About the Series

A Year of Deepening in Compassion is a four-part series exploring the Shambhala Mahayana teachings.

The path of the Bodhisattva Warrior begins with developing affection for ourselves and expands this to others, dissolving the barriers that divide us. To support this practice, Shambhala senior teachers taught a year-long course with contemplative and meditation practices from the Buddhist Mahayana teachings of our lineage.

Throughout this four-part series, the main practice is tonglen, taught by Ani Pema Chödrön with a guided meditation and an audio talk that is posted in all four courses. Additional teachings introduce and support other practices of the Mahayana. 

This series is divided into four seasonal themes. Within each season, teachers offered talks that related to that topic with their own personal approach. The themes for the four seasons echo the virtues of the Four Dignities of the Shambhala Path: Tiger, Lion, Garuda and Dragon.

Breakdown of Four-Course Series

Part 1 – The Four Limitless Ones

This course includes tonglen instruction, an audio talk by Pema Chödrön and an introduction to The Four Limitless Ones.

• Six recorded classes, led by different teachers.
• Readings and book suggestions to deepen our understanding of these teachings
• Contemplations to help us integrate these fundamental teachings into our daily lives

Course Topics

Class 1  – Shamatha and Maitri: Establishing the Foundations for our Mahayana Journey with Susan Chapman

Class 2 – Introduction to Tonglen with Pema Chödrön

Class 3 – Equanimity with Eve Rosenthal

Class 4 – Loving Kindness with Fleet Maull

Class 5 – Compassion with Dale Asrael

Class 6 – Sympathetic Joy with Dan Hessey

Part 2 – The Joyful Snow Lion: the Paramitas

This course includes an exploration of Relative Bodhicitta and how we put our aspiration into action with the practice of the Paramitas.

• Five recorded classes led by different teachers.
• Readings and book suggestions to deepen our understanding of these teachings
• Contemplations to help us integrate these fundamental teachings into our daily lives

Course Topics

Class 1  – The Paramita of Generosity with Marty Janowitz

Class 2 – The Paramita of Discipline with Emily Bower

Class 3 – The Paramita of Patience with Suzann Duquette

Class 4 – The Paramita of Exertion with Moh Hardin

Class 5 – The Paramita of Meditation with John Rockwell

Part 3 – Fearless Garuda: Emptiness and Absolute Bodhicitta

The power of the Mahayana comes from its clarity regarding the true nature of reality. This clarity is described as penetrating insight (prajna), that sees that the world is actually different from what we habitually think it is. Instead of assuming that beings, objects and systems are solid, truly existing independently, the bodhisattva sees that everything is empty of concepts and reference points (shunyata).  

• Six recorded classes, led by different teachers.
• Readings and book suggestions to deepen our understanding of these teachings
• Contemplations to help us integrate these fundamental teachings into our daily lives

Course Topics

Class 1  – Prajnaparamita and Absolute Bodhicitta with Judith Simmer-Brown

Class 2 – Heart Sutra with David Schneider

Class 3 – Feminine Principle with Judith Simmer-Brown

Class 4 – Shunyata with Melissa Moore

Class 5 – Prajna and Compassion with Judith Simmer-Brown

Part IV – Skillful Dragon: Lojong and Compassionate Engagement

The spiritual path does not lead to non-activity and withdrawing from the world. In the Shambhala tradition, the master warrior is profoundly engaged. This last part of the course series will explore the teachings on the Lojong, Athisha’s famous mind-training slogans, that invite us to utilize the difficulties and problems we encounter to deepen our path.

• Six recorded classes, led by different teachers.
• Readings and book suggestions to deepen our understanding of these teachings
• Contemplations to help us integrate these fundamental teachings into our daily lives

Course Topics

Class 1  – Lojong and the Four Reminders with Gaylon Ferguson

Class 2 – Absolute Bodhicitta Slogans with John Rockwell

Class 3 – Relative Bodhicitta Slogans, Part 1 with Holly Gayley

Class 4 – Relative Bodhicitta Slogans, Part 2 with Fleet Maull

Class 5 – Bodhicitta in Everyday Life with Susan Skjei

Class 6 – The Bodhisattva Vow with Susan Chapman