August 9, Women’s Day
9h30 for 10h00 to 12h30
Bring & share lunch
The path of a Buddhist practitioner unfolds in a natural way, as one realisation makes the ground ready for the next. Gautama, who became the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, set out on the path because he really saw, clear-eyed, the suffering realities of life around him. He then walked this path all the way, to the ‘end' of suffering.
The clear-eyed seeing can be understood through the Four Contemplations, while the path walked by the Buddha was explained in the very first teaching he gave, and called the Four Noble Truths.
As preparation for the visit and teachings by Lama Tsondru in September, we'll explore these Dharma teachings and contemplations of Buddhism, and what it means to practice Buddhism as a Buddhist.
Cost: Members no cost; Non-members R60
Dana (offering) is suggested; Dana (offering) to the teacher allows participants an opportunity to practice generosity and the teacher an opportunity to practice unconditional gratitude.
To book or for more information please email capetown@kagyu.org.za or phone 021 7612978
Ani Tsondru's Bio
Tsunma Tsondru is a nun in the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, ordained by Tai Situ Rinpoche in 2007.
She first realized that she must be a Buddhist in the early 1990s when she attended a retreat at the BRC. After studying and working as a lawyer and environmental scientist she left it all behind to go to Spain with Lama Tsondru in 2003 to enter a traditional three and a half years closed retreat, followed by a second retreat of four years. Leading up to and during this time she received the traditional teachings and transmissions of the Kagyu Tibetan Buddhist lineage from HH Karmapa 17th, Situ Rinpoche, Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche, Mingyur Rinpoche, Drupon Rinpoche, Akong Rinpoche, and the retreat Lamas, Lama Tsondru and Lama Jinpa.
Since returning to Cape Town she has served as the Buddhist member on the Board of the Southern African Faith Communities Environmental Institute (SAFCEI, a multi-faith NGO), and also been its Executive Director.
In 2015 she spent a 10-day intensive with Joanna Macy in California, engaging with the Work that Reconnects (WTR). After returning, she began to offer the first Work that Reconnects workshops in Cape Town and South Africa. It is important to bring our spiritual practice into the world. Of particular interest is ecophilosophy and activism, and the role that spirituality and ethics must play if we are to transform our economic and social systems in protection of Earth. Now Tsondru incorporates the Work that Reconnects into the teaching of Engaged Buddhism, which includes both meditation and action.
Tsondru dedicates her time to helping people reconnect with inner wilderness through teaching, leading contemplative Wilderness Within trails in the iMfolozi wilderness and other areas, and to being of service to SAFCEI.