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APRIL 2025 NEWSLETTER

Updated: Mar 31

IN THIS NEWSLETTER:





The irony of the Buddhist path 

Michael Carroll


The Buddhist path is fraught with countless ironies: to journey, one must sit still; to understand reality, one must stop trying to understand; to “get a grip”, one must “let go”. And of course, the best of all: to attain enlightenment, one must recognize that doing so is impossible. 


Such ironies seem tense with possibilities: sometimes playful; sometimes profound; maybe frustrating – often a bit too cute.  Yet, such paradox and humor are very much the grammar of our Buddhist path - a language that seems to reveal and conceal at the same time - yet once again an exquisite irony.  


This language of paradox is not something we “speak” however, but a language we embody - a way of being that comes to its fullest measure moment by moment. 


As Dogen Zenji challenges us: 


“If you are unable to find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?”


And Suzuki Roshi points out: 


"The goal of our life’s effort is to reach the other shore, Nirvana. Prajna paramita, the true wisdom of life, is that in each step of the way, the other shore is actually reached.”


Traveling the path – living this remarkable life - then, is fundamentally discovering how “to be”, as the Mahasiddha Tilopa suggests in this flawless meditation instruction:    


Let go of what has passed.

Let go of what may come.

Let go of what is happening now.

Don’t try to figure anything out.

Don’t try to make anything happen.

Relax, right now, and rest.


 

A new book by His Holiness the Dalai Lama published this month! 

A note from a Wisdom Seat member, Stephanie Tade, and also his literary agent. 



A couple of years ago, I was approached by Thupten Jinpa, PhD, who many of you know as His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s primary English translator. I am a literary agent, and I represented Jinpa for his popular book on compassion, A FEARLESS HEART, so this wasn’t out of the blue, but it was a very welcome call.  I’d worked with him on another book which involved His Holiness and we’d talked at that time about the possibility of my representing His Holiness on another project that was intended to be one of his primary legacy works, but that because of security reasons, many of the people around him had counseled against his publishing - it was to be a book on his struggles with the Chinese government over the course of his lifetime.


It was a profound honor to be asked, and also presented something of a challenge - we needed to be cautious. I couldn’t submit a proposal widely to publishers all over New York and sell to the highest bidder, as I might normally do for a “big book”. But I wanted to negotiate an excellent deal with the right publisher, who could handle the security concerns, but also promote the book properly.  I sold the book to Mauro DiPreta at William Morrow, who could see the potential, and who had published other books that had to stay under wraps until publication day.  It was an exciting process - communicating on (the now infamous) Signal app, using encrypted software to shuffle versions of the text back and forth, interacting with the Offices of HHDL in Switzerland and Dharamsala, all the while (mostly) keeping the project to myself while wanting to shout it from the rooftops. 


Well, that process culminated in the book’s very successful publication on March 11, covered in the New York Times, Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, even “O” magazine, with reviews consistently excellent.  It even made the New York Times Bestseller list.  It is being published all over the world, and if you go online you’ll see the reviews that truly make my heart soar - the Tibetans who see their truth documented so beautifully, of the heartbreak of a nation in exile, the resilience and compassion of a people who have withstood over 70 years of oppression, and a leader who has leaned into the dharma to find strength, wisdom, clarity and to always maintain compassion. There’s also quite a bit of “news you need to know” in the book, which is engaging and beautifully written. 


To read one of the reviews, click the button below.




 

Tech Notes from Bill


Hello everyone,


We have two recordings from recent Mindful Gatherings.


First, below is a presentation I gave, and subsequent discussion to try and clearly explain What AI Actually Is and Why Buddhists Should Care?


We also were fortunate to recently discuss Art, Meditation, and Teaching with Al San Valentin


I look forward to seeing many of you at this month's discussion titled "Being with a dying person." Join 2 Buddhist practitioners as they share stories of their hospice experience and invite listeners to do the same.


-Bill

 

Mindful Leadership

An archived conversation between Michael Carroll and Tami Simons, CEO of Sounds True

 

“…. the notion of generosity or jinpa is the ultimate act of generosity, which is to give of yourself completely to your world. That means to open—just open yourself completely to whatever is occurring. That requires, as I said earlier, enormous bravery, because you are exposed. That is the ultimate gift of a human being, is this exposure. It takes courage to do that.





 

We would like to remind you to take some time and visit our Instagram page, @wisdomseat_stevemccurry. Here, you will find an array of enlightening teachings and breathtaking images that are bound to inspire and awaken your mind and spirit. We have curated these posts with utmost care and diligence to provide you with a source of inspiration and learning.


We are thrilled about our collaboration with Steve McCurry Studios, a partnership we believe will bridge our communities. Through the combined power of beauty and wisdom, we aim to create deep and meaningful connections among us all. We look forward to your continued support and engagement with our content.










A Mindful Gathering: Being With a Dying Person

with Marybeth McMurray, Margerie Strosser, Michael Carroll, and Bill Moriarty

Tuesday April 29th, 2025

Zoom | 7pm-8pm


Join 2 Buddhist practitioners as they share stories of their hospice experience and invite listeners to do the same.

 

Margaret Strosser is a Licensed Clinical Worker who has been a practitioning psychodynamic therapist for seven years after working on a Hospice team for 2 years. She was a creative professional until she was 60 years old when she returned to school to study social work. She began meditating with the Shambhala Meditation  Center in Philadelphia in 2010 and has continued to honor the practice as best she can. She now lives in South Jersey with her husband and 19 chickens.

 

Marybeth McMurray is a retired nurse who has worked as a hospice volunteer for 5 years. She began meditating 20 years ago with the Philadelphia Shambhala Center and continues to practice with The Wisdom Seat. 






Wednesday Meditation


Ongoing offering: Online meditation every Wednesday evening 6:15 to 7:30 PM EST


Worldwide Wednesday evening online sitting meditation practice.

We, at The Wisdom Seat, invite you to meet on Wednesday evenings from 6:15 – 7:30 PM Eastern Time to practice the sitting meditation discipline as taught in the Buddhist & Shambhala tradition of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.







Nyinthun: Everyone is welcome!


Ongoing offering: Nyinthun (in-person and online)

The first Sunday of every month.


All day sitting interspersed with walking meditation. The word nyinthun*, is Tibetan for “day session.”

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In understanding dharma, Trungpa Rinpoche placed a strong emphasis on mindfulness/awareness meditation practice. This community practice of Nyinthun - all day sitting interspersed with walking meditation - gives us the opportunity to experience the full spectrum of our mind, make friends with our immediate experience and rediscover our natural sanity.


Please take a look, and sign up to join us for some nyinthun retreat days. It is ok to join for as much of the day as you can.







Collaborative practice undertaking with The Wisdom Seat & The Profound Treasury Retreat


The Wisdom Seat encourages as many opportunities for practitioners to engage in the discipline of mindfulness/awareness (shamatha/vipashyana) as one can engage in. We are happy to invite the Profound Treasury Retreat (PTR) with their offering of Sunday sitting.


PTR community is hosting a 2-hour sitting session from 9:30am to 11:30 am EST 

There will be meditation instruction every third Sunday of the month, given by a qualified meditation instructor.


Dates: April 13th, 20th, 27th

Here is the Zoom link for this session: Sunday Sitting Zoom Link


All are welcome to attend.



The Wisdom Seat Retreat


October 25 - November 2, 2025

Karma Triyana Dharmachakra

Woodstock, NY


We invite you to join us for this in-person Autumn retreat at the Karma Triyana​Dharmachakra monastery in the delightful upstate New York Catskill Mountains. Michael Carroll, cofounder of The Wisdom Seat will be leading this 8-day practice intensive, supported by members of The Wisdom Seat staff.  This retreat is designed to help us deepen our mindfulness-awareness meditation and integrate it into our daily life. The retreat will include:

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  • 6 - 7 hours of daily shrine room meditation alternating sitting and walking during each session

  • Breath and body relaxation practices

  • Outdoor walking meditation

  • Periodic group meditation instruction

  • Readings from Buddhist texts

  • Dharma talks and discussion

  • Individual meditation instruction upon request

  • An hour+ of helping hands

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Participants will be asked to observe “functional silence” throughout most of the retreat, limiting verbal communication to a minimum.

 

Vegetarian breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be offered, with access to snacks, coffee, and tea throughout the retreat.  

 

Since the retreat will be limited to 30 participants, those attending will be expected to participate in all 8 days of the retreat.  

Local Commuters may participate 8 days or less.












Dorje Denma Ling

Radical Awakening: A Residential Retreat on the Sharp Vajra of Awareness Tantra

with Anam Thubten Rinpoche

July 22 - 27, 2025


This is a collaboration between Dharmata Foundation and Dorje Denma Ling.

The Sharp Vajra Tantra is a terma, or revelation, written down by Dzogchen Master Dudjom Lingpa of the 19th Century. It encapsulates the entirety of Vajrayana, Tantric Buddhist practices such as Dzogchen. This profound text holds a potency that can awaken our minds and transform our hearts. Anam Thubten has published his teachings on this text in Voice of the Primordial Buddha: A Commentary on Dudjom Lingpa’s Sharp Vajra of Awareness Tantra. 


During this retreat, he will draw from these teachings to guide participants in the practice that brings a direct experience of the nature of mind. This experience is the heart of this text. Anam Thubten feels strongly that Dudjom Lingpa’s teachings are the right medicine for our psyches in this age of chaos that, albeit challenging, holds a great potential for awakening.












When you run after your thoughts, you are like a dog chasing a stick: every time a stick is thrown, you run after it.


Instead, be like a lion who, rather than chasing after the stick, turns to face the thrower. One only throws a stick at a lion once.


- Milarepa (1052-1135)







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