with Elaine Jackson

Sunday, October 1, 2023
9:00am–12:00pm

in person at the center

What is meditation?
What is meditation’s purpose?
What is meditation’s foundation?
How do we get started?

How do we sustain our meditation practice?
How do we overcome obstacles?

Ultimately, the purpose of meditation in Tibetan Buddhism is to eliminate all suffering from our life. This means removing all suffering and sources of suffering completely and permanently from our mind, and to empower this pure mind to gain enlightenment. Learning about one’s mind and transforming the mind is essential – because it is mind, and mind alone, that determines whether we experience happiness or suffering from the events in our life.

Because meditation directly addresses the mind, it is the key to creating a happier, healthier, and more peaceful life for ourselves and others, now and in the future. To succeed in our meditation practice, we must cultivate our mind gradually, like climbing steps on a ladder, in stages that support each other. This begins with motivation and intention.

By practicing step-by step, we begin to progress along the Buddha’s path from our very first attempt at watching the breath, through realizations…all the way to enlightenment.

In this brief introduction, we will practice meditation, examine our practice, and share tips on persevering in practice.

We will discover that enlightenment is not some far off place but ripens in the here and now from seeds already present within us, only needing to be cultivated. Whether you are brand new to the idea of meditating or have practiced for years and have tips to share or questions to ask, we look forward to your attendance and welcome you. Please join us.

Elaine Jackson is one of the early founders of Vajrapani Institute. A student of Tibetan Buddhism since 1977, she has studied with many of the greatest Tibetan Buddhist masters of our time, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Thubten Yeshe, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche and others too numerous to list.

In her secular life, Elaine founded, and for many years ran Sincerely Yours, a graphic design and print shop in Boulder Creek. She also served as Executive Director of Vajrapani Institute for five and a half years before retiring in 2008.

Prior to entering a three-year retreat in 2010, Elaine engaged in a month-long solitary retreat every year for 14 years to deepen her practice. She served as the Resident Teacher at Vajrapani Institute for three years and continues to lead a contemplative life while offering teachings and meditation support.