Diamond Light Tibetan Buddhist Group

The Heart Sutra with Geshe Lobsang Tsultrim
2022-06-07 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Sierra 2 Center, Room 14, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Discover the wisdom of emptiness! Geshe Lobsang Tsultrim will use the Heart Sutra to explore emptiness and how it can transform our world. Beginners welcome!
8 Tuesdays June 7-July 26, 6:30pm-8:00pm
Hybrid options for attending:
You can attend in person:
2791 24th Street, Room 14 Sacramento CA 95818 (parking lot off 4th Ave, the room is upstairs).
Please wear a mask!
Or Click on the Zoom link to join: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
Cost: Suggested donation of $10-$20 to cover the cost of the class and support the teacher. No one turned away for lack of funds. You can give online: https://www.diamondlightsac.org/donate/ or through Venmo: search “Diamond Light”
For more info: http://www.diamondlightsac.org
Geshe Lobsang Tsultrim is part of the Gaden Shartse Monastery in south India. “Geshe” is a degree that is earned after several years of intensive study and passing the highest-level exams. It is the monastic equivalent of a western “Ph.D.” degree. Having successfully passed these exams, Geshe Tsultrim is an expert on Buddhist philosophy. He is also a skilled artist, specializing in traditional Tibetan art. Geshe Tsultrim has been teaching in the United States since 2001.

Closed for the Holiday!
2022-07-04 18:30 - 19:30, 2022-09-26 18:30 - 19:30 | Online event
CLosed for the Holiday! Meditation will resume next week!

Dharma Essentials with Jay Nair and Amie Diller
2022-08-02 18:30 - 20:00 | Sierra 2 Center, Room 14, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Wanting a spiritual practice and don’t know where to start? Have you been studying Buddhism for awhile and wanting to discover where to go next? Tibetan Buddhism offers a complete path to enlightenment, starting with the basics. Join Jay Nair and Amie Diller as they begin the Dharma Essentials course – which is an overview of a spiritual path and how to create and maintain a Buddhist practice.
Tuesdays August 2nd -August 30th
6:30pm-8:00pm
Hybrid options for attending:
You can attend in person:
2791 24th Street, Room 14 Sacramento CA 95818 (parking lot off 4th Ave, the room is upstairs).
Please wear a mask!
Or Click on the Zoom link to join: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
Cost: Suggested donation of $10-$20 to cover the cost of the class and support the teacher. No one turned away for lack of funds. You can give online: https://www.diamondlightsac.org/donate/ or through Venmo: search “Diamond Light”
For more info: http://www.diamondlightsac.org
Hailing from a traditional South Indian Yogic family, Jay Nair grew up by the banks of river Periyar, has been practicing some type of yoga and socially engaged spirituality from early on in life and studying modern Mindfulness since 2010. He also received training in Tibetan and Vipassana practices, and participated in many long term yoga meditation retreats. Jay Nair is trained in Indian Music and started performing solo concerts at the early age of ten. Since then Jay has been performing and recording Indian and world fusion music. IT Engineer by profession, Jay is a blend of Science, Art and Spirituality and believes Technology and Consciousness transforms each other.
Amie Diller stumbled on Tassajara Zen Mountain Center at age 18, dropped out of college, and embarked on a life-long passion for the study and practice of Buddhism. For the last 15 years Amie has been practicing & teaching internationally in the Tibetan Gelugpa Buddhist tradition. Being a certified nurse-midwife and mother have also brought great joy, along with fertile ground for practicing in the world with a wise and compassionate heart. She is the Spiritual Director at Diamond Light Tibetan Buddhist Center.

Inner Heart: The Sweet and Swift Path with Cindy Lee
2022-09-06 18:30 - 20:30 | Sierra 2 Center, Room 14, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
INNER HEART TUESDAYS:
The Sweet & Swift Path
Study and practice Lobsang Chukyi Gyeltsen’s Steps on the Path using his insightful instructions and devotional meditations.
Tuesday nights in September 9/6-9/27
6:30pm-8:30pm PDT (Wednesday late morning Asia-Pac)
To receive the recordings, register Here for Inner Heart Tuesdays: https://www.cindylee.org/events/inner-heart-tuesday-evenings-usa
Hybrid options for attending (Cindy will be teaching online from home):
You can attend in person:
2791 24th Street, Room 14 Sacramento CA 95818 (parking lot off 4th Ave, the room is upstairs).
Please wear a mask!
Or Click on the Zoom link to join: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
These four classes are offered by suggested donation of $10-20 per class. No one turned away due to lack of funds
Donate Through Diamond Light and direct your donation to Registration Fees for Cindy Lee’s class. All donations go toward the teacher and Diamond Light.
WEEKEND RETREAT
This course will culminate in an optional weekend retreat on the weekend of 9/30 – 10/2
Register Here for Inner Heart Retreat: https://bookwhen.com/diamondlightsac/e/ev-s7n9-20220930000000
Cindy will be teaching on Tuesday evenings Sept 6-Sept 27, 6:30pm-8:30pm PDT. This retreat will expand and deepen on the Tuesday teachings. You can also attend and benefit from the retreat without attending Tuesday nights. Tuesdays will be hybrid, feel free to join us at Diamond Light Mediation Center in Sacramento (2791 24th Street, Room 14 Sacramento CA 95818), or from the comfort of your home! Cindy teaching from home.
About Cindy: Cindy Lee has trained in the Indo-Tibetan traditions of Buddhism and Yoga for over 25 years.
Co-teaching at international workshops and retreats for more than a decade with her late husband, Brian K. Smith (Lama Marut) Cindy continues their collaborative work of sharing the dharma with the intention of integrating wisdom and compassion in daily life.
Cindy received a Graduate Diploma in media and worked as a lecturer at Swinburne University. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts majoring in literature and her dharma classes can include both in-depth textual study and creative approaches to practice techniques, influenced by her academic and artistic interests.
As an artist, Cindy has explored the intersection of multimedia, performance and insight, most recently in the creation of live events that investigate and illuminate themes such as the “Yoga of Sound”, “Buddha Nature” and the “Five Buddha Families”.
For more about Cindy, visit:
https://www.cindylee.org/events

Inner Heart Weekend Retreat: The Sweet and Swift Path with Cindy Lee
2022-09-30 18:30 - 20:30 | Onlie via Zoom, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Inner Heart: The Sweet and Swift Path with Cindy Lee
3-Day Online Only Retreat
Friday Sept 30, 2022-Sunday Oct 2, 2022
Schedule:
Friday: 6:30pm-8:30pm PDT (Intro and Welcome)
Saturday: 2:00pm-8:30pm PDT (Meditation, Dharma Talk and Kirtan)
Sunday: 2:00pm-5:30pm (Mediation and Dharma Talk)
Please plan to attend all days, no partial retreat available
Sliding scale: $80-$150
Scholarships available, please email diamondlight.sac@gmail.com to request a scholarship.
Pre-Registration required. Register here: https://bookwhen.com/diamondlightsac/e/ev-s7n9-20220930000000
Study and practice Lobsang Chukyi Gyeltsen’s Steps on the Path with insightful instructions and devotional meditations.
Cindy will be teaching on Tuesday evenings Sept 6-Sept 27, 6:30pm-8:30pm PDT. This retreat will expand and deepen on the Tuesday teachings. You can also attend and benefit from the retreat without attending Tuesday nights. Tuesdays will be hybrid, feel free to join us at Diamond Light Mediation Center in Sacramento (2791 24th Street, Room 14 Sacramento CA 95818), or from the comfort of your home! Cindy teaching from home.
About Cindy: Cindy Lee has trained in the Indo-Tibetan traditions of Buddhism and Yoga for over 25 years.
Co-teaching at international workshops and retreats for more than a decade with her late husband, Brian K. Smith (Lama Marut) Cindy continues their collaborative work of sharing the dharma with the intention of integrating wisdom and compassion in daily life.
Cindy received a Graduate Diploma in media and worked as a lecturer at Swinburne University. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts majoring in literature and her dharma classes can include both in-depth textual study and creative approaches to practice techniques, influenced by her academic and artistic interests.
As an artist, Cindy has explored the intersection of multimedia, performance and insight, most recently in the creation of live events that investigate and illuminate themes such as the “Yoga of Sound”, “Buddha Nature” and the “Five Buddha Families”.
For more about Cindy, visit:
https://www.cindylee.org/events

Dharma Essentials: Wisdom and Compassion with Jay Nair
2022-10-04 18:30 - 20:30 | Sierra 2 Center, Room 14, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Wanting a spiritual practice and don’t know where to start? Have you been studying Buddhism for awhile and wanting to discover where to go next? Tibetan Buddhism offers a complete path to enlightenment, starting with the basics. Join Jay Nair as he continues the Dharma Essentials course – a beginners look at wisdom and compassion
Tuesdays October 4th – November 22nd
6:30pm-8:30pm
Hybrid options for attending:
You can attend in person:
2791 24th Street, Room 14 Sacramento CA 95818 (parking lot off 4th Ave, the room is upstairs).
Please wear a mask!
Or Click on the Zoom link to join: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
Cost: Suggested donation of $10-$20 to cover the cost of the class and support the teacher. No one turned away for lack of funds. You can give online: https://www.diamondlightsac.org/donate/ or through Venmo: search “Diamond Light”
For more info: http://www.diamondlightsac.org

Hailing from a traditional South Indian Yogic family, Jay Nair grew up by the banks of river Periyar, has been practicing some type of yoga and socially engaged spirituality from early on in life and studying modern Mindfulness since 2010. He also received training in Tibetan and Vipassana practices, and participated in many long term yoga meditation retreats. Jay Nair is trained in Indian Music and started performing solo concerts at the early age of ten. Since then Jay has been performing and recording Indian and world fusion music. IT Engineer by profession, Jay is a blend of Science, Art and Spirituality and believes Technology and Consciousness transforms each other.

Online: Tibetan Buddhist Meditation
2022-12-05 18:30 - 19:30 | Onlie via Zoom, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Starting June 5, Monday Meditation is back in person! Join a community of meditators to learn meditation techniques and practices. Led. by long time meditator and Buddhist practitioner David Drabble, join a supportive group to grow your meditation practice.
Every Monday from 6:30pm-7:30pm
In person at Diamond Light Meditation Center
2791 24th Street Room 14 (upstairs)
Sacramento, CA 95818
parking lot in back off of 4th Ave, ADA accessible
Also offered on Zoom:
Click the link to join: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
Meeting ID is: 224 735 8115
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Donation Based we suggest $10-$20 per class. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Ways to Donate:
Website: https://www.diamondlightsac.org/donate/
PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/diamondlightsac
Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/diamondlight

Mindfulness for Dark Times with Sunil Joseph
2022-12-06 18:30 - 20:30 | Onlie via Zoom, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Tuesdays 6:30 pm- 8:30 pm
December 6, December 13, December 20, December 27
Click on the Zoom link to join: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
The beginning of winter can be challenging with the time change bringing darkness early in the evenings, the shortening of daylight hours, colder weather, and a shift in our rhythms as nature slows down around us. How do we hold our hearts with care as we travel through this winter? How do we find connection and belonging while caving at home?
Each session will be a combination of body awareness meditations and felt-sense listening practices to slow down and invite the grace/mystery that allows things to be as they are. Body awareness can withdraw energy from our busy, stimulated minds to help us find the open space of the present moment.
In the words of Rachel Naomi Remen – “The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention..A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words.”
This event is offered for free. We welcome donations you can make without hardship ($10-$20 ). This will help us cover ongoing rent for our Center, fees to provide online services, and supporting our teachers. Thank you.
www.diamondlightsac.org/donate
–OR–
Venmo “Diamond Light”
–OR–
www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=NMYP6MK36UBCS
About Sunil Joseph: Sunil has been a student of Compassionate Communication since 2004. He graduated from BayNVC’s NVC Leadership Training in 2008. Sunil is also a certified Mindfulness Teacher. He facilitates healing and accountability programs for men incarcerated in California’s prisons. Website: myempathycoach.com.

Tai Chi with Anand Parikshak
2022-12-29 18:00 - 20:30 | Sierra 2 Center, Room 14, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Join Anand for an evening class on the Inner Alchemy of Tai Chi Chuan. During the class, we will meditate, practice qigong, and explore the first movements of the Cinnabar Style Tai Chi Form. This form is modified from the Yang Family form (108) as taught by the late Master Wang and is oriented to the opening, distilling, and empowering of the subtle body.
In the words of the main teacher of the style: “To the ancestors of Tao alchemy, Tai Chi merges the vast vitality of Yin with the great persevering initiative of Yang. Out of this coupling, the Neutral Space, vessel, womb or temporal-celestial cauldron emerges, where our immortal fetus is born.”
Class will be held on December 29th from 6 pm- 8:30 pm. Cost $35, no one turned away for lack of funds.
At Diamond Light Meditation Center: 2791 24th Street Room 14 (upstairs), Sacramento CA 95818
In person only
Those who are attending the New Years retreat, consider this an optional event to help open and relax your body for the following days of deep internal work.
You can sign up for the class at the following link: https://calendly.com/d/g4j-488-dn3/inner-alchemy-of-tai-chi
You can still register for the New Year’s Retreat to attend virtually here: https://bookwhen.com/diamondlightsac/e/ev-s71r-20221230000000

The Light within the Dark: Turning towards Wholeness with Amie Diller
2022-12-30 08:30 - 18:00 | Sierra 2 Center, Room 14, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
The Light within the Dark: Turning towards Wholeness
New Years Retreat with Lama Amie Diller
Friday 12/30/2022 – Sunday 1/1/2023
Pre-registration Required
In Tibetan Buddhism there is a deep appreciation for the messy, dark, even destructive sides of human experience. The wisdom of their myths and deities teach us that only through facing and embracing all of ourselves can we truly find our way back to wholeness, freedom and genuine well-being. Jung called this “working with our Shadow”. In this New Year’s retreat, even as the seasons turn from darkening to light, through meditation, journaling, and movement, we’ll explore:
What is the Shadow?
How do we turn to meet it?
Why might it be important in the context of our spiritual path?
What is the “Golden Shadow”?
3-Day Retreat, Please plan to attend all days, no partial retreat available
Hybrid Retreat:
Limited Capacity for In Person Retreat at Diamond Light Meditation Center in Sacramento, CA
Remote option available via Zoom.
Pre Registration Required: https://bookwhen.com/diamondlightsac/e/ev-s71r-20221230000000
Schedule
• Friday 12/30 8:30am-6:00pm
• Saturday 12/31 8:30am-6:00pm
• Sunday 1/1 8:30am-5:30pm (we will end the retreat with a Fire Puja and New Year’s Celebration)
• Optional Early Morning Meditation
(Schedule subject to adjustments)
Retreat Cost: $150
Scholarships available, please email diamondlight.sac@gmail.com to request a scholarship.
In person attendees will be required to be vaccinated, COVID tested (preferably PCR) within 48 hours to attend. Please take an at home test daily prior to arriving at the Center (including day 1).
Teachers:

Amie Diller stumbled upon Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in 1979, dropped out of college and embarked on the life-long study and practice of Buddha Dharma in both the Zen and Indo-Tibetan traditions. In 2010 she was requested to start the Diamond Light Tibetan Buddhist Center in Sacramento & in 2019 Amie received Dharma Transmission from Sensei Sokaku Kathie Fischer.
Amie has a deep interest in recognizing the often unacknowledged, marginalized parts of ourselves and our culture – and learning how to skillfully invite them into our practice. As a certified nurse-midwife, mother, hospital chaplain, prison
volunteer and “Cultivating Emotional Balance” teacher, she enjoys encouraging students in meditation retreats, and in taking our meditation off the cushion into the world.

Anand Parikshak is a meditation teacher with a focus on the teachings of Taoism and the cultivation of emotional wellbeing. As an Indian-American, Anand was first taught meditation and posture from his father- the son of a yogic acrobat and Vedic educator. During his teens, Anandtook a personal interest in meditation inspired by a connection to Nature and his main mentor, Dr. B Bayard, a Taoist practitioner and physician. Additionally, Anand has studied meditation, qigong, and Tai Chi Chuan with many kind Buddhist and Taoist teachers.
With respect to the teachings given to him, Anand now leads and developments meditation and mindfulness based programs for individuals from all walks of life. He has been honored to teach all around the world including with prestigious institutions such as UCSF’s Osher Center, American University’s School of International Service, and the United States Department of State.

Mojo Tchudi is a clinical mental heath counselor (in training) and holistic health coach with an emphasis on psychedelic integration, religious experiences, and philosophy as a way of life. He brings deep presence, non-judgmental compassionate care, and insightful reflection to his clients’ process of healing and self discovery. With almost two decades of experience with traditional healing, esoteric spirituality, and multiple meditation techniques, Mojo brings a diverse range of experiences to share with clients and students.

Making 2023 Wonderful
2023-01-03 18:30 - 20:30 | Onlie via Zoom, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Click on the Zoom link to join:
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
Dates: 4 Tuesdays in January 2023 6:30pm-8:30pm
Class 1 – Jan 3
Class 2 – Jan 10
Class 3 – Jan 17
Class 4 – Jan 24
New Years is a time where we consider what we want to give up and take up, such as going to the gym, eating better, saving money, etc. Many of us struggle with our resolutions, and have difficulty making and sustaining changes in our lives.
Join Diamond Light to explore your heart’s longing with a compassionate lens to create aspirations and goals for 2023. In this 4 class series, we will explore:
– Our deepest aspirations – what would make 2023 more wonderful?
– How we can compassionately approach the places where we get stuck and defeated in going after our aspirations.
– Specific actions to realize our hearts longings.
Each class will include meditations, visualizations, journaling, and sharing. Each class will build on the previous one so please try to attend the entire series. Bring something to journal with.
This event is offered for free. We welcome donations you can make without hardship ($10-$20 ). This will help us cover ongoing rent for our Center, fees to provide online services, and supporting our teachers. Thank you.
www.diamondlightsac.org/donate
–OR–
Venmo “Diamond Light”
–OR–
www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=NMYP6MK36UBCS
About Sunil Joseph: Sunil has been a student of Compassionate Communication since 2004. He graduated from BayNVC’s NVC Leadership Training in 2008. Sunil is also a certified Mindfulness Teacher. He facilitates healing and accountability programs for men incarcerated in California’s prisons.
Website: myempathycoach.com.
About Lauren True: Lauren has been studying Tibetan Buddhism since 2015. Her day job is a Program Director at a non-profit supporting adults with developmental disabilities. She is passionate about advocacy, personal growth, and using Buddhist practice and teachings in her every day life.

Intro to Tibetan Buddhist Ritual and Sadhana
2023-04-04 18:30 - 20:00 | Sierra 2 Center, Room 14, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Get an introduction to Tibetan Buddhist rituals and sadhanas, which are the building blocks of a solid meditation practice. Learn how to set up an altar, the structure of a sadhana and meditation practices, and how to set up a daily practice. Led by David Drabble, a long time meditator and Buddhist Practitioner, this will be an active class practicing rituals, group discussions, and the opportunity for questions.
4 Tuesdays April 4-April 25th 6:30pm-8:00pm
Hybrid (David will be teaching from the Center)
Join us at Diamond Light Meditation Center
2791 24th Street, Room 14 (upstairs, ADA accessible)
Sacramento CA 95818 (parking lot off 4th Ave)
or on Zoom:
Click the link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2620590518?pwd=[REDACTED]
Or use the meeting ID and passcode:
The meeting ID is: 224 735 8115
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Donation Based we suggest $10-$20 per class. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Ways to Donate:
Website: https://www.diamondlightsac.org/donate/
PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/diamondlightsac
Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/diamondlight

Embodying Compassionate Presence: A Chenrezig Retreat with Rob Preece
2023-04-14 - 2023-04-17 | Onlie via Zoom, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Embodying Compassionate Presence – A Chenrezig Retreat
4-Day Online Retreat
Friday April 14, 2023-Monday April 17, 2023
7am-5pm PDT
Please plan to attend all days, no partial retreat available
Sliding scale $200-$300
Scholarships available, please email diamondlight.sac@gmail.com to request a scholarship.
Space is limited so register now: https://bookwhen.com/diamondlightsac/e/ev-s4yj-20230414000000
This retreat will be open to anyone who has a background in the Tibetan tradition, no specific empowerment is required to attend.
The practice of Chenrezig gives us the opportunity to receive and attune to a deep quality of compassionate presence. As we become increasingly familiar with this in ourselves, we are then more able to offer this to others as an expression of Bodhichitta. Perhaps the most meaningful way we can be of benefit to another when they are suffering is to offer compassionate presence. This is a quality that can be totally present and open in a way that allows both ourselves and others to be as we are, free of agendas and expectations.
When we experience this, it enables our suffering to begin to move through because it is held safely with compassion. We have all needed this at different times in our life. Can we be this for ourselves as well as for others? Chenrezig is the Buddha of compassionate presence. He enables us to begin to discover and embody that quality in a way that can inform all of our relationships including to ourselves.
During this retreat the practice of Chenrezig will be combined with Mahamudra meditation and Kum Nye.
This retreat is for those who have some experience of Buddhist meditation.
Rob Preece
Rob has been a practicing Tibetan Buddhist since 1973. In 1980 he went to India and was in retreat for around five years exploring in depth the practice of tantra, meditating under the guidance of his teachers Lama Thubten Yeshe, Gen Jhampa Wangdu and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Returning to the West, in 1985 he began a Jungian based psychotherapy training, gradually developing a synthesis of Jungian and Buddhist understanding. He worked as a psychotherapist for around 28 years and then began to focus upon spiritual mentoring. Since 1985 he has been leading meditation retreats, following the influence of Lama Yeshe who particularly encouraged his integration of a more Western approach to tantric practice. He is an experienced Tangkha painter as well as the author of The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra; The Wisdom of Imperfection; and most recently Tasting the Essence of Tantra. Today he teaches retreats in the UK with his wife Anna and also in Europe and the US.
Instructions
Log in info and full schedule will be emailed out before the retreat.
Please plan to attend the entire 4-day retreat. As this retreat is online, please do your best to create a retreat-like atmosphere in your home for the 4 days by minimizing distractions.

The Healing Power of Resonance with Tenzin Chogkyi and Sunil Joseph
2023-04-28 18:30 - 20:00 | Sierra 2 Center, Room 14, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
The Healing Power of Resonance
Sunil Joseph and Tenzin Chogkyi
Apr 28, 2023
6:30 to 8:00 pm
A Hybrid Event! Zoom Will Be Available.
At Diamond Light Meditation Center
2791 24th Street Room 14 (upstairs, ADA accessible)
Sacramento CA 95818
parking available in the lot in back (off 4th Ave)
Sliding scale $15-$25
Scholarships available, please email diamondlight.sac@gmail.com to request a scholarship.
Click this link to register
We all know what it’s like when we “feel felt,” when someone listens to us or shares our experience with perfect empathy, and how healing it can be. Dr. Dan Siegal of the Mindsight Institute and founder of the field of Interpersonal Neurobiology calls this experience “resonance,” and says it is dependent on the qualities of presence and attunement.
Join Sunil and Tenzin for a 90-minute session exploring the experience of resonance through discourse, interactive exercises, and discussion, in order to tap into the potential and richness of this resource that we are all capable of expressing.
Special Instructions for Attendees:
At the request of the teachers, please wear masks during the class.
About the Instructors:
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.
Tenzin Chogkyi is also a certified teacher of Compassion Cultivation Training and the Cultivating Emotional Balance program. Tenzin is especially interested in bringing the wisdom of Buddhism into modern culture and into alignment with modern cultural values such as racial and gender justice and environmental awareness. She feels strongly that a genuine and meaningful spiritual path includes not only personal transformation, but social and cultural transformation as well. She loves interfaith collaboration and is a volunteer for the Interfaith Speakers Bureau of the Islamic Networks Group in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. She is featured on a monthly radio show called “Reflections on Buddhism” on KSQD 90.7 in the Santa Cruz area. She also finds time to create her Unlocking True Happiness podcast which you can check out at unlockingtruehappiness.org where you will also find her current teaching schedule. She is currently based on traditional Awaswas Ohlone land, in what is now known as Santa Cruz, CA.
About Sunil Joseph: I am a certified GRIP facilitator teaching a restorative justice-based healing and accountability program in California’s prison system. In 2021, I successfully completed the 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program offered by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach to become a certified Mindfulness teacher. As a graduate from BayNVC’s 1-year NVC Leadership Program in 2008, I have been teaching NVC to varied groups, including those incarcerated at San Quentin prison. I feel grateful for the amazing teachers and teachings I have personally benefited from. I welcome opportunities to support others in their personal journey to fulfillment and wellbeing. I was born in India and now live in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information about Sunil: https://myempathycoach.com/

What’s Holding You Back? Using Your Core Values to Break Free
2023-04-29 10:00 - 16:00 | Sierra 2 Center, Room 14, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
What’s Holding You Back?
Using Your Core Values to Break Free
Sunil Joseph and Tenzin Chogkyi
Apr 29, 2023
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
In person only
At Diamond Light Meditation Center
2791 24th Street Room 14 (upstairs, ADA accessible)
Sacramento CA 95818
parking lot in back (off 4th Ave)
Sliding scale $40-$60
Scholarships available, please email diamondlight.sac@gmail.com to request a scholarship.
Pre-registration required, Space is limited Register now!
Click this link to register
Our news feeds are full of good advice about what we need to do to have a happy and healthy life, and can include advice about exercise, diet, meditation, our relationships… Most of us know what the experts say about what might give us the health, happiness and love we seek, but the question then becomes, “What’s holding us back?”
Join Sunil and Tenzin for this interactive daylong workshop in which they will explore this question through inquiry and guided meditation, and then explore how discovering our core values and living in alignment with them could be the key to getting unstuck.
Special Instructions for Attendees:
At the request of the teachers, please wear masks during the class.
About the Instructors:
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.
Tenzin Chogkyi is also a certified teacher of Compassion Cultivation Training and the Cultivating Emotional Balance program. Tenzin is especially interested in bringing the wisdom of Buddhism into modern culture and into alignment with modern cultural values such as racial and gender justice and environmental awareness. She feels strongly that a genuine and meaningful spiritual path includes not only personal transformation, but social and cultural transformation as well. She loves interfaith collaboration and is a volunteer for the Interfaith Speakers Bureau of the Islamic Networks Group in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. She is featured on a monthly radio show called “Reflections on Buddhism” on KSQD 90.7 in the Santa Cruz area. She also finds time to create her Unlocking True Happiness podcast which you can check out at unlockingtruehappiness.org where you will also find her current teaching schedule. She is currently based on traditional Awaswas Ohlone land, in what is now known as Santa Cruz, CA.
About Sunil Joseph: I am a certified GRIP facilitator teaching a restorative justice-based healing and accountability program in California’s prison system. In 2021, I successfully completed the 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program offered by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach to become a certified Mindfulness teacher. As a graduate from BayNVC’s 1-year NVC Leadership Program in 2008, I have been teaching NVC to varied groups, including those incarcerated at San Quentin prison. I feel grateful for the amazing teachers and teachings I have personally benefited from. I welcome opportunities to support others in their personal journey to fulfillment and wellbeing. I was born in India and now live in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information about Sunil: https://myempathycoach.com/

Living the Bodhisattva Vows
2023-05-02 18:30 - 20:30 | Sierra 2 Center, Room 14, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Learn how to breathe life into the practice of the Bodhisattva
Join Sunil Joseph and Heather Breault for a compassionate reflection into our relationship with the Bodhisattva vows, including both the challenges and the beauty of the vows. We will look at how to bring the practice alive in our lives, making it relevant to us through our personal experience.
About Sunil Joseph: I am a certified GRIP facilitator teaching a restorative justice-based healing and accountability program in California’s prison system. In 2021, I successfully completed the 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program offered by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach to become a certified Mindfulness teacher. As a graduate from BayNVC’s 1-year NVC Leadership Program in 2008, I have been teaching NVC to varied groups, including those incarcerated at San Quentin prison. I feel grateful for the amazing teachers and teachings I have personally benefited from. I welcome opportunities to support others in their personal journey to fulfillment and wellbeing. I was born in India and now live in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information about Sunil: https://myempathycoach.com/
About Heather Breault: I started practicing yoga in 2001, which lead me to find Buddhism, with my first class taught by Lama Marut in 2008. I have studied Buddhism in-depth since 2008, attended many Buddhist retreats, and worked on deepening my personal practice over the years. I am grateful to many amazing teachers, my closest teacher being Amie Diller.
Tuesdays in May 2023
6:30pm-8:30pm PDT
Online ; Donation-based
Zoom Meeting ID: 224-735-8115
Passcode: [REDACTED]
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
www.diamondlightsac.org/donate or “Diamond Light” on Venmo
Suggested donation: $10-:$20 to cover expenses, which include ongoing rent for our Center, fees to provide online services and supporting our teachers.
No one turned away due to lack of funds.

Cultivating Emotional Balance - 6 week online course
2023-05-25 18:30 - 20:30 | Onlie via Zoom, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Diamond Light Buddhist Group and CEB presents
Cultivating Emotional Balance
Six week online course
With Anand Parikshak and Lani Potts
Thursday Evenings May 25-July 6
6:30-8:30 PM PDT
Note: No class June 29
Cost: $195-$235
Pre-registration required, Space is limited Register now!
Diamondlightsac.org
Join us in learning and integrating the basic tools of Cultivating Emotional Balance, a course, inspired by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Using insights and methods drawn from both Western psychology and Buddhist contemplative practices. we invite you to discover greater happiness and well-being. Designed using evidence-based, practical strategies, we will develop attention, restore motivation, identify the root causes of enduring happiness, explore anger, sadness, and joy, investigate different pathways of empathy, practice self-compassion, and build connections through vulnerability and trust.
*Note: Completion of this class fulfills the CEB course prerequisite for CEB Teacher Training. (CEBTT)
For more information and to register, click here

Dharma Essentials: Life & Reincarnation with Jay Nair
2023-06-06 18:30 - 20:30 | Sierra 2 Center, Room 14, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Want to pursue a spiritual practice and don’t know where to start? Have you been studying Buddhism for a while and want to discover where to go next? Tibetan Buddhism offers a complete path to enlightenment, starting with the basics. Join Jay Nair as he resumes the Dharma Essentials courses with a beginners look at life and reincarnation.
** EXTENDED THROUGH JULY 2023 **
Tuesdays, June 6th – July 25th
6:30pm-8:30pm
(No class on July 4th)
Hybrid options for attending:
You can attend in person: 2791 24th Street, Room 14 Sacramento CA 95818 (parking lot off 4th Ave, the room is upstairs).
Zoom Meeting ID: 224-735-8115
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Zoom Link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
www.diamondlightsac.org/donate or “Diamond Light” on Venmo. Suggested donation: $10-$20 to cover expenses, which include ongoing rent for our Center, fees to provide online services and supporting our teachers. No one turned away due to lack of funds.

About the Teacher: Hailing from a traditional South Indian Yogic family, Jay Nair grew up by the banks of river Periyar, has been practicing some type of yoga and socially engaged spirituality from early on in life and studying modern Mindfulness since 2010. He also received training in Tibetan and Vipassana practices, and participated in many long term yoga meditation retreats. Jay Nair is trained in Indian Music and started performing solo concerts at the early age of ten. Since then Jay has been performing and recording Indian and world fusion music. IT Engineer by profession, Jay is a blend of Science, Art and Spirituality and believes Technology and Consciousness transforms each other.

Dharma Essentials: Life & Reincarnation with Jay Nair
2023-07-11 18:30 - 20:30 | Sierra 2 Center, Room 14, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Want to pursue a spiritual practice and don’t know where to start? Have you been studying Buddhism for a while and want to discover where to go next? Tibetan Buddhism offers a complete path to enlightenment, starting with the basics. Join Jay Nair as he resumes the Dharma Essentials courses with a beginners look at life and reincarnation.
Tuesdays, June 6th – July 25th
6:30pm-8:30pm
(No class on July 4th)
Hybrid options for attending:
You can attend in person: 2791 24th Street, Room 14 Sacramento CA 95818 (parking lot off 4th Ave, the room is upstairs).
Zoom Meeting ID: 224-735-8115
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Zoom Link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
www.diamondlightsac.org/donate or “Diamond Light” on Venmo. Suggested donation: $10-$20 to cover expenses, which include ongoing rent for our Center, fees to provide online services and supporting our teachers. No one turned away due to lack of funds.

About the Teacher: Hailing from a traditional South Indian Yogic family, Jay Nair grew up by the banks of river Periyar, has been practicing some type of yoga and socially engaged spirituality from early on in life and studying modern Mindfulness since 2010. He also received training in Tibetan and Vipassana practices, and participated in many long term yoga meditation retreats. Jay Nair is trained in Indian Music and started performing solo concerts at the early age of ten. Since then Jay has been performing and recording Indian and world fusion music. IT Engineer by profession, Jay is a blend of Science, Art and Spirituality and believes Technology and Consciousness transforms each other.

Living the Buddhist Vows
2023-08-01 18:30 - 20:30 | Sierra 2 Center, Room 14, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Living The Buddhist Vows
Tuesdays August 1-29, 2023
6:30pm-8:30pm PDT
Join Heather Breault and Sunil Joseph for a compassionate reflection into your relationship with the 10 non-virtues and their opposite virtues. We will look at how to bring the practice alive in our lives, making it relevant to us through our personal experience.
This is a hybrid event that can be attended in-person at Diamond Light’s room in Sierra 2 Community Center or online via zoom. The presenters will be on zoom.
Hybrid options for attending:
You can attend in person: 2791 24th Street, Room 14 Sacramento CA 95818 (parking lot off 4th Ave, the room is upstairs).
Zoom Meeting ID: 224-735-8115
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Zoom Link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
www.diamondlightsac.org/donate or “Diamond Light” on Venmo. Suggested donation: $10-$20 to cover expenses, which include ongoing rent for our Center, fees to provide online services and supporting our teachers. No one turned away due to lack of funds.

About Heather Breault: I started practicing yoga in 2001, which lead me to find Buddhism, with my first class taught by Lama Marut in 2008. I have studied Buddhism in-depth since 2008, attended many Buddhist retreats, and worked on deepening my personal practice over the years. I am grateful to many amazing teachers, my closest teacher being Amie Diller.

About Sunil Joseph: I am a certified GRIP facilitator teaching a restorative justice-based healing and accountability program in California’s prison system. In 2021, I successfully completed the 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program offered by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach to become a certified Mindfulness teacher. As a graduate from BayNVC’s 1-year NVC Leadership Program in 2008, I have been teaching NVC to varied groups, including those incarcerated at San Quentin prison. I feel grateful for the amazing teachers and teachings I have personally benefited from. For more: https://myempathycoach.com/

Cultivating Emotional Balance: Six Week Online Course
2023-10-19 18:30 - 20:30 | Onlie via Zoom, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Cultivating Emotional Balance
Six-Week Online Course
With Anand Parikshak and Lani Potts
October 19th through November 30th
(no class November 23 due to Thanksgiving)
Thursday evenings, 6:30-8:30 PM PDT
Cost: $195-$235
Scholarships available, email diamondlight.sac@gmail.com to request a scholarship
Preregistration Required, Space is limited!
Register now: https://bookwhen.com/diamondlightsac/e/ev-s8kg-20231005183000
Join us in developing skills and learning tools for Cultivating Emotional Balance. Using practical, evidence based strategies, we will explore pathways to flourishing well-being and emotional resilience. Classes will blend contemplative practice, emotion skills training, movement, and group work.
During the upcoming 6 weeks, we will focus on the following topics:
– The Four Virtues of the Heart
– Motivation and Enduring Well-Being
– Emotion Families: happiness, contempt, disgust, and sadness
While this is part of an ongoing series, attendance to previous sessions is not required and foundational material will be reinforced.
This class is taught by Anand Parikshak, QiGong teacher, CEB teacher, meditation teacher and Lani Potts, CEB teacher and coach, meditation teacher, and CEB Program Director.
For more information about the course, please email: ceb.course@cultivatingemotionalbalance.org

Anand Parikshak is a certified CEB teacher, Qi Gong teacher, and meditation teacher. He has been honored to teach all around the world including with prestigious institutions such as UCSF’s Osher Center, American University’s School of International Service, and the US Department of State.

Lani Potts is a certified CEB teacher, yoga and meditation teacher along with a long-established Buddhist meditation practice. Lani teaches CEB, coaches CEB teachers and students, and serves as the Cultivating Emotional Balance Program Director. Lani and Anand have taught CEB together at UCSF’s Osher Center

Self-Awareness for Ethical Living with Sunil Joseph
2024-01-02 18:30 | Sierra 2 Center, Room 14, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Sunil Joseph leads transformative groups in California prisons, aiding incarcerated individuals to diminish their reactivity by employing mindfulness and emotional intelligence practices. Join Sunil to discover how these powerful tools can be leveraged to help us live in greater harmony with our moral and ethical values. Explore the profound impact that mindfulness and emotional intelligence can have on aligning our actions with our deepest convictions
Tuesdays, January 2nd – 30th
6:30pm-8:00pm
This will be a Zoom class only:
Zoom Meeting ID: 224-735-8115
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Zoom Link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
Navigating a spiritual path often reveals a gap between our aspirations and the reality of everyday life. Despite our sincere intentions, we may notice ourselves falling short in living true to our spiritual vows or core values. This could manifest in various ways – perhaps in the unkind words we speak to a loved one, or in harboring resentments and momentarily wishing harm upon others. Such actions often lead to a cycle of self-judgment and shame, reinforcing a sense of personal inadequacy or a sense of being flawed in some fundamental way.
Utilizing the 10 Virtues of Buddhism as a reflective framework, we will examine our values and how we align with them in our daily actions and thoughts. We will use the practices of Mindfulness and Compassionate Communication to understand, rather than judge, the parts of ourselves that seem to veer off the path. This approach offers a constructive way to view our shortcomings. Not as failures, but as opportunities for deeper understanding and growth, even as we strive for spiritual and ethical development. Together, we will discover how to transform our challenges into stepping stones towards a more ethical life.
www.diamondlightsac.org/donate or “Diamond Light” on Venmo. Suggested donation: $10-$20 to cover expenses, which include ongoing rent for our Center, fees to provide online services and supporting our teachers. No one turned away due to lack of funds.

About the Teacher: Sunil Joseph is a certified GRIP facilitator teaching a restorative justice-based healing and accountability program in California’s prison system. In 2021, he successfully completed the 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program offered by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach to become a certified Mindfulness teacher. He is also a graduate from BayNVC’s 1-year NVC Leadership Program, and has been using his non-violent communications training to inform his work with inmates in the prisons. Sunil was born in India and now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information about Sunil: https://myempathycoach.com/

Sadhana Meditation 1/2 Day Retreat
2024-01-20 09:00 - 12:30 | Diamond Light Meditation Center, 2791 24th Street, Room 14 (upstairs), Sacramento, CA, 95818
After meeting on Zoom the past few years, we are excited to get together with Diamond Light community in person and meditate together! We will review the basics of Calm Abiding meditation, and the structure of a traditional Tibetan Buddhist daily practice, known as “Sadhana”. We will end our morning by practicing together a guided Calm Abiding and a Tibetan Sadhana meditation.
Saturday, January 20, 2024
9:00 am – 12:30 pm (PST)
Pre-registration: https://bookwhen.com/diamondlightsac/e/ev-s4py-20240120090000
This class will be held in-person only (no hybrid option). Location:
Sierra 2 Center, Room 14
2791 24th Street, Sacramento CA 95818
There is a parking lot off 4th Ave, behind the Sierra 2 Center; the room is on the second floor.
Suggested donation: $10-$30 to cover expenses, which include ongoing rent for our Center, fees to provide online services and supporting our teachers. No one turned away due to lack of funds.
Ways to Donate:
Website: www.diamondlightsac.org/donate/
PayPal: Diamond Light on PayPal
Venmo: Diamond Light on Venmo

About the Teacher: David Drabble is a long-time meditator and Buddhist practitioner. He leads the Monday evening meditation classes for Diamond Light, has been a sangha member for over 14 years, and is the President of Diamond Light’s Board of Directors.

Online: Monday Meditation
2024-02-05 18:30 - 19:30 | Diamond Light Meditation Center, 2791 24th Street, Room 14 (upstairs), Sacramento, CA, 95818
Join a community of meditators to learn meditation techniques and practices. Led by long time meditator and Buddhist practitioner David Drabble, join a supportive group to grow your meditation practice.
Every Monday from 6:30pm-7:30pm PT, January 22 thru December 16, 2024
Offered on Zoom:
Click the link to join: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
Meeting ID is: 224 735 8115
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Donation Based. We suggest $10-$20 per class. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Ways to Donate:
Website: www.diamondlightsac.org/donate/
PayPal: Diamond Light on PayPal
Venmo: Diamond Light on Venmo

Exploring Emptiness
2024-02-06 18:30 - 20:30 | Zoom, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Exploration of Emptiness
Tuesdays February 6-27, 2024
6:30pm-8:30pm PDT
Join Heather Breault and Pamela Rasada for an exploration into emptiness and gain insight into the ultimate nature of our reality. We will look at how to bring this abstract idea into our everyday lives, and how to absorb the idea of the infinite potential we all have.
This is a virtual event that will be held online via zoom.
Zoom Meeting ID: 224-735-8115
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
www.diamondlightsac.org/donate or “Diamond Light” on Venmo.
Suggested donation: $10-$20 to cover expenses, which include ongoing rent for our Center, fees to provide online services and supporting our teachers. No one turned away due to lack of funds.
About Heather Breault: I started practicing yoga in 2001, which lead me to find Buddhism, with my first class taught by Lama Marut in 2008. I have studied Buddhism in-depth since 2008, attended many Buddhist retreats, and worked on deepening my personal practice over the years. I am grateful to many amazing teachers, my closest teacher being Amie Diller.
About Pamela Rasada: Pamela is a student of the lineage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in the Tibetan Gelugpa tradition, in June of 2011. Through her primary teacher, Amie Diller, Pamela has had the opportunity to meet and study with many experienced and practiced teachers. In February 2018, after seven years of classwork and study, Pamela completed an eighteen course Gelugpa intensive. Pamela continues to explore additional opportunities to learn and is grateful for any opportunity to share what she has learned with others.

Bodhisattva Vows: Developing a Good Heart with Amie Diller and Jay Nair
2024-03-19 18:30 - 20:00 | Onlie via Zoom, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Becoming a Spiritual Warrior: The Pledges of a Bodhisattva
Being a Bodhisattva is such a powerful idea that the word itself has in recent years become synonymous with acts of kindness and generosity. Yet many aren’t aware of what Bodhisattva truly means. We’ll explore why a Bodhisattva is a Spiritual Warrior, and learn the vows that become a powerful method to become a Bodhisattvas and to create a kinder world.
This Course is based upon Master Asanga’s root text and its commentary called the Highway for Bodhisattvas (Jangchub Shunglam) by Je Tsongkapa.
Topics include: what is a bodhisattva, the definition and types of bodhichitta, types of morality, types of vows, how bodhisattva vows are taken, an explanation of the eighteen root bodhisattva vows and forty-six secondary bodhisattva vows, the four factors needed to break bodhisattva root vows, how bodhisattva vows are broken, how bodhisattva vows are lost, how to keep your bodhisattva vows, how to restore your bodhisattva vows, and the benefits of keeping bodhisattva vows.
ONLINE Course Taught by Lama Amie Diller and Jay Nair
6 weeks from March 19 – April 30th
Tuesdays, 6:30 pm -8 pm
FIRST WEEK HYBRID, in person at:
Diamond Light Tibetan Meditation Center
2791 24th Street, Room 14
Sacramento CA 95826
online also available
Rest of the course ONLINE
Zoom Meeting ID: 224-735-8115
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
www.diamondlightsac.org/donate or “Diamond Light” on Venmo.
Suggested donation: $10-$20 to cover expenses, which include ongoing rent for our Center, fees to provide online services and supporting our teachers. No one turned away due to lack of funds.

About the Teacher: Amie Diller stumbled upon Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in 1979, dropped out of college and embarked on the life-long study and practice of Buddha Dharma in both the Zen and Indo-Tibetan traditions. In 2010 she was requested to start the Diamond Light Tibetan Buddhist Center in Sacramento & in 2019 Amie received Dharma Transmission from Sensei Sokaku Kathie Fischer.
Amie has a deep interest in recognizing the often unacknowledged, marginalized parts of ourselves and our culture – and learning how to skillfully invite them into our practice. As a certified nurse-midwife, mother, hospital chaplain, prison
volunteer and “Cultivating Emotional Balance” teacher, she enjoys encouraging students in meditation retreats, and in taking our meditation off the cushion into the world.

About the Teacher: Hailing from a traditional South Indian Yogic family, Jay Nair grew up by the banks of river Periyar, has been practicing some type of yoga and socially engaged spirituality from early on in life and studying modern Mindfulness since 2010. He also received training in Tibetan and Vipassana practices, and participated in many long term yoga meditation retreats. Jay Nair is trained in Indian Music and started performing solo concerts at the early age of ten. Since then Jay has been performing and recording Indian and world fusion music. IT Engineer by profession, Jay is a blend of Science, Art and Spirituality and believes Technology and Consciousness transforms each other.

POSTPONED: Clarifying our Relationship to Power: A Vajrapani Retreat with Rob Preece
2024-04-12 - 2024-04-15 | Onlie via Zoom, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
POSTPONED

Clarifying our Relationship to Power: A Vajrapani Retreat with Rob Preece
4-Day Online Retreat
Friday April 12, 2024-Monday April 15, 2024
7am-5pm PDT
Please plan to attend all days, no partial retreat available
Sliding scale $200-$300
Scholarships available, please email diamondlight.sac@gmail.com to request a scholarship.
Space is limited so register now: https://bookwhen.com/diamondlightsac/e/ev-sek2-20240412070000
This retreat will be open to anyone who has a background in the Tibetan tradition, no specific empowerment is required to attend.
We live in a time when our relationship to power has become a critical concern, both personally and collectively. Even in the Buddhist world, the nature of power often goes unaddressed – despite the power dynamic embedded within the authority of the traditions and in teacher-student relationships. When we deny, ignore or fear our power, it can become hidden in the shadow and then manifest in destructive ways. How then do we discover a healthy relationship to its presence?
To a bodhisattva, the power of the awakened mind is the capacity to be effective and beneficial in the service of others. Vajrapani gives us a means to clarify, awaken and transform our innate potential to skillfully embody the power to be effective in our lives. His wrathful appearance provides a channel of transformation for the destructive energy often buried within our anger and rage. In this retreat Rob Preece will bring both a Buddhist and Jungian understanding to clarify a healthy relationship to power as an innate potential in our nature.
This retreat is for those who have some experience of Buddhist meditation.
About Rob Preece

Rob has been a practicing Tibetan Buddhist since 1973. In 1980 he went to India and was in retreat for around five years exploring in depth the practice of tantra, meditating under the guidance of his teachers Lama Thubten Yeshe, Gen Jhampa Wangdu and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Returning to the West, in 1985 he began a Jungian based psychotherapy training, gradually developing a synthesis of Jungian and Buddhist understanding. He worked as a psychotherapist for around 28 years and then began to focus upon spiritual mentoring. Since 1985 he has been leading meditation retreats, following the influence of Lama Yeshe who particularly encouraged his integration of a more Western approach to tantric practice. He is an experienced Tangkha painter as well as the author of The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra; The Wisdom of Imperfection; and most recently Tasting the Essence of Tantra. Today he teaches retreats in the UK with his wife Anna and also in Europe and the US.

Developing Spiritual Integrity: Living the Vows with Amie Diller and Jay Nair
2024-06-04 18:30 - 20:00 | Onlie via Zoom, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Developing Spiritual Integrity: Living the Vows
Embark on a transformative journey of spiritual growth with by delving into the profound teachings of Buddhist ethics. We will explore a wide array of topics, including the significance of vows in shaping ethical living, the relationship between morality and deep meditation, and the ultimate realization of reality. Gain insights into the three trainings, various vows from one-day to lifetime lay vows, and the essence of monastic vows. Discover the importance of finding a qualified teacher, purifying karma, and practicing the six perfections on the path to spiritual fulfillment.
This course is based upon the Sutra on Vowed Morality (Vinaya Sutra) by Master Gunaprabha (500 AD), with commentaries from The Essence of the Ocean of Vinaya (Dulwa Gyatsoy Nyingpo) by Je Tsongkapa (1357-1419); The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel (Yishin Norbu) by Choney Lama Drakpa Shedrup (1675-1748); and Day Maker (Nyin Je) by Master Ngulchu Dharma Bhadra (1772-1851).
Topics include: the three trainings; one day vows; the five lifetime lay vows; the individual freedom vows; an outline of novice, intermediate, and fully ordained monastic vows; the essence of vows; the basic nature of vows; reasons to live an ethical life; reasons to take vows; why morality is the key to meditation and seeing emptiness directly; how to keep vows from being damaged; how vows are lost; the specific karma resulting from each of the ten non-virtues; how to find a teacher; the characteristics of a qualified teacher; taking refuge; the four forces of karmic purification; the four truths; and the six perfections.
Class Readings:
Dharma Essentials IX copy
ONLINE Course Taught by Lama Amie Diller and Jay Nair
Starting June 6th
Tuesdays, 6:30 pm -8 pm
Zoom Meeting ID: 224-735-8115
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2247358115
www.diamondlightsac.org/donate or “Diamond Light” on Venmo.
Suggested donation: $10-$20 to cover expenses, which include ongoing rent for our Center, fees to provide online services and supporting our teachers. No one turned away due to lack of funds.

About the Teacher: Amie Diller stumbled upon Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in 1979, dropped out of college and embarked on the life-long study and practice of Buddha Dharma in both the Zen and Indo-Tibetan traditions. In 2010 she was requested to start the Diamond Light Tibetan Buddhist Center in Sacramento & in 2019 Amie received Dharma Transmission from Sensei Sokaku Kathie Fischer.
Amie has a deep interest in recognizing the often unacknowledged, marginalized parts of ourselves and our culture – and learning how to skillfully invite them into our practice. As a certified nurse-midwife, mother, hospital chaplain, prison
volunteer and “Cultivating Emotional Balance” teacher, she enjoys encouraging students in meditation retreats, and in taking our meditation off the cushion into the world.

About the Teacher: Hailing from a traditional South Indian Yogic family, Jay Nair grew up by the banks of river Periyar, has been practicing some type of yoga and socially engaged spirituality from early on in life and studying modern Mindfulness since 2010. He also received training in Tibetan and Vipassana practices, and participated in many long term yoga meditation retreats. Jay Nair is trained in Indian Music and started performing solo concerts at the early age of ten. Since then Jay has been performing and recording Indian and world fusion music. IT Engineer by profession, Jay is a blend of Science, Art and Spirituality and believes Technology and Consciousness transforms each other.

Clarifying our Relationship to Power: A Vajrapani Retreat with Rob Preece
2025-04-25 07:00 - 17:00 | Onlie via Zoom, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Clarifying our Relationship to Power: A Vajrapani Retreat with Rob Preece
4-Day Online Retreat
Friday April 25, 2024-Monday April 28, 2024
7am-5pm PDT
Please plan to attend all days, no partial retreat available
Sliding scale $200-$300
Scholarships available, please email diamondlight.sac@gmail.com to request a scholarship.
Space is limited so register now!
REGISTER HERE!
This retreat will be open to anyone who has a background in the Tibetan tradition, no specific empowerment is required to attend.
We live in a time when our relationship to power has become a critical concern, both personally and collectively. Even in the Buddhist world, the nature of power often goes unaddressed – despite the power dynamic embedded within the authority of the traditions and in teacher-student relationships. When we deny, ignore or fear our power, it can become hidden in the shadow and then manifest in destructive ways. How then do we discover a healthy relationship to its presence?
To a bodhisattva, the power of the awakened mind is the capacity to be effective and beneficial in the service of others. Vajrapani gives us a means to clarify, awaken and transform our innate potential to skillfully embody the power to be effective in our lives. His wrathful appearance provides a channel of transformation for the destructive energy often buried within our anger and rage. In this retreat Rob Preece will bring both a Buddhist and Jungian understanding to clarify a healthy relationship to power as an innate potential in our nature.
This retreat is for those who have some experience of Buddhist meditation.
About Rob Preece
Rob has been a practicing Tibetan Buddhist since 1973. In 1980 he went to India and was in retreat for around five years exploring in depth the practice of tantra, meditating under the guidance of his teachers Lama Thubten Yeshe, Gen Jhampa Wangdu and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Returning to the West, in 1985 he began a Jungian based psychotherapy training, gradually developing a synthesis of Jungian and Buddhist understanding. He worked as a psychotherapist for around 28 years and then began to focus upon spiritual mentoring. Since 1985 he has been leading meditation retreats, following the influence of Lama Yeshe who particularly encouraged his integration of a more Western approach to tantric practice. He is an experienced Tangkha painter as well as the author of The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra; The Wisdom of Imperfection; and most recently Tasting the Essence of Tantra. Today he teaches retreats in the UK with his wife Anna and also in Europe and the US.
