APRIL 2026 NEWSLETTER
- 2 hours ago
- 10 min read
IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
Notes from Bill
We're looking for someone to join The Wisdom Seat for web and technical help. This is a paid hourly, remote position supporting our newsletters, website editing, social media, and event coordination. If you're organized, comfortable with Google Docs and Drive, and have an interest in contemplative practice, I'd love to hear from you! Email me at billmoriarty@thewisdomseat.org if you're interested.
The Wisdom Seat Retreat for 2026 is now open for registration! Take a look and consider joining us for this 8-day practice intensive, supported by members of The Wisdom Seat staff: https://www.thewisdomseat.org/the-wisdom-seat-retreat
We recently published several interviews with Michael Carroll that were originally produced by Applied Mindfulness Training as part of their Mindful Voices series. We're glad to have them as part of our podcast now. https://www.thewisdomseat.org/podcast
Also, we just posted the recording from our most recent Mindful Gathering where we discussed Chapter Five of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche's Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, titled "Synchronizing Mind and Body."
take care,
Bill Moriarty
Board President of The Wisdom Seat
Additional Newsletter Section: Wisdom's Melody
We invite you to take a look at an introduction to a new section in our monthly newsletter titled "Wisdom's Melody." A place for your inspired writing to be featured and shared with The Wisdom Seat Community.
Causes and Conditions: How Did Things Get Like This?
A Mindful Gathering with Michael Carroll and Bill Moriarty
Tuesday, March 31st | 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM EDT
Zoom
Nothing that's happening in the world today happened overnight. In this Mindful Gathering, Michael Carroll and Bill Moriarty explore the Buddhist teaching of Dependent Origination - the understanding that all phenomena arise through causes and conditions.
What conditions gave rise to this moment? And what conditions are we helping create now? What does this teaching offer us as we live in a turbulent and confusing time?
Embracing the Wisdom of Death, Dying and Illness
Apr 16, 2026 | 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM EDT
Zoom
Please join us for an open discussion on death, dying and illness.
There is no agenda, specific topics or desired outcomes but rather an open discussion to share inner reflections on death and dying.
As a community, how can we support ourselves and each other to deepen our experience of our mortality? How can we further our exploration of our own impermanence? What wisdom is to be found hidden beneath the surface of the reality of the human condition?
Please join us and bring your thoughts, stories and contemplations.
What You Never See: Planning a Buddhist Retreat
A Mindful Gathering with Susanna Lack, Rhea Colmar, and Bill Moriarty
Thursday, April 30th | 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM EDT
Zoom
Every retreat has a visible side and an invisible one. Join Susanna Lack, Rhea Colmar, and Bill Moriarty for a Mindful Gathering to discuss: What does it take to plan and hold a group retreat? How do you prepare a space that wasn't built for practice? And what do you do when something goes sideways?
Strange Friends: Barry Boyce on The Dharma Protectors
Tuesday, May 12 | 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM EDT
Zoom
In Tibetan Buddhism, the dharma protectors are among the most striking and mysterious figures in the entire tradition. Fierce, wrathful, often terrifying in appearance. What exactly are they? And what does it mean to actually work with them in practice?
Proclaiming Basic Sanity: Living the Bodhisattva Path
August 10-18, 2026
Drala Mountain Center
How do we navigate with wisdom, compassion, and fierce courage in an age of spiritual crisis?
Please join Buddhist teachers Michael Carroll and Susan Piver for a week of meditation, community, and real talk about how to take our practice off the cushion and into the beauty and confusion of our world.
A Householder Retreat with Jeremiah Fruchtman and Sean McMullen
July 23, 2026 – July 30, 2026
This in-person gathering offers a rare chance to step out of the usual pace of daily life and enter a disciplined retreat atmosphere. The retreat is open to all—whether new to meditation or returning to an established practice.
Wednesday Meditation
Ongoing offering: Online meditation every Wednesday evening
6:15 to 7:30 PM EST
Worldwide Wednesday evening online sitting meditation practice.
We, at The Wisdom Seat, invite you to meet on Wednesday evenings from 6:15 – 7:30 PM Eastern Time to practice the sitting meditation discipline as taught in the Buddhist & Shambhala tradition of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Nyinthun: Everyone is welcome!
Ongoing offering: Nyinthun (in-person and online)
The first Sunday of every month.
All day sitting interspersed with walking meditation. The word nyinthun*, is Tibetan for “day session.”
In understanding dharma, Trungpa Rinpoche placed a strong emphasis on mindfulness/awareness meditation practice. This community practice of Nyinthun - all day sitting interspersed with walking meditation - gives us the opportunity to experience the full spectrum of our mind, make friends with our immediate experience and rediscover our natural sanity.
Please take a look, and sign up to join us for some nyinthun retreat days. It is ok to join for as much of the day as you can.
Collaborative practice undertaking with The Wisdom Seat & The Profound Treasury Retreat
The Wisdom Seat encourages as many opportunities for practitioners to engage in the discipline of mindfulness/awareness (shamatha/vipashyana) as one can engage in. We are happy to invite the Profound Treasury Retreat (PTR) with their offering of Sunday sitting.
PTR community is hosting a 2-hour sitting session from 9:30am to 11:30 am EST
There will be meditation instruction every third Sunday of the month, given by a qualified meditation instructor.
Dates: March 8th, 15th, 22nd, & 29th
Here is the Zoom link for this session: Sunday Sitting Zoom Link
All are welcome to attend.
Dorje Denma Ling
Mandala of the Empowered Feminine
May 12 - May 18, 2026
In-Person
Taught by Susan Lorraine and Friends
In this retreat, we will meet the dakinis—the dynamic, free, wise, compassionate, and sometimes fierce energies that dance within open awareness. Our main practice will be the Mandala of the Five Wisdom Dakinis. Lama Tsultrim will join our retreat remotely, to formally introduce the practice.
Registration Link: https://dorjedenmaling.secure.retreat.guru/program/mandala-of-the-empowered-feminine/?lang=en
Approaching Mahamudra: A Weekend Meditation Retreat
Taught by Richard John
June 5-7, 2026
In Person
This weekend will include in-depth instruction on shamatha and vipashyana. Shamatha, the training in calm abiding and non-distraction, becomes the ability to rest in and stabilize the natural state of mind. Vipashyana expands into the actual wisdom of emptiness, buddha nature itself. This weekend is open to all.
Registration Link: https://dorjedenmaling.secure.retreat.guru/program/approaching-mahamudra-a-weekend-meditation-retreat/
Mahamudra & Trekcho Retreat
Taught by Richard John
June 5-14, 2026
In Person
This retreat is an opportunity to go beyond conceptual study to direct personal experience, and to recognize and become capable of resting in buddha nature--the essence of mind. In the famous words of Tulku Urgyen, "Short moments many times--there is no other way." The full retreat is open to tantrikas, the first weekend includes Approaching Mahamudra, which is open to all practitioners.
Registration Link: https://dorjedenmaling.secure.retreat.guru/program/mahamudra-trekcho-retreat-save-the-date/?lang=en
Sky Lake Retreat Center
Vajrayogini Group Retreat
April 10 - 18th
in-person at Sky Lake Retreat Center in Rosendale, NY
All Vajrayogini sadhakas of the lineage of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche are warmly invited to join this group retreat at the beautiful Sky Lake retreat center. The retreat will include group sadhana practice, lujong, daily study of tris, and group discussions. We will culminate with a feast on 4/18. Sky Lake is in a secluded mountain setting and offers both shared and private rooms with en suite baths and private balconies.
10% early bird discount for those who register and pay in full by March 1. Questions or comments? Please contact Dana Fulmer at Danafulmer1@gmail.com or Ken Einhorn at 917-716-5870.
Registration Link: https://skylake.shambhala.org/program/1863/vajrayogini-group-retreat-2026/
Profound Treasury Retreat
Planting Seeds, Cutting Roots
June 12th - 21st
In-Person at Saco, Maine
At the 2026 Profound Treasury Retreat, through a week of contemplation and practice, we’ll explore the Buddhist understanding of karma as the intricate chain of cause and effect that arises from ego’s attempt to secure its position in our world. By acknowledging the workings of cause and effect, we can begin to see our deep interconnectedness with all beings and recognize the reverberations of our actions through familial, cultural, and collective patterns. We will also explore the possibility of discovering freedom from karma in the present moment and how each future moment, therefore, could be completely open.
As Trungpa Rinpoche says, “But if, for a moment, you do something that is not based on a belief in separateness, if it’s not based on thoughts that have any kind of prerequisite or dependency, then your activity ceases to be karmic.” (The Karma Seminar - KCL September 1972)
The Profound Treasury Retreats are for everyone, whether you are new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner. Your presence and wisdom are welcome.
Apply soon - the first 20 participants to complete registration will win special PTR merchandise!
Registration Link: https://profoundtreasuryretreat.com/the-retreat/
Three Yana Retreats/Drala Mountain Center
The Third Entering the Vajra World Retreat
June 21st - July 21st
In-Person at Drala Mountain Center
The Three-Yana Retreat is designed for Buddhist practitioners with experience in study and meditation, who wish to establish a solid foundation for a life-long journey.
The Entering the Vajra World Retreat begins with a 13 week online study program on the Foundational Vehicle and the Mahayana. It is followed by a month-long, in-person retreat at Drala Mountain Center involving intensive practice and study of Mahayana and Vajrayana topics. During the third week of the retreat participants receive Vajrayana transmission and the opportunity to explore the ngöndro preliminary practices.
The Three-Yana Retreat is a contemporary version of the deep training that was the hallmark of Trungpa Rinpoche’s Vajradhatu Seminaries. It provides students with an introduction to Vajrayana practice in Trungpa Rinpoche’s tradition with a solid foundation in the three-yana principles.
Registration Link: https://www.3yanas.org/contact
Sopa Choling/Gampo Abbey
Attention: Vajrayogini Practitioners
Announcing a very rare opportunity to practice inner and secret Vajrayogini.
The retreat at Sopa Chöling has a few vacancies and we’re inviting you to apply.
Registration Link: https://gampoabbey.org/schedule-prerequisites-and-fees/
A few details:
You must have completed the Vajrayogini mantras and attended an amending fire offering (see Dorje Denma Ling schedule, June 2026).
Optional:
Part 2 of this retreat is optional and includes outer, inner and secret Chakrasamvara. For this, Chakrasamvara empowerment is required.
Questions? Write to threeyearretreat@gampoabbey.org
Welcome to “Wisdom’s Melody,” our new series on the dharma in everyday life! We invite everyone in the The Wisdom Seat community to share how they bring meditation off the cushion and into the world.
How do the teachings show up in your ordinary days? What is your experience of mindfulness, awareness, compassion, skillful means? Does your meditation practice help you navigate difficult times?
Please submit your contribution of 800 words or less before the 20th of the month to info@thewisdomseat.org.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Elizabeth Brownrigg, Chief Editor
Doing Good Works
by Elizabeth Brownrigg
My hairdresser is retiring. He’s been cutting my hair for more than twenty years, starting with the shop rented from the funeral parlor next door, then to the downtown warehouse district / hipster location, then to the studio behind his house. He cuts every single hair with precision. He is not fast. His haircuts hold their shape for weeks afterwards, without the shagginess that betrays a careless job.
At my last appointment, I thanked him for his contribution to the good of humanity. I myself thought this was a little flowery, but I wanted him to feel appreciated.
On reflection, I realized my compliment was actually true. If a bodhisattva is someone whose purpose is to benefit others, simply doing a good job is the core of bodhisattva activity. 1
“Switch places with others and do what is useful.” - Saraha
We typically think of good works as charitable and outside the realm of paid work. But every plumber, tech support analyst, custodian, doctor who does their work well is offering a gift. The gift is transactional. They are, after all, paid for it. There can be a parallel transaction of respect and appreciation that matches the paying and receiving.
Good works mostly do not make the news, attract donors, or perform miracles.
Your work begins with your relationship to your task. It’s just the two of you engaging in the back-and-forth of learning, mistakes, correction, exploration, improving over time and attention.
The task is shared with the recipient. It becomes a conversation beyond just you and the task. Bodhisattvas need feedback. How good is your work? There’s needing to please the customer in order to be paid, but also an interior pride. Your delight in your gift leads to delight in offering it to someone else. The women who clean our house are really good at it. During each visit, they throw in a little extra, like scrubbing the tea kettle or wiping down the scuffed stairs.
The individual task is the glue of team and community. When I worked at a software company, I got to know whom I could rely on to do their part well, with zero fanfare.
The ordinary makes all the difference: the healed wound; the clean house; the weeded garden; the smoothly-running engine; the clear instructions.
For Those Whose Work is Invisible
For those who paint the undersides of boats,
Makers of ornamental drains on roofs – too high to be seen,
Cobblers who labor over inner soles,
Seamstresses who stitch the wrong sides of things,
For scholars whose research leads to no obvious discovery,
For dentists who polish each gold surface of the fillings of upper molars,
For civil engineers and those who repair water mains,
For electricians,
For artists who suppress what does injustice to their visions,
For surgeons whose sutures are things of beauty,
For all those whose works is for Your eye only,
Who labor for Your entertainment or their own,
Who sleep in peace or do not sleep in peace, knowing their efforts are unknown.
Protect them from downheartedness – and from diseases of the eye.
Grant them Perseverance, for the sake of Your love, which is humble, invisible and
heedless of reward.
Saraha quote is from Tashi Namgyal, Dakpo, Moonbeams of Mahamudra (Tsadra). Translated, annotated, and introduced by Elizabeth M. Callahan.
Copyright © Elizabeth Brownrigg. All Rights Reserved.
To apply yourselves with body, speech and mind to the sacred Teachings,People of Tingri, is the best thing that you can do.
– Hundred Verses of Advice to the People of Tingri by Padampa Sangye
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