Intensive Workshops

Make your choice of either one of these three concurrent workshops. All workshops commence at 14:00, break for afternoon tea at 15:15 and conclude at 17:00. Workshop 1:  Abandoning Suffering and Accomplishing Happiness Geshe Dawa, Tibetan lama and resident teacher, Tashi Choling Institute   In this afternoon workshop, Geshe Dawa will relay the ancient wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism on the causes of happiness and suffering. The message is simple and applies to Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike: you can stop all problems forever and gain perfect peace of mind by understanding suffering and the way to completely eliminate the causes of suffering from the mind. We are always thinking that we don’t want suffering and unhappiness however it’s not enough to simply not want it.  We need to do something about it by abandoning the causes of suffering. First we examine and come to understand the nature of suffering and its causes. Then we exert effort into abandoning the causes of suffering by following the Path taught by the Buddha. By being on the Path we are able to eliminate suffering and its causes from our minds and thereby achieve a state of pure happiness and wellbeing. This workshop will provide an extraordinary opportunity to access the wisdom of Tibet at the feet of a highly qualified Tibetan Buddhist master. Lama Rigzin, an experienced Tibetan interpreter, will interpret for Geshe Dawa throughout the conference. Rigzin lives in Sydney and regularly interprets for Geshe Dawa, Geshe Samten at Vajrayana Institute, and for the Tibetan refugee community in Sydney.  Workshop 2: “Change your thinking”: Using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy  to change the way you think and feel Sarah Edelman, PhD Psychologist, Teacher and Author It is not the things that happen to us which upset us, but the view that we take of things Epictetus (Roman Philosopher, 200 AD). The way we think determines the way we feel. This simple philosophy is the central tenet of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), a psychological approach that is now widely used in clinical psychology and counselling, as well as stress management programs. Although it was originally developed as a means of helping people to recover from psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, anger and self-defeating behaviours, the principals of CBT are also highly relevant for managing the upsetting emotions that arise in our daily life situations. In this workshop participants will learn to identify their own patterns of negative or self-defeating thoughts, how to challenge those patterns, and how to develop more flexible and balanced ways of perceiving their experiences. Releasing negative and unhelpful ways of thinking enables us to feel happier, and less burdened by unnecessary distress. Workshop Agenda In this workshop participants will learn to apply the key principals of CBT in a practical, hands-on way. They will learn a number of useful strategies to help them deal more effectively with the potentially upsetting situations that invariably arise in life. Themes covered in the workshop will include: 1. The relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours. 2. Basic principals of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. 3. Common beliefs and perceptions that generate unhappiness and distress. 4. Thinking about our thinking – learning to monitor our thoughts. 5. Challenging negative perceptions – logical reframing. 6. Socratic Questioning for challenging negative thoughts. 7. Goal Focused Thinking – staying focused on the things that matter 8. Behavioural Disputing – changing our perceptions by changing our behaviours. 9. Applications of CBT in the management of anxiety, depression and anger. Workshop 3: 16 Guidelines for a Happy Life: a practical formula for facing the challenges of modern life Alison Murdoch, International Director, UCWP Essential Education, UK After all the talking, what about the action? Even if we feel inspired by a conference of this kind, what happens the next morning when we’re back at our desks, or taking the family to school?  What tools do we need to make lasting changes to the way we live? The simple aim of the Guidelines is to bring peace and happiness into our own lives and into the lives of the people around us. The Dalai Lama often says ‘even if you can’t help others, at least try not to harm them’ – but how do we put this into practice? How can we improve the quality of our relationships with others? How can we stay focused and motivated? The Guidelines offer a practical and straightforward response to these challenges, and will give us the strength and clarity that we need to shift old habits. They are as relevant now as when they were first proposed as a guide for lay people in 8th century Tibet.      This participatory workshop will include a choice of interactive groups where we will explore how the Guidelines can help us achieve our goals of happiness for self and others. Its emphasis will be on practical methods for everyday life. Workshop Agenda 1. An introduction to the transformative power of the Guidelines 2. Why the Guidelines can lead to peace of mind 3. How the Guidelines can help us become a source of peace and happiness for others 4. Utilising the Guidelines to develop harmonious relationships in the places that matter most to us:         - In the home         - In the workplace         - In school         - In the community 5. How to keep a positive motivation and not get overwhelmed 6. Gross National Happiness: where do we go from here?