Listening with Curiosity

Listening with Curiosity with Tenzin Chogkyi (In-Person Only)

We can all agree that we are living through extremely polarizing times; as a nation we seem to have fractured along political and ideological lines, with very few attempts at bridging the divides. 

And often our own meditation practice can seem separate from the rest of our lives – it’s hard to know how to bring the personal insights we might have and qualities we are developing in deep meditation into our relationships with others. How do we bring our practice off the meditation cushion and let it inform how we relate to others? 

Join us in person at 2929 24th street
Registration required. Registration limited! 

When others’ beliefs and opinions differ from our own, it can be challenging to listen and be curious as to why people believe what they do. Yet, when we are able to truly hear each other, we can begin to see our common humanity and shared needs. But can we talk to each other face-to-face instead of over the comments section on social media? Can we maintain our relationships by engaging in respectful and meaningful dialogue with one another? This conversation is an opportunity to practice listening to others with curiosity instead of judgment.

We will be using the format suggested by an organization called Living Room Conversations which offers a simple, sociable and structured way to practice communicating across differences while building understanding and relationships. We will be meeting in small groups with specific prompts and guidelines to allow for deep sharing and listening. Rather than debating or convincing others, we take turns talking to share and learn, and be curious. No preparation is required, just come with an open mind and curiosity!

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Tenzin Chogkyi  (she/her/hers) is a teacher of workshops and programs that bridge the worlds of Buddhist thought, contemplative practice, mental and emotional cultivation, and the latest research in the field of positive psychology.

Tenzin is especially interested in bringing the wisdom of Buddhism into modern culture and into alignment with modern cultural values such as racial and gender justice and environmental awareness. She feels strongly that a genuine and meaningful spiritual path includes not only personal transformation, but social and cultural transformation as well. She has been exploring the presentation of traditional teachings using modern pedagogical methods such as experiential exercises, dialogue and small group interaction.

Tenzin first became interested in meditation in the early 1970s and then started practicing Tibetan Buddhism in early 1991 during a year she spent studying in India and Nepal. She worked in administrative positions in several Buddhist centers in the 1990's, and also completed several long meditation retreats over a six-year period. Tenzin took monastic ordination in 2004 with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and practiced as a monastic for nearly 20 years. Since 2006 she has been teaching in Buddhist centers around the world and taught in prisons for 15 years. 

Tenzin is a certified teacher of Compassion Cultivation Training, a secular compassion training program developed at Stanford University. She also teaches the Cultivating Emotional Balance program, a secular program using contemplative techniques drawn from Buddhism for managing emotions, developed at His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s request. She is also a training and curriculum specialist for the Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz. County and is on the Sustainable Caring teaching team.