OCTOBER 2025 NEWSLETTER
- Kaya Fruchtman
- Sep 29
- 7 min read
Updated: Sep 30
IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
Our founders Matt DiRodio and Michael Carroll recently sat down together and edited The Wisdom Seat’s chant book which we use in our monthly nyinthuns and other events. Much appreciation for their work and dedication! So for those who participate in our nyinthuns, take note of the new version updated in September 2025.
On September 11th our communities experienced a great loss with the passing of Lady Diana Mukpo, wife of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and beloved teacher. Our condolences to those directly impacted by her death. If you haven’t already, definitely check out Chronicles Project’s lovely tribute observing her life and work: https://www.chronicleproject.com/the-passing-of-lady-diana-mukpo/
Next month The Wisdom Seat is humbly honored to host Anam Thubten for the Philadelphia-area premiere of the documentary “Journey to Golok” at Swarthmore Friends Meeting House. This is truly an event not to be missed! Visit the program page for more information and to view a trailer for the documentary. Many thanks to the Kailash Fellowship for their partnership and for the dedication of Anam Thubten’s four students whose pilgrimage to Golok is the basis of the documentary.
Consider joining us on our annual retreat at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra later this month, October 25th-November 2nd. This practice-intensive retreat will be cradled in the New York Catskill mountains. Retreats are perfect for resetting, reconnecting, and deepening our practice.
Lastly, please contribute to our Community Survey if you haven’t yet done so. Your insight will help guide us as we consider programs and offerings to best serve the community!
Al San Valentin
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche Celebration - A Mindful Gathering
Tuesday, Oct 21 7pm-8pm
Join us for a special Mindful Gathering evening honoring Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (1910-1991), a remarkable Buddhist teacher whose influence profoundly shaped Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche's life and American Buddhism.
Anam Thubten introduces Journey to Golok: Film Screening
Sun, Nov 09 | 6pm - 9pm
Swarthmore Friends Meeting House
Join renowned Buddhist teacher Anam Thubten for the Philadelphia-area premiere of "Journey to Golok," a one-hour documentary from his newly founded Kailash Fellowship following four students on a sacred pilgrimage to Eastern Tibet to explore the roots of the Dudjom Lingpa lineage.
Reception to follow.
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: October 12th, 19th, & 26th
Here is the Zoom link for this session: Sunday Sitting Zoom Link
All are welcome to attend.
The Wisdom Seat Retreat
October 25 - November 2, 2025
Karma Triyana Dharmachakra
Woodstock, NY
We invite you to join us for this in-person Autumn retreat at the Karma TriyanaDharmachakra monastery in the delightful upstate New York Catskill Mountains. Michael Carroll, cofounder of The Wisdom Seat will be leading this 8-day practice intensive, supported by members of The Wisdom Seat staff. This retreat is designed to help us deepen our mindfulness-awareness meditation and integrate it into our daily life. The retreat will include:
6 - 7 hours of daily shrine room meditation alternating sitting and walking during each session
Breath and body relaxation practices
Outdoor walking meditation
Periodic group meditation instruction
Readings from Buddhist texts
Dharma talks and discussion
Individual meditation instruction upon request
An hour+ of helping hands
Participants will be asked to observe “functional silence” throughout most of the retreat, limiting verbal communication to a minimum.
Vegetarian breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be offered, with access to snacks, coffee, and tea throughout the retreat.
Since the retreat will be limited to 30 participants, those attending will be expected to participate in all 8 days of the retreat.
Local Commuters may participate 8 days or less.
Dorje Denma Ling
The Sun of Wisdom: Pith Instructions of Chögyam Trungpa
with Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
October 10 - 13, 2025
In-Person
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche, a close dharma brother of the Vidyadhara, has kindly agreed to teach us from this soon-to-be-published translation of The Sun of Wisdom by the Nalanda Translation Committee. We have this unique opportunity to dive deeply into the practice and meaning of these teachings guided by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche in a 4-day retreat over Canadian Thanksgiving weekend within the natural beauty of Dorje Denma Ling. To conclude the retreat, we will celebrate Thanksgiving dinner with Rinpoche!
Registration Link: https://dorjedenmaling.org/programs-listing/2517/the-sun-of-wisdom-pith-instructions-of-chogyam-trungpa/
Westchester Meditation Center
Seeing Confusion as Wisdom
Taught by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Wednesday, October 22nd, 7 - 9 pm
In-Person
How could confusion arise as wisdom? Confusion arises as wisdom when we shift our relationship to confusion by relaxing our instinctual fixation on our self. That aborts the habitual self-protective mechanisms of aggression, attachment and stubbornness and releases the natural openness, kindness and generosity that is our true nature. By cultivating that process deliberately over time it becomes spontaneous. We are able to experience ourselves and our world with steadiness and benevolence. Eventually, we realize that everything we experience is the radiance of the mind’s own nature. By shifting our perception in that way, the roots of confusion are gradually severed, our mind stream is purified and our behavior transformed.
Ringu Tulku is renowned for his gentleness, warmth and humor. His teachings shine with wisdom and practicality. In this talk, Rinpoche will explore the stages of understanding and the cultivation of meditation that leads to this transformation. We are honored to host Rinpoche for the sixth time. Please don’t miss this opportunity to experience someone who embodies this transformation in person.
Program fee: $25
Registration Link: https://www.westchestermeditationcenter.org/special-events
Rime Society
KARMA: The Play of Confusion and Liberation
Nine Sessions throughout October 15 – December 1, 2025
All classes on Mondays from 7:00 - 9:00 PM EST
On Zoom
Speakers: Ringu Tulku Rinpoche, Traleg Khandro, Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel, Carolyn Gimian, Andy Karr, Hazel Bercholz, Bob King, John Weber, Clarke Warren
Karma is an essential aspect of the Buddhist teachings and path. Karma most basically means “action,” and expands to a view of cause and effect, interdependence and an ethical approach to life. The Buddha revolutionized the meaning and parameters of karma, rendering it into both an explanation of the roots and causes of confusion as well as a path to liberation.
This course will examine various perspectives on karma in the Buddhist tradition, and explore the means of working directly with karma through contemplation, meditation, and action. The course will employ two highly insightful books on karma from two brilliant contemporary teachers, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche.
Cost of this course: US $135
We will accommodate anyone needing financial assistance to attend Ri-mé Society classes and events. If this applies to you, send your request for financial assistance to info@rimesociety.org
OCEANS/KCCL (Karme Changchun Ling)
The Heart Sutra Step-by-Step and in-a-Flash
Taught by Lodro Sangpo
Four consecutive Monday classes starting October 20th, 6:00 PM EST
On Zoom
The Heart Sutra is one of the most well-known and often recited sutras but, at the same time, this sutra has also a very mysterious koan-like character seemingly challenging many of the fundamental Buddhist teachings, like the five skandhas, the twelve ayatanas, the eighteen dhatus, the twelve links of dependent origination, the four noble truths, etc. Many commentaries were written on this sutra.
Lodrö Sangpo’s talks will focus on the different elements and the basic structure of this sutra, which explicitly teaches the wisdom aspect of the path to enlightenment, and implicitly teaches the method aspect of the path to enlightenment. At the same time, he will also address a more "sudden" approach to the Heart Sutra.
By Donation
Registration: https://ocean.chronicleproject.com/courses/the-heart-sutra-step-by-step-and-in-a-flash/#tab-course-section__overview
Karmê Chöling
Ngöndro Practice Retreat
Led by Adrienne Chang
October 31st - November 7th
In-Person
This retreat is an opportunity to deepen one’s Ngöndro practice, to engage in the traditional accumulations of wisdom and merit, and to connect with tantrikas from all branches of the Vidyadhara’s spiritual lineage. The schedule will include group practice sessions, Vajrayana talks, discussion groups, and opportunities to connect with the beautiful setting of Karmê Chöling. Sangha members who have completed Ngöndro and wish to revisit the practice are also warmly invited.
Financial Aid Available
To learn more and register:
Dathun
Led by Dr. Elain Yuen
Weekthun: Dec. 29 - Jan. 4
Half-Dathun: Dec. 29 - Jan. 11
Dathun: Dec. 29 - Jan. 25
An extended meditation retreat at Karmê Chöling in upstate Vermont. Meditation retreats are profound and transformative experiences – allowing one to discover the basic sanity of oneself and one’s world.
Elaine Yuen is an educator, chaplain and researcher. She has been a student and teacher in the Shambhala community since the early 1970’s. Between 2010 and 2012 she was a professor at Naropa University where she taught courses on pastoral caregiving (chaplaincy), contemplative education and Buddhist studies. Elaine is deeply interested in how we shape our social interactions with caring and authentic presence. She continues to explore the interfaces between Buddhism, meditation, creativity, and contemplative care-giving. Her website Contemplative Chaplaincy can be found at elaineyuen.com. She will be supported by a team of experienced meditation instructors. Regular dharma talks, individual meetings, and experiential exercises will be included.
25% Discount on Tuition when paid-in-full by Oct. 31.
Learn more & register at:
That things are empty, free, and devoid of arising,
not knowing this, beings wander in the cycle of existence.
Thus the compassionate one helps lead these beings
to these truths through hundredfold means and reasoning.
—Sutra quote from The Essence of Eloquence
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