JULY 2026 NEWSLETTER
- 4 hours ago
- 9 min read
IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
Lojong Slogan # 59:
Don't Expect Applause
Recently this Lojong or Mind Training slogan spontaneously arose in my mind. Why? Maybe because Wisdom Seat offers a class on Lojong? Maybe because I haven't really practiced these slogans deeply for a while? More likely because I haven't heard applause for a long time? No - Why not slogan # 1 "First train in the preliminaries" - that's pretty straightforward. In slogan 59, however, Atisha's parting words seem like an ominous warning.
I thought about it and it's the word "Applause". It catches our attention and occurs naturally at the very end of a perfect performance. When Tibetans first heard or read these words of Lord Atisha Dipankara over a thousand years ago, did they applaud or rejoice? Is there even a word for applause in Tibetan? Yes, and we'll get to that. So why use "applause"? Is this a concession to modern times? My thinking is that this is a hallmark of Trungpa Rinpoche's style in teaching his Western students. If there is a more modern or colloquial word available, the Vidyadhara made immediate use of it - especially if it was attention-getting.
I reflected a bit more on this. Many of the slogans and the Buddhist teachings in general advise against having expectations regarding a result. In his translation, Trungpa Rinpoche retained the "Don't Expect" part. Rinpoche was well known for stating in explicit terms the dangers of being seduced by ego's "games" or "bureaucracy" - and this is framed as a warning by Atisha: do not expect congratulations after going through and practicing with 58 slogans. You could really blow it on slogan 59. You could turn this entire practice into yet another ego project and end up going nowhere. Applause implies adulation for a job well-done for which we might expect a prize, a trophy, or even as Erik Pema Kunsang wrote "a standing ovation" - do not expect any of that because it is purely ego's game and you will have accomplished nothing. This is stated clearly by the Vidyadhara: "do not expect others to raise toasts to you". These words are actually somewhat haunting, aren't they?
There is a word for applause according to the Tibetan dictionary but it seems to be a very recent word, possibly from Chinese - "making sounds with hands" - and it's close to another Tibetan word meaning "sack of ashes", which sounds closer to the truth! Our mastery of 59 slogans turns into a sack of ashes courtesy of the sleekness of our ego.
I wondered how this last very important slogan was translated by other teachers and translators. Here is a selection:
B. Alan Wallace - "Pure service, without wanting thanks"
Ken McLeod - "Don't expect thanks"
Erik Pema Kunzang - "Don't expect a standing ovation"
Traleg Rinpoche - "Don't expect people to make a fuss over what you are doing"
Quite a lot of variety and each version is valuable! I read some more of what Traleg Rinpoche was saying because "making a fuss" is very different from "applause" - and his words, I think, embody the entire spirit of lojong training:
We just do our practice with sincerity and regard the practice as its own reward. The reward is not like a pot of gold at end of a rainbow - the practice itself is the goal.
- from The Practice of Lojong by Traleg Rinpoche
by Richard Driscoll
Notes from Bill
We are very excited to announce that, for the first time, The Wisdom Seat will be hosting Jetsunma Jamyang Yeshe Palmo this September. Jetsunma is a Tibetan Buddhist teacher, fully ordained nun, Vajra Master, and retreat master. She is known for her profound blend of traditional monastic training and modern philosophical education, bridging Eastern wisdom and Western psychology to teach globally.
Jetsunma will be with us for a full weekend, September 11 through 13. Join us for one, two, or all three days of teachings. You do not need to attend all three days to benefit from her visit.
We have a lot of upcoming programs, and newcomers are welcome to jump into the in-progress course on Lojong. Please look below for all our events.
We have just published a podcast episode which is an interview with Michele Martin, conducted by Joanna Rotté. Michelle is a founding board member of the Tibetan Buddhist Research Center and has spent more than thirty years studying with and translating for Tibetan lamas in Nepal and India.
-Bill Moriarty Board President of The Wisdom Seat
Nyinthun: Full Day Online & In Person Practice, July 2026
July 12, 2026, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM EDT
In person and online full day group sitting practice, interspersed with walking meditation.
Making the Luminous Dignity Thangka - A Mindful Gathering with Painter Greg Smith
July 19, 2026, 9:30 – 10:30 AM
Join us for a Sunday morning conversation with thangka painter Greg Smith and Michael Carroll about the Luminous Dignity Thangka.
A Householder Retreat with Jeremiah Fruchtman and Sean McMullen
July 23, 2026 at 8:00 AM – July 30, 2026 at 7:00 PM
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.
Proclaiming Basic Sanity: Living the Bodhisattva Path Retreat
Aug 10-18, 2026
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 into the beauty and confusion of our world.
The Heart of Change: Buddhist Wisdom for a Troubled World with Jetsunma Jamyang Yeshe Palmo
September 11, 2026, 6:30PM - 8:30 PM EDT
An evening with Jetsunma Jamyang Yeshe Palmo exploring Buddhist wisdom for our modern world. In person, and also online via Zoom.
Six Ways of Opening to the World: The Path of the Paramitas with Jetsunma Jamyang Yeshe Palmo
September 12, 2026, 10AM - 5:30PM EDT
A day-long exploration of the Six Paramitas as a practical guide for everyday life. In person, and also online via Zoom.
From Heart to Heart: The Meaning of Lineage with Jetsunma Jamyang Yeshe Palmo
September 13, 2026, 10AM - 5PM EDT
We will explore how lineage serves as a source of inspiration and guidance for modern practitioners, and why it remains central to Vajrayana practice today. Please note this Sunday program is restricted to Vajrayana students.
The practice of Maitri Space Awareness with Irini Rockwell
Oct 9 - 11, 2026
The practice of Maitri Space Awareness and the teachings of the Five Wisdom Energies with Irini Rockwell. In this program, we will delve into the Five Wisdoms through Maitri Space Awareness practice created by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
The Wisdom Seat Retreat 2026
Nov 28th - Dec 6th
We invite you to join us for this in-person annual retreat at the Karma TriyanaDharmachakra monastery in the delightful upstate New York Catskill Mountains. Michael Carroll will be leading this 8-day practice intensive designed to help us deepen our mindfulness-awareness meditation and integrate it into our daily life.
Monday Morning Sessions with Michael & Susan
Mondays 9am EDT
Join Michael and Susan for Dharma teachings and meditation. This is a beautiful opportunity to hear these dear friends teach together. Every Monday, 9:00–9:45am Eastern Time.
The Power of Mind: The 7 Points of Mind Training
Select Tuesdays 6:30pm EDT
Join us for an in-depth exploration of lojong, or mind training, starting May 19, 2026. Using the text The Power of Mind by Khentrul Lodro Thaye Rinpoche as our base, we will meet Tuesday evenings to practice and discuss the text.
Wednesday Meditation
Wednesdays 6:15pm EDT
Ongoing sitting meditation practice. Zoom only. Every Wednesday, 6:15–7:30pm Eastern Time.
Shambhala
The Essence of Dzogchen: Teachings on the Nature of Mind with Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche
Sunday and Monday, August 2 and 3, 2026 | Times TBD Online (recordings available in perpetuity upon registration)
During his time in Halifax, Nova Scotia, His Holiness Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche will offer teachings on the nature of mind based on His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche's commentary on Three Words That Strike the Vital Point (often published as Primordial Purity). These teachings focus on Trekchö, or "cutting through" to primordial purity, the core of the Dzogchen tradition. Recordings will be available for registrants who miss a talk, and can be viewed and studied at your own schedule. Prerequisite: Restricted to Vajrayana students who have received pointing-out instructions from a qualified master.
Gampo Abbey
Anam Thubten Rinpoche Online Daylong Retreat: Life as a Charnel Ground
Thursday, August 7, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM EDT Online
Join Gampo Abbey for a daylong online retreat with Anam Thubten Rinpoche on the topic of Life as a Charnel Ground. Drawing on the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of Chöd, or "Cutting Through," Rinpoche explores how we can confront our own inner conflicts — fear and fixation — and discover joy and peace amidst everyday struggle. Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and has practiced in the Nyingma tradition since an early age. He is the founder of Dharmata Foundation and the author of several books including Into the Haunted Ground and The Citadel of Awareness. Participation is free or pay-what-you-can. Suggested offering is $40. Payment is not a barrier to participation.
Ocean/The Chronicles
The Five Wisdoms of Tantric Buddhism
Sundays, September 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2026 Online
The Five Wisdom Energies — also known as the Five Buddha Families — offer a framework for understanding how we express our inherent nature, experience the world, and relate to others. This introductory four-session course presents these teachings through the lineage of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche: simple presence, insightful clarity, abundant resourcefulness, passionate engagement, and skillful action. Over four Sundays, participants will move from concept into lived experience, recognize personal energy patterns, and explore how even challenging emotions point toward inherent brilliance. Led by Irini Rockwell, MA, founder of the Five Wisdoms Institute and author of Unfolding the Mystery of Your Life on the Five Wisdoms Path. Open to all.
The Profound Treasury Retreats
How to Be a Bodhisattva: Practicing the Paramitas
September 25 – October 4, 2026 Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado
This retreat offers an exploration of paramita practice and the broader question of how to lead a more compassionate life. The six primary paramitas — generosity, discipline, patience, exertion, meditation, and wisdom — will be examined both as applied to daily life and to meditation practice.
Karmê Chöling
Ngöndro Practice Intensive
October 9 – 18, 2026 | Begins 7:30 PM ET October 9, ends 1:30 PM ET October 18 Karmê Chöling, Vermont (In-Person)
A week-long Ngöndro practice intensive connecting participants with the energy and power of our Vajrayana heritage. Open to individuals practicing Ngöndro in any lineage of the Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche — Kagyu, Nyingma, and/or Shambhala Ngöndros. Led by Dorje Loppon Lodro Dorje and Adrienne Chang.
Karmê Chöling
Mahamudra Stepping Stones: Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso's Teachings Further Explored
November 17 – 24, 2026 | Begins 7:30 PM ET November 17, ends 9:00 AM ET November 24 Karmê Chöling, Vermont (In-Person)
A deep exploration of Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche's Mahamudra teachings, led by Andy Karr and Scott Wellenbach. Prerequisite: All Tantrikas and Sadhakas who have received Pointing Out Instruction are welcome.
Wisdom's Melody
We Hold These Truths
The discomfort and delight in demolishing our assumptions.
By Elizabeth Brownrigg
When I volunteer with Restorative Justice to help people address the harm they have caused, and to help people heal from the harm that was done to them, one lesson is revealed in every case: The truth is messy.
We meet many times with every person involved. We ask questions and more questions. We listen to understand, not to respond. Our silence contains multitudes as we hear the always complicated stories.
Listening isn't the same as being credulous. People lie, leave stuff out, don't get that they've hurt someone. There might be others involved who weren't mentioned in the police report. We drop our judgments, understanding that we have our own biases. We are from different cultures. We see the effects of trauma and racism. We hold people accountable, while at the same time respecting everyone. Our team needs to be flexible and creative. There is no canned solution. We all search for a way through a thicket of obstacles and possibilities. We let go of a need for a particular outcome, and accept that sometimes we will fail and no resolution will be reached.
We move from right and wrong, legal and illegal, towards relationships and community, and how our behavior affects one another. Being in community means holding multiple truths.
Wanda Gág, from *Millions of Cats*
A friend asked me, "Do you like the people who got in trouble?" I do like them. After we have spent so many hours talking about what happened, it's not hard to understand why it happened. This doesn't change the basic facts of an incident, but I realize that the people who make mistakes are also vulnerable. A Restorative Justice process is often started by the victims, who have the remarkable wish to heal the rift rather than impose punishment.
Last month, I went to a meditation retreat in Crestone, Colorado (pop. 160). The wind and light of the environment, the vast spaces, the altitude made it easy to have a mind without boundaries.
Photo by Elizabeth Brownrigg
In one talk, the teacher said that if two true things seem to contradict each other, it means that wisdom is about to arise. Waiting for wisdom takes patience. We have to be willing to be a little lost for a while. There is discomfort and also delight in upending our assumptions. We hold these slippery truths.
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Elizabeth Brownrigg is an author of novels, essays, and feature articles. She teaches at the Durham Shambhala Center, where she has been a member since 2004. She writes about practicing the dharma and living in the difficult world in her Substack column, __"Walking the Inspired Path"__.
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Wisdom's Melody is open to submissions from the Wisdom Seat community. Essays, reflections, and creative writing of 800 words or less are welcome. Contact Bill at billmoriarty@thewisdomseat.org to submit.
"Mind itself alone is the seed of everything
Samsara and Nirvana manifest from it
Homage to the mind, which is like a wish fulfilling jewel
Bestowing all desired results"
-Saraha, "The Seed"
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