Buddhism:

Overview | Buddhist Path @ MSC | Special Practices | Currently...

This is an explanation of how students embark upon and deepen their practice and study of Buddhism here at our Center.

Initial Meditation Instruction

A good way to embark on the Buddhist path at this Center is to receive the initial meditation instruction. This is offered free every Tuesday at 7pm or Saturday mornings at 9am. If these times don't work for you, contact Marcia Sullivan at 414-963-0732.

Meditation instructors are senior students of Buddhism involved in regular, ongoing practice and study. They are authorized to instruct only after training intensively, sitting a dathŸn (30-day group meditation retreat), and participating in Vajradhatu Seminary.

Working with a Meditation Instructor (MI)

After receiving meditation instruction, you can continue to work with the teacher who gave you the initial instruction or contact Marcia about finding a suitable "MI." Having someone you can talk to about your meditation is an important part of the path. An MI can help you understand how to work with issues as they come up in your practice.

Introductory & Intermediate Classes

Every Tuesday at 8pm, the Open House offers free classes on key Buddhist teachings. Receiving these teachings are an important part of understanding the "whys" of meditation. Without study, many people have a hard time sticking with meditation because they lose track of why it's worthwhile.

In general, Tuesday courses focus on a specific topic and are given over a period of a few weeks. However, all classes are designed to stand alone. Anyone is welcome to attend a class even if the course has already started.

If you feel like you're ready for more advanced classes, these are offered on Wednesday nights. There are usually small fees associated with these classes to cover the cost of text and photocopies. However, like all programs at the Center, no one will ever be turned away from a class or program due to inability to pay.

For information on classes at the Center, contact the Education Coordinator, Mike Vater at 414-933-9102. If you canÕt make it to the Tuesday or Wednesday night classes, don't despair! Your MI can help develop a course of study that works for you.

Becoming a Staff Member

Staffing is a practice which allows you to learn some of the basic forms and rituals at our Center. It also deepens your own experiences through working with others. Staffing is open only to Center members. To become a member, contact Dawn Trimmel at 414-482-4568.

Formally Becoming a Buddhist

At a certain point, you might feel that you'd like to formalize your connection to the Buddhist teachings. This is done through a traditional Buddhist ceremony called "Taking Refuge." If you are interested in taking this vow, it's best to discuss it with your MI first.

Advanced Practice & Study

If you wish to dive into further practice there are a number of options which you can ask your MI about. The Midwest Shambhala Retreat Center (MSRC) near Sheboygan offers a peaceful, secluded place to engage in small, guided group retreats, as well as solitary retreats. If you'd like to travel further, there are retreat centers in Vermont, Colorado and Canada offering month-long group retreats (called "dathüns") and other Buddhist programs.

If you would like to get into advanced study, there are local teachers who teach the Tibetan language, as well as finer points of Buddhist philosophy.

Seminary, formerly a 3-month intensive practice and study retreat, has now been broken up into two, one-month residential programs:

Sutrayana Seminary introduces the teachings of Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism over the course of one month. Requirements include one month of group meditation (dathŸn), an intermediate level of Buddhist study, and completion of a pre-Seminary course of study based on transcripts from previous Seminaries. It is strongly recommended that applicants also do Shambhala Training through Level 5. Having completed Sutrayana Seminary, you would then be eligible to take part in Vajrayana Seminary and enter the Vajrayana path.

Vajrayana Seminary, also a 4-week program, is the gateway for entering the KagyŸ-Nyingma Vajrayana path of practice and study. This is a very high level committment to a particular teacher and lineage and should not be undertaken lightly. The program is open to students who have completed Sutrayana Seminary and the Vajrayana Seminary preparatory course (details will be available soon). It is strongly recommended that applicants complete Shambhala Training through Golden Key and do a solitary shamatha retreat.

Keep in mind that the Seminaries involve an application process requiring your MI's recommendation, preparatory coursework via the Tuesday and Wednesday night classes, and a retreat requirement.

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