About the Chapter

Ann Arbor, Michigan is the international headquarters of Jewel Heart. In 2008, we were honored when His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama accepted Jewel Heart’s invitation to teach in Ann Arbor and inaugurated our spacious new location at 1129 Oak Valley Drive.

In addition to what Jewel Heart International offers, the Ann Arbor Chapter provides weekly talks and meditations onsite. Throughout the year we hold local courses, host guest speakers, conduct workshops, and hold retreats geared to help individuals bring peace, joy, and understanding into their lives and the lives of others. Jewel Heart offerings are based on the authentic Tibetan Buddhist teachings of Demo Rinpoche, Jewel Heart’s Resident Spiritual Director and the late Kyabje Gelek Rimpoche, founder of Jewel Heart.

We offer many events and activities for the Ann Arbor community, including film nights, Loving Kindness Crafters, yoga, disc golf and hiking, potlucks, a community garden, game nights, open mic evenings and fun-raisers. We are also involved in outreach activities, providing classes in mindfulness meditation to prisons, senior centers and local hospice centers.

The Jewel Heart Store, located at Jewel Heart Ann Arbor, sells books, transcripts, Tibetan rugs, malas and more. Jewel Heart Ann Arbor also has a main assembly hall, multiple rooms for courses, kitchen and dining facilities, and green space with a pond.

A great place to start would be to come to a Sunday Talk or weekly meditation programs. You can also visit our homepage for a full list of international programs.

Sundays – all welcome

WHITE TARA GUIDED HEALING MEDITATION
9:30am – 10:30 am

White Tara is a meditational practice particularly associated with healing and long life. These guided meditations use visualization techniques to overcome physical, mental, and emotional suffering.

DEMO RINPOCHE: ANCIENT WISDOM FOR MODERN TIMES
11:00am – 12:00pm

Join Demo Rinpoche for a variety of topics based on Buddhist wisdom that remains relevant for modern life.

REFRESHMENTS
12:00pm

DISCUSSION GROUP
12:15pm – 1:15pm

The discussion group is led by experienced facilitators based on the talk given by Demo Rinpoche.

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Meditation

WHITE TARA GUIDED HEALING MEDITATION
9:30am – 10:30 am

MEDITATE WITH MEDITATION MASTER JADAL TULKU LOBSANG SHERAP
Tuesdays, 6:00 – 6:45pm
FREE. Onsite only. No registration required. All Welcome. Come as you are.

Held in the Joyful Paradise Room

Serving as a framework for cultivating insight and awareness, these weekly on-going meditations will focus on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness of body, feelings, mind, and mental phenomena. A wonderful opportunity to learn and practice concentration meditation, analytical meditation, and more as a group.

GOM: DAY OF MEDITATION
Saturdays 9:00am – 5:00pm
February 21
April 25
October 24
FREE. All Welcome.

Meditation is an essential tool to help develop peace, joy, concentration and wisdom. GOM Days provide an opportunity to participate in silent group meditation sessions. Instructors will provide light guidance and will be available for assistance. Participants are welcome to come and go as suits their personal schedules throughout the day.

SCHEDULE

9:00am-10:30am session, 10:30am-11:00am break/questions
11:00am-12:30pm session, 12:30pm-1:00pm break/questions
1:00am-2:3pm session, 2:30pm-3:00pm break/questions
3:00am-4:30pm session, 4:30pm-5:00pm break/questions

Join any time. Click here to register.

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Programs

MONTHLY LAMA CHOPA AND TSOHS
6:00pm
Onsite only. All welcome.

10th LUNAR TSOH DATES: Sunday, November 30; Monday, December 29 

The tsoh offering is a profound and beautiful practice centered around the Lama Chöpa or Guru Puja, which richly illustrates and guides us through each stage of the path to enlightenment.  It is one of the best practices for purification and generates great amounts of merit.
All tsoh preparations are bought and set up ahead of time by volunteers so we encourage a small monetary donation when attending.

To volunteer, please contact Brian at [email protected].

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SANGHA CARES TRAINING
Saturday, Janurary 31, 10:00am – 1:00pm
Onsite only
FREE. Donations welcome.
Registration required

Sangha Cares is a newly established Ann Arbor service that formalizes a way to identify and care for our members in times of need. This service is supported with the assistance of other groups within Jewel Heart, such as Sangha Council, Chapliancy, Dharma Coordinators, Facilitators and Volunteers.  This training is for anyone who is intersted in being a volunteer and expanding their practice.

Trainers: Susan Cooley, John Madison, Robin Olson

Training manuals will be provided on the day of training.

Click here to register.

Special Events

MONTHLY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
December 7

Join us the first Sunday of every month to celebrate Sangha members birthdays.  We will enjoy cake and festivities together after the morning programs.

MONTHLY BRUNCH FUNDRAISER
January 4

BAKE SALE DATES – Thanksgiving Pie Sale on Sunday, November 23 and Holiday Bake Sale on Sunday, December 14. Consider donating baked goods. All proceeds go to Jewel Heart.

Please consider donating a dish. Include ingredients.
$12 Suggested Donation. All proceeds go to Jewel Heart.

Arbor Farms Market will donate 3% to Jewel Heart on your orders. When checking out, mention you’d like to benefit Organization #79 Jewel Heart. Arbor Farms Market – 2103 West Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. 734 996 8111. Visit arborfarms.com.

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BRUNCHES AND SPECIAL EVENTS

Community Activities

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LOVING KINDNESS CRAFTERS

Third monthly Sundays, 1:30pm – 3:30pm
October 19, November 16, December 21
FREE. All Welcome!

You have always wanted to learn how to knit or crochet. Here’s your chance to learn the basics of knitting and crocheting. All are welcome to join. Please bring your current project and tell us about it.

The Loving Kindness Crafters have created slippers, hats for cancer patients, socks, polarfleece tie blankets for patients and for homeless children. A recent monthly project focused on making felted beads for jewelry, using wool fiber, olive oil soap and water. 

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DHARMA DISC’ERS DISC GOLF

Sunday Afternoons Monthly, 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Resumes April 2026
FREE. New and experienced players welcome!

Instructions – Time of play is usually 1-3 hours, depending on number in group and how many holes we play. Typically 18 holes but you can also play 9 or however many you like. Wear good hiking shoes with a good gripping sole as ground may be muddy. Discs will be available to use for the day. If you have your own discs (or plan to purchase a starter set), please bring your own. You might also want to bring a small bag or backpack to carry your discs.

Note: Play is weather permitting. Please check this webpage first.
Contact: [email protected]

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HATHA YOGA WITH SAMANTHA LIEBERMAN

Weekly Thursdays, 9:15am – 10:15am
(No session November 27)
December 25, January 1
All Welcome.
Drop-in $18 per session, Cash or Venmo at door. Seniors receive 10% discount. Discounted packages available.
Bring your own mat.

Sam Lieberman has been practicing yoga since 1988. She received teacher trainings in Yoga Fit and Yoga Medics. Yoga Medics is a medical model approach with emphasis on alignment and therapeutic needs.

STRETCH WITH SAMANTHA LIEBERMAN
Weekly Fridays, 9:15 – 10:15am
All Welcome.
Drop-in $18 per session, Cash or Venmo at door. Seniors receive 10% discount. Discounted packages available.
Bring your own mat.

Come educate yourself on how, why and the importance of stretching!

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FREE FILM AND DISCUSSION

Monthly Fridays, 7:00pm
Onsite only
FREE film and concessions. All Welcome!

December 12 – RESURRECTION (2016) – The story of a woman who survives a car accident that killed her husband. She discovers she has a power to heal other people, becomes an unwitting celebrity – the hope of those in desperate need of healing – and a lightning rod for religious beliefs and skeptics.

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 HAPPY HIKERS – 3rd Saturday Monthly at various Ann Arbor parks, 1:30 – 2:30pm. All Welcome!

Hiking resumes in April, 2026.

Monthly 3rd Saturdays, 1:30pm – 2:30pm
FREE. All Welcome!

Questions? Contact Robin Olson at [email protected]. 

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SANGHA GAME NIGHT  to be scheduled
Jewel Heart Cafe

Everyone is invited to bring a favorite game or two, otherwise take their chances with what others bring. A few games anticipated are – Uno and variants, Codenames, Splendor, Pictionary, Monikers Late arrivals welcome.

In general, it is anticipated someone will join a group of 3-6 people and agree to a game for 30-60 minutes. One person will take the lead explaining the game and facilitating game play. Then a NEW game is selected by someone else for variety as people move in or out as desired. People sharing their favorite games and learning new games is encouraged. Snacks will be provided.

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FOOD DRIVE

Please consider donating to our annual Food Gatherers drive to help our local community during the winter months. We will be collecting until the end of the year.

Below is a list of needed items. You can place the donations in the bin in the hallway across from the bathrooms. They cannot accept opened containers and expired products. Please avoid items with glass packaging. All types of non-perishable food donations are appreciated but most requests are for:

• Hearty soups (beef stew, chili, etc.)
• Canned vegetables
• Packaged pasta & rice
• Whole grain cereal & oatmeal
• Baking & cookies supplies (flour, sugar, oil, etc.)
• Nut butters or jelly
• Kid-friendly snacks (granola bars, goldfish, etc.)
• Baby food & formula
• Ensure & other nutritional supplement drinks
• Canned meats (tuna fish, chicken, etc.)
  Personal Care Items:
• Soap & shampoo
• Toothpaste & toothbrushes
• Baby items (diapers, wipes, etc.)
• Disposable razors