Mangala Shri Bhuti - The Link

Speaker: Amy Wallace. Amy describes her experience of unobscured world as that which is revealed when nothing is pushed away. Sharing her poetry and her lived experience of intense loss and grief, she explores how we can stay close to direct experience even in the midst of "the raw scene of now". When we sit in awareness with what is happening at the moment, when we are willing to stay present with what hurts, when grasping and aversion soften even for a moment, then the ever-present, unobscured world reveals itself. She describes this as a place where wisdom, compassion and awareness reside.

Speaker: Suzy Greanias. Suzy calls to mind significant guides on her spiritual path and urges listeners to reflect on, and rest in the presence of their guides. She shares two guideposts that serve as her personal "lines of defense" against inner obscurations and suffering: 1) the problem is not outside, and 2) appearances don't bind you; your shenpa binds you. Underlying these guideposts are the fundamentals of Buddhism- bodhicitta and buddhanature.

Speaker: Dungse Jampal Norbu. Speaking from New Delhi at the start of the MSB Dana Pilgrimage, Dungse-la explains that the journey is not about comfort or sightseeing but about transforming perception. By stepping outside familiar environments and accepting discomfort and uncertainty, practitioners learn to let go of preferences and see beyond assumptions. What's revealed is there nothing to fix in the outer world with its constantly changing causes and conditions. Real change comes from training the mind: resting in uncertainty, cultivating compassion and releasing attachment to comfort, status and control. When the mind changes, our experience of the world changes with it.

Speaker: Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. This is a rebroadcast of a talk given by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche to the local sangha on January 5, 2014 at Osel Ling in Crestone, Colorado. Rinpoche describes the wish for happiness that all beings share, that when stripped down to its very basic form, awakens our tender heart and increases our sensitivity as we move out of our bubble of self-absorption toward a sense of universal responsibility. From the perspective of Buddhist teachings, this is the meaning of true happiness.

Speaker: Tara Di Gesu. Tara draws our attention to Dzigar Kongtrul's teaching on "the saddened heart that recognizes the futility of seeking happiness in samsara." She explores how chyoshe, or ‘unconditioned sadness’ as described by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, holds profound potential. Chyoshe may arise when we notice that we have not followed through on our intentions. When we recognize this sense of being lost and allow ourselves to surrender to the genuine heart of sadness within us, it offers something precious. Rather than imparting a sense a failure, chyoshe reminds us to identify with our deepest intentions rather than with our obscurations. It can open us to genuine joy on the path and strengthen our determination to be free.

Speaker: Dungse Jampal Norbu. Dungse-la emphasizes the responsibilities and benefits of uplifting our internal world and cultivating "sweet" relationships with others and the world. He reflects on how this practice of setting a positive tone in our mind aligns with the Dharma because it involves letting go of grudges, heaviness, and ego-clinging. Anticipating the Year of the Fire Horse, Dungse-la concludes: "We are always foremost working with our internal world, and we have the power to set that world on fire in a positive or negative way."

Speaker: Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. This talk was originally given to an online, European audience on September 15, 2024 as part of a weekend program, "Compassion Without Limit". The first of three talks aired on the LINK in August 2025. This is the second talk from that program and it is split into two parts for rebroadcast on February 1 and 8, 2026. In this second part, Rinpoche explains how to get beyond habitual mind and emotions through examination of the sixth consciousness and attachment to the self.

Speaker: Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. This talk was originally given to an online, European audience on September 15, 2024 as part of a weekend program, "Compassion Without Limit". The first of three talks aired on the LINK in August 2025. This is the second talk from that program and it is split into two parts for rebroadcast on February 1 and 8, 2026. In this first part, Rinpoche begins by describing the origins of clinging to a sense of self and the attachments, emotions and karma that arise from that. He then decribes the path to nirvana and bliss.

Speaker: Alice Gormley. Alice discusses the importance of the four immeasurables practice in her life. She expresses deep gratitude for the ability to connect remotely, which has allowed her to maintain a connection to the Dharma and precious family members. She marvels at all of the modern methods that keep us connected, assuring the listener that it is possible to have meaningful conversation from afar.

Speaker: Nicholas Carter. "We are all moving towards death". With this fundamental recognition, Nick contemplates how the Dharma offers meaning, purpose, and direction in aging and death. He acknowledges the profound inspiration he has received from older women in his life who are aging with clarity and courage. Nick emphasizes how strength in Dharma practice brings contentment, allowing us to surrender to our lives and embrace aging. Furthermore, he points to mindfulness and vigilant introspection as essential practices that bring clarity of mind and the capacity to be present as we age in the Dharma.

Speaker: Katsutoshi Okabayashi. Oka-san uses "closing shop" as a metaphor for letting go, and "preparing to open" as a means of finding freedom through gratitude. Though sadness may arise from facing endings, openness dawns, which brings joy and natural cheerfulness. This is achieved by working with the mind daily, to continually let go with appreciation and welcome the future. Oka-san finds that the four immeasurables practice reveals how fragile and unsteady the mind is, particularly when pride arises. Pride's corresponding belief is that everything is achievable through personal will and effort. Relying on the help and support of others, one can step out of this self-centered state. When we recognize that our existence is the result of the care, guidance, and generosity of others, especially our parents, gratitude naturally arises.

Speaker: Dungse Jampal Norbu. Dungse-la emphasizes the importance of reflection as we enter into a new year. It is, "the time to take time" to bear witness to what has unfolded and to allow that experience to shape our aspirations for the future. As we enter 2026 and the Year of the Fire Horse, we are invited to renew our connection to the Dharma and recommit ourselves to the bodhisattva vow. The key is simply to show up with an open heart and an open mind to whatever arises, like the lotus opening in the middle of a swamp. From this space, he encourages us to set strong, bold aspirations to fulfill that vow in the year ahead.

Speaker: Sasha Dorje Meyerowitz. While gathering information for one of Rinpoche's books, ‘It's Up To You’, Sasha describes the profound impact that revisiting past teachings on ignorance had on him- "an openness to a new way of being". Sasha realized that ignorance and buddhanature are two sides of the same coin. The root cause of suffering is ignorance, and because it is universal, it is not personal. This dispels the urge to blame ourselves. Buddhanature is our true nature, obscured by ignorance. Ignorance stems from grasping to self and dissolving that attachment sets us on the path to freedom. Sasha offers a few practices that assist in moving away from ignorance toward the call of our true nature.

Speaker: Jill Oppenheimer. Jill reflects on how clarity of intention and confidence in practice unveil the causes of happiness and suffering. She analyzes three primary obstacles to clarity and stability of mind: ego-clinging, lack of enthusiasm, and internet use. She emphasizes the antidotal qualities of developing confidence in buddhanature, cultivating joy through the care of others, and setting the intention not to waste precious time. Jill concludes with a poetic reflection: "Joy is riding the waves of my mind, enthusiasm is the wind in my sails, and intention is the clear map to my destination".

Speaker: Mary Albrittain. Mary shares a number of personal experiences that have allowed her to bring suffering onto the path of awakening. Having faced profound loss, including the deaths of loved ones and health issues of her own, Mary meets these experiences with curiosity and compassion. She asks, "How do I transform suffering into awakening? How do I meet what is inevitable with care?" Suffering can bring us to our knees, not in defeat but in supplication, transforming how we live, love, and see the world.

Speaker: Dungse Jampal Norbu. Dungse-la discusses Dharmic investments in mind and meritorious action. He discusses the unexamined premise of investing in external factors that we believe will bring us closer to our goal of obtaining happiness and being free from suffering. Dungse-la examines the basis of a good investment from external and internal perspectives, capping the discussion on investing in merit, the best long-term investment strategy of all.

Speaker: Vanessa Waxman. "Be content! Be content! Be content!". That is what Rinpoche told her. Vanessa shares her reflections on advice from her guru and the art of being content. She begins by contemplating how one stays in the present moment, remaining content, when one is anxious about the next unknown future event. How does one come to know, 'the grass is greener right here, right now'? By examining the teachings and the lessons she has learned from practice, Vanessa shares experiences in examining her own habitual thinking.

Speaker: Bill Roberts. Using the first and second noble truth as a starting point, Bill talks about the deep fear of failure and unrelenting anxiety that overshadowed his career as an actor. Offering his experience as a window into the workings of ego, Bill states that until we choose to boycott the demands of this indefatigable tyrant, even spiritual practice can become a place where we perform the drama of failure. Two helpful practices are bodhicitta and "putting the mind of fear in the cradle of loving kindness", which become an endless offering to the world: not to fix, save or even help, but to allow the heart's openness to express itself as love.

Speaker: Jen Kern. Jen reflects on maitri aspiration and how it leads to warm-hearted courage and "buddhanature self esteem". She contemplates two profound questions related to maitri that came up after recent talks given by Rinpoche: "Why am I still putting up walls of protection and closing down when I aspire to expand?" "How am I shirking my responsibility to self-reflect, be present with fear, and shine a light on obscurations?" Jen discovered that her fear of self-cherishing resulted in a failure to direct loving-kindness to herself, which then became an obstacle to feeling genuine compassion and open-heartedness. Reflecting on the benefits of "placing the fearful mind in the loving cradle of maîtri", she leads listeners in a loving-kindness practice that starts with oneself.

Speaker: Fredi Kaufmann. Fredi reflects on how language shapes experience and spiritual growth. Words are creative forces- our inner and outer speech manifest reality. Cultivating kind, compassionate self-talk supports well being and transformation. On the Buddhist path, mantra recitation is a sacred language, which becomes a means of transformation. Mantras hold vibrational power beyond meaning. Repetition of mantras or prayers calms the mind, aligns us with deep aspiration, and reveals the mind's nature. Over time, repetition rewires thought patterns and allows sacred words to surface in daily life, aligning us with deep wisdom and compassion.