The Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness
with Jirka Hladiš
Feb. 13-15: Friday evening introduction. Saturday and Sunday workshop.
At our West Suffield CT Northern Branch
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Join us Friday evening or Saturday and Sunday too as we explore these profound questions through analytical meditation that integrates the wisdom of our intellect with the groundedness of our experience.
Expert teacher Jirka Hladiš of the Nitartha Institute will guide us through classical contemplations which progress from coarse to subtle viewpoints, from analyzing the self to non-dual awareness, and from intellectual understanding to direct, experiential realization.
The program is designed for practitioners who wish to learn how to integrate classical Buddhist analysis with direct meditative experience. While some familiarity with Buddhist meditation is helpful, the program is beginner-friendly while also offering the precision and depth more experienced meditators will appreciate.
Curious, but with limited time? Join us just for the Friday evening introduction and overview. See the registration page for details.
| Date | Time | Activity |
| Friday Evening, February 13 | 7:30 PM – 9 PM | introductory teaching |
| Saturday, February 14 | 9 AM – 12 PM | teaching & meditation |
| 12 PM – 1 PM | potluck lunch (onsite) | |
| 2 PM – 5 PM | teaching & meditation | |
| Sunday, February 15 | 9 AM – 12 PM | teaching & meditation |
| 12 PM – 1 PM | potluck lunch (onsite) | |
| 2 PM – 5 PM | teaching & meditation |
Recordings will be made available to both onsite and online attendees as quickly as possible, and will remain available until the end of April.
Lunch – If you plan to attend the weekend onsite, please consider bringing a potluck lunch offering. Vegetarian options are encouraged and will be available.
This program will be offered onsite at NBCT’s Northern Branch in West Suffield (map: 1380 Mountain Road) as well as online (Zoom). We strongly encourage you to attend onsite if possible!
Zoom links will be sent to all registrants (online and onsite) shortly after registration.
To accommodate different financial circumstances, we are offering supporter, regular, and discount registration options. (If these are not affordable, please contact dcaldharma@yahoo.com about scholarship assistance.)
| Friday evening only | Full Weekend – Onsite | Full Weekend – Online | |
| Supporter | $35 | $150 | $110 |
| Regular | $20 | $110 | $75 |
| Discount | $10 | $60 | $40 |
Jirka Hladiš has studied under the guidance of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche since 1997. He joined Nitartha Institute in 2002 and was authorized as a Nitartha teacher in 2007. Jirka’s interest is in approaching study, analytical meditation and debate as a unified tool for spiritual transformation. He holds graduate degrees both in engineering from Prague Technical University and in Buddhist studies from Naropa University.
Jirka is dearly loved by many local Nalandabodhi Connecticut students who have taken his online Nitartha classes, attended his onsite Nitartha Summer Institute classes, or met him here during previous Connecticut visits.
This workshop follows the traditional Nalanda-style approach: study, reflection, and meditation. Throughout the weekend, emphasis will be placed on:
It is suitable for practitioners with some familiarity with Buddhist meditation and for those who wish to engage more deeply with the view of emptiness as presented in the Tibetan Kagyu lineage.
Participants are encouraged to bring the text, Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness (either the Hookam edition or the Nalandabodhi-published “Talks and Songs” version) by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche. Please be assured that guided explanations will allow all to follow the progression of the teachings even without the text.
