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Jewel Heart News
CLEVELAND CHAPTER January - February 2005

Jewel Heart is an educational and cultural center whose doors are open to all. Its purpose is to transmit the essence of Tibetan Buddhism in an authentic and accessible form. Jewel Heart provides guidance and practical methods to anyone interested in spiritual development, as well as those who wish to follow the traditional Buddhist path.

White Tara Class to begin January 8

Open to all, The Healing Practice of White Tara is a four-week course led by Sarah Ralston. Tara, a female Buddha, is the mother goddess of Tibetan Buddhism, known for her quick and compassionate activity. She is particularly associated with healing and long life. This course teaches visualization techniques that rely on the energy of White Tara to overcome physical, mental and emotional suffering.

Saturdays. Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29 from 12:30-2pm Cost $40 or $15 for a single session free to supporting members

Come 15 minutes early to first class to register, or preregister at any Jewel Heart event or by calling 216-691-5950

Sangha Council Meeting

On Saturday, January 22, from 2:30-4:30 pm or so we will hold our first Sangha Council Meeting at the JH Center, featuring brief presentations by President Bill Kirchner and other executive committee members, time for questions, and discussion of future goals and aspirations for Jewel Heart Cleveland. All who are interested in learning how Jewel Heart works as well as those who may want to participate in the organization are welcome. Everyone is encouraged to attend!

Ganden Lha Gyema Workshop January 30

Based on one of the most popular recitation texts in the Tsongkhapa tradition, this practice serves to deepen the connection with your spiritual teacher and with this tradition in particular. It includes elements of a daily meditation practice, as well as a guided visualization using the Migtsema mantra. Instructor Anne Warren

Sunday January 30 from 1-5 pm Cost: $20 for non-members and $15 for members

Come 15 minutes early to register, or preregister at any Jewel Heart event or by calling 216-691-5950

Coming Jewel Heart Cleveland Events

Momo Workshop Fundraiser Jan. 29
Join us for a wonderful afternoon of mo-mo making (and eating!) Chunden Goldstein has generously agreed to teach this fine Tibetan art. If you've never eaten mo-mo's (Tibetan filled dumplings), you're in for a wonderful treat! A $15 per person donation is requested with all proceeds going to Jewel Heart. If you play a musical instrument, please bring it along, and bring whatever beverage you enjoy drinking.

Jan. 29 2pm-? at Bill and Susie's. For directions, contact Bill or Susan at xlucent@zoominternet.net or (216) 287-4774.

Mala Bag Making Potluck, Friday Feb. 25, 7 pm - 9ish
The Mala elves are at it again! As part of the ongoing malas for inmates project, mala bags are offered to inmates as well. There is now a back order for bags so we are asking for your help. Come be part of the team that will cut, sew and construct bags. (This is not a gender-based skill so everyone is welcome to join us). If you learned to use scissors in kindergarten, you have all the skills you will need to be of great assistance on this project. Materials will be provided, just bring lots of enthusiasm and a dinner dish to share. See you there!

(So that we may continue to fund this project, we are asking for a donation of $5 per person. If you are unable to attend the potluck but would like to contribute, leave your donation at the center and specify it for the mala-making project.)

Mandatory Tsohs for Mother Tantra Practitioners
Wednesday January 5 7-9 pm Vajrayogini Tsoh offering for those who have taken the Heruka initiation. Please bring food offerings and also your ritual implements and Vajrayogini prayer book.

Wednesday January 19 7-9 pm Lama Chopa Tsoh offering. Required for Mother Tantra practitioners, but open to the Jewel Heart community. We will chant this offering in a combination of English and Tibetan. Please bring a food offering, ritual implements if you wish and the Jewel Heart Prayer Book.

Open meditation hours and Tara Meditation
Saturdays from 10:30 to noon we alternate breathing practice and guided White Tara meditation. See the calendar below for dates.

Lama Chöpa Tsoh for Losar
Celebrate the Tibetan New Year February 9 from 7-9 Open to all, this traditional ritual offering will chanted in a combination of English and Tibetan. Bring a food offering if you can. Afterward, nonperishable food items will be distributed to local charities.

Vajrayogini Tsoh
Saturday, Feb. 5, from 4-6 for those who have received the Vajrayogini initiation.

The Jewel Heart Study Program

Jewel Heart offers a graduated study and practice program based on the teachings of Gehlek Rimpoche. Open to all, these classes are especially intended for those wishing to study the Tibetan Buddhist path in a systematic and in-depth manner.

Courses generally cost $10 per week if paid in advance, or $15 a week at the door. The fee for most courses is waived for supporting members. If you are unable to afford this, contact Debbie Burr at 734-994-3387 for possible fee reduction. Come 15 minutes early to first class to register, or preregister at any Jewel Heart event or by calling 216-691-5950.

Good Life Good Death Discussion Group
Based on the national bestselling book Gehlek Rimpoche, this course explores how Tibetan Buddhist perspective can be utilized by anyone, of any faith, to bring depth, meaning and joy to daily life. Mondays, beginning December 27, 7-8:30 pm Seven weeks, $70

New Odyssey to Freedom Group
Module One: Key Elements of a Daily Practice The Odyssey to Freedom is Gehlek Rimpoche's step-by-step guide to the Buddhist path, written especially for us in the 21st century. Each evening will include a brief videotaped talk by Rimpoche, discussion, and guided meditation and practice advice.

Course fee for Module One: free for supporting members and above. $80 for non-members
Wednesdays, 7-8:30 pm beginning Feb. 23.

Bodhisattva vows discussion group
This 10 week group is intended primarily for those who have taken Bodhisattva vows or who have completed the Odyssey to Freedom course and are considering taking these vows. Using Rimpoche's transcripts and other teachings, we will work on learning the vows and what they mean, on understanding their purpose and on trying to see how they apply in our daily lives.

Thursdays, 7-8:30 pm beginning Feb. 24. Cost $100 or free for members at the supporting level or above.

Six Session Guru Yoga
The Six Session Guru Yoga is a required practice for those who have taken Highest Yoga Tantra initiation. This 10 week class will be based on Gehlek Rimpoche's teachings and Six-Session Guru Yoga by Geshe Losang Tharchin. Restricted to students with Highest Yoga Tantra initiation.
Mondays, 7-8:30 beginning March 1. Cost $100 or free for members at the supporting level or above.

White Tara Class
see top of the page

Lama Chopa Study Group continues
Thursdays from 7-9 pm through January for those with highest yoga tantra initiation. Taught from the Gehlek Rimpoche's transcript Guru Devotion: How to Integrate the Primordial Mind.

JH Cleveland News

About 200 people attended the Tara Blessing Ceremony held at Unity of Greater Cleveland on November 14. The beautiful and inspirational ceremony, led by Gehlek Rimpoche, included guided meditations and a Tara mantra transmission. At the two morning services preceding the Tara Blessing, Rimpoche spoke to more than 300 people about the power of compassion and the ability of each of us to bring about healing for others and ourselves through our actions.

Marilyn Hall, International Director of Jewel Heart, met with the Cleveland Coordinator's Team on November 11 to explain the organizational changes taking place in Jewel Heart and to officially introduce the Cleveland Sangha Executive Council officers appointed by Rimpoche.

In two workshops for Vajrayana students, Sonam, former chant master of Gyuto Tantric College, gave instructions in setting up an altar, making offerings, mudras and chanting with concentration on the Lama Chopa. His humor and encouragement were a great inspiration to all who attended. Our December potluck with Sonam as special guest was well attended - everyone enjoyed Chunden-la's special steamed mo-mo's and some enjoyed her hot hot sauce! Sonam also helped us prepare the offerings for our Lama Chopa Tsoh for Ganden Ngamchu or Je Tsongkhapa Day. For once we had actual Tsoh offering cakes make of tsampa (roasted barley flour) and dried Tibetan cheese among other ingredients, beautifully decorated with Sonam's butter sculpture. We were surprised to learn that at Gyuto Tantric College where Sonam was once chantmaster (umdze) the Lama Chopa was chanted without special melodies, because the college specialized in other practices such as Guhyasamaja. However with the help of our Cleveland umdze team, we were able to sing the Lama Chopa in Tibetan according to the Jewel Heart tunes. Sonam has agreed to return to Cleveland for a followup workshop on ritual practices including his specialty of butter sculpture sometime later this year - so watch for details in future newsletters.

Jewel Heart was once again part of the Tremont Art Walk. Artists sold their wares at a holiday sale and open house, the weekend of Dec. 10-12. A portion of the profits from this sale was donated to JH raising more than $700. Thanks to everyone who supported the artists and Jewel Heart!

Our first Gateway to the Spiritual Path class finished Dec 6 with near a dozen participants reluctant to part ways. Vivian Hartmann and Steve Goldberg tag-teamed to lead this introductory course, based on a short text pulled from various teachings by Rimpoche. The teamwork and openness of this diverse class helped create a sense of community and Sangha. And, although a good number of students came in from Kent and Warren each week, all were eager for the next offering in the Jewel Heart study program!

Ann Arbor News

Gehlek Rimpoche's live teachings will again be available online on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning Jan. 11! The teachings can be heard at 7 pm and are rebroadcast for one week. On Tuesdays in Ann Arbor he will be speaking on the wisdom chapter of Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life. In NYC on Thursdays, he will give complementary teachings on wisdom. These teachings are available to members pledging at the supporting level or above for information contact debbie@jewelheart.org.

The 2005 Jewel Heart Calendar is now available at the center. Filled with photos of Rimpoche and pithy sayings, it is a rare treasure and a bargain at only $17!

Jewel Heart Winter Retreat Yamantaka will be the topic for this year's winter retreat at Jewel Heart Ann Arbor

Fri. Feb. 11 - Mon., February 21, 2005 with the initiation February 11 - 12, 2005. Details including cost, times and registration available from the Ann Arbor office. Anyone interested in taking initiation for the first time, please contact programming@jewelheart.org **Rimpoche generally encourages students to attend at least one summer retreat or take the Odyssey course before considering this level of initiation.

For other Ann Arbor news, please check the Jewel Heart webpage http://www.jewelheart.org frequently!

Other Cleveland Area Events

Wisdom compassion and power: The dance of the 21 praises of Tara Julie Thomas, student of Prema Dasara and certified teacher of the Mandala Dance, teaches the Mandala Dance of the 21 praises of Tara. This dance consists of simple, graceful, tai chi like movements done with Tara mantras and the Twenty-One Praises of Tara, a traditional Tibetan practice translated into English.

Place: First Unitarian Church of Youngstown, 1105 Elm Street. All are welcome, Buddhist or dance experience not necessary. Donations greatly appreciated - $5 for students, $10 for adults. For schedule and more information please contact Julie Thomas at jethomas@ysu.edu after Jan. 17or visit www.taradhatu.org

Introduction to Buddhism course Ani Palmo, an American Buddhist nun for ten years, will be giving an introductory course called "Discovering Buddhism." The course will cover a wide range of topics including the philosophies and practices of all the different Buddhist schools, Science/Psychology and Buddhism, Death and Dying, and Women and Buddhism as well as some basic meditation techniques in each class.

The course will run one evening per week during January and February. Cost is 10 dollars per class. Times and venue to be announced. (This class is not at Jewel Heart.) For more information and to register please contact Palmo at palmoska@yahoo.com.

JH Cleveland Calendar of Events

(all events at Jewel Hear Cleveland center unless otherwise noted)

Good Life Good Death Dec. 27 Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31. Feb. 7 from 7-8:30

Odyssey to Freedom Part 6 Wed. Dec 29, Jan 12, 26 from 7:15-8:45

Lama Chopa Study group Thurs. Dec. 30 Jan. 6, 13, 20,27, Feb. 3 from 7-9

Tibetan Language/Culture Class Sun. Jan. 3, 16, Feb. 6, 27, from 12-2:00

Vajrayogini Tsoh Wed. Jan. 5 (compulsory for mother tantra) from 7-9. Feb. 5 from 4-6
White Tara Class Sat. Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29 from 12:30-2

Lama Chöpa Tsoh Wed. Jan. 19 (compulsory for mother tantra). Wed. Feb 9 (Losar) from 7-9.

White Tara practice Sat. Jan. 15, 29, Feb. 5, 19 from 10:30-12
Open Meditation Jan. 8, 22 Feb.12, 26 from 10-12

Sangha Council Meeting Jan. 22 at 2:30

Momo workshop fundraiser Sat. Jan. 29 beginning at 2:00 (at the Kirchner's)

Ganden Lha Gyema workshop Sunday Jan. 30, 1-5 pm

Bodhisattva Vow class Mon. Feb. 28 from 7-8:30

Odyssey to Freedom Part 1 Wed. Feb. 23 from 7:15-8:45
Six-session Guru Yoga Class Feb. 24 from 7-9

Mala Bag Workshop/potluck Fri. Feb. 25 beginning at 7:00

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May all beings have happiness.
May they be free from suffering.
May they come to know the joy that has never known suffering.
May they be free from attachment and hatred.

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