Find Freedom from the Causes of Unhappiness

"As long as we don’t recognize our real nature, we suffer. When we recognize our nature, we become free from suffering. Whether you recognize it or not, though, its qualities remain unchanged. But when you begin to recognize it in yourself, you change, and the qualities of your life change as well. Things you never dreamed possible begin to happen." Mingyur Rinpoche In this week’s online programming, we examine how self-created suffering can keep us trapped in dissatisfaction. Most of the suffering we experience is actually created by the mind. Since many of our problems are created by the mind, we can free ourselves from their influence by understanding how the mind works. Join us for live teachings and group practice. The coronavirus is causing so much pain in the world and bringing with it a great deal of anxiety, grief, and stress. In such situations, we can easily become trapped in self-created suffering – an additional layer of suffering that comes when we try to avoid relating to our pain. A central understanding of the Buddhist tradition is that suffering is not an inherent aspect of the human condition, but can be a gateway to discovering our innate freedom and wellbeing. When we learn to free ourselves from the push and pull of our aversion and craving, we discover that it is possible to find happiness in all circumstances, even the most challenging. In this live talk, Rinpoche will talk about how we can free ourselves from self-created suffering. Join us for a live-streamed teaching with Mingyur Rinpoche on Sunday, May 3 at 6:00 AM EDT (12:00 Noon CEST). Simultaneous translation will be available in multiple languages. Visit streaming.tergar.org for the details. We all want to avoid suffering. But when suffering comes, we do not necessarily need to run away from it – the Buddhist tradition provides us with perspectives and techniques that can help us to transform our suffering. With a skillful approach, suffering can be a powerful support for the cultivation of awareness and compassion, and as well as of a deeper understanding of our lives and our world. In fact, it is precisely through taking up the challenges posed by suffering that we can discover our true potential for freedom and joy. In this live talk, Cortland will explore how we can transform our relationship to present-moment experience.  Join us for a live-streamed teaching with Tergar Instructor Cortland Dahl on Thursday, May 7 at 8:00 PM EDT (2:00 CEST, May 8). Join us on YouTube Live for three group practice sessions each week with 20 minutes of guided meditation plus the opportunity to ask practice-related questions. The sessions are recorded so you can come back to practice at any time. Mondays, 10 AM EDT (4 PM CEST) Tuesdays, 8 PM EDT (Wednesdays, 2 AM CEST) Fridays, 2 PM EDT (8 PM CEST) Remember that you can always watch past talks and sessions from Mingyur Rinpoche, Instructors, and Facilitators on the Tergar Meditation Community YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to the channel, and click the bell icon to receive notifications when new streams and practice sessions are added. Please visit the Tergar Covid-19 resources page for news and resources for practice during this time. May you, your loved ones, and your communities be safe and healthy. Sincerely, Tergar Meditation Community