intentions, words, and behaviors participate in shaping our experience moment by moment and over time. In this sense, karma invites us to recognize the power of intentional action in the unfolding of our lives.
In this six-week course, we will explore karma not as a system of reward and punishment, but as a teaching about how experience unfolds through patterns of intention and response. Together, we will look at how actions leave traces in the mind, how habits take shape, and how these patterns influence the way we perceive ourselves, others, and the world.
As we deepen our understanding of karma, we begin to see that the teaching is not meant to make us feel judged or constrained. Instead, it invites a growing sense of awareness and responsibility. It shows us that our lives are not simply happening to us—we are continually participating in how they unfold.
Perhaps most importantly, the teaching of karma reveals that patterns are not fixed. As awareness develops, the momentum of habitual reactions can begin to loosen. In a time when the world often feels pulled by fear, aggression, or reactivity, the teaching of karma reminds us that how we respond still matters. Rather than leaving us bound by the past, this teaching opens the possibility of meeting each moment with greater clarity, care, and wisdom.
Fee:
$240 course fee
$200 (base)
$180 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$300 (benefactor)
The deadline to register is Saturday, April 18 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is included in the Dharma Training Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in DTP, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is NOT included in the Bodhi Program. If you are enrolled in Bodhi and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.About the Teacher
Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work.
Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Chapters 4–6 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra
Dharma Deep Dive | Course Two
Living the Bodhisattva Path: A 6-Week Exploration of Chapters 4–6 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
8:30 - 11:15 AM Pacific
Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra (The Way of the Bodhisattva) is one of the most beloved and influential texts of the Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition. For centuries, practitioners have turned to it for guidance on how to cultivate wisdom, compassion, and courage in the midst of everyday life.
In this six-week course, we will explore Chapters 4–6, which focus on how the aspiration to awaken for the benefit of beings is sustained and expressed in lived experience.
These chapters examine three essential qualities of the bodhisattva path:
Carefulness — recognizing the responsibility that arises when we orient our lives toward awakening and compassion
Vigilance — learning how to work skillfully with the mind so that clarity and compassion are not carried away by habitual patterns
Patience — discovering how anger, frustration, and adversity can become gateways to strength, resilience, and deeper understanding
Shantideva’s teachings are both profound and practical. They invite us to look closely at the movements of our own minds and to discover how wisdom and compassion can remain steady even in the midst of uncertainty and challenge.
Through teaching, reflection, discussion, and contemplative practice, participants will explore how these classic teachings illuminate contemporary life and offer powerful tools for cultivating a courageous and responsive heart.
No prior study of the Bodhicaryāvatāra is required, and students are welcome to join the exploration at this point in the text.
Fee:
$240 course fee
$200 (base)
$185 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$300 (benefactor)
The deadline to register is Saturday, April 18 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is included in the Bodhi Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in Bodhi, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is NOT included in the Dharma Training Program. If you are enrolled in DTP and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.About the Teacher
Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work.
Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Twenty-One Praises of Tārā Puja
Twenty-One Praises of Tārā Puja
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
10:15 - 11:15 AM Pacific
Please join us for a community puja of the Twenty-One Praises of Tārā, a traditional chant honoring Tārā as the swift liberator who responds to the needs of the world with wisdom and compassion.
Through the power of collective prayer and praise, we connect with Tārā’s enlightened activity of cultivating courage, clearing obstacles, and strengthening the compassionate heart while generating shared aspirations that support one another and help the wider world remember that clarity, care, and courageous compassion remain available, even in the midst of difficulty.
This gathering is offered in connection with Lama Döndrup Drolma’s Twenty-One Praises of Tārā article series appearing in Lion’s Roar.
All are welcome.
Dana
Base: $30
Supporter: $60
Karma: The Power of Intentional Action
Dharma Deep Dive | Course One
Exploring Karma: The Power of Intentional Action
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
8:30 - 10:15 AM Pacific (Teaching)
10:15 - 11:15 AM (Pacific (Tara Puja)
The teaching of karma is often reduced to a simple idea: that what we do comes back to us. While this captures something of its meaning, the Buddhist understanding of karma is both subtler and more profound.
At its heart, karma refers to action and the results that unfold from action. It points to the way our intentions, words, and behaviors participate in shaping our experience moment by moment and over time. In this sense, karma invites us to recognize the power of intentional action in the unfolding of our lives.
In this six-week course, we will explore karma not as a system of reward and punishment, but as a teaching about how experience unfolds through patterns of intention and response. Together, we will look at how actions leave traces in the mind, how habits take shape, and how these patterns influence the way we perceive ourselves, others, and the world.
As we deepen our understanding of karma, we begin to see that the teaching is not meant to make us feel judged or constrained. Instead, it invites a growing sense of awareness and responsibility. It shows us that our lives are not simply happening to us—we are continually participating in how they unfold.
Perhaps most importantly, the teaching of karma reveals that patterns are not fixed. As awareness develops, the momentum of habitual reactions can begin to loosen. In a time when the world often feels pulled by fear, aggression, or reactivity, the teaching of karma reminds us that how we respond still matters. Rather than leaving us bound by the past, this teaching opens the possibility of meeting each moment with greater clarity, care, and wisdom.
Fee:
$240 course fee
$200 (base)
$180 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$300 (benefactor)
The deadline to register is Saturday, April 18 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is included in the Dharma Training Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in DTP, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is NOT included in the Bodhi Program. If you are enrolled in Bodhi and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.About the Teacher
Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work.
Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Teachings on Death & Dying
In this series on Death and Dying we will cover facing and preparing for one’s own death, being with others as they are dying, and what meditation practices are particularly helpful for these processes.
Chapters 4–6 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra
Dharma Deep Dive | Course Two
Living the Bodhisattva Path: A 6-Week Exploration of Chapters 4–6 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
8:30 - 11:15 AM Pacific
Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra (The Way of the Bodhisattva) is one of the most beloved and influential texts of the Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition. For centuries, practitioners have turned to it for guidance on how to cultivate wisdom, compassion, and courage in the midst of everyday life.
In this six-week course, we will explore Chapters 4–6, which focus on how the aspiration to awaken for the benefit of beings is sustained and expressed in lived experience.
These chapters examine three essential qualities of the bodhisattva path:
Carefulness — recognizing the responsibility that arises when we orient our lives toward awakening and compassion
Vigilance — learning how to work skillfully with the mind so that clarity and compassion are not carried away by habitual patterns
Patience — discovering how anger, frustration, and adversity can become gateways to strength, resilience, and deeper understanding
Shantideva’s teachings are both profound and practical. They invite us to look closely at the movements of our own minds and to discover how wisdom and compassion can remain steady even in the midst of uncertainty and challenge.
Through teaching, reflection, discussion, and contemplative practice, participants will explore how these classic teachings illuminate contemporary life and offer powerful tools for cultivating a courageous and responsive heart.
No prior study of the Bodhicaryāvatāra is required, and students are welcome to join the exploration at this point in the text.
Fee:
$240 course fee
$200 (base)
$185 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$300 (benefactor)
The deadline to register is Saturday, April 18 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is included in the Bodhi Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in Bodhi, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is NOT included in the Dharma Training Program. If you are enrolled in DTP and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.About the Teacher
Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work.
Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Twenty-One Praises of Tārā Puja
Twenty-One Praises of Tārā Puja
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
10:15 - 11:15 AM Pacific
Please join us for a community puja of the Twenty-One Praises of Tārā, a traditional chant honoring Tārā as the swift liberator who responds to the needs of the world with wisdom and compassion.
Through the power of collective prayer and praise, we connect with Tārā’s enlightened activity of cultivating courage, clearing obstacles, and strengthening the compassionate heart while generating shared aspirations that support one another and help the wider world remember that clarity, care, and courageous compassion remain available, even in the midst of difficulty.
This gathering is offered in connection with Lama Döndrup Drolma’s Twenty-One Praises of Tārā article series appearing in Lion’s Roar.
All are welcome.
Dana
Base: $30
Supporter: $60
Karma: The Power of Intentional Action
Dharma Deep Dive | Course One
Exploring Karma: The Power of Intentional Action
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
8:30 - 10:15 AM Pacific (Teaching)
10:15 - 11:15 AM (Pacific (Tara Puja)
The teaching of karma is often reduced to a simple idea: that what we do comes back to us. While this captures something of its meaning, the Buddhist understanding of karma is both subtler and more profound.
At its heart, karma refers to action and the results that unfold from action. It points to the way our intentions, words, and behaviors participate in shaping our experience moment by moment and over time. In this sense, karma invites us to recognize the power of intentional action in the unfolding of our lives.
In this six-week course, we will explore karma not as a system of reward and punishment, but as a teaching about how experience unfolds through patterns of intention and response. Together, we will look at how actions leave traces in the mind, how habits take shape, and how these patterns influence the way we perceive ourselves, others, and the world.
As we deepen our understanding of karma, we begin to see that the teaching is not meant to make us feel judged or constrained. Instead, it invites a growing sense of awareness and responsibility. It shows us that our lives are not simply happening to us—we are continually participating in how they unfold.
Perhaps most importantly, the teaching of karma reveals that patterns are not fixed. As awareness develops, the momentum of habitual reactions can begin to loosen. In a time when the world often feels pulled by fear, aggression, or reactivity, the teaching of karma reminds us that how we respond still matters. Rather than leaving us bound by the past, this teaching opens the possibility of meeting each moment with greater clarity, care, and wisdom.
Fee:
$240 course fee
$200 (base)
$180 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$300 (benefactor)
The deadline to register is Saturday, April 18 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is included in the Dharma Training Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in DTP, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is NOT included in the Bodhi Program. If you are enrolled in Bodhi and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.About the Teacher
Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work.
Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Preparing Your Spiritual Care Directive
Back by popular demand!
Compassion In Action: Preparing Your Spiritual Care Directive
Saturday, May 2 | 10 AM – 4 PM Pacific
In Person at Wisdom River Meditation Center and Online via Zoom
Two things are certain:
1) we will all die and
2) we do not know the time of our death.
In the Buddhist tradition, keeping these two truths close to our heart helps us to live each moment with a sense of preciousness, reverence and gratitude. As practitioners, we meditate daily on impermanence and the blessing of this human life. And one of the ways that we can turn this contemplation into an act of compassion, not only for ourselves but also for our loved ones is to create an Advance Spiritual Care Directive.
Just as we create an Advance Medical Care Directive to guide our family and health care providers with our medical wishes, we can also write an Advance Spiritual Care Directive to help guide them with our spiritual wishes. This becomes especially important for us as practitioners of the dharma. By clarifying and making known what will support us to continue our practice through the time of our dying, we are offering a gift to ourselves and to those surrounding us at this time.
Please come and join us for this daylong workshop where we will gather together and clarify our end of life dharma wishes.
If you attended the previous workshop on this topic, you are welcome to attend this as a follow up or refresher.
Fees:
Workshop: $125
Member: $100
Benefactor: $150
Opening the Gate: Monday Meditation - Green Tara
Monday Evening Online Meditation: Give yourself the gift of the present moment, connection with community, and the support of ageless love and wisdom.
Chapters 4–6 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra
Dharma Deep Dive | Course Two
Living the Bodhisattva Path: A 6-Week Exploration of Chapters 4–6 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
8:30 - 11:15 AM Pacific
Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra (The Way of the Bodhisattva) is one of the most beloved and influential texts of the Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition. For centuries, practitioners have turned to it for guidance on how to cultivate wisdom, compassion, and courage in the midst of everyday life.
In this six-week course, we will explore Chapters 4–6, which focus on how the aspiration to awaken for the benefit of beings is sustained and expressed in lived experience.
These chapters examine three essential qualities of the bodhisattva path:
Carefulness — recognizing the responsibility that arises when we orient our lives toward awakening and compassion
Vigilance — learning how to work skillfully with the mind so that clarity and compassion are not carried away by habitual patterns
Patience — discovering how anger, frustration, and adversity can become gateways to strength, resilience, and deeper understanding
Shantideva’s teachings are both profound and practical. They invite us to look closely at the movements of our own minds and to discover how wisdom and compassion can remain steady even in the midst of uncertainty and challenge.
Through teaching, reflection, discussion, and contemplative practice, participants will explore how these classic teachings illuminate contemporary life and offer powerful tools for cultivating a courageous and responsive heart.
No prior study of the Bodhicaryāvatāra is required, and students are welcome to join the exploration at this point in the text.
Fee:
$240 course fee
$200 (base)
$185 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$300 (benefactor)
The deadline to register is Saturday, April 18 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is included in the Bodhi Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in Bodhi, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is NOT included in the Dharma Training Program. If you are enrolled in DTP and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.About the Teacher
Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work.
Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Twenty-One Praises of Tārā Puja
Twenty-One Praises of Tārā Puja
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
10:15 - 11:15 AM Pacific
Please join us for a community puja of the Twenty-One Praises of Tārā, a traditional chant honoring Tārā as the swift liberator who responds to the needs of the world with wisdom and compassion.
Through the power of collective prayer and praise, we connect with Tārā’s enlightened activity of cultivating courage, clearing obstacles, and strengthening the compassionate heart while generating shared aspirations that support one another and help the wider world remember that clarity, care, and courageous compassion remain available, even in the midst of difficulty.
This gathering is offered in connection with Lama Döndrup Drolma’s Twenty-One Praises of Tārā article series appearing in Lion’s Roar.
All are welcome.
Dana
Base: $30
Supporter: $60
Karma: The Power of Intentional Action
Dharma Deep Dive | Course One
Exploring Karma: The Power of Intentional Action
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
8:30 - 10:15 AM Pacific (Teaching)
10:15 - 11:15 AM (Pacific (Tara Puja)
The teaching of karma is often reduced to a simple idea: that what we do comes back to us. While this captures something of its meaning, the Buddhist understanding of karma is both subtler and more profound.
At its heart, karma refers to action and the results that unfold from action. It points to the way our intentions, words, and behaviors participate in shaping our experience moment by moment and over time. In this sense, karma invites us to recognize the power of intentional action in the unfolding of our lives.
In this six-week course, we will explore karma not as a system of reward and punishment, but as a teaching about how experience unfolds through patterns of intention and response. Together, we will look at how actions leave traces in the mind, how habits take shape, and how these patterns influence the way we perceive ourselves, others, and the world.
As we deepen our understanding of karma, we begin to see that the teaching is not meant to make us feel judged or constrained. Instead, it invites a growing sense of awareness and responsibility. It shows us that our lives are not simply happening to us—we are continually participating in how they unfold.
Perhaps most importantly, the teaching of karma reveals that patterns are not fixed. As awareness develops, the momentum of habitual reactions can begin to loosen. In a time when the world often feels pulled by fear, aggression, or reactivity, the teaching of karma reminds us that how we respond still matters. Rather than leaving us bound by the past, this teaching opens the possibility of meeting each moment with greater clarity, care, and wisdom.
Fee:
$240 course fee
$200 (base)
$180 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$300 (benefactor)
The deadline to register is Saturday, April 18 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is included in the Dharma Training Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in DTP, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is NOT included in the Bodhi Program. If you are enrolled in Bodhi and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.About the Teacher
Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work.
Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Community Gathering and Potluck
You are invited to our Spring
Sukhasiddhi Community Gathering and Potluck
Saturday, April 25, 2026
12:30 - 2 pm Pacific in person
12:50 pm - online folks join in
at Wisdom River Meditation CenterAND Online
Please join Lama Döndrup and sangha community leaders & members from near & far to share food, conversations and ideas.
It's a Potluck & Community Conversation!
Bring a salad, main dish, finger food or dessert to share!
AGENDA
12:30 pm Arrive, share food and conversation
12:50 pm Online guests join in and visit with each other
1:00 pm Welcome by Lama Döndrup
Presentation of our first Master of Divinty degree
Highlights & upcoming events in our 30th year
Opportunities to Volunteer
1:15 pm Small group conversations & feedback
1:45 pm Share ideas
2:00 pm Closure and Dedication
We'd love some informal time to visit with each other, share what's planned for the year, showcase the AV upagrades being made at the Center, and hear from you about what you'd love to see at Sukhasiddhi to make your experience as fulfilling as possible.
Chapters 4–6 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra
Dharma Deep Dive | Course Two
Living the Bodhisattva Path: A 6-Week Exploration of Chapters 4–6 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
8:30 - 11:15 AM Pacific
Shantideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra (The Way of the Bodhisattva) is one of the most beloved and influential texts of the Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition. For centuries, practitioners have turned to it for guidance on how to cultivate wisdom, compassion, and courage in the midst of everyday life.
In this six-week course, we will explore Chapters 4–6, which focus on how the aspiration to awaken for the benefit of beings is sustained and expressed in lived experience.
These chapters examine three essential qualities of the bodhisattva path:
Carefulness — recognizing the responsibility that arises when we orient our lives toward awakening and compassion
Vigilance — learning how to work skillfully with the mind so that clarity and compassion are not carried away by habitual patterns
Patience — discovering how anger, frustration, and adversity can become gateways to strength, resilience, and deeper understanding
Shantideva’s teachings are both profound and practical. They invite us to look closely at the movements of our own minds and to discover how wisdom and compassion can remain steady even in the midst of uncertainty and challenge.
Through teaching, reflection, discussion, and contemplative practice, participants will explore how these classic teachings illuminate contemporary life and offer powerful tools for cultivating a courageous and responsive heart.
No prior study of the Bodhicaryāvatāra is required, and students are welcome to join the exploration at this point in the text.
Fee:
$240 course fee
$200 (base)
$185 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$300 (benefactor)
The deadline to register is Saturday, April 18 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is included in the Bodhi Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in Bodhi, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is NOT included in the Dharma Training Program. If you are enrolled in DTP and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.About the Teacher
Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work.
Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Twenty-One Praises of Tārā Puja
Twenty-One Praises of Tārā Puja
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
10:15 - 11:15 AM Pacific
Please join us for a community puja of the Twenty-One Praises of Tārā, a traditional chant honoring Tārā as the swift liberator who responds to the needs of the world with wisdom and compassion.
Through the power of collective prayer and praise, we connect with Tārā’s enlightened activity of cultivating courage, clearing obstacles, and strengthening the compassionate heart while generating shared aspirations that support one another and help the wider world remember that clarity, care, and courageous compassion remain available, even in the midst of difficulty.
This gathering is offered in connection with Lama Döndrup Drolma’s Twenty-One Praises of Tārā article series appearing in Lion’s Roar.
All are welcome.
Dana
Base: $30
Supporter: $60
Karma: The Power of Intentional Action
Dharma Deep Dive | Course One
Exploring Karma: The Power of Intentional Action
led by Lama Döndrup
Sundays | April 19, 26 & May 3, 10, 17, 24
In-person at Wisdom River Meditation Center or Online via Zoom
8:30 - 10:15 AM Pacific (Teaching)
10:15 - 11:15 AM (Pacific (Tara Puja)
The teaching of karma is often reduced to a simple idea: that what we do comes back to us. While this captures something of its meaning, the Buddhist understanding of karma is both subtler and more profound.
At its heart, karma refers to action and the results that unfold from action. It points to the way our intentions, words, and behaviors participate in shaping our experience moment by moment and over time. In this sense, karma invites us to recognize the power of intentional action in the unfolding of our lives.
In this six-week course, we will explore karma not as a system of reward and punishment, but as a teaching about how experience unfolds through patterns of intention and response. Together, we will look at how actions leave traces in the mind, how habits take shape, and how these patterns influence the way we perceive ourselves, others, and the world.
As we deepen our understanding of karma, we begin to see that the teaching is not meant to make us feel judged or constrained. Instead, it invites a growing sense of awareness and responsibility. It shows us that our lives are not simply happening to us—we are continually participating in how they unfold.
Perhaps most importantly, the teaching of karma reveals that patterns are not fixed. As awareness develops, the momentum of habitual reactions can begin to loosen. In a time when the world often feels pulled by fear, aggression, or reactivity, the teaching of karma reminds us that how we respond still matters. Rather than leaving us bound by the past, this teaching opens the possibility of meeting each moment with greater clarity, care, and wisdom.
Fee:
$240 course fee
$200 (base)
$180 (Sukhasiddhi member)
$300 (benefactor)
The deadline to register is Saturday, April 18 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is included in the Dharma Training Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in DTP, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Dharma Deep Dive class series is NOT included in the Bodhi Program. If you are enrolled in Bodhi and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.About the Teacher
Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work.
Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Mahamudra Retreat
To cultivate this awareness-emptiness that is the nature of love, it is helpful to step out of the busyness of our lives and enter a contemplative space where we can open our hearts and settle our minds. We are then able to look closely at how thoughts and emotions shape our inner and outer experience, and to let go of the fears and grasping which lead to conflict and division.
Teachings on Death & Dying
In this series on Death and Dying we will cover facing and preparing for one’s own death, being with others as they are dying, and what meditation practices are particularly helpful for these processes.
Opening the Gate: Monday Meditation - Green Tara
Monday Evening Online Meditation: Give yourself the gift of the present moment, connection with community, and the support of ageless love and wisdom.
Cancelled - Amitabha Empowerment with Lama Tsang Tsing
It is with great disappointment that we announce the cancellation of the Amitabha Empowerment with Lama Tsang Tsing due to unforeseen circumstances. If these events are rescheduled, they will be offered IN PERSON only.
Spring Sound Healing
Spring Sound Healing with Barbara Juniper & Lama Palden
MEDITATION, SOUND AND MUSIC TO NOURISH AND RESTORE!
Spring is a time of renewal and nourishment after the dormancy of winter. What seeds are you nourishing with the new, fresh energy of spring? Come join me for an evening of meditation, sound and restoration in the beautiful space of Wisdom River Meditation Center. Surrounded by the energies of the love, compassion and wisdom of the awakened beings, you will be gently brought into a state of profound stillness and restoration.
Lama Palden will open the evening with a brief meditation after which I will glide you into a sonic journey that will carry you into deep states of stillness and relaxation.
VERY IMPORTANT! Wisdom River Center is a scent-free environment. Please do not wear any scented products when you come to join us!
Please be sure to bring:
a yoga mat, pad or blanket to lie on
a blanket for warmth
a pillow for your head
an eye pillow if you wish
Fee: $45
Becoming a Global Citizen
Awake in the World | Course One
Becoming a Global Citizen - Week Three
taught by Rev. Susan Shannon
Dates:
Sundays | March 1, 8, & 15
Location:
Online via Zoom only
Time:
10 AM - 12 PM Pacific
This three-week session will be an exploration of the many maps of awakening as presented by Buddha's teaching. Stephen Batchelor, in his book 'Buddhism Without Beliefs' wrote that after his enlightenment, Buddha agreed to teach only after realizing that he'd be hampering the creation of Communities of Awakening if he didn't. And now here we are thousands of years later, still able to access all the cartography of the path to awakening, tossing around words like 'woke' and yet the world is frayed and people are afraid.
What happened? How can we change it? What is ours to do? How can we figure out exactly what our path is so we can become a pixel in the Global Awakening that so needs to happen?
We will explore various maps Buddha left us and place them in our individual lives as cornerstones to our future. We will weave together the teachings of The Four Noble Truths, The Six Perfections, The Four Immeasurables, Lojong, and elements of Buddhist Psychology as they relate to the cycle of life. No stone unturned, but you will determine where, how and why they fit into your unique journey.
Fees:
$120 (series fee)
$150 (series fee + support)
$90 (Sukhasiddhi Members)
The deadline to register is Friday, February 27 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Awake in the World class series is included in the Dharma Training Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in DTP, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Awake in the World class series is NOT included in the Bodhi Program. If you are enrolled in Bodhi and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.Continuation of ‘Teachings on Death & Dying’ - Week 6
In this series on Death and Dying we will cover facing and preparing for one’s own death, being with others as they are dying, and what meditation practices are particularly helpful for these processes.
Becoming a Global Citizen
Awake in the World | Course One
Becoming a Global Citizen - Week Two
taught by Rev. Susan Shannon
Dates:
Sundays | March 1, 8, & 15
Location:
Online via Zoom only
Time:
10 AM - 12 PM Pacific
This three-week session will be an exploration of the many maps of awakening as presented by Buddha's teaching. Stephen Batchelor, in his book 'Buddhism Without Beliefs' wrote that after his enlightenment, Buddha agreed to teach only after realizing that he'd be hampering the creation of Communities of Awakening if he didn't. And now here we are thousands of years later, still able to access all the cartography of the path to awakening, tossing around words like 'woke' and yet the world is frayed and people are afraid.
What happened? How can we change it? What is ours to do? How can we figure out exactly what our path is so we can become a pixel in the Global Awakening that so needs to happen?
We will explore various maps Buddha left us and place them in our individual lives as cornerstones to our future. We will weave together the teachings of The Four Noble Truths, The Six Perfections, The Four Immeasurables, Lojong, and elements of Buddhist Psychology as they relate to the cycle of life. No stone unturned, but you will determine where, how and why they fit into your unique journey.
Fees:
$120 (series fee)
$150 (series fee + support)
$90 (Sukhasiddhi Members)
The deadline to register is Friday, February 27 at 12 PM (Pacific).
**Please Note: This Awake in the World class series is included in the Dharma Training Program as part of the curriculum. If you are already enrolled in DTP, you do not need to register separately for this series. **Please Note: This Awake in the World class series is NOT included in the Bodhi Program. If you are enrolled in Bodhi and are interested in this series, you will need to register separately.
Bodhisattva Vow Ceremony
The Bodhisattva Vow is the aspiration to awaken for the benefit of all beings. Engaging in the journey to awaken so that we can benefit of all beings super charges our path and deeply aligns us with the truth of our interconnectedness with all beings.
“Sukhasiddhi means having teachers and community that are integral to learning the Dharma, and growing my practice. I tried to learn all that I could through books, and online videos for years. However, I hit a wall in my practice. I knew I needed more direction. I needed teachers and sangha.”