Events
Events hosted by Buddhism & Mindfulness at All Souls
Our programs are online and in person at All Souls.
No experience is necessary. Join us!
For information about the Zoom login and password,
please go to the All Souls NYC website calendar,
go to the Events page in All Souls Connext, our virtual community,
or consult the most recent email sent out by Pamela Patton.
If you aren’t on Pamela’s email list and would like to join,
please let her know via our Contact Us page.
Ongoing events
Mondays, 10:00am–11:30am
Meditation & Discussion led by Pamela Patton
Please join us!
Join us for a talk and a meditation followed by a discussion (you can choose whether you’d like to go to a breakout room or stay in the main room for a larger group conversation). The topics are different each week — some examples include destructive emotions and the Buddhist understanding of impermanence.
Once a month this program is led by Rev. Karen G. Johnston.
Alternating Tuesdays, 1:00pm–2:30pm
Dharma Study Group led by Harry Miller
Please join us!
This is a drop-in group — all are welcome to attend once or as many times as you like. We explore basic teachings of Buddhism using both a philosophical and, more importantly, a practical, approach. We study important Mahayana texts like the Heart Sutra and the Diamond Sutra. We perform a close reading of the texts, paragraph by paragraph and line by line when necessary. It is a very interactive class — what is most important is that everyone be comfortable with the material and make progress in their own way.
Thursdays, 10:00am–11:30am
Transforming Our Suffering led by Pamela Patton
Please join us!
Please join us for a discussion of Start Where You Are by Pema Chodron. You are most welcome to attend whether or not you’ve done the reading. We start with a short meditation; Pamela summarizes the chapter and shows a video to support the reading; Harry Miller reflects on the teachings, and then we have a discussion (you can choose whether you’d like to go to a breakout room or stay in the main room for a larger group conversation). Each session is standalone, so you can drop in whenever you wish.
About the book:
"Pema offers down-to-earth guidance on how we can go beyond the fleeting attempts to 'fix' our pain and, instead, to take our lives as they are as the only path to achieve what we all yearn for most deeply—to embrace rather than deny the difficulties of our lives. These teachings, framed around fifty-nine traditional Tibetan Buddhist maxims, point us directly to our own hearts and minds, such as 'Be grateful to everyone,' and 'Don’t expect applause.' By working with these slogans as everyday meditations, Start Where You Are shows how we can all develop the courage to work with our own inner pain and discover true joy, holistic well-being, and unshakeable confidence."
About the author:Pema Chodron (“lotus dharma lamp”) was born Deirdre Blomfield-Brown in 1936, in New York City. She is an American Tibetan Buddhist. She is an ordained nun, former acharya of Shambhala Buddhism and disciple of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Chödrön has written several dozen books and audiobooks, and is principal teacher at Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia.
Other books we’ve read include: When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön, A Fearless Heart by Thupten Jinpa, Happiness by Matthieu Ricard, A Fierce Heart by Spring Washam, and The Misleading Mind by Karuna Cayton.
Tea & Talk with Pamela Patton
Monthly on Thursdays Noon-1pm ON ZOOM and Sundays 1-2pm IN PERSON, see calendar above for specific dates
Please join us!
No need to make an appointment; just drop in for friendly conversation, to discuss spiritual questions, and to connect with other members of our community. All are welcome.
Community Meditation with Emma Markham
Wednesdays 5:30-6:00pm ON ZOOM
Please join us!
Join Emma for weekly drop-in community meditation on Zoom. We will sit together for the first half and hold space for sharing the second half. Suitable for all meditation levels, this space is designed for community practice and intentional, safe sharing. Come for an early evening respite, get to know fellow AllSouls meditators, and start or continue your meditation practice!
Series
Invitation to Meditation, a four-part class with Emma Markham.
10-11am on Sundays, February 5, 12, 19, 26 IN PERSON
Many people feel confident they’ll benefit from meditation, but they feel stuck about how to start, re-start or sustain a practice. Through engaging in meditation practice in community, supporting one another in contemplative exploration, and guidance from Buddhist teachings, we aim to deepen our personal motivations for meditation practice. If you are curious about meditation or you’d like some support in your practice, please join us. Attendance at all four sessions is strongly encouraged. Weekly themes will build on each other and individual explorations will benefit from the consistency of regular attendance.
Emma Markham is currently a Master of Divinity in Buddhism and Interreligious Engagement candidate at Union Theological Seminary where she also serves as co-chair of the Buddhist Student Collective. She has been practicing Tibetan Buddhism, specifically the lam rim, since 2013 and has held a daily meditation practice since she was a teenager. She is enrolled in the FPMT’s Basic Program Online and has led meditation groups at the Church Center for the UN, NY State Mentoring, and other organizations since 2019. Emma is a classical guitarist and worked in nonprofit operations before returning to school to pursue Buddhist chaplaincy.
The class is limited to 10 people. Please email Pamela to register: pamela@allsoulsnyc.org.
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction with Ananta
Fridays, January 20 – March 17, 10am – Noon and Saturday March 4 9am - 4pm, ON ZOOM
MBSR helps participants relate differently to the stresses in their lives and offers the opportunity to cultivate resilience and emotional intelligence. It supports mental wellbeing and many faith-specific contemplative practices. This transformative course is suited for those coming to meditation for the first time or for experienced meditators / contemplatives who would like support in integrating these practices more fully into their lives.
Ananta is a certified MBSR teacher by the Mindfulness Center at Brown University, an ordained Buddhist and a Fellow of the Interfaith Center of New York. He has decades of meditation practice and study experience, as well as leading various cycles of the seminal MBSR curriculum to faith practitioners and the wider public.
We are asking for donations for this course, and the donations will be shared by All Souls and Ananta. That said, no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. Your motivation to do the course is what matters most. Learn more and register here: https://www.anantamindfulness.com/events-details/mbsr-winter-23
Date with Death Club with Pamela Patton
Sundays, October 2, November 6, December 4, January 8, February 5, March 5, April 2, May 7, and June 4, 2-4pm, ON ZOOM
Created by Karen G. Johnston, MSW, M.Div, DwDC explores mortality in community. DwDC is an opportunity to learn, share, and deepen your own understanding of what death means to you and how you want to approach death -- particularly your own. Informed by spiritual sensibilities, but no specific religious dogma, DwDC just may be for you. Designed as a multi-session learning experience, DwDC participants can attend one, many, or all of the offered sessions. DwDC is not a bereavement or grief support group. While it may be healing of the human condition, the nature of the DwDC is not specifically therapeutic.
Please join us!
The Skillful Means and Perfections When We Need Them Most with Pilar Jennings
Monthly on ZOOM on Mondays from October 2022 to March 2023, 6:30-8pm
Please join us for a new series with Pilar. In Buddhist teachings, the Skillful Means (upaya) are a colorful invitation for teachers to reflect on how best to offer the healing methods and insights in the Buddhist tradition given the needs of a particular group. In this six-class series, we will explore what it means to practice the Buddhist ethics of loving-kindness and compassion during times of acute duress. We will consider the ways in which we might best practice this tradition in a world informed by social media, polarization, and the ripple effects of a pandemic. As a template for this conversation, we’ll reflect on the six Paramitas (perfections), those qualities thought to nurture a clear mind and open heart, as we think through how to develop these qualities as we navigate the continued challenges of our time.
Each session will include a dharma talk, a brief meditation, and time for questions.
No prior experience with Buddhism is necessary. All are welcome!
10/17 – Skillful Means in 2022: What does Buddhism look like in the West? What might it become?
11/14 – Generosity in a time of individualism
12/5 – Ethics & Patience: How to tolerate suffering with equanimity
01/09 – Joyous Effort: How to celebrate the happiness of others
02/06 – Meditation: Calm Abiding – How to help the mind find a place of stability and rest
03/06 – Wisdom: Seeing clearly, working with reality
We are asking for donations for this course: $140 for 6 weeks or $25 per class. Please let me know if you’d like to take this course and it would be difficult for you to donate the suggested amount; a sliding scale is available. If you register you will have access to recordings of the classes. Email Pamela@AllSoulsNYC.org to register.
Buddhism in a Nutshell with Richard Einhorn and Pamela
Tuesdays, April 4 - May 2 7-8:30pm ON ZOOM
Are you curious about Buddhism? Would you like to find out more without any long-term commitment? If so, this five-session course is for you! Buddhism in a Nutshell is a great opportunity to get an overview of basic Buddhist philosophy and principles and learn how to integrate them into your life. Join us for a refreshing overview of Buddhist practice. In addition to readings and discussion, you will receive simple meditation instruction to bring this time-tested philosophy from the head to the heart. All are welcome!
It will be most beneficial if you can attend the whole series but you can also register for individual stand-alone sessions if you prefer.
This course is offered through our partner dharma center, Shantideva Center. Donations are requested, and they are shared by Shantideva Center and All Souls. That said, no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. Your motivation to do the course is what matters most. The registration link will be posted in late February.
10-11am on Sundays, February 5, 12, 19, 26 IN PERSON
Many people feel confident they’ll benefit from meditation, but they feel stuck about how to start, re-start or sustain a practice. Through engaging in meditation practice in community, supporting one another in contemplative exploration, and guidance from Buddhist teachings, we aim to deepen our personal motivations for meditation practice. If you are curious about meditation or you’d like some support in your practice, please join us. Attendance at all four sessions is strongly encouraged. Weekly themes will build on each other and individual explorations will benefit from the consistency of regular attendance.
Emma Markham is currently a Master of Divinity in Buddhism and Interreligious Engagement candidate at Union Theological Seminary where she also serves as co-chair of the Buddhist Student Collective. She has been practicing Tibetan Buddhism, specifically the lam rim, since 2013 and has held a daily meditation practice since she was a teenager. She is enrolled in the FPMT’s Basic Program Online and has led meditation groups at the Church Center for the UN, NY State Mentoring, and other organizations since 2019. Emma is a classical guitarist and worked in nonprofit operations before returning to school to pursue Buddhist chaplaincy.
The class is limited to 10 people. Please email Pamela to register: pamela@allsoulsnyc.org.
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction with Ananta
Fridays, January 20 – March 17, 10am – Noon and Saturday March 4 9am - 4pm, ON ZOOM
MBSR helps participants relate differently to the stresses in their lives and offers the opportunity to cultivate resilience and emotional intelligence. It supports mental wellbeing and many faith-specific contemplative practices. This transformative course is suited for those coming to meditation for the first time or for experienced meditators / contemplatives who would like support in integrating these practices more fully into their lives.
Ananta is a certified MBSR teacher by the Mindfulness Center at Brown University, an ordained Buddhist and a Fellow of the Interfaith Center of New York. He has decades of meditation practice and study experience, as well as leading various cycles of the seminal MBSR curriculum to faith practitioners and the wider public.
We are asking for donations for this course, and the donations will be shared by All Souls and Ananta. That said, no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. Your motivation to do the course is what matters most. Learn more and register here: https://www.anantamindfulness.com/events-details/mbsr-winter-23
Date with Death Club with Pamela Patton
Sundays, October 2, November 6, December 4, January 8, February 5, March 5, April 2, May 7, and June 4, 2-4pm, ON ZOOM
Created by Karen G. Johnston, MSW, M.Div, DwDC explores mortality in community. DwDC is an opportunity to learn, share, and deepen your own understanding of what death means to you and how you want to approach death -- particularly your own. Informed by spiritual sensibilities, but no specific religious dogma, DwDC just may be for you. Designed as a multi-session learning experience, DwDC participants can attend one, many, or all of the offered sessions. DwDC is not a bereavement or grief support group. While it may be healing of the human condition, the nature of the DwDC is not specifically therapeutic.
Please join us!
The Skillful Means and Perfections When We Need Them Most with Pilar Jennings
Monthly on ZOOM on Mondays from October 2022 to March 2023, 6:30-8pm
Please join us for a new series with Pilar. In Buddhist teachings, the Skillful Means (upaya) are a colorful invitation for teachers to reflect on how best to offer the healing methods and insights in the Buddhist tradition given the needs of a particular group. In this six-class series, we will explore what it means to practice the Buddhist ethics of loving-kindness and compassion during times of acute duress. We will consider the ways in which we might best practice this tradition in a world informed by social media, polarization, and the ripple effects of a pandemic. As a template for this conversation, we’ll reflect on the six Paramitas (perfections), those qualities thought to nurture a clear mind and open heart, as we think through how to develop these qualities as we navigate the continued challenges of our time.
Each session will include a dharma talk, a brief meditation, and time for questions.
No prior experience with Buddhism is necessary. All are welcome!
10/17 – Skillful Means in 2022: What does Buddhism look like in the West? What might it become?
11/14 – Generosity in a time of individualism
12/5 – Ethics & Patience: How to tolerate suffering with equanimity
01/09 – Joyous Effort: How to celebrate the happiness of others
02/06 – Meditation: Calm Abiding – How to help the mind find a place of stability and rest
03/06 – Wisdom: Seeing clearly, working with reality
We are asking for donations for this course: $140 for 6 weeks or $25 per class. Please let me know if you’d like to take this course and it would be difficult for you to donate the suggested amount; a sliding scale is available. If you register you will have access to recordings of the classes. Email Pamela@AllSoulsNYC.org to register.
Buddhism in a Nutshell with Richard Einhorn and Pamela
Tuesdays, April 4 - May 2 7-8:30pm ON ZOOM
Are you curious about Buddhism? Would you like to find out more without any long-term commitment? If so, this five-session course is for you! Buddhism in a Nutshell is a great opportunity to get an overview of basic Buddhist philosophy and principles and learn how to integrate them into your life. Join us for a refreshing overview of Buddhist practice. In addition to readings and discussion, you will receive simple meditation instruction to bring this time-tested philosophy from the head to the heart. All are welcome!
It will be most beneficial if you can attend the whole series but you can also register for individual stand-alone sessions if you prefer.
This course is offered through our partner dharma center, Shantideva Center. Donations are requested, and they are shared by Shantideva Center and All Souls. That said, no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. Your motivation to do the course is what matters most. The registration link will be posted in late February.
One-time-only events
Events hosted by Shantideva Center
Our Dharma partner, Shantideva Center, offers Dharma courses, teachings and retreats, meditation for every level of practice from complete beginners to advanced practitioners, and courses for wellness and mindful living. Click here to go to the Shantideva Center calendar of events.
Other Events beyond All Souls
The Buddhism & Mindfulness mailings include suggestions for events happening beyond All Souls. You can subscribe to our mailing list here.
