Tergar Bozeman Practice Group
Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Practices/Teachings
Meeting Times:
Wednesdays: 5:30-7 PM (Mountain Time)
Tea Social Time: 5:00-5:25 PM
In person and via Zoom
Co-Leaders: Sheila, Janet, & Rex
Email: bozemantergar@gmail.com
Ter is a Tibetan word for treasure, Gar means gathering. So, Tergar can be understood as a place where people come together to find the sublime treasure … that helps us calm our minds, open our hearts and awaken wisdom.
Wednesdays 5:30 – 7 PM (Mountain Time)
Please arrive in the meditation hall by 5:25.
If you are new to meditation, please come at 5:15 to receive instruction. The practice coordinator for the evening can update you on what the group is currently studying and practicing. Each evening there are two guided meditations, which will give beginning instructions of meditation.
We look forward to meeting you.
All are welcome!
General Schedule
5:00 – 5:25 Tea Social Time
5:15 Newcomer Instruction
5:25 Gather
5:30 Opening Aspiration
Participants check in on their practice
Meditation (15-20 minutes)
Group discussions on particular questions related to the current topic.
Meditation (15-20 minutes)
Q&A
7:00 Closing Dedication
* We do two 10 min walking meditations every 3rd week in the Practice only session
Under the guidance of Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, the Tergar Meditation Practice Group of Bozeman gathers to study and practice meditation. Mingyur Rinpoche’s approach to meditation focuses on the practice of mindful awareness, which unlocks the door to a calm mind, compassionate heart, and insight into the challenges of day-to-day life. Rinpoche’s teachings emphasize universal principles that are of profound benefit to people of all faiths and belief systems.
Whether you are new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner wanting to deepen your practice, please join us. Each session will include guided meditation and group discussion. Our meetings are free and open to all.
Monthly Session Topics
Joy of Living
We are currently presenting some of the teachings and practices from this Tergar program.
The Joy of Living is a path of meditation study and practice that can be followed by anyone, regardless of religious or cultural background. It was designed by Mingyur Rinpoche to fulfill two primary needs:
(1) to offer a comprehensive course of meditation training for those who are interested in learning how to meditate in a secular format, and
(2) to provide a grounding in basic meditation principles and practices for those who are interested in formal Buddhist practice.
The goal of this program is to help us discover a lasting contentment that is not subject to the fluctuating conditions of our lives and to nurture the qualities of wisdom and compassion that naturally manifest from awareness itself. Meditation is taught as a practical tool to explore the landscape of the heart and mind and uncover the richness of the present moment.
The practices taught in the Joy of Living, though rooted in the ancient Buddhist teachings of Tibet, are not religious in nature. They address basic qualities of the mind, such as mindful awareness and the movements toward happiness and away from suffering. By working with these qualities of mind, we gradually transform our relationship to present–moment experience, learning to approach every thought, feeling, and sensory experience with unconditional warmth and acceptance.
This lasting, fundamental well-being is what is meant by “joy” in the Joy of Living.
Joy is not the absence of suffering, the absence of challenges, or the absence of anything else. Living with joy means developing a sense of inner well-being that allows us to embrace whatever the present moment offers.
Topic for November and December: Everything is Meditation and Born to Flourish
Nov 5th Special Guest teacher (on zoom) Tim Olmsted: Facing the Holiday Season-How to Thrive
and not just Survive
Nov 12th Introduction to four sessions on the theme Born to Flourish
Topic #1: Well-being-leader, Rex
Nov 19th Topic #2: Connection/Compassion – leader, Janet
Nov 26th No meeting – Thanksgiving Holiday – Have a safe and wonderful holiday.
Dec 3rd Topic #3 Insight – leader, Janet
Dec 10th Topic #4 Purpose – Life Worth Living – leader, Sheila
Dec 17th Review and Practice session of the practices presented in this section
leader, Sheila
Dec 24th and 31st No meeting – Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years Holidays
Nectar of the Path Practice
Meeting Times: Sundays 8 am to 8:45 am – online (NOT the BDC zoom link)
What is this practice about? This practice “Nectar of the Path” was written by Mingyur Rinpoche to be practiced by any of his students however experienced they might be. “Nectar” signifies a distillation of something very precious and nourishing. Nectar of the Path is a complete practice encompassing all of the essential aspects of a traditional Tibetan Buddhist practice. In this practice we mix contemplation and meditation, alternating periods of each and chanting in Tibetan and some visualization.
If you are interested in joining this practice group, please send an email to bozemantergarsmd@gmail.com and tell us your interest, how you learned about us, if you are new to Nectar or have experience with the practice…. Information on the practice, the practice liturgy and the zoom link will be sent to you.
Learn more about Tergar International!
Find more information about Tergar’s online, self guided Joy of Living 18 month online course, click here (requires a monthly membership fee).