The Gradual Path Blog
Broken Beyond Repair or Already Free? bali borobudur emptiness geshe tenzin zopa hope java pilgrimage stupa Nov 02, 2023

Humanity is on the brink of a third world war, and the Arab-Israeli conflict is but one of many complex global challenges we all face. Given the horrific devastation and loss of life, I ask myself the obvious question: are we broken beyond repair?

It’s an existential question that emerged...

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Lam Rim on the Road: A Visit to Doi Suthep geshe tenzin zopa lam rim on the road rachen nunnery samsara tsum valley wat phra that doi suthep Jan 16, 2022

Riding alone in the back of a songthaew, a pick-up truck taxi, feelings of red hot anger match the vehicle’s color. Righteous indignation flares in my mind; how dare the driver rip me off! Shame burns right alongside; it’s my own fault for getting in – I could have continued to...

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Lam Rim on the Road geshe tenzin zopa lam rim on the road rachen nunnery tsum valley Oct 05, 2021

Introduction to the Tsum Valley Rachen Nunnery Service Project

In a hidden valley in the high Himalayas of north western Nepal, near the Tibetan border, a group of nuns preserve the practice of Tibetan Buddhism at Rachen Nunnery. Kathmandu is the nearest city, a mere 5 or 6-day trek away –...

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Buddhist Pilgrimage to Nepal & CSP Service Project Update buddhist pilgrimage contemplative studies program geshe tenzin zopa tsum valley Jul 30, 2021

Though we postponed our annual Buddhist pilgrimage to Nepal and India due to the pandemic until October 2022, Miles offers his reflections on purification, collecting merit, and thinking of others in the meantime.

Miles also shares some exciting news about a very rare and auspicious pre-trip...

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How to Practice Lam Rim geshe tenzin zopa lam rim meditation tibetan buddhism Apr 21, 2021

Join us for this free event April 21 at 7pm EDT when Geshe Tenzin Zopa (Unmistaken Child) shows us how to meditate on the themes from the 1000 year old Tibetan Buddhist tradition of lam rim or gradual path of spiritual awakening.

Register here.

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Finding Buddha geshe tenzin zopa india nepal pilgrimage Mar 23, 2021

Dr. Miles Neale talks to Jacob of Sacred Earth Journeys about the upcoming Buddhist pilgrimage with Geshe Tenzin Zopa to the holy sites of the Buddha in India and Nepal.

Learn more here.

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Finding a Qualified Dharma Teacher compassion dharma emptiness ethics find true refuge four noble truths geshe tenzin zopa guru lam rim michael roach scandal shadow trauma wisdom Feb 04, 2021

I think it actually requires much more maturity to be able to stay in the hot pocket of understanding the virtue of this institution and how the lama arrangement works and the qualities of seeking a master that's truly qualified and also recognizing all the malarkey and all the nuance and...

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Buddhas, Tulkus and Narcissists alcoholism geshe tenzin zopa guru viking mentors narcissism podcast tulkus Jan 24, 2021

Miles sits down with Steve James of  Guru Viking to recount how an affluent but disturbed childhood with alcoholic parents and a narcissistic father drove him to self harm and dissatisfaction, and how he found solace and healing in religious practice and a series of influential...

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Year's End Reflection 2020 astrology atisha contemplative studies program dalai lama dorje zong nunnery geshe tenzin zopa karma lineage merit pandemic service project shadow tsongkhapa Dec 31, 2020

My dear friends,

As the new year dawns I offer my reflections on this year we will never forget. 

Despite challenges unseen in a hundred years we remained steadfast together on the gradual path and never faltered a single step. We made no excuses. Wasted no time. We forged ahead in the face...

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Spiritual Bypass: Conflict Avoidance in the Guise of Easy Going developmental trauma dharma geshe tenzin zopa spiritual bypassing trauma wheel of becoming Jun 22, 2020

In this excerpt from Trauma-Informed Dharma, Dr. Miles Neale talks about one of the many possible ways we can use spiritual beliefs and practices to avoid dealing with painful feelings, unresolved trauma, and developmental needs. What follows below is a lightly edited transcript of the video.


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The Power of Pilgrimage bodhisattva resolve geshe tenzin zopa kopan meaningful life nepal pilgrimage the buddha Oct 17, 2019

 Buddhist pilgrimage starts with the advice of the Buddha. The Buddha said, once I'm gone, please go to the various sites that are associated with my life, the milestones of my life, and he said, there you will find me.

It means that in those places, there you will find him. There you...

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