Albuquerque Vipassana Sangha

Teacher Residencies

Below, we list residencies that we have scheduled. Details might change at any time so please check back for revisions and new information.
Gloria Taraniya Ambrosia, September 7 - October 5, 2010
Teacher:	Gloria Taraniya Ambrosia has been a Dhamma teacher since 1990. She is a student of the western forest sangha, the disciples of Ajahn Sumedho and Ajahn Chah, and is a Lay Buddhist Minister in association with Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery in California. She served as resident teacher of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts from 1996 through 1999. Taraniya serves as one of the three Core Faculty at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies where she does most of her teaching.
Individual Practice Interviews:	During her stay, Taraniya will be available for a limited number of individual practice discussions/interviews on Saturdays, September 18 and 25, and Tuesdays, September 21 and 28. Other times may be available upon request. There is no specific fee for these sessions; they are offered on a dana (generosity) basis. There will be a basket available for participants who wish to make an offering to Taraniya. Here's what Taraniya says about the practice interview of dhamma discussion: "The Practice Discussion or Interview provides an opportunity for the practitioner to articulate what is going on with them, in practice and in life. The act of reporting in this way is significant in that it helps the practitioner to make conscious the realizations that are often lurking just below the level of awareness. I often find that practitioner don't particularly need answers; they just need to bring the issues more fully into awareness. In such instances, there may be little or no need for my input. At other times, however, it is clear that the practitioner wants input or that there is some obvious question or confusion that we need to examine. Then I offer instruction on the teachings and the practices."
Group Activities:	Date Day Activity with Gloria Taraniya Time Location 09/09/10 Thursday Sitting and dharma talk on Thursday night Topic: Upadana: The Buddha's Teaching on Attachment. Upadana figures prominently in the Buddha's teaching. It appears in a number of teachings including the noble truths and dependent origination ... and is identified as the cause of suffering. Upadana is attachment that is intensified by craving and ignorance (tanha and ditthi). The four kinds of attachment are attachment to sensory pleasures (kamaupadana), attachment to rites and rituals (silabbatupadana), attachment to views (dittiupadana), and attachment to the view of self (attavadupadana). During this four-week period, we shall closely examine the Buddha's teaching on attachment with an eye to understanding how it operates and how it is overcome. 6:30 pm - 8:15 pm The Wat 09/12/10 Sunday Informal practice discussion on Sunday night 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Bhava Yoga Studio 09/16/10 Thursday Sitting and dharma talk on Thursday night Topic: See 09/09/10 above. 6:30 pm - 8:15 pm The Wat 09/19/10 Sunday One-day retreat sponsored by Santa Fe Vipassana Sangha Participants will practice mindfulness techniques while sitting, walking, and moving about throughout the day. Dhamma reflections will focus the topic at hand. This retreat is suitable for beginners and seasoned meditators alike. Topic will be The Subtle Meaning of Going for Refuge. See SFVS website Santa Fe, NM 09/23/10 Thursday Sitting and dharma talk on Thursday night Topic: See 09/09/10 above. 6:30 pm - 8:15 pm The Wat 09/26/10 Sunday Half-day retreat Participants will practice mindfulness techniques while sitting, walking, and moving about throughout the day. Dhamma reflections will focus on fine-tuning the meditation practice. This retreat is suitable for beginners and seasoned meditators alike. Topic will be Samadhi in Everyday Life: Is it Possible? Please check back Please check back 09/26/10 Sunday Informal practice discussion on Sunday night 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Bhava Yoga Studio 09/30/10 Thursday Sitting and dharma talk on Thursday night Topic: See 09/09/10 above. 6:30 pm - 8:15 pm The Wat 10/03/10 Sunday Informal practice discussion on Sunday night 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Bhava Yoga Studio
A note about dana: Dana (pronounced dah-na) is a Pali word meaning generosity. Dating back to the time of the Buddha, there has existed an interdependence between those who offer the teachings and those who receive them. In keeping with this tradition, our teachers offer the teachings freely and generously. We reimburse our teachers' travel expenses to and from Albuquerque and give them a small per diem for expenses incurred in Albuquerque. This does not cover their expenses at home or other expenses they may have such as health insurance. At sittings, study groups, and retreats, students will have the opportunity to offer voluntary contributions (dana) to the teachers so that they can pay their own living expenses and continue to teach. We hope that you'll be generous to our wonderful teachers. If you'd like to read more about dana, here is an essay from the Cloud Mountain Retreat Center site: The Practice of Dana. General Contact: Our general contact person for teacher residencies is Valerie Roth, valerie.roth2gmail.com, 505-688-9005. Feel free to contact Valerie if you have any questions or comments. Other residencies in the region: Scroll to the bottom of Vipassana Retreats and Residencies in the Region. AVS Home