Dharma Guide Training Workshop
by Venerable Thubten Chodron©
Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Singapore
27, Sat & 28, Sun Oct 2001; Mon, 26 Nov 2001

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The Buddhist community needs people who are able to guide meditations, lead discussion groups, and act as spiritual companions to others in distress. In this workshop, which consists of talks, meditations, and participatory exercises, participants learnt how to lead meditations and discussion groups and develop their communication and active listening skills. (Note: This is not a program for "teacher training.")

[ Click here for the Notes in PDF format ]

[RealAudio Files]

27 Oct afternoon

Introduction; Main Qualities of a Dharma Guide
[7 minutes] : Download | Listen

Introduction Exercise & Debrief
[17 minutes] : Download | Listen

Review & Question-and-Answer: How the Exercise was conducted I [18 minutes] : Download | Listen

Review II [21 minutes] : Download | Listen

Some Tips for Leading Meditation & Discussion

- Prior to the Session (Refer to Pg 1 of Notes)
[16 minutes] : Download | Listen

- At the Session I (Pg 2-3)
[13 minutes] : Download | Listen

- At the Session II
[22 minutes] : Download | Listen

- When leading a Meditation (Pg 4)
[9 minutes] : Download | Listen

28 Oct morning

Importance of keeping the 5 Precepts, consistent study and practice, and having the support of Dharma Teacher and Friends [25 minutes] : Download | Listen

Question-and-Answer [25 minutes] : Download | Listen

Explanation of the Medicine Buddha Practice
[15 minutes] : Download | Listen

[ The Medicine Buddha's mantra:
tayata om bhaykandze bhaykandze maha bhaykandze radza samudgate soha ]

Sample Guided Meditation & Debrief: The Medicine Buddha Practice [24 minutes] : Download | Listen

Review: How the guided meditation was conducted
[17 minutes] : Download | Listen

Some Tips for Leading Discussions & What to do at the conclusion of a session (Pg 5-7)
[12 minutes] : Download | Listen

28 Oct afternoon

Sample Discussion on Forgiving: Guided Meditation & Instructions [9 minutes] : Download | Listen

Debrief I [21 minutes] : Download | Listen

Debrief II [21 minutes] : Download | Listen

Review: How the discussion was conducted
[7 minutes] : Download | Listen

More Tips; Homework; Dedication
[12 minutes] : Download | Listen

During the interval between the Oct and Nov sessions, participants were asked to do a daily practice, meet twice and take turns to lead meditation or discussion sessions.

26 Nov evening

Importance of a Daily Practice
[7 minutes] : Download | Listen

Leading Meditations & Discussions - Debrief & Question-and-Answer I [18 minutes] : Download | Listen

Debrief II [19 minutes] : Download | Listen

Debrief III [20 minutes] : Download | Listen