Jay Garfield writes, “In order to do bodhisattva work, one has to have a healthy body.” We will learn about the control and creation cycles of the internal organ systems and introduce Tibetan Buddhist Qigong Yoga and other processes.

     2. July 23 - The Two Truths, The Doorway to Bodhichitta: a talk by Morgan Adrian

Tammy Adrian, inspired by the wish to end suffering since childhood, a life-long student and teacher, began formal meditation with Marv Treiger in 2001. Since then she met Lama Marut and received teachings and empowerments from him. While attending the Lama Marut’s 2009 Match Made in Heaven Thanksgiving Retreat, with these teachings as her guide, she met her spiritual partner, Morgan Williams. Tammy completed the Tantric Curriculum and entered her first three-year retreat in 2010 with her partner. Following Lama Marut’s recommendation, she read Sonam Thakchoe’s book, The Two Truths Debate, which inspired her to enter a second three-year retreat with her partner in the Fall of 2015.

Currently residing in Black Mountain, NC Tammy continues to teach and write on Buddhist philosophy. Understanding that education is the backbone of a compassionate society, she hopes one day of promoting the opening of a Dialectical Education Center which will be free and accessible to anyone inspired by the Buddha’s most profound teachings.

Morgan Adrian, a life-long spiritual practitioner, met Tibetan Monks, who were constructing a sand mandala and giving initiations, at a convention center in Columbus, Ohio when he was 61 years old and started attending two Buddhist Centers and started the ACI curriculum studies. At 70, Morgan received tantric empowerments from Lama Zopa and Geshe Rinpoche and entered Lama Marut’s 18 Tantra courses. He met his wife at the age of 71 and after both graduating at 72 began their first three- year, three-month, three-day retreat. After this at 77, they began their second retreat.

An inspiration, he lives in good health at the age of 82 in Black Mountain, NC and enjoys teaching Buddhist philosophy.

Drop into a Girlie Stories Gathering to join an instant community of womyn-identifying folks empowering themselves and each other via personal storytelling! 

Every last Saturday of the month, we'll check in with each other, experience some playtime with a community building activity, and then we'll share our stories! 

Please RSVP to girliestories@gmail.com if you'll be in attendance. This month's theme is FIRE. Please email Johanna at girliestories@gmail.com if you'd like to share a personal story based on this theme. Or just come to listen!

You are welcome to tell your story with or without notes. Girlie Stories believes that all of us have stories worth hearing and that all of us are storytellers! We welcome womyn with all levels of performance/writing experience, including none!

Come to tell a story or just to listen and share space with other womyn. Please bring a snack or drink to share.

$5 suggested donation or whatever you can afford, though all are welcome regardless of ability to pay and nobody will be turned away due to lack of funds.

FACILITATOR BIO: Johanna Middleton is an artist and arts educator with a passion for creating spaces for others to share their own stories. She is the creator of Girlie Stories, which provides a platform for women and girls to empower themselves via personal storytelling through monthly gatherings, workshops, and productions. Johanna has performed her original pieces as a storyteller with KPCC's Unheard LA, Rogue Machine's Rant and Rave, iO West, Upright Citizens Brigade, The Last Bookstore, and even the Long Beach Transit! She debuted her first solo theatre piece, Timeline:27, a participatory storytelling show, at the Santa Monica Playhouse. As an arts educator and arts-based facilitator, she has worked with students of all ages in Chicago and Los Angeles.  She is currently the Student Program Coordinator at Greenway Arts Alliance. She has facilitated storytelling and theatre workshops for UCLA, Black Women for Wellness, WeRise LA, and more.

 

Lama Marut (a.k.a. Brian K. Smith) is extensively trained in the spiritual traditions of India and Tibetan Buddhism.  He holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Religion and taught for over two decades in the academic world, first at Columbia University and later at the University of California, where he retired as Professor Emeritus in 2004.

He has served for the past sixteen years as a spiritual teacher to students around the world, and is currently the Spiritual Director for “Middle Way Centers” located in North America, Australia, and Singapore.

In addition to several scholarly studies and translations based on Sanskrit materials, he is the author of the popular and award-winning book, A Spiritual Renegade’s Guide to the Good Life and of Be Nobody (both published by Beyond Words).  His audio and video podcasts reach hundreds of thousands of people around the globe and a new documentary featuring Lama Marut has just been released on DVD or Video on Demand.

With his unique mixture of erudition and earthiness, intensity and humor, conviction and openness, Lama Marut’s message is easily accessible and potentially life-changing.