Meditation Facilitators
Which meditation practices do we offer? Our Facilitators find joy in leading their respective meditation practices! We welcome everyone to join our community of meditators and find a sense of inner peace and mindfulness. Through meditation, you can become familiar with your mind, change negative perspectives, and enhance your overall well-being.
We have weekly Wednesday Community Meditation sessions for the locals to develop their meditation skills and chat a bit afterward.
Other online and hybrid meditation practices include topics from the Lamrim where you can develop analytical insight on how to reach enlightenment.
The deity yoga practices, and Green Tara practice utilize your imagination by identifying with the deity and developing guru devotion.
By focusing your attention, the weekly shamatha meditation practice can heal your mind and body and enhance your analytical meditation; and don’t miss out on the monthly onsite retreat day as well.
Weekly, we practice the four opponent powers with Vajrasattva to purify our negative karma. The Medicine Buddha meditation is a loving and compassionate practice for your wellbeing and that of all sentient beings.
ANDREA
What I do at Lhagsam: I lead the Lama Tsongkhapa, Guru Yoga and Medicine Buddha Practices.
My Buddhist life story: I have always been inspired by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. As a student, I was so influenced by reading his books that I suggested my family read them, and they did! 🙂 Immersed in Buddhism since, I finally decided to do something for this world: from 2017-2020, I finished the FPMT online courses of Buddhism in a Nutshell and Buddhist Meditation 101 and joined Lhagsam’s Discovering Buddhism Course. During this time, I also completed the ABC of Meditation with Venerable Connie and the Lamrim and Mahamudra teachings and meditation with Venerable Feusi. Based on Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice, I joyfully began different Medicine Buddha practices for the benefit of my father and son. Today, I continue with leading the Medicine Buddha Practice and recently began leading the Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga Practice here at Lhagsam. With great enthusiasm, I’m enrolled in two new programs: Exploring Buddhism and Buddhism and Quantum Physics. As meditation is a reflection of our study, I am looking forward to sharing the dharma with you.
Inspiration:
“Like molding dough in your hand, you can definitely turn your mind whichever way you want.”
– Lama Zopa Rinpoche
SABINE
What I do at Lhagsam: I lead retreat days and sometimes other meditations.
My Buddhist life story: I have had an interest in Tibet and Buddhism since my teenage years. During extended travels in Asia, I learned more about the culture. In 2015, I was in India for a yoga teacher training program when someone told me about the center Tushita and their 10-day Introduction to Buddhism course. Instantly, I knew I had to join it. During the course, I found my home and generated a craving for more dharma teachings. Since then, I made dharma my priority in life and have been spending 6 months of each year in Nepal and India. Over this time, I have completed various courses and retreats at Tushita, Kopan, Lauwdo and Thosamling Nunnery. My great passion is meditation, especially Shamatha meditation. Spending up to 2 months in a monastery, I have gone deeper and deeper into the silence and this has been a life-changing experience for me. My time spent in retreat and on my own in meditation is something I love to share with others.
Inspiration:
“You don’t have to say anything. You don’t have to teach anything. You just have to be who you are: a bright flame shining in the darkness of despair. A shining example of a person able to cross bridges by opening your heart and mind”. ~ Tsokny Rinpoche
THERES
What I do at Lhagsam: I lead the Green Tara practices and other meditations such as Tonglen. With gratitude in being able to share the dharma, I hold the position of the Director at Lhagsam.
My Buddhist life story: I met the Dharma in 2015 when I was traveling in Asia. In Dharamsala I attended the Tushita Introduction to Buddhism course. Later in that year, in Switzerland, I moved to Zürich and walked right into the first event of Lhagsam – an evening course with Geshe Thubten Sherab! Once there, I never left; I had found my second family. With more study and practice, I saw my life changing in a good direction, and I decided to walk the Buddhist path. Joining other FPMT center events and courses, including Discovering Buddhism, I’ve also had the opportunity to go on short meditation retreats over the years. Along the way, I met many inspiring teachers. In 2018, I completed the November Course at the Kopan Monastery in Nepal. Currently, I’m studying in the Basic Program at Jamyang London.
Inspiration:
Imagine that Tara’s light fills you with power, the ability to act effortlessly, to do what needs to be done, with wisdom and compassion for the benefit of all living beings.” – Green Tara Sadhana
LARS
What I do at Lhagsam: I’m the SPC at Lhagsam.
My Buddhist life story: I gradually got involved with dharma around 2013-14 when I was leading a study group on meditation and began reading books from all Buddhist traditions. I eventually felt compelled to follow the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, after having been to a teaching with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Copenhagen in 2015. Following this auspicious event, I discovered Ven. Robina Courtin and the FPMT. Soon after, I took refuge with Venerable, and I attended teachings by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who was visiting my home country. Over the years, I have completed courses at the Kopan Monastery in Nepal, Jamyang London, and at Danish Buddhist centres. Currently, I’m studying in the Basic Programme with Geshe Namdak at Jamyang London.
Inspiration:
Through the Dharma you become fearless” ~ Ven. Robina Courtin
Venerable’s prowess has been a guiding light for the past years, giving me the strength, will and self-confidence to develop wisdom and compassion, and like a lotus flower, emerge from the muddy water and blossom.
TAHLIA
What I do at Lhagsam: I served as SPC at Lhagsam from 2019 to mid 2021. I facilitate the weekly Shamatha, Glance meditation and monthly Avalokiteshvara Guru Yoga Practice. I also offer Yoga & meditation classes when requested.
My Buddhist life story: As I was born in Taiwan, Buddhism, Taoism, and Zen were part of my upbringing, these experiences planted seeds in my mind that were nurtured later when studying Buddhism. I was initiated into the Vajrayana path at the age of fifteen. Attending the Lam Rim retreats at Tushita Dharamshala (2014) and a month-long November course at Kopan Monastery (2016) were turning points in my Buddhist studies. I became a committed practitioner of the Buddhist Dharma ever since. With great fortune, I have had the opportunities to serve at FPMT centres in various capacities. I’m forever grateful for all the teachers and spiritual friends who hold a torch that shines on my path, especially His Holiness Dalai Lama. With great joy, I continue to study with teachers from all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
Inspiration:
Allow your heart to soften, but don’t be shy when you need to bring out your wisdom sword.
TARA
What I do at Lhagsam: I lead the weekly Together on the Path lamrim meditations and dharma discussions.
My Buddhist life story: Born in California, my new home is in North Cyprus in the Mediterranean, where I first came across Buddhism and an FPMT Study Group. One weekend of live teachings in 2019, I took my lay vows and have been on the path to enlightenment ever since! Early on, I attended an online Mediation 101 module in Cyprus and then sought more online teachings at the FPMT Study Group in Cluj, Romania. Seeking more, I found Lhagsam’s online meditation practices in January 2021. By June 2021, I was hooked by the calling to help with the Discovering Buddhism program and became a volunteer. With continued fortune, I completed the DB program and attended many other fabulous teachings at Langsam. At the same time, in January 2021, I joined and completed the two-year Lamrim Chemno Program at Nalanda Monastery in France. Other programs I completed at Nalanda included, a Debate Course (Jan 2023) and a course on Nagarjuna’s Precious Garland and other texts (Feb-June 2023). As of September 2023, I became a joyful and enthusiastic online student in Nalanda’s Basic Program!
Inspiration:
My refuge in the guru, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
