Teaching Program
Our teaching program comprises weekly classes, regular courses and a number of annual retreats. Please see below for further information and refer to our calendar page for term dates.
Path to Enlightenment
Sundays 4 pm to 5.30 pm (During teaching terms - See our calendar for details)
Please note that this class is primarily aimed at adults. Therefore we recommend that those attending be teenagers and upwards.
The Foundation of Tibetan Buddhism
The Path to Enlightenment is a core text in Tibetan Buddhism. It presents the Buddha’s main teachings in a clear, step-by-step format, with each stage serving as a foundation for the next. The Path to Enlightenment may also be likened to a practice manual, providing a wide range of different techniques appropriate for a variety of circumstances. These help us cultivate greater happiness and inner peace in our daily lives, while leading towards the ultimate objective of enlightenment.
The Buddha recognised that all of us must deal with negative mental states including stress, anxiety, delusion and depression.
By gaining an understanding of how these negative thought patterns cause and contribute to our dissatisfaction and unhappiness, The Path to Enlightenment provides antidotes to these states through the practice of both formal meditation as well as other mind-training techniques.
This class is ideal for both experienced students as well as those who have completed an introduction course or who have a basic understanding of Buddhism. The teachings & meditations for this class come from The Path to Enlightenment in Tibetan Buddhism, a comprehensive text written by Geshe Acharya Thubten Loden.
Registration for this class is not necessary – We suggest a $10 donation towards the temple running costs.
Vajrayana Classes
Mondays 7.30 to 9.00pm (During teaching terms - See our calendar for details)
Please note that in order to attend these classes you must have received the Solitary Hero Yamantaka and Vajrayogini Highest Yoga Tantra empowerments in the Gelug tradition.
Highest Yoga Tantra
On alternating weeks, our resident teacher Les Sheehy provides teachings on and leads the Highest Yoga Tantra practices of Solitary Hero Yamantaka and Vajrayogini. Having the opportunity to practise Yamantaka and Vajrayogini is extremely rare. It is even more extraordinary to be able to receive regular guidance from such an experienced practitioner as Les, who has received extensive teachings from Geshe Acharya Thubten Loden, and has completed and led numerous close retreats over the past twenty three years.
To be able to attend these teachings students must have a sound basis in the study and meditations of the Path to Enlightenment, and a deep commitment to their Buddhist practice. Each class includes sadhana practice, instructions and guided meditation, and on Vajrayogini nights – Wheel of Offering (tsog) practice.
In addition to weekly practice, each year in July Les leads either a two week Yamantaka retreat or a three week Vajrayogini retreat. During the retreat we complete the required mantra commitments and the retreat concludes with a traditional fire puja.
These classes are based on Geshe Acharya Thubten Loden’s Yamantaka commentary “Ocean of Indivisible Method and Wisdom”, and his Vajrayogini commentary “Path to the Union of Clear Light and Illusory Body”.
As the weeks alternate between Yamantaka and Vajrayogini, please see our calendar to confirm the class for a particular day.
Registration for this class is not necessary.
We suggest a $10 donation towards the temple running costs.
Introduction to Buddhism
Next Course - Commencing 9th March 2025
Four Consecutive Sunday mornings – 10.00am to 12.30pm.
Course cost $120 – Registration Essential.
This course will cover:
Guided meditation instruction to increase relaxation, clarity and positive emotions
Buddhist approaches to a more positive, contented and compassionate life
An explanation of Buddhist views including the nature of the mind, karma, impermanence & death, compassion and enlightenment
The Buddhist view of the spiritual potential of the mind and how this is realised.
This series is intended for anyone interested in understanding Buddhist approaches to a happier life, the fundamentals of Buddhist philosophy and psychology, as well as learning several meditation techniques.
This course will be facilitated by a senior Tibetan Buddhist Society student.
Each day includes two sessions with a morning tea break in between. We provide course notes and there is the opportunity for questions, allowing for clarification of any of the topics.
The course will be based on Geshe Acharya Thubten Loden’s, Essence of the Path to Enlightenment which is available for purchase from our temple bookshop.
If the you would like to attend a future Introductory Course, click here and complete the contact form – please put “Next Intro Course” in the message field. Once we have something scheduled we will be in contact by email.
Learn to Meditate
Next Course - Date to be Advised
One Day Seminar – 10am to 3pm – Morning tea & Lunch provided
Course cost $120 – Registration Essential
Meditation is for everyone
This one day course will show you how mediation can be of benefit to everyone. Sessions consist of explanations & guided meditations which will introduce you to special methods for relaxing the mind and body. Instructions are given in the practical application of the meditation techniques to every day life situations. This is not a religious course, and people of any faith can meditate.
Overcome the debilitating symptoms of stress and unhappiness, and enhance your quality of life and relationships with meditation.
This course will be facilitated by David Michie, author of the Dalai Lama’s Cat novels, Buddhism for Busy People, Hurry Up and Meditate and many more . Internationally known, his books are available in 28 languages in over 40 countries.
If you would like to attend a future Meditation Seminar, click here and complete the contact form – please put “Next Meditation Seminar” in the message field. Once we have something scheduled we will be in contact by email.
Retreats
At the Tibetan Buddhist Society in Perth we hold a number of annual retreats of varying lengths and on various topics. Most retreats will be suitable for students of all levels, however some Vajrayana retreats will have pre-requisites which will be detailed when applicable.
* Due to the ongoing situation with COVID-19 our retreats may be cancelled or modified to comply with any regulations in place at the time.
Upcoming Retreats
7 Days commencing Saturday January 4th
During this retreat there will be teachings & guided meditations on understanding and experiencing the conventional nature of mind, as well as the ultimate nature of mind, self and phenomena.
These teachings and meditations are suitable for students with some experience of Path to Enlightenment teachings.
Applications for this retreat are available now. Please contact our office if you would like further information.
7 Days commencing Sunday January 19th
Join our resident teacher Les Sheehy at the Tibetan Buddhist Society in Melbourne for this retreat.
There will be teachings & guided meditations on understanding and experiencing the conventional nature of mind, as well as the ultimate nature of mind, self and phenomena.
These teachings and meditations are suitable for students with some experience of Path to Enlightenment teachings
For further details and registration information please contact the Melbourne centre by email at contact@tushita.org
3 Days commencing Good Friday, April 18th, 2025
During this retreat there will be teachings & guided meditations on the development of Calm Abiding (concentration) based on Chapter 29
of Geshe Loden’s Path to Enlightenment and will lead all meditation sessions.
These teachings and meditations are suitable for students with some experience of Path to Enlightenment teachings
Further details and registration information will be available in early 2025.
Please contact our office to register your interest.
3 weeks commencing July 12th
During this retreat there will be teachings & guided meditations based on Geshe Loden’s “Path to the Union of Clear Light and Illusory Body”.
Students will complete the required mantra commitment and complete the retreat with a fire puja.
