In-person only at the Berkeley Shambhala Center

Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche Video (Talk 5):
In the Footsteps of the Buddha: Working with Oneself

With discussion led by Jesse Miller

This is the fifth talk in the seminar: Ego & Its Projections, by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche at Naropa Institute given February 23 1976. We will watch it together, and afterward have a discussion. 

In it, Rinpoche further describes the mechanism of ego — how it generates confusion, and the role of meditation in freeing oneself from it. He describes suffering as the working basis of the path, emphasizing the need to trace its origins back in our own psychological make-up.

Our preoccupation with what we like or don’t like keeps us stuck in a “blind corner,” obscuring a larger vision and knowing who we really are. Meditation brings clarity and openness, a way of working with ego by making friends with our minds, seeing beyond what we want to who we are. 

Also discussed are Western definitions of ego as involving a strong sense of self, whereas Buddhism posits “egomania” in direct opposition to “buddha nature”, which brings clarity, composure, and openness. 

Join us for this in-person offering — all are welcome! 

There is no cost to attend but donations happily received to help support Berkeley Shambhala and continue to offer programs to the community.