Special Events

SPECIAL EVENTS

SPECIAL TALK & MEDITATION:

Saturday, April 8, 2017. 7:00-9:00 p.m.,
9 Partridge Ct., San Rafael, CA 94901.
The topic will be: “The Healing Power of Nondual Wisdom”
This talk is being held at a private home.
All are welcome.
No charge. Donations accepted.

PAST SPECIAL EVENTS

BEGINNING JAN. 11, SAN RAFAEL–URBAN MEDITATION GROUP

More new offerings for 2016–Announcing Urban Meditation Group, San Rafael

I am happy to be a co-founder and instructor at the new Urban Meditation Group in downtown San Rafael, each Monday evening 7-9 p.m. Urban Meditation Group will be held at OpenEye, a beautiful venue created by friend, co-founder and co-instructor Tarane Sayler. OpenEye is located at 875 4th St., San Rafael, CA.

The Urban Meditation Group is a place to learn and practice meditation in downtown San Rafael. Our purpose is to offer a safe non-denominational refuge in an urban environment, where anyone can find silence, inner peace, awareness, compassion and community. Meditation instruction is provided by experienced instructors. Our gathering is suitable for beginners as well as long-time practitioners. No religious belief or affiliation is required to participate and to benefit from the practice of meditation.

The group is led by Hal Blacker and Jeff Bickner, and occasional guest instructors. The format of our gathering will include meditation, instruction in meditation and an opportunity for questions and discussion.

There is no charge for attendance but donations are graciously appreciated.

We meet at 875 4th Street—just 2 blocks from the San Rafael Public Transit Center, on the East end of 4th St., above the Sacred Tibet Shop.

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URBAN MEDITATION SCHEDULE FOR MARCH 2016

I will be offering instruction on Dzogchen-based nondual natural awareness meditation, and natural awareness teachings and dialog. March dates:

March 7–Led by Hal Blacker
March 14–Hal Blacker
March 21–Jeff Bickner
March 28–Hal Blacker

MEDITATION CLASSES AT YOGAKULA, BERKELEY–Beginning Wednesday, January 13

I am pleased to announce that I will be teaching a series of meditation classes at Yogakula in Berkeley, California. I will be emphasizing natural awareness meditation, a nondual Dzogchen-based approach to meditation that emphasizes relaxation and effortless awareness. The classes on are on a drop-in basis–you can attend all of them or any individual class. This is an opportunity to learn meditation, deepen and re-inspire your on-going practice or join others for group practice. There will be instruction, practice and dialog on natural nondual awareness. Here’s the information:

Time: 7:30-9:00 p.m.

Location: Yogakula

1700 Shattuck Ave.

Berkeley, California
Dates in March 2016: Wednesdays, March 16, 23 and 30

Classes will be offered on a donation basis, with a suggested donation of $10-$17.00.

YogaKula-Meditation

East Bay Open Circle

Hal Blacker will be teaching at East Bay Open Circle on Thursday, August 21, 2014

Time: 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Location: Chochmat Halev 2215 Prince St., Berkeley, CA

Suggested donation: (Open Circle event) $10-$20. No one turned away for lack of funds.

Padampa Sangye’s Essential Words of Advice

A 6 Week Class Taught by Hal Blacker in Point Richmond

“Rely upon that most sublime companion—primordial awareness wisdom, the companion from whom you can never be parted.”—Padampa Sangye

Beginning on Wednesday, January 8, 2014, Hal Blacker will be offering a class on Padampa Sangye’s 100 Verses of Advice to the People of Dingri in Point Richmond, California. The 100 Verses is a widely loved text, and also happens to be one of the favorites of Hal’s teacher, Anam Thubten. Padampa Sangye was an 11-12^thcentury Indian mahasiddha (greatly accomplished yogi) who lived and taught in Tibet in the area of Mt. Kailash, near Nepal. He gave the teachings in the 100 Verses as a sort of last testament of pith instructions, at the request of the people of Dingri. Earthy, concise and profound, his words of advice are as applicable to us today as they were to the lay folk and yogis of Dingri back then.

Class begins 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 and will be held every two weeks through March 19, for a total of 6 sessions. (See the schedule and location below). There is no charge for the class but donations are accepted and appreciated.

Hal Blacker was ordained as a lay Dharma teacher and lineage holder by Anam Thubten, a Tibetan Buddhist Nyingma lama. Hal began his study of Buddhism in the early 1970’s with the Venerable Chӧgyam Trungpa, Rinpoche. He is the founder of Real Dharma and teaches most Tuesday evenings in San Anselmo, Marin County, California. For more information about Hal Blacker and Real Dharma please visit www.realdharma.org.

Location: 419 Golden Gate Avenue, Pt. Richmond (cross street is Mono Street). For more specific directions and to indicate you’ll be attending, please contact hostess Cynthia Barbaccia by December 26th at 510/858-8811 or via e-mail at earth.lake@yahoo.com.

Class Dates: Wednesday evenings, January 8, 22; February 5, 19; March 5, 19.

Schedule

6:30 – 7:00 Arrival

7:00 – 7:30 Opening chants and 30 minutes of sitting meditation

7:30 – 7:40 Break

7:40 – 9:00 Teaching and commentary followed by discussion and dedication of merit prayer

No prior reading or preparation for the class is required. The text will be available at the class.

New Class Beginning November 19, 2013

Beginning on Tuesday, November 19, we will be studying the wonderful and powerful Dzogchen Prayer of Samantabhadra (Dzog pa chen po kun tu zang po’i mon lam) at our regular Tuesday night Real Dharma meetings. This extraordinary text is often recited and studied in the Dzogchen tradition. It gives a short, clear and beautiful exposition of Dzogchen view and practice. The text will be available at class.
We will begin, as usual, with a short meditation at 7:30 p.m., followed by a talk and discussion. You are welcome to come as early as 7:00 p.m. for tea and socializing beforehand. (If you need directions or have any questions, please email).
As always, there is no charge for attending.
Everyone is welcome.
Mangalam! May all be auspicious!
Hal

Liberation Through Resting At Ease in Whatever Happens–A Talk on a Teaching of Lama Shabkar

Hal Blacker will be giving a talk on a teaching of the great Dzogchen master Lama Shabkar on Wednesday, December 4th, 2013 at 7 pm in Point Richmond, California. For the exact location, directions and other information, contact Cynthia at earth.lake@yahoo.com.

SPECIAL EVENT

THE LAST HUSTLE

AN EVENING WITH KENNY JOHNSON

Tuesday, January 24, 2013 7:30 p.m.

The Common Well

85 Bolinas Rd., Suite 8

Fairfax, CA 94930

Hustler, pimp, thief. Kenny Johnson, was a career criminal who spent 20 years in prison, when he was transformed by a profound spiritual experience. Now he proclaims the availability of grace, redemption and liberation for all. Kenny is the author of The Last Hustle, his story of crime and spiritual liberation, and is the founder of This Sacred Space, a program for currently and previously incarcerated individuals.

SPECIAL EVENT

Lama Lakshey Zangpo Rinpoche: Relaxing In Emptiness

Tuesday, December 20, 2012 7:30 p.m.

The Common Well 85 Bolinas Rd. Fairfax, CA 94930

Real Dharma is honored to host Lama Lakshey Zangpo Rinpoche for a talk, “Relaxing in Emptiness.”

Lama Lakshey Zangpo Rinpoche was born in Golok, Tibet and was recognized as a tulku at a young age. He trained under his root lama His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche at Larung Monastery and with other notable teachers. Rinpoche came to the United States in 2007. He is the founder of Tsinta Mani Choling Buddhist center in Spokane, Washington, and is vice principal of Senge Takste School, a school and home for 400 orphans in Golok, Tibet.