Category Archives: Non-denominational

Living from True Nature with Elaine Huang

Half-Day Retreat, Non-denominational

On Saturday October 11, step into a morning of exploration from 9:00 AM to noon where guided meditation, mindfulness, reflective exercises, and practical tools open the way to freedom from limiting patterns of heart, mind, and body. This retreat offers practical pathways for embodying your true nature, cultivating presence, openness, and love in everyday life.

Highlights:

  • Practices that nurture freedom, presence, and embodied awakening
  • Tools to soften limiting patterns of heart, mind, and body
  • Guidance for living with more ease as your true nature shines through

Elaine Huang (MSW, MA, SEP) is a seasoned mindfulness teacher and guide, with 25 years of experience facilitating individuals, groups, and corporate teams. A dedicated meditator for over 35 years, she holds certifications in Mindful Leadership, Search Inside Yourself, and Somatic Experiencing. Elaine leads mindfulness retreats, intensive workshops, and half-day offerings in a variety of settings, and facilitates trainings for leaders and teams across companies of all sizes and industries. With master’s degrees in social work and clinical psychology, she brings a rich educational foundation to her work. Elaine’s focus is supporting individuals on their journeys of personal growth, presence, and awakening to their true nature.

Buddhism Basics

Classes, Non-denominational

Join senior BDC practitioners on Saturday October 4 from 9 AM to 12:30 PM to explore central teachings of our 2600 year old Buddhist tradition. We will learn about the five aggregates, five remembrances, five hindrances and the six paramitas. Great for those new to meditation and Buddhist practice; seasoned practitioners are warmly encouraged as well.

Yamama!

Non-denominational, SoundGate

Explore meditation and connection through sound on Friday October 3 from 7-8 PM with Yamama!

Yamama! will offer a meditative soundscape using drums, percussion and vocals as guest artists for October’s SoundGate program. No registration necessary. Donations welcome! Any funds collected will be split evenly with the guest artists.

Mindful Creativity: Tibetan Singing Bowls

Classes, Non-denominational

Learn about Tibetan singing bowls and how to ring them from Brian Sparks! He will offer an introduction to sounding the bowls on Sunday, September 21 from 1:30 to 3:30 PM.

The class will introduce information on several therapeutic uses, bowl types, considerations on buying a bowl and a therapeutic set of bowls, how to play the bowls, mallet types, and physiological impacts of bowl sounds on the body and brain as well as some hands on practice with the bowls. 

 Brian received his spiritual teaching from several masters in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. His teachers blessed his bowl work by giving him the specific “Prayer of Aspiration” and granted him many Buddhist empowerments. He has toured with notable Tibetan musicians, actors, and at the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas in Arlee.

He offers his practice of playing Tibetan bowls in service of healing, compassion and awakening.

If anyone is interested in learning how to become part of this tradition, they can talk with Brian after the session to discuss the structure and content of what is required to become a proficient bell ringer.

Mindfulness and the Addiction Economy

Non-denominational, Uncategorized

Dave Smith will lead a discussion on Sunday September 28 from 5-7pm on Mindfulness and the Addiction Economy. We can all see how our devices have become weapons of mass distraction, but by turning inward, taking an honest look at our pain and dissatisfaction, and coming to terms with what fuels our addiction, we can find hope in the future of our ever more connected world. In this talk, Dave Smith discuses using the four noble truths and mindfulness as an active framework for recovering the innate goodness of our humanity.

No registration necessary. Please consider offering a donation to Dave in support of his teaching.

Intro to Meditation

Non-denominational

“To begin to meditate is to look into our lives with interest in kindness and discover how to be wakeful and free.” Jack Kornfield

Meditation is a simple but powerful tool that can help us cope when we feel overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed. Meditation is a useful tool at other times too with known health benefits. If you’re interested in starting a meditation practice and aren’t sure how to start, join us on Saturday September 13 from 9 AM to 12:30 PM. We’ll discuss and practice different styles of meditation including practicing with the breath, body scans, working with a question, Metta practice and Tonglen. You’ll leave with an understanding of meditation fundamentals such as different postures that work well, how to work with attention, and ways to support your meditation practice.

Newcomer Orientation

Non-denominational

Want to start a meditation practice? Or learn about the Bozeman Dharma Center? On Tuesday September 2 from 5 PM to 6 PM we will host our monthly orientation. Join us to learn about the Center, get your questions answered, and receive basic meditation instruction. No registration required. Free!

August Mindful Creativity: Origami

Classes, Non-denominational

Enjoy an afternoon of origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, on Saturday August 23 from 3:30-5 PM!

Repetitively folding paper can produce a calming, meditative state while also working on focus and concentration. And it’s fun! 

Our facilitator, Cam Palmer Warner, has been a folding fanatic since second grade and enjoys teaching others to fold. Cam will offer designs inspired by the Dharma such as lotus flowers and cranes (specific designs to be determined). 

You do not need prior experience to attend this workshop. Children and complete beginners welcome!

All materials supplied (but if you have paper you’d like to use, you’re welcome to bring it).

This event is in-person only.