1/2 Day Course
DATE: Sunday, 7 May
TIME: 10 am – 1 pm
with Resident Teacher, Birgit Saunders

Price: $30 or $15 unwaged

ABOUT THIS EVENT

Wouldn’t it be great if we could simply choose not to be unhappy?

Even though we wish to be happy every day of our life, our mind can be habitually trapped in narrow, uninspired, negative ways of thinking – which can leave us feeling tired, dissatisfied and wondering whether this is all that life has to offer. Buddha taught that happiness is a part of the mind, so its real causes must come from within the mind. This means that if we can gain better control over our mind, this gives us the freedom to respond to any situation without disturbing our inner peace. Ultimately, we can learn how to maintain a happy mind regardless of what is happening in our life.

‘If we want to be truly happy and free from suffering, we must learn how to control our mind’.
– Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Modern Buddhism

This half-day workshop will consist of practical teachings and guided meditations that help us change old habits, and choose to follow ideas and thoughts that help us stay peaceful and feel a deep sense of happiness.

WHAT TO EXPECT

These classes are based on Buddha’s teachings on the mind, but you do not need to be a Buddhist to attend, or to benefit from them. There is no physical exercise involved and you can choose to sit either in a chair or on a cushion. These classes are suitable for all levels of experience.

WHERE

Amitabha Kadampa Buddhist Centre
174 Albert Street, Palmerston North
Phone: 06 355-3524

Birgit Saunders, Resident Teacher of Amitabha Kadampa Buddhist Centre

Birgit has been a student of Kadampa Buddhism since arriving in New Zealand over twelve years ago. She began teaching with Kadampa Meditation Centre in Wellington where she was also Admin Director (AD) for three years.

Since moving to Palmerston North in 2016 she worked closely with Gen Kelsang Demo as the Education Programme Co-ordinator (EPC) for the Centre and teaching classes in Dannevirke, Feilding, at the Cancer Society and Massey University, while also working at the Cancer Society.

Birgit was appointed Resident Teacher of Amitabha Kadampa Buddhist Centre at the beginning of 2020, and brings sincerity, bubbly enthusiasm and kindness to her teaching. She is always looking for ways to make Dharma practical, relevant and meaningful so that students are able to see how to use Dharma and meditation to make positive changes in their lives.