Meditation Cleveland

Welcome!

Songtsen Gampo Buddhist Center of Cleveland was established under our Spiritual Director Tulku Pema Wangyal Rinpoche as a nonprofit organization in November, 2008. We are currently looking to rent a home for use as our Center.

Buddhist nun Ani Palmo, our resident teacher and director, is a native Clevelander who has been studying Buddhism since 1988. She has been teaching courses in Buddhism and Meditation in the Greater Cleveland area since 2003.

Our aims for the new Center are many. We will provide instruction in Buddhist meditation and philosophy in a way that is applicable to both non-Buddhists and Buddhists alike. The Center will also serve as the focal point for forming a true spiritual community where we can support one another in our practice and benefit the larger community as well.

Look forward with us to making full use of Songtsen Gampo Buddhist Center of Cleveland.

(We'll soon have a new website that reflects our new Center)

Donate or Pledge Online! (Just click on the balloons)

We are now able to accept Donations and Pledges online. Your support is greatly appreciated. Please click here (or on the balloons) to learn about our proposed programs and how to make a donation.

***If you would like to receive our monthly newsletters, simply send me an emai l.

SONGTSEN GAMPO NEWS

                   Meet Up at Sullivan's Irish Pub (Tuesday May 15.2012)



Will you join us tomorrow evening at Sullivan's Irish Pub? You do not need to be a member of Songtsen Gampo Buddhist Center or involved in classes to attend. Just come on down!

Every month or so we get together for dinner to enjoy each other's company and raise a little dough for our Center. The restaurants give Songtsen Gampo Buddhist Center a percentage of the total of the bill for dinner.

You don't pay an extra dime. All you need to do is show up for dinner, and enjoy the lovely company!

Please let the server know that you are there in support of Songtsen Gampo Buddhist Center and they will do the rest. Bring your friends and family!

Date: Tuesday May 15, 2012

Time: 6:00pm-9:00pm

Location: Sullivan's Irish Pub
                 13368 Madison Ave.
   Lakewood, OH 44111

PLEASE NOTE:

We request you to order only vegetarian dishes at our community meals.

As this is a fundraising event for our Center, we feel it is important to act in harmony with compassion. To this end, Sullivan's is going to offer a delicious Vegetarian Special for us! Yay, Sullivan's!!!

You can still sign up for our new class "What Makes You Not a Buddhist," which meets on Wednesdays and began last week. See below for details.

Ani Palmo to speak in Akron (Sunday May 27, 2012)

I will be speaking on The Heart of Compassion at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron at the end of the month. All are welcome!

Date: Sunday May 27, 2012

Time: 6:00pm

Suggested Donation: $10

Location:

Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron
3300 Morewood Rd.
Fairlawn, OH 44333

Check out the retreat coming up this June (17-23).

Overnight spaces are already all taken, but there is still plenty of room for commuters. Please see below for details.

See you soon,

Ani Palmo

Ani Palmo Rybicki
Director, Songtsen Gampo Buddhist Center of Cleveland

Like us on Facebook!

For further information please call (216) 320-9589 or email palmo@anipalmo.org

What Makes You Not a Buddhist

Get to the essence of the Buddha’s teachings with this lively and modern text on the Four Seals by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Here at last is a crisp new voice in Tibetan Buddhism. . . . There is much food for thought in this short book for Buddhist students and for anyone interested in the ongoing adaptation of traditional Eastern wisdom into postmodern Western settings."—Publishers Weekly

Text: What Makes You NOT a Buddhist by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse

Date: Wednesdays May 9 - June 13, 2012

Time: 7pm-8:30pm

Place: River's Edge: A Place for Reflection and Action
3430 Rocky River Drive | Cleveland, OH 44111

Contribution: $99 (First Class is Free!)

Registration: Please register through River's Edge here.

MINDFULNESS AND COMPASSION: A Silent Buddhist Retreat
June 17-23, 2012

Experience a week of silence as we are led by Ani Palmo through three types of meditation: Mindfulness of Breathing, Walking Meditation, and The Practice of Exchange. All three meditations can be practiced by people of any faith and are practical ways of increasing awareness, love, compassion and forgiveness in our lives.

Click here for full details and to register.

This is a new series introducing you to the Masters of our lineage. At least once a month we will post a photo, a brief bio, and links to more information about the Masters, so we can all become familiar with our extraordinary lineage.

Please click here for definitions of some of the terms below.

Tulku Pema Wangyal Rinpoche

We begin with our precious Teacher, Tulku Pema Wangyal Rinpoche.

Tulku Pema Wangyal Rinpoche was born in Tibet, and currently lives in France where he has been teaching for over thirty years. He heads the Association d'Etudes de Chanteloube (ACEC) which runs courses, seminars, short retreats and the traditional Three-Year Retreat. He is also the director of the Padmakara Translation Group.

Rinpoche is the son of Kyabje Kangyur Rinpoche and a close disciple of Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche and Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He is recognized as a highly accomplished master, speaks excellent English, and teaches the Dharma in a style which is traditional, yet always relevant to the modern world.

Some of Tulku Rinpoche's teachings can be found here.

Rinpoche is an authentic master of the highest order. Every attribute you can find in descriptions of what it means to be a qualified teacher is found in him. Being in his presence is like simultaneously basking in the warmth of the sun and shining in the cool, clear light of the moon. It is our great good fortune that we are on this earth at the same time as someone like him. Merely to gaze upon his face is a blessing.

Please make many, strong aspiration prayers that he will come to Cleveland to teach us soon!

OTHER NEWS:

Can you help us find just the right place?

Here are the criteria. Please keep in mind that all of this is flexible.

General:

West side or convenient to west side.
$700-$2000/month, depending on the property
Safe neighborhood
1-3 year lease (We are not looking to buy.)
Parking available

First Choice: Mixed Use Property

Must be zoned as mixed-use (commercial and residential in one) or capable of being re-zoned as such.
This would provide a living space for Ani Palmo and visiting Lamas, as well as a space for our center.
In a fairly quiet area

Second Choice: Commercial Building / Double or Single Storefront which meets the General Criteria listed above and is 1000-2000 sq ft.

Third Choice: Commercial Building / Double or Single Storefront which meets the General Criteria listed above and is 750-950 sq ft.

Once we have found our home, Songtsen Gampo Buddhist Center will offer the following services:

Continuing Classes in Buddhism and Meditation
Regular Group Meditation Sessions
Children's' Programs:
- Mindful Breathing for Children
- Classes for Young Adults: Using the teachings to foster compassion and deal with the anger, stress and pain that is so common for teenagers
Lending Library
Retreats
Social Events
Lama Visits

If you know of anything that might work, please call (216) 320-9589 or email palmo@anipalmo.org. Thank you for your help.

MINDFULNESS AND COMPASSION: A Silent Buddhist Retreat

Experience a week of silence as we are led by Ani Palmo through three types of meditation: Mindfulness of Breathing, Walking Meditation, and The Practice of Exchange. All three meditations can be practiced by people of any faith and are practical ways of increasing awareness, love, compassion and forgiveness in our lives.

PLEASE NOTE: If you want to do this retreat, best to register ASAP. Space is very limited.

Can you donate to provide scholarships for a few people who would like to do the Summer Retreat but cannot afford it? Any donation, large or small, would be greatly appreciated.

Visit this page on our site.
Scroll to the bottom where it reads "One Time Donation."
Click on the button to go through PayPal (You don't need an account with them.)
Just before you complete the process, to the left of the total you will see "Retreat or Donation? Specify here:" Click on that and specify in the box that it is for Retreat Scholarship.

OR you can send a check made out to Songtsen Gampo Buddhist Ctr to:

Songtsen Gampo Buddhist Center
PO Box 181132
Cleveland Hts., OH 44118
Please specify that your check is for Retreat Scholarship

Click here for full details and to register.

PHOTO GALLERY

(All photos below copyright Ani Palmo [Catherine] Rybicki)

Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche making offerings

Tulku Pema Wangyal Rinpoche and Richard Gere

_________________________________________________

ANI PALMOSKI'S POLKA BOWLING BIRTHDAY BASH!

Fun was had by all at Ani Palmoski's Polka Bowling Birthday Bash!

Happy Birthday!

Yoda chillin' by the hand dryer

Kathy Augustine and friends

Louise struts her stuff!

Molly Mulroy, Sally Willoughby, friends and family

Homemade pierogi! Vegetarian kielbasi and saurkraut! Hundreds of home made kolachky's. People, I'm tellin' ya, the food was amaaaaazing!

Nonnie, Amy and Jim ruling registration with joy!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO PLANNED AND ATTENDED THIS FANTASTIC PARTY!!!

palmo@anipalmo.org ...... (216) 320-9589