Rigpa Australia

Inspiring a Revolution in Your Heart and Mind, Modules 1 & 2 | Melbourne
2025-02-03 19:00 - 21:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rigpa Melbourne, 803 Nicholson St, Carlton North, Melbourne, Victoria, 3054, Australia
Join us on an experiential journey through The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Discover a deep and universal wisdom explored in the major themes of the book, and learn about their practical implications for living well. Suitable for people of any religion or of none, this course encourages you to reflect on the Buddhist teachings, to see what makes sense to you and to experiment with applying these teachings in your daily life.
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying is widely regarded as one of the most complete and authoritative presentations of Tibetan Buddhism. A manual for life and death and a source of sacred inspiration from the heart of the Tibetan tradition, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying provides a lucid and inspiring introduction to the practice of meditation, to the nature of mind, to karma and rebirth, and to the trials and rewards of the spiritual path. The teachings, meditation and contemplations from this authentic tradition reveal how each of us can live a more meaningful, connected and fulfilling life.
Register for the 10 weeks of Modules 1 & 2 using the link below.

The Wisdom of Compassion | Newcastle
2025-02-04 11:15 - 13:15 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rigpa Newcastle at Infuse Health, 4/10 William Street, Adamstown, Newcastle, New South Wales, 2289, Australia
The Wisdom of Compassion
Term 1, 10 Sessions, 4 February to 8 April, 11:15am to 1:15pm.
In Person at Infuse Health, 4/10 William Street, Adamstown, 2289.

The Wisdom of Compassion presents key Buddhist teachings on the powerful logic of compassion and practical methods for developing a more kind relationship with ourselves, those around us and ultimately all beings.
Our innate capacity for empathy is the source of the very best of human qualities : love, kindness, generosity, warm-heartedness, courage … compassion. Although we are born with a vast capacity to love, we may not know how to do so unconditionally, or how to express that love in practice.
When our heart and mind are filled with love, we find the greatest inner healing, tranquillity and well-being. Modern research shows that with empathy and compassion we can be more fully ourselves, connect more easily with others, improve self worth and reduce self-criticism, and lead healthier lives.
Participants in this course will learn how to:

develop loving kindness for themselves
extend that loving kindness to all beings
move along the path from compassion to fully enlightened courage

Led by Western meditation instructors with many years of experience , each session consists of:

Video teachings from Tibetan and Western Buddhist masters including Sogyal Rinpoche, Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche, Mingyur Rinpoche, Pema Chödrön and Sharon Salzberg.
Meditation practice
Time for contemplation
Group discussions and Q&A, offering each student the opportunity to explore the teachings and practices in an open supportive environment and to connect with a community of practitioners.

This is the first module of a year-long course made up of 10-week long modules. You can join at any time. If you wish to join after the commencement of each term and the registration is closed, then please email us at newcastle@rigpa.org.au. It is possible to join and pay a pro rata amount.
Cost:
Ten sessions: Full $200, Concession $100.
If you are experiencing financial hardship please email us at newcastle@rigpa.org.au to request a further concession.
FREE for Rigpa members/subscribers. Please email newcastle@rigpa.org.au to request the discount code.

Inspiring a Revolution in your Heart and Mind
2025-02-04 18:30 - 2025-03-04 20:30 (Australia/Adelaide) | Rigpa Adelaide, 310 South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
Module 1 – The Heart of the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
And Module 2 – The Great Deception – Understanding death and impermanence

5-week course
Tuesdays Beginning 4 February to 4 March
6.30pm to 8.30pm
Inspiring a Revolution in Your Heart and Mind presents an experiential journey through The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, its major themes and their practical implications. Suitable for people of any religion or none, the course encourages you to experiment with applying the Buddhist teachings in your daily life.
FREE for Rigpa subscribers.
Location
Rigpa Adelaide, 1st Floor Theosophical Society Building,
310 South Terrace, Adelaide
Event Fee(s)
5 weeks – full ($15 per session) A$75.00
5 weeks – concession ($10 per session) A$50.00
One session only (full) A$15.00
One session only (concession) A$10.00
Register here.
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying is available for purchase at our centre for $20. (Please bring cash – we do not have credit card facilities)
We hope that you can join us and we look forward to seeing you there.

The Wisdom of Compassion | Sydney & Online
2025-02-04 19:00 - 21:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rigpa Sydney, 158 Australia St, Newtown, Sydney, NSW, 2042, Australia
Presenting key Buddhist teachings on the powerful logic of compassion and practical methods for developing a more kind relationship with ourselves, those around us and ultimately all beings.
Our innate capacity for empathy is the source of the very best of human qualities: love, kindness, generosity, warm-heartedness, courage … compassion. Although we are born with a vast capacity to love, we may not know how to do so unconditionally, or how to express that love in practice.
When our heart and mind are filled with love, we find the greatest inner healing, tranquillity and well-being. Modern research shows that with empathy and compassion we can be more fully ourselves, connect more easily with others, improve self worth and reduce self-criticism, and lead healthier lives.

Inspiring a Revolution in Your Heart and Mind | Sydney & Online
2025-02-05 18:30 - 20:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rigpa Sydney, 158 Australia St, Newtown, Sydney, NSW, 2042, Australia
Join us on an experiential journey through The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Discover a deep and universal wisdom explored in the major themes of the book, and learn about their practical implications for living well. Suitable for people of any religion or of none, this course encourages you to reflect on the Buddhist teachings, to see what makes sense to you and to experiment with applying these teachings in your daily life.
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying is widely regarded as one of the most complete and authoritative presentations of Tibetan Buddhism. A manual for life and death and a source of sacred inspiration from the heart of the Tibetan tradition, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying provides a lucid and inspiring introduction to the practice of meditation, to the nature of mind, to karma and rebirth, and to the trials and rewards of the spiritual path. The teachings, meditation and contemplations from this authentic tradition reveal how each of us can live a more meaningful, connected and fulfilling life.

Sydney and Online
Wednesday evenings, all year, starting 5 February
6:30-8:30pm AEDT (8:30am CET, 2:30am Thurs US East)
Online via Zoom, Rigpa Sydney 158 Australia St, Newtown

Enlightened Courage: the Secret to Training and Transforming your Mind with Wisdom and Compassion.
2025-02-07 09:30 - 11:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Online via Zoom, Australia
Enlightened Courage: the secret to training and transforming your mind with wisdom and compassion.
Term 1, 10 Sessions, 7 February – 11 April
Online – Fridays, 9.30am – 11.30am
/MAHAYANA/
Featuring teachings from Sogyal Rinpoche, Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche and Patrick Gaffney, this weekly course presents the Mahayana Seven Points of Mind Training. These points lay out a path of formal meditation practice, along with guidelines for extending that practice into everyday life.
These teachings are precious and unique in presenting the entire depth and breadth of the Buddha’s Mahayana teachings succinctly and practically. Mahayana mind training offers an approach to life that is straightforward, grounded in sanity, kindness, and compassion. Yet it also offers a vision that completely transcends our ordinary way of viewing ourselves and others, with an all-encompassing vision of enlightenment.
At the heart of this vision of enlightenment is the view that our innate, fundamental identity is vast, luminous and utterly awake. The Mahayana teachings refer to this as our enlightened heart, or bodhicitta. Enlightenment is nothing other than who we really are. But for most of us, our true nature is like a hidden treasure, concealed behind layers of mental activity and preoccupation. Mahayana mind training helps us give expression to our enlightened heart in everything we think, say and do.
Founded on a practice lineage that has been actively practised for hundreds of years, these teachings are completely relevant to the challenges posed by our modern, globalised life.
🗓️ 10 weekly classes: Friday Mornings, 7 February – 11 April
⏰ 9.30am – 11.30am Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time (11:30pm CET, 5.30pm Thurs US East, 2.30pm Thurs US Pacific)
📍Online via Zoom
💰full $200, concession $100
Free for Rigpa subscribers/ members ( please email newcastle@rigpa.org.au to request the subscriber discount code ).
This is the first term of a year-long course. If you wish to join after the first two weeks of a term then please register and pay a pro rata amount by sending an email enquiry to newcastle@rigpa.org.au. If you are a newer student and would like to study this text please email Rigpa Newcastle at newcastle@rigpa.org.au.

Truth, Love and Relationships
2025-02-08 09:30 - 12:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | Rigpa Adelaide, 310 South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
Truth, Love and Relationships
Saturday 8 February | 9.30am – 12.00 noon

How to Survive Your Mind – mindfulness, awareness and compassion practices for yourself in everyday life.
A monthly program on the first Saturday of the month that introduces you to meditation and discusses a topic of general interest.This month’s topic is Truth, Love and Relationships.

Feel free to come along to any session that suit you. No need to register, just drop in.

Fee: Standard $15, Concession/Student $10We do not have credit card facilities, please bring cash.Cost negotiable depending on your financial circumstances.

Location: Rigpa AdelaideThe Theosophical Society Building1st Floor, Upper Hall310 South Terrace, Adelaide

Sydney Sangha Day - February 2025
2025-02-09 09:30 - 13:00 (Australia/Melbourne)
Cultivating confidence in our true nature and our spiritual path
Senior Teacher Jan van der Breggen, accompanied by Sydney instructor Alessandra Pizzardello, will guide a shared reflection on the topic of confidence, which in the teachings is presented as a crucial element of our spiritual journey.
The Tibetan term depa is multifaceted, and involves confidence in our own innate wakefulness, as well as trust in the qualities of the three jewels – Buddha, dharma, sangha – born from insight that arises from study, reflection, and meditation.
Developing this kind of trust and confidence will inspire our spiritual journey, arouse in us an eagerness to actualise our innate potential of wakefulness, and make us naturally turn towards the Buddha as our guide, the dharma as the path, and the sangha as our companions on the path.

Cultivating Compassion
2025-02-15 10:30 - 12:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Online via Zoom, Australia
In a world full of turmoil, stress, anxiety and disconnect, we are all looking for simple, practical ways in which we can nurture our own inner goodness and find the peace and courage to live well.
Geshe Chekawa’s summation of the Tibetan Buddhist guidelines for living a compassionate life, known as the Seven Points of Mind Training, have guided practitioners for more than a thousand years. His pithy slogans open the way for each of us to nurture our own compassionate nature and put compassion into action in everyday life. These slogans offer a vital practical antidote to despair and despondency.
Cultivating Compassion presents teachings on the Seven Points given by Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche accompanied by reflections from Traleg Rinpoche and Ringu Tulku Rinpoche.
Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche is one of the outstanding meditation teachers of our time. She is known for her penetrating wisdom and humour, conveying the Buddhist teachings in a concise and lively manner, enriched with personal anecdotes, which are of particular relevance to the everyday life of the modern, fast-paced world.
From the early 1980s onwards, Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche was a pioneer in bringing Tibetan Buddhism to Australia and was a strong advocate of non-sectarianism. He taught extensively on many aspects of Buddhist psychology and philosophy, comparative religion, and Buddhist and Western thought.
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche has trained in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism under many great masters including His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa and His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He is renowned for his ability to transmit complicated teachings with a remarkable warmth and simplicity.
This program is open to all, but does assume some familiarity with meditation and the Buddhist understanding of interdependence.

Saturday mornings, third Saturday of the month
10.30am – 12.30pm in Eastern Australia
Online via Zoom

15 Feb, 15 Mar, 17 May, 21 Jun, 19 Jul
(We’ll take a break in April)

Free to be Loved
2025-02-21 18:00 - 20:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rigpa Sydney, 158 Australia St, Newtown, Sydney, NSW, 2042, Australia
Rigpa Sydney warmly invites you to our interfaith evening of open discussion, stories, poetry and music, as part of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
Amongst Mardi Gras’ vibrancy and partying, we are offering everyone a little time to gently reflect on the universal power of the love in our own hearts, and how can we find the courage to love and be loved in all its manifestations.
Our speakers will include:

Hugo Ditroia presenting a Catholic perspective
Ofra Ronen presenting a Jewish perspective
Nur Warsame presenting a Muslim perspective; and
Sim Walters presenting a Buddhist perspective.

We are also thrilled that the evening will include the world premiere of a new piece of music written especially for the evening by composer Paul Smith.
The evening will include space for quiet reflection and an opportunity to meet over a light meal.
Friday 21 February
6:00pm – 8:00pm
Free, but please RSVP so that we can cater.

About Hugo Ditroia
Hugo is an active member of Acceptance Sydney a LGBTQIA+ Catholic community, based at St Joseph’s Parish in Newtown. In 2020, Hugo completed his Bachelor of Theology and Philosophy, with majors in New Testament and Spirituality. His passion for Church history, theology, scripture, and spirituality—particularly in the context of identity—drives his ongoing journey of study and exploration. Over the past few years, Hugo has focused his research on how scripture, theology, and spirituality intersect with the experiences of marginalized communities, in particular the LGBTQIA+ community.

About Ofra Ronen
Ofra Ronen is a proud Israeli Jewish Queer woman based in Sydney. With a diverse professional journey spanning hospitality, retail, sales, marketing, and management across Israel, China, and Australia, she now focuses on mental health. As a trauma & relationship Coach, Ofra aids diverse communities, including LGBTQI+, in their journey towards trauma recovery and healthier relationships. Her personal story of overcoming complex PTSD is a celebration of consciousness, self-love, courage, and hope. An advocate against hate and discrimination, Ofra co-founded the national group Jewish Israeli Pride Australia (JIPA). JIPA creates safe spaces for Queer Jews grappling with heightened fear and isolation amid the rising antisemitism in public spaces and on social media.

About Sim Walters
Sim first encountered the benefits of meditation while completing their undergraduate studies in music performance. Soon after, Sim met Sogyal Rinpoche and made an immediate and powerful connection with the wisdom tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. For the past fifteen years Sim has been a student of Rigpa, recently completing an intensive eight year home retreat program. When touring with orchestras, Sim lives in Nipaluna (Hobart) where they are part of a vibrant Queer community.

About Nur Warsame
Warsame was born in Somalia and moved to Australia as a high school student. In 2010 he came out as Australia’s first gay imam. He is a hafiz, ie one who has memorised the Quran. Since 2014 he has run an LGBT support group Marhava (which means welcome in Arabic).

About Paul Smith
Paul Smith is a senior lecturer in music at the University of New England where he teaches composition and music theory. He holds a Doctorate of Creative Arts from Western Sydney University where his research focused on music’s connection with visual art forms. Paul embraces humour, satire and bright sonorities in his works.
He specialises in composing opera and is the co-artistic director for Sydney-based group Blush Opera. Many of Paul’s compositions explore music’s potential connection with other art forms and as a result his pieces are often accompanied by other works of art, including animation, theatre or poetry. He has collaborated frequently with artist Todd Fuller providing scores for Fuller’s animated pieces, one of which was a finalist for the 2019 Sulman prize and exhibited at th Art Gallery of NSW.

Awakening Love Within
2025-03-01 09:30 - 12:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | Rigpa Adelaide, 310 South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
Awakening Love Within
Saturday 1 March | 9.30am – 12.00 noon
How to Survive Your Mind – mindfulness, awareness and compassion practices for yourself in everyday life.
A monthly program on the first Saturday of the month that introduces you to meditation and discusses a topic of general interest.

This month’s topic is Awakening Love Within
Feel free to come along to any session that suit you. No need to register, just drop in.
Fee: Standard $15, Concession/Student $10
We do not have credit card facilities, please bring cash.
Cost negotiable depending on your financial circumstances.

Location: Rigpa Adelaide
The Theosophical Society Building
1st Floor, Upper Hall
310 South Terrace, Adelaide

Sydney Sangha Day - March 2025 - Causal & Resultant Refuge
2025-03-02 09:30 - 13:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Online via Zoom, Australia
Causal and resultant refuge
Presenting a teaching by Ruth Seehausen.
NOTE – this event will be ONLINE ONLY
About Ruth
Ruth Seehausen was attracted to Tibetan Buddhism from a young age, and became a Rigpa student in 1986.
Ruth completed the 2006–2009 Three Year Retreat in Lerab Ling, Rigpa’s retreat centre in southern France, as well as a number of shorter retreats over the years. She currently divides her time between Germany and France, and devotes herself to Dharma study, practice and regular retreats, in addition to holding meditation seminars for the general public and guiding Rigpa students on Vajrayana preliminary practices.
Ruth has a deep interest in the workings of mind, exploring how Buddhist study and practice can help modern audiences cope with life’s challenges, and equip them with the tools to overcome them. She has also been passionate about fine arts and photography since childhood.

Inspiring a Revolution in your Heart and Mind
2025-03-18 18:30 - 2025-04-15 20:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rigpa Adelaide, 310 South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
Module 2 – The Great Deception – Understanding death and impermanence
5-week course
Tuesdays Beginning 18 March to 15 April
6.30pm to 8.30pm
Inspiring a Revolution in Your Heart and Mind presents an experiential journey through The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, its major themes and their practical implications. Suitable for people of any religion or none, the course encourages you to experiment with applying the Buddhist teachings in your daily life.
FREE for Rigpa subscribers.
Location:
Rigpa Adelaide, 1st Floor Theosophical Society Building,
310 South Terrace, Adelaide.
Event Fee(s):
5 weeks – full ($15 per session) A$75.00
5 weeks – concession ($10 per session) A$50.00
One session only (full) A$15.00
One session only (concession) A$10.00
Register here.
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying is available for purchase at our centre for $20. (Please bring cash – we do not have credit card facilities).
We hope that you can join us and we look forward to seeing you there.

Happiness and Stability
2025-04-05 09:30 - 12:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | Rigpa Adelaide, 310 South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
Happiness and Stability
Saturday 5 April | 9.30am – 12.00 noon

How to Survive Your Mind – mindfulness, awareness and compassion practices for yourself in everyday life.
A monthly program on the first Saturday of the month that introduces you to meditation and discusses a topic of general interest.
This month’s topic is Happiness and Stability

Feel free to come along to any session that suit you. No need to register, just drop in.

Fee: Standard $15, Concession/Student $10
We do not have credit card facilities, please bring cash.
Cost negotiable depending on your financial circumstances.

Location: Rigpa Adelaide
The Theosophical Society Building
1st Floor, Upper Hall
310 South Terrace, Adelaide

Sydney Sangha Day - April 2025 - Knowing what to do and what not to do
2025-04-06 09:30 - 13:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rigpa Sydney, 158 Australia St, Newtown, Sydney, NSW, 2042, Australia
Sydney Sangha Day – 6 April 2025
Powerful reminders: Knowing what to do and what not to do – Kirsten Czeczor

Finding Courage in a World Full of Fear
2025-04-12 15:00 - 17:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rigpa Sydney, 158 Australia St, Newtown, Sydney, NSW, 2042, Australia
Fear is a useful tool for staying alive; recognizing danger we avoid harm and survive. Fear for fear’s sake, however, can be debilitating.
A connection with meditation practice, which shows us the true capacity of our mind and heart for insight, clarity and compassion can transform the way we perceive ourselves and our world around us. Buddhism offers a path toward fearlessness by confronting fear with inner strength and open-hearted courage, to help us step out of the clutches of fear and discover new meaning, inspiration, and joy in our lives.
🗓️ Saturday 12 April
⏰3:00-5:00pm
📍Rigpa Sydney and Online
💰$20 standard, $10 concession

Inspiring a Revolution in Your Heart and Mind, Modules 3 & 4 | Melbourne
2025-04-14 19:00 - 21:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rigpa Melbourne, 803 Nicholson St, Carlton North, Melbourne, Victoria, 3054, Australia
Join us on an experiential journey through The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Discover a deep and universal wisdom explored in the major themes of the book, and learn about their practical implications for living well. Suitable for people of any religion or of none, this course encourages you to reflect on the Buddhist teachings, to see what makes sense to you and to experiment with applying these teachings in your daily life.
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying is widely regarded as one of the most complete and authoritative presentations of Tibetan Buddhism. A manual for life and death and a source of sacred inspiration from the heart of the Tibetan tradition, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying provides a lucid and inspiring introduction to the practice of meditation, to the nature of mind, to karma and rebirth, and to the trials and rewards of the spiritual path. The teachings, meditation and contemplations from this authentic tradition reveal how each of us can live a more meaningful, connected and fulfilling life.
Register for the 10 weeks of Modules 3 & 4 using the link below.

Contemplating Reality | A retreat with Andy Karr and Lynn Friedman | Sydney & Online
2025-04-18 08:30 - 2025-04-25 17:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rigpa Sydney, 158 Australia St, Newtown, Sydney, NSW, 2042, Australia
Acquire transformative tools for life—honed by an ancient Buddhist tradition and adapted for the modern world—to experience deep meditation and profound insight into reality.
This is a rare and unique, life-enhancing opportunity—and a first in Australia.
Join Andy Karr and Lynn Friedman, two senior teachers and long-time students of the renowned Tibetan master Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche (1939–1987), for an inspiring one- to eight-day urban retreat that blends the spacious clarity of meditation with the rich wisdom of Buddhist philosophy and practical know how.
Through a unique combination of guided contemplation, experiential exercises, and extended meditation sessions, this retreat offers a powerful opportunity to explore the nature of consciousness and awaken to the true potential of your own mind and heart.
Rooted in the teachings from Andy Karr’s acclaimed books, Into the Mirror and Contemplating Reality, this retreat provides a welcoming and accessible path into classical Buddhist inquiry—bridging ancient insight with modern understanding.
Whether you’re new to Buddhist philosophy or looking to deepen your practice, you’ll leave with a clearer sense of reality, a stronger connection to your inner wisdom, and tools to integrate these insights into daily life.
Discover the buddha nature within you. Step into a space of clarity, compassion, and transformation.

🗓️ 18-25 April
🧘 Short option 18-21 April
📍In person at 158 Australia St, Newtown & Online

About Andy Karr
Andy Karr has practiced and studied the dharma for over fifty years under the guidance of such great masters as Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche. He is the author of Into the Mirror: A Buddhist Journey through Mind, Matter, and the Nature of Reality and Contemplating Reality. He is also the co-author of The Practice of Contemplative Photography: Seeing the World with Fresh Eyes.
About Lynn Friedman
Lynn Friedman has been a student of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche since the mid 1970s and has been teaching shamatha-vipashyana meditation in his tradition for 35 years. She had a long career as a software architect, and is now the director of the Chögyam Trungpa Digital Library, a project to transcribe and make available to the public the entire collection of recorded teachings of Trungpa Rinpoche.

Inspiring a Revolution in your Heart and Mind
2025-04-22 18:30 - 2025-05-27 20:30 (Australia/Adelaide) | Rigpa Adelaide, 310 South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
Module 3 – The Deathless and Unending Nature of Mind
5-week course
Tuesdays Beginning 22 April to 27 May
There will be no course on Tuesday 13 May
6.30pm to 8.30pm
Inspiring a Revolution in Your Heart and Mind presents an experiential journey through The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, its major themes and their practical implications. Suitable for people of any religion or none, the course encourages you to experiment with applying the Buddhist teachings in your daily life.
In this module we explore the power of our mind as the universal ordering principle; it is the creator of suffering and the creator of happiness. We investigate two aspects of the mind: the appearance of the mind – our thoughts, emotions, all the stories, the ordinary mind; and the essence of mind – which is clear, cognizant and has unconfined capacity. And we look at how to make our meditation practice truly meaningful.
FREE for Rigpa subscribers.
Location:
Rigpa Adelaide
1st Floor Theosophical Society Building
310 South Terrace, Adelaide
Event Fee(s):
5 weeks – full ($15 per session) A$75.00
5 weeks – concession ($10 per session) A$50.00
One session only (full) A$15.00
One session only (concession) A$10.00
Register here.
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying is available for purchase at our centre for $20. (Please bring cash – we do not have credit card facilities)
We hope that you can join us and we look forward to seeing you there.

The Wisdom of Compassion | Melbourne
2025-04-29 19:00 - 21:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rigpa Melbourne, 803 Nicholson St, Carlton North, Melbourne, Victoria, 3054, Australia

Inspiring a Revolution in Your Heart and Mind | The Deathless Unending Nature of Mind - Sydney and Online
2025-04-30 18:30 - 2025-05-28 20:30 (Australia/Melbourne)
The Deathless and Unending Nature of Mind (Module 3 of the full-year course)
In this module we explore the power of our mind as the universal ordering principle; it is the creator of suffering and the creator of happiness. We investigate two aspects of the mind: the appearance of the mind – our thoughts, emotions, all the stories, the ordinary mind; and the essence of mind – which is clear, cognizant and has unconfined capacity. And we look at how to make our meditation practice truly meaningful.

Understanding the Mind
2025-05-03 09:30 - 12:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | Rigpa Adelaide, 310 South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
Understanding the Mind
Saturday 3 May | 9.30am – 12.00 noon

How to Survive Your Mind – mindfulness, awareness and compassion practices for yourself in everyday life.
A monthly program on the first Saturday of the month that introduces you to meditation and discusses a topic of general interest.
This month’s topic is Understanding the Mind
Feel free to come along to any session that suit you. No need to register, just drop in.
Fee: Standard $15, Concession/Student $10
We do not have credit card facilities, please bring cash.
Cost negotiable depending on your financial circumstances.
Location: Rigpa Adelaide
The Theosophical Society Building
1st Floor, Upper Hall
310 South Terrace, Adelaide

Mind, matter and consciousness: a Buddhist exploration
2025-05-03 10:00 - 2025-05-04 16:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Richmond Theatrette, 415 Church St, Richmond, Melbourne, Vic, 3121, Australia
Mind, matter and consciousness: a Buddhist exploration
A weekend with Andy Karr and Lynn Friedman
Combining contemporary Western philosophical inquiries with classical Buddhist investigations into the nature of mind, Andy and Lynn invite you to spend a weekend on a personal, experiential journey to look deeply at mind and the nature of reality. Accessible and practical, these contemplative and meditative practices help us face our own experience with openness, spontaneity and compassion, liberate ourselves from the tyranny of our mental projections and access our own natural goodness.
Over the course of this weekend, you will:

Learn how to meditate
Build a deep appreciation for why we meditate
Unravel your ordinary concepts about mind and the world around you
Investigate the flaws of a materialistic world view
Get a taste of your mind’s vast capacity for wisdom and compassion

When: 3 & 4 May
Time: 10:00 – 4:00
Where: Melbourne & Online
Richmond Theatrette 415 Church St, Richmond

Sydney Sangha Day - May 2025 - Refuge & Bodhichitta (Part 1)
2025-05-04 09:30 - 13:00 (Australia/Melbourne)
Refuge and Bodhichitta (Part 1) teachings by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche

A New Way of Seeing the World: Discovering Buddhist Wisdom
2025-05-15 19:00 - 20:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Online via Zoom, Australia
A New Way of Seeing the World: Discovering Buddhist Wisdom
Weekly ONLINE interactive course over 10 weeks with Dominique Side
This interactive course is an exploration of the key points of Buddhist thought. It examines these perspectives closely to see the similarities and differences between Buddhist views and contemporary ideas. We will be invited to revisit our own views and clarify for ourselves what our outlook on life actually is. This process leads to far greater confidence in the way we see things.
The course covers these topics:
Week 1 What is wisdom?
Week 2 Mindfulness: the support of wisdom
Week 3 How things appear and how things are
Week 4 The Four Noble Truths
Week 5 Who am I ? Body and mind
Week 6 The afflictions: how do they function and how can we eliminate them?
Week 7 Karma: what it is, how it works, can a Buddhist do without it?
Week 8 The Wheel of Life
Week 9 What does enlightenment mean?
Week 10 The journey: Stages on the Buddhist path

May 15, 2025 – July 17, 2025
Available on Rigpa’s Online Courses platform from 15 May until 17 July 2025,
Live sessions every Thursday, 19:00 – 20:30 Australian Eastern Standard Time (11:00 – 12:30 CET)

About Dominique Side
Dominique encountered Tibetan Buddhism in the mid-seventies in London—it rapidly became her life’s passion. Since then she has dedicated her life to communicating the extremely practical and at the same time deeply profound ideas of Tibetan Buddhism to people of all walks of life.
Dominique has studied with Sogyal Rinpoche and Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in particular, and has completed several strict practise retreats. She also obtained a PhD in Madhyamaka philosophy from Bristol University, UK. She taught Buddhism in London schools for eight years and wrote several textbooks on the subject. Under the guidance of Dzongsar Khyentse she initiated the Milinda training programme for Dharma teachers in 2017. For five years Dominique served as vice-president of the European Buddhist Union; and she manages Windows into Buddhism, a website with educational resources for those who teach Buddhism to children.
Entrusted as a Senior Teacher in Rigpa, she specialises in making Buddhist thought and philosophy accessible to all.
Recently Dominique started writing in-depth articles from the Buddhist perspective for her blog The Softer Gaze, that have the power to enrich the everyday and support a softer view of life, one that is infused with the Buddha’s compassionate gaze.
She is author of Discovering Buddhism (2022) that presents the history and key ideas of all the main traditions of Buddhism in an accessible way for the general public and the education sector. She edited two books by the Dalai Lama, The Four Noble Truths (Thorsons, 1998) and Transforming the Mind (Thorsons, 1999).

Sydney Sangha Day - June 2025 - Refuge & Bodhichitta (Part 2)
2025-06-01 09:30 - 13:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | nsw
This session continues from our May sangha day with Part 2 of teachings on Refuge & Bodhichitta by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche.

Inspiring a Revolution in your Heart and Mind
2025-06-03 18:30 - 2025-07-01 20:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rigpa Adelaide, 310 South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
Inspiring a Revolution in your Heart and Mind
Module 4 – Bringing the Mind Home
5-week course
Tuesdays Beginning 3 June to 1 July
6.30pm to 8.30pm
Inspiring a Revolution in Your Heart and Mind presents an experiential journey through The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, its major themes and their practical implications. Suitable for people of any religion or none, the course encourages you to experiment with applying the Buddhist teachings in your daily life.
This module takes a deep dive into a range of meditation techniques to enable us to access a rich variety of methods to transform our moods and emotions. This shows us how the whole purpose of meditation is to transcend our ordinary mind, to discover our fundamental nature, which we have lost touch with. The highest goal of meditation is to awake in us the sky-like nature of mind and introduce to us who we really are – our unchanging pure awareness.
FREE for Rigpa subscribers.
Location
Rigpa Adelaide, 1st Floor Theosophical Society Building,
310 South Terrace, Adelaide
Event Fee(s)
5 weeks – full ($15 per session) A$75.00
5 weeks – concession ($10 per session) A$50.00
One session only (full) A$15.00
One session only (concession) A$10.00
Register here.
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying is available for purchase at our centre for $20. (Please bring cash – we do not have credit card facilities)
We hope that you can join us and we look forward to seeing you there.

Inspiring a Revolution in Your Heart and Mind | Bringing the Mind Home - Sydney and Online
2025-06-04 18:30 - 2025-07-02 20:30 (Australia/Melbourne)
Bringing the Mind Home (Module 4 of the full-year course, new students welcome)
This module takes a deep dive into a range of meditation techniques to enable us to access a rich variety of methods to transform our moods and emotions. This shows us how the whole purpose of meditation is to transcend our ordinary mind, to discover our fundamental nature, which we have lost touch with. The highest goal of meditation is to awake in us the sky-like nature of mind and introduce to us who we really are: our unchanging pure awareness.

Awakening the Compassionate Mind
2025-06-07 09:30 - 12:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rigpa Adelaide, 310 South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
Awakening the Compassionate Mind
Saturday 7 June | 9.30am – 12.00 noon

How to Survive Your Mind – mindfulness, awareness and compassion practices for yourself in everyday life.
A monthly program on the first Saturday of the month that introduces you to meditation and discusses a topic of general interest.
This month’s topic is Awakening the Compassionate Mind
Feel free to come along to any session that suit you. No need to register, just drop in.
Fee: Standard $15, Concession/Student $10
We do not have credit card facilities, please bring cash.
Cost negotiable depending on your financial circumstances.
Location: Rigpa Adelaide
The Theosophical Society Building
1st Floor, Upper Hall
310 South Terrace, Adelaide

The Essence of Tibetan Buddhism: A Weekend with Jan van der Breggen
2025-06-07 09:30 - 2025-06-08 15:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rigpa Sydney, 158 Australia St, Newtown, Sydney, NSW, 2042, Australia
In this weekend of teachings, shared reflection, and meditation practice, Jan van der Breggen will guide participants through an exploration of key elements of Tibetan Buddhist tradition, with the aim to help anyone — whether new to Buddhism or with an already established practice path — establish a meaningful relationship with the vast and colourful world of Tibetan Buddhism.
The Buddhist path can be divided into three broad stages: the foundational path, emphasizing peace, the mahayana path, emphasizing compassion and wisdom, and the vajrayana path, emphasizing transforming our perception of ourselves and the world we live in.
During this weekend we will explore how this third approach — that of transforming our perception, forms a thread that runs throughout all three stages. It is founded on the view that the awakened state, enlightenment, is right here, in the present moment, and can be brought into every aspect of the spiritual path.
From this perspective, our world and our reality depend entirely on our own mind, and the way it perceives reality. And so, the unsatisfactory nature of our lives that Buddha’s teachings speak of, is not caused by an inherent problem with our world. Instead, it is a result of our limited, distorted perception.
Founded on this view, Tibetan Buddhism is marked by a rich array of skilful methods which it has nurtured and perfected over hundreds of years. This includes basic meditation practices to calm and stabilise the mind; contemplative methods to awaken in us deep wisdom and vast compassion; visualization practice, mantra recitation, and profound meditation to help us arrive swiftly at a direct realization of our true nature and the nature of reality itself.
During this workshop we will explore some of these methods, and how each of them is founded upon the view they are designed to help us bring into direct, personal experience.
About Jan van der Breggen
Jan began his path of meditation at 17 years old, touched by the tenderness of the human experience and filled with questions about what reality was all about. Thirty years later, Jan continues to be moved by the vast profundity of the Buddhist path and its vision of the inherent wisdom, loving kindness and strength that lies in the minds of each and every one of us.
Jan completed Rigpa’s three-year retreat, is a Senior teacher, and, in 2017, he was selected to participate in the Milinda program, a 10-year, international Buddhist teacher training program under the guidance of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche.
Jan grew up in the Netherlands and has lived in Brisbane, Australia, since 1998, where he obtained a postgraduate degree in information technology. He makes a living as a data and analytics professional for a large financial service provider. Jan was instrumental in founding Rigpa Brisbane in 1999, where he has served as a Dharma instructor for over 20 years.
