Athens Karma Thegsum Choling, the local Tibetan Buddhist meditation center, is starting off the year with a visit and talk from Tibetan Buddhist lama Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche in conjunction with ARTS/West.
Rinpoche is the Abbot at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra in Woodstock, N.Y., which is the main monastery Athens KTC is affiliated with, said Sue Erlewine, founder, secretary and meditation instructor at Athens KTC and assistant nursing professor at Ohio University.
“Rinpoche will be speaking about spirituality from a Buddhist point of view and how it can be relevant and helpful even in today’s complicated and fast-moving world,” Erlewine said. “He has dedicated his life to traveling and teaching, and we are very pleased to have him here in Athens.”
Stephen Kropf, assistant director at Athens KTC, said he was looking forward to giving the people an opportunity to hear from Rinpoche.
“The gentleman who is speaking is 90 years old, and he was educated in Tibet before the Chinese takeover,” Kropf said. “There aren’t many from his generation left.”
Although Rinpoche has spoken in Athens twice before, it’s a special opportunity for anyone to attend and hear from him, Kropf added.
Erlewine said becoming a student of Rinpoche’s has benefitted her life in a variety of ways.
“I met Rinpoche and heard him speak several times about 15 years ago, (and) I gradually grew more interested in what I was hearing and began to practice Buddhism with Rinpoche as my main teacher about 10 years ago,” she said. “I have found the teachings and meditation practice to be very applicable and beneficial to me personally, and I think my family will tell you I’m easier to live with since I began practicing.”
Speakers like Rinpoche rarely make it to Athens, but Athens KTC tries to invite other teachers from the main monastery or local teachers from Columbus on a yearly basis, Erlewine said.
She hopes people understand Buddhism as more than just a religion after the talk.
“(Buddhism) is a more of a philosophy of life, a spiritual path with practices and methods that help reduce our suffering and through that, the suffering of others,” Erlewine said. “We can learn how to work with our thoughts and help to change our unhelpful habits to remain more centered and calm as we move through the more difficult times of our lives.”
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