Zoom: Open Heart, Clear Mind—Buddhism for Modern Life
Venerable Thubten Damcho 
Jul 11, 2023 
2 hours
Online
Open Heart, Clear Mind: Buddhism for Modern Life
October 7, 11 am to 1 pm Pacific Time
Hosted by the Theosophical Society in America
Sliding scale contribution
An open heart is the dwelling place of compassion that extends toward all beings; a clear mind is the source of the penetrating wisdom of deep insight. Their union leads to the enlightened way of life that is at the heart of the spiritual path as taught by the Buddha.
Join Venerable Thubten Chodron, an American Buddhist nun, as she offers an accessible introduction to the Buddha's teachings and the application of Buddhist psychology to modern life. In a straightforward style and with warmth and humor, Chodron presents essential teachings for understanding ourselves and improving the quality of our lives. She shares fundamental insights and practices that will help us transform habitual attitudes, so that we may realize our full human potential. We can all learn to live with an Open Heart and Clear Mind.
This workshop will include teaching, time for Q&A, and guided meditation.
Registration includes on-demand access to a recording of the workshop, which can be viewed for two weeks following the date it was presented.
Venerable Thubten Damcho
Ven. Damcho (Ruby Xuequn Pan) met the Dharma through the Buddhist Students’ Group at Princeton University. After graduating in 2006, she returned to Singapore and took refuge at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See (KMSPKS) Monastery in 2007, where she served as a Sunday School teacher. Struck by the aspiration to ordain, she attended a novitiate retreat in the Theravada tradition in 2007, and attended an 8-Precepts retreat in Bodhgaya and a Nyung Ne retreat in Kathmandu in 2008. Inspired after meeting Ven. Chodron in Singapore in 2008 and attending the one-month course at Kopan Monastery in 2009, Ven. Damcho visited Sravasti Abbey for 2 weeks in 2010. She was shocked to discover that monastics did not live in blissful retreat, but worked extremely hard! Confused about her aspirations, she took refuge in her job in the Singapore civil service, where she served as a high school English teacher and a public policy analyst. Offering service as Ven. Chodron’s attendant in Indonesia in 2012 was a wake-up call. After attending the Exploring Monastic Life Program, Ven. Damcho quickly moved to the Abbey to train as an Anagarika in December 2012. She ordained on October 2, 2013 and is the Abbey’s current video manager. Ven. Damcho also manages Ven. Chodron’s schedule and website, helps with editing and publicity for Venerable’s books, and supports the care of the forest and vegetable garden.