Opening the Heart: Joy of Living Level 2

Overview

In this 8 week meditation workshop series with Tergar Guides Franka Cordua-von Specht and Kelly Ekman, we will learn how meditating on loving-kindness and compassion can open our hearts to the world around us and relax the self-centered tendencies that lead to anxiety, dissatisfaction, and suffering.

Cultivating loving-kindness and compassion helps us to see the basic goodness that all beings share. By relating to others in an open-hearted way, we bring peace to the mind and develop a sense of confidence and purpose. This, in turn, naturally brings harmony to our relationships and enables us to work with challenging situations more effectively.

The schedule for this course includes video teachings by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, short presentations on the key points of meditation practice, as well as guided meditations and discussion.

Who can attend this workshop?

This workshop is open to meditators who have previously attended a Calming the Mind: Joy of Living 1 meditation workshop/retreat or a Joy of Living 1 program online, and meet the practice requirements. If you come from another tradition and feel you may meet the pre-requisite meditation study and practice requirements, please contact us.

When:

on 8 consecutive Thursdays

starting October 17th and ending Dec 5th 2024

Timezones:

Pacific Time, PT: 4pm - 5:30pm
Eastern Time, ET: 7pm - 8:30 pm

Cost :

Sponsor fee - $180

Base fee – $135

Reduced fee – $80

Please note that no one will be turned away for lack of funds. If the fees listed are challenge, please contact us at [email protected] and we will be happy to offer further discount.

Cancellation Policy:

Please cancel at least 24 hours in advance so we may have an accurate attendee list.
If you have any further questions please contact [email protected].

Meet the Guides:
Franka Cordua-von Specht
Franka Cordua-von Specht has a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Arts (English) from the University of British Columbia, Canada. She spent years working in First Nations communities, first as a journalist on Vancouver Island and then as a college instructor in Canada’s far north, where she learned about living in remote communities and the midnight sun.

Franka was introduced to meditation in 2004, during a most challenging period in her life. Like many others, she remembers how helpful it was to read Pema Chödrön’s book When Things Fall Apart. In 2007, she became a student of Mingyur Rinpoche. She later attended Rinpoche’s teachings in Bodhgaya in 2009 and more recently trekked through the Nubri Valley to Rinpoche’s hometown of Samagaun in Nepal.

Franka helped found the Tergar Vancouver Practice Group in 2013 and Tergar Canada in 2017. In 2017, Franka joined the Community Leadership-Training team of Tergar International. More recently she worked as the Training Operations Lead to develop and implement the Meditation Teacher Program.

When Franka is not hiking in beautiful Victoria, BC, with her four-legged sidekick, a Brittany Spaniel, she is attending teachings and retreats, learning about Family Systems work, and creating dharma cartoons.
Kelly Ekman

Kelly Ekman had an interest in Buddhism and other Eastern traditions since a young age and spent much of her life exploring these belief systems. Kelly first met and took refuge with Mingyur Rinpoche in 2004. At his suggestion, she travelled to India and spent a number of years receiving teachings from Tai Situ Rinpoche, one of Rinpoche’s main root gurus. Kelly currently lives in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, and now that she is retired, she is dedicating her life to promoting and advancing Mingyur Rinpoche’s teachings.

Host or Publisher Tergar Meditation Community