Our emotions color how we see and experience the world. An angry mind sees an angry world. A fearful mind sees a threatening world. But when mind is stable, we see a world that is open, fluid, workable, moveable.

Using the Buddhist teachings on the six realms of existence as a framework, Pema Chödrön teaches that our common psychological states of anger, craving, ignorance, dissatisfaction, jealousy, and obliviousness are an unavoidable part of being human. While the strong emotions associated with the realms can be overwhelming, learning to work with them skillfully can open the door to true freedom.

Don’t wait for the right time, the right situation, the right you. The path of meditative awareness that sparks transformation is available right now. Join Pema to ignite your heart so it glows for the benefit of everyone around you.





What if our greatest fear is leaving our loved ones behind?

What if we fear the unknown or no longer existing?

What if we fear having not fulfilled our purpose in this life?

What if we’re scared of pain or isolation while dying?

AN  I N T E R A C T I V E  W O R K S H O P
M A D E  F O R  Y O U

This online writing workshop includes a bounty of exclusive resources, many of them available only for this one-time special offering.

This online retreat includes a bounty of exclusive resources, many available only for this one-time special offering, to support you in your retreat experience.


“Pema Chödrön delivers the material in an extremely warm, understandable, and accessible way for westerners. I also appreciate her gentle humor and find myself smiling and laughing at many points during her talks. I [feel I am] in a more prepared and eager state to continue my study/practice and to take the next step of attending a meditation retreat in order to go further. To all responsible for putting this together, thank you so very much.”



“Even though I am an online participant I feel as though I am there. Pema and the participants are very ‘real’ and I can relate to the responses of those present. We all struggle with similar experiences.”



“I truly appreciate [Pema’s] manner of kindness and humor. She presents the material in a way that I can integrate into my daily life. I am a novice to many of the teachings but never feel overwhelmed or confused after a lesson. Thank you.”



“The quality of the videos was fantastic. I felt like I was attending the Yarne at the Abbey. The talks by Pema were absolutely wonderful and I'll watch them many times.”



“Pema is a relatable, delightful, and excellent communicator. The video is high quality and the support materials (e.g., talk transcript, notes, reading list, etc.) are helpful resources. I also appreciate that this course is available to those unable to take time away from work or family (at least at this particular time in life), as well as its self-paced nature.”




image credits

In this interactive online writing workshop, Natalie Goldberg will help you:

ADD TO CART

Natalie teaches straight to you in over eleven hours of video teachings recorded just for this workshop

ELEVEN HOURS OF POWERFUL TEACHINGS

Writing as a Practice

LESSON 1

This Lesson Will Help You . . .

  • Learn what writing practice is and isn’t
  • Build a meditation practice as a support for your writing
  • Learn how to write what you don’t want to write, and why you should
  • Use the practice of recall to improve your writing

P R A I S E   F O R   N A T A L I E

W H A T   Y O U   W I L L   L E A R N

As she entered the ninth decade of her life, Pema Chödrön spent a year in solitary retreat working deeply with traditional Tibetan Buddhist teachings on death, including teachings on the bardos from The Tibetan Book of the Dead. This interactive online retreat, recorded at her home monastery, Gampo Abbey, in front of a small audience of her close students and friends, brings the fruits of Pema’s study and practice to you.

Whether you’re a longtime practitioner, an enthusiastic beginner, or somewhere in between, this retreat will offer you teachings and tools for embracing the entirety of your human experience—including your death—as a sacred journey. These are teachings that you can listen to again and again over the coming years, returning to them for guidance and grounding as you navigate the ongoing journey of your life.

What if our greatest fear is leaving our loved ones behind?

What if we fear the unknown or no longer existing?

What if we fear having not fulfilled our purpose in this life?

What if we’re scared of pain or isolation while dying?

11 HOURS OF VIDEO TEACHINGS

LIVE CALLS WITH 
NATALIE GOLDBERG

FACILITATED 
DISCUSSION FORUMS

LIVE WRITING PRACTICE SESSIONS

BONUS PRACTICES

PRINTABLE TRANSCRIPTS

DOWNLOADABLE 
AUDIO FILES

RECOMMENDED READINGS LIST

50% OFF SELECTED TITLES

UNLIMITED ACCESS

DOWNLOADABLE AUDIO FILES

RECOMMENDED READINGS LIST

UNLIMITED ACCESS

Gain skills to handle procrastination and provide discipline

DEVELOP
DISCIPLINE

Discover what you have to say and why your story is important

FIND YOUR VOICE

Learn how to use details to launch, structure, and anchor your writing practice

DISCOVER
DETAILS

Start believing in the worth of yourself and your words

GAIN
CONFIDENCE

Break free to tell the story that you need to tell

TELL YOUR STORY

Free yourself from fears of judgment, rejection, and failure

OVERCOME FEAR

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

In this six-week interactive online retreat, Pema Chodron will be your guide in living purposefully and dying fearlessly by teaching you how to . . .

A RETREAT MADE FOR YOU

This online retreat includes a bounty of exclusive resources, many available only for this one-time special offering, to support you in your retreat practice.

THIS RETREAT INCLUDES:

RETREAT SUMMARY

Three live Q&A calls during which Natalie will take questions from students in the online workshop

LIVE CALLS WITH
NATALIE GOLDBERG

An opportunity to receive guidance from long-time students of Natalie along with the peer-to-peer support of fellow workshop participants

FACILITATED DISCUSSION FORUMS

Twice-weekly live writing practice sessions where you will be given time to write and the opportunity to read your work aloud to fellow workshop participants

LIVE WRITING PRACTICE SESSIONS

Expand your library and support your writing practice with 50% off Natalie’s Shambhala Publications books and other creativity books from Shambhala Publications

50% OFF 
SELECTED TITLES

Additional practices and exercises to help you integrate writing into your life

BONUS PRACTICES

Printable transcripts of all video lessons so you can review the teachings at your own pace and highlight quotes or concepts for future reference

PRINTABLE TRANSCRIPTS

Listen on the go and take in these valuable teachings where and when it works best for you—on a walk, in a café, or while you’re traveling

DOWNLOADABLE AUDIO FILES

A list of readings and books recommended by Natalie for deepening your study and writing practice

RECOMMENDED READING LIST

Access the workshop on your device or computer again and again as new insights emerge on your own path

UNLIMITED ACCESS

Listen on the go and take in this profound dharma where and when it works best for you—in the car, on a walk, or over the kitchen sink

DOWNLOADABLE 
AUDIO FILES

A list of readings and books recommended by Pema for deepening your study and practice

RECOMMENDED READINGS LIST

Access the retreat on your device or computer again and again as new insights emerge on your own path

UNLIMITED ACCESS

Natalie teaches straight to you in over eleven hours of video teachings recorded just for this workshop

ELEVEN HOURS OF POWERFUL TEACHINGS

Three live Q&A calls during which Natalie will take questions from students in the online workshop

LIVE CALLS WITH
NATALIE GOLDBERG

An opportunity to receive guidance from long-time students of Natalie along with the peer-to-peer support of fellow workshop participants

FACILITATED DISCUSSION FORUMS

Twice-weekly live writing practice sessions where you will be given time to write and the opportunity to read your work aloud to fellow workshop participants

LIVE WRITING PRACTICE SESSIONS

Expand your library and support your writing practice with 50% off Natalie’s Shambhala Publications books and other creativity books from Shambhala Publications

50% OFF SELECTED TITLES

Additional practices and exercises to help you integrate writing into your life

BONUS PRACTICES

Printable transcripts of all video lessons so you can review the teachings at your own pace and highlight quotes or concepts for future reference

PRINTABLE TRANSCRIPTS

Listen on the go and take in these valuable teachings where and when it works best for you—on a walk, in a café, or while you’re traveling

DOWNLOADABLE AUDIO FILES

A list of readings and books recommended by Natalie for deepening your study and writing practice

RECOMMENDED READINGS LIST

Access the workshop on your device or computer again and again as new insights emerge on your own path

UNLIMITED ACCESS

Listen on the go and take in this profound dharma where and when it works best for you—in the car, on a walk, or over the kitchen sink

DOWNLOADABLE 
AUDIO FILES

A list of readings and books recommended by Pema for deepening your study and practice

RECOMMENDED READINGS LIST

Access the retreat on your device or computer again and again as new insights emerge on your own path

UNLIMITED ACCESS

50% OFF 

Select Titles

Expand your library and support your writing practice with 50% off all of Natalie’s books and Recommended Readings from Shambhala Publications.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead (Audio)

Translated by Francesca Fremantle and Chögyam Trungpa
Read by Richard Gere
2 ¾ hours, unabridged

This translation of The Tibetan Book of the Dead emphasizes the practical advice that the book offers to the living.

The Five Buddha Families (Video)

Taught by Judith L. Lief
1 1/2 hours, unabridged

In this talk on the Five Buddha Families, Judy Lief explains how our inner world and the outer world are comprised of the same elemental forces.

BONUS #2

Coupon Code for 50% OFF the Entire Collection of Recommended Readings

Total Retail Value: $220    You Save: $110

BONUS #3

Expand your library with 50% off the entire collection of recommended readings for this retreat.

BONUS #1

Paying Attention

LESSON 2

This Lesson Will Help You . . .

  • Pay closer attention to the details that will bring your writing to life
  • Improve your writing through the practice of listening
  • Learn how to get past the inner critic, or “monkey mind”
  • Write from your present moment experience
  • See how good writing is an expression of “awake mind”

Touching Impermanence: The Bardo of Living

LESSON 1

This Lesson Will Help You...

  • Become more familiar with the impermanence of all things
  • Train to become more courageous, wise, and compassionate in your everyday life
  • Understand why we study the bardo teachings and how they are relevant to every part of your life (not just your death)

Entering the Sacred World: The Bardo of Dying

LESSON 2

This Lesson Will Help You...

  • Learn the two most important things to keep in mind when you’re dying and how to practice them now
  • Engage the practice of tonglen, or sending and taking, for awakening love and compassion
  • Understand the steps of dissolution that occur in the process of dying (according to the Tibetan Buddhist view)

Getting Out of the Way

LESSON 3

This Lesson Will Help You . . .

  • Understand the benefits of being “dumb” as a writer
  • Learn the three most important things Zen practice has taught Natalie about writing
  • Overcome “monkey mind” when it becomes very loud
  • Free yourself to write what is true for you

Gateways to Liberation: The Bardo of Dharmata

LESSON 3

This Lesson Will Help You...

  • Recognize the gateways to enlightenment that arise in the bardo of dharmata
  • Explore how habitual patterns and perceptions create your reality
  • Understand the benefits of leaving your comfort zone, the risks of staying in it, and the danger of going too far out of it

Trusting Yourself

LESSON 4

This Lesson Will Help You . . .

  • Get to know your own mental patterns
  • Access your senses as a gateway to writing
  • Consider how to build a structure for your writing
  • Reflect on what you need to know before you write a book
  • Learn the benefits of making writing practice a lifelong endeavor

Styles of Imprisonment: The Six Realms

LESSON 4

This Lesson Will Help You...

  • Recognize the six realms or habitual states of mind that trap you in unhelpful patterns
  • Identify how these “styles of imprisonment” arise in your own experience
  • Understand how to get unstuck when you find yourself in one of the six realms

A Waking Dream: The Bardo of Becoming

LESSON 5

This Lesson Will Help You...

  • Learn how to transform the patterns that don’t serve you so you can act in alignment with your intention
  • Discover how to best support a person who has just died, according to the Tibetan Buddhist view
  • Identify the qualities and scenarios you could experience in the bardo of becoming and understand how to prepare for them

Co-emergent Wisdom: The Five Buddha Families

LESSON 6

This Lesson Will Help You...

  • Understand the five categories of wisdom energy known as Buddha families
  • Work with the wisdom of the Buddha families as they show up in your life
  • Reflect on the meaning of bardo in your own life

PRAISE FOR PEMA

Thousands of people have studied writing with Natalie over the last 40 years.

Here’s some of what they’ve had to say . . .

This online writing workshop includes a bounty of exclusive resources to support you, many available only for this one-time special offering.

THIS WORKSHOP INCLUDES

When does the course begin?

The course is self-paced, so you can get started as soon as you enroll and go at your own pace.

How long does it take to complete the course?
There are thirteen lessons in the course and each lesson is designed to last a week. However, the course is flexible and you can work at your own pace as well, so you can benefit just as much from the course even if it takes you longer to go through it. We encourage you to download videos as you go through the course for your own personal use in the future. You will continue to have unlimited access to the course materials online as well.

How long will I have access to the course?
Your access to the course is unlimited. It will not expire.

Can I still take this training without a desktop/laptop computer (for example, if I only have an iPad)?
Yes, you can access this course using the browser on your device. However, please note that if you’d like to save any of the course materials, you will need to download to a computer first and then transfer the files to your device.

What if I have technical difficulties with the course?
We have a dedicated course support person who can help you with any issues you may encounter in navigating or accessing the course. Please email course-support@shambhala.com if you have any questions.


Frequently Asked Questions

alien;



AN  INTERACTIVE  WORKSHOP
MADE FOR YOU

THIS WORKSHOP 
INCLUDES

A D D I T I O N A L  B O N U S E S

* PLUS *

S P E C I A L  P R O G R A M  B O N U S E S

* PLUS *

S P E C I A L  P R O G R A M  B O N U S E S

FROM THE PUBLISHER: INSIDER TIPS FOR WRITERS

Watch Rachel Neumann, Associate Publisher at Shambhala Publications and author of four books, and KJ Grow, VP of Sales and Marketingas they answer the following questions and more in a pre-recorded video interview! 

  • What do publishers look for when they’re evaluating book proposals? 

  • What if I don’t already have an audience or an email list or a blog? 

  • How do I go about getting professional editing help on a book manuscript? 

  • What advice do you have for sticking with it when you start to feel discouraged? 

  • What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from writing a book? 


RACHEL NEUMANN

Rachel Neumann is a writer, editor, and publisher with twenty years of journalism and book publishing experience, including the last five years as the Publisher and Editorial Director of Parallax Press. She has worked at The Village Voice, The New Press, and AlterNet and continues to write regularly for Lions Roar and other publications. She is the author of four books: Not Quite Nirvana, Long Weekend, and the children’s book Baby Present, as well as the editor for I Am Home: Portraits of Immigrant Teenagers. Rachel is currently the Associate Publisher of Shambhala Publications.

KJ Grow

KJ Grow, VP Sales & Marketing, joined Shambhala Publications in 2015, having worked for over a decade as a sales rep in New York City for “Big 5” publishers including Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster. She is a graduate of both the Columbia Publishing Course and the Yale Publishing Course for Executive Education, and has served on the steering committee for the Independent Publishers Caucus. She has also worked as a bookseller in both independent bookstores and national chains, and is always an active member of at least one book club. 

And if you’ve ever wanted to have a chance to ask your own question of a book publisher, please join us for a 

LIVE  Q & A CALL WITH SHAMBHALA

with Rachel Newman and KJ Grow as they take questions from workshop participants and share their knowledge of the publishing world from over thirty years of combined experience! 

A D D I T I O N A L  
B O N U S E S

50% OFF 
Select Titles

Expand your library and support your writing practice with 50% off all of Natalie’s books and Recommended Readings from Shambhala Publications.

C O U R S E 

C U R R I C U L U M

Each lesson contains multiple videos in which Natalie teaches on the theme for that lesson, along with readings and practices to inspire and deepen your writing practice.

W O R K S H O P  S U M M A R Y

This workshop was designed with your needs in mind and contains 
all of the following:

© Shambhala Publications. All Rights Reserved.

© Shambhala Publications. All Rights Reserved.

9 Hours of Video Teachings

Watch Pema and Tim give sage and practical instructions on inner transformation that radiates out into the world

Practices & Contemplations

Bring the dharma alive in your daily life with practices and contemplations

Printable Transcripts

Printable transcripts of all video lessons so you can review the teachings at your own pace and highlight quotes or concepts for future reference

Downloadable Audio Files

Listen on the go and take the learning process where and when it works best for you—in the car, on a walk, or over the kitchen sink

Recommended Readings List

Deepen your study with a list of recommended readings and books from Pema (plus a coupon code for 50% off the recommended titles from Shambhala Publications)

Unlimited Access

Access the course on your device or computer again and again as new insights emerge on your own path

ADD TO CART

100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE 

If for any reason you are not completely satisfied, please e-mail us within 30 days, and we will promptly refund your purchase price.

LEARN MORE

Enjoyed the Excerpt?

Training Video Excerpts

GIFT THIS COURSE

Give the gift of awareness to a loved one!

Give the gift of awareness to a loved one!

GIFT THIS COURSEJOIN THE COURSE

Share the gift of growth and knowledge. For this one-time special offer when you purchase this course you have the option to gift a second enrollment at no additional cost. You can share this with a loved-one, friend, colleague, etc.

Bonus 1: Buy One, Gift One

It turns out that intense experiences themselves are unavoidable—they’re just part of being human. What we can work with are the ways in which we imprison ourselves in those habitual experiences and feelings. In this first teaching, Pema introduces you to the six realms of existence and guides you in a practice of feeling what you feel.

A hungry ghost is a being with a huge stomach and a throat the size of a thread. Always hungry, never enough. If this sounds familiar to you, you’re hardly alone. So many of us carry hungry ghosts with us through life—never enough affection, never enough recognition, never enough safety, never enough love. But we don’t have to stay stuck in “never enough.” By recognizing when we’re in this realm, we make space for moving beyond grasping.

Learning to feel what you feel and notice your own habits allows you to deepen your compassion and understanding for everyone around you who is in the same boat. As you learn to work with your own state of mind, day by day, you open space for empathy with those around you.

This course was designed with your needs in mind and contains all of the following:

9 Hours of Video Teachings

Recommended Reading List

Unlimited Access

Practices & Contemplations

Printable Transcripts

Downloadable Audio Files

Practice Prompts

Pema Chödrön is a beloved Buddhist teacher, author, nun, and mother. She has inspired millions of people from around the world who have been touched by her example and message of practicing peace in these turbulent times. 

She has been teaching and writing extensively for many years, including authoring the best-selling books When Things Fall Apart and The Places That Scare You.

Pema first met her root teacher, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, in 1972. Lama Chime encouraged her to work with Rinpoche, and it was with him that she ultimately made her most profound connection. At the request of the Sixteenth Karmapa, she received the full monastic ordination in the Tibetan lineage of Buddhism in 1981 in Hong Kong.  She is resident teacher at Gampo Abbey in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery for westerners in North America. 

Over 10,000 people have studied with Pema Chödrön through Shambhala Publications and Prajna Studios. 

Here’s some of what they’ve had to say . . .


“Pema Chödrön delivers the material in an extremely warm, understandable, and accessible way for westerners. I also appreciate her gentle humor and find myself smiling and laughing at many points during her talks. I [feel I am] in a more prepared and eager state to continue my study/practice and to take the next step of attending a meditation retreat in order to go further. To all responsible for putting this together, thank you so very much.”



“Even though I am an online participant I feel as though I am there. Pema and the participants are very ‘real’ and I can relate to the responses of those present. We all struggle with similar experiences.”



“I truly appreciate [Pema’s] manner of kindness and humor. She presents the material in a way that I can integrate into my daily life. I am a novice to many of the teachings but never feel overwhelmed or confused after a lesson. Thank you.”



“The quality of the videos was fantastic. I felt like I was attending the Yarne at the Abbey. The talks by Pema were absolutely wonderful and I'll watch them many times.”



“Pema is a relatable, delightful, and excellent communicator. The video is high quality and the support materials (e.g., talk transcript, notes, reading list, etc.) are helpful resources. I also appreciate that this course is available to those unable to take time away from work or family (at least at this particular time in life), as well as its self-paced nature.”

In this recorded program held at Omega Institute, Pema Chödrön and her teaching assistant, Meg Wheatley, provide a wealth of wisdom for learning to step right into the river—to be completely and fearlessly present even in the hardest times and the most difficult situations. It’s the secret to being fully alive.

Bonus 2: Fully Alive audio and video. 4.5hrs of content.

Total Retail Value: $153      You Save: $76
Expand your library with 50% off recommended readings for this retreat by Shambhala Publications.

Coupon Code for 50% Off the Entire Collection of Recommended Readings (from Shambhala Publications)

JOIN THE COURSE




Are you tired of being hooked by your emotions? In this course, Pema Chödrön and Tim Olmsted explore how emotions manifest in our lives and how to move fluidly through them without getting caught.




PLUS

Praise for Pema

ADD TO CART
JOIN THE COURSEJOIN THE COURSE

Printable Transcripts

Printable transcripts of all video lessons so you can review the teachings at your own pace and highlight quotes or concepts for future reference

100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE 

If for any reason you are not completely satisfied, please e-mail us within 30 days, and we will promptly refund your purchase price.

Practice Prompts

Pema Chödrön is a beloved Buddhist teacher, author, nun, and mother. She has inspired millions of people from around the world who have been touched by her example and message of practicing peace in these turbulent times. 

She has been teaching and writing extensively for many years, including authoring the best-selling books When Things Fall Apart and The Places That Scare You.

Pema first met her root teacher, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, in 1972. Lama Chime encouraged her to work with Rinpoche, and it was with him that she ultimately made her most profound connection. At the request of the Sixteenth Karmapa, she received the full monastic ordination in the Tibetan lineage of Buddhism in 1981 in Hong Kong.  She is resident teacher at Gampo Abbey in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery for westerners in North America. 

Praise for Pema

Over 10,000 people have studied with Pema Chödrön through Shambhala Publications and Prajna Studios. 

Here’s some of what they’ve had to say . . .


“Pema Chödrön delivers the material in an extremely warm, understandable, and accessible way for westerners. I also appreciate her gentle humor and find myself smiling and laughing at many points during her talks. I [feel I am] in a more prepared and eager state to continue my study/practice and to take the next step of attending a meditation retreat in order to go further. To all responsible for putting this together, thank you so very much.”



“Even though I am an online participant I feel as though I am there. Pema and the participants are very ‘real’ and I can relate to the responses of those present. We all struggle with similar experiences.”



“I truly appreciate [Pema’s] manner of kindness and humor. She presents the material in a way that I can integrate into my daily life. I am a novice to many of the teachings but never feel overwhelmed or confused after a lesson. Thank you.”



“The quality of the videos was fantastic. I felt like I was attending the Yarne at the Abbey. The talks by Pema were absolutely wonderful and I'll watch them many times.”



“Pema is a relatable, delightful, and excellent communicator. The video is high quality and the support materials (e.g., talk transcript, notes, reading list, etc.) are helpful resources. I also appreciate that this course is available to those unable to take time away from work or family (at least at this particular time in life), as well as its self-paced nature.”

ADD TO CART

Buy One, Gift One!

Frequently Asked Questions

Page Art by Alexia Krispin @alexiakrispinart


The hell realm usually requires very little explaining—it’s a pretty familiar place for most of us. In the hell realm, everything—and everyone—is against us. As challenging as the hell realm is, it also provides our greatest motivation for practice. We’re miserable there—but as Pema teaches, we don’t have to stay stuck there.



Our mind creates our world. An angry mind sees an angry world. A fearful mind sees a threatening world. But when mind is stable, we see a world as that world is. We see a world that is open, fluid, workable, moveable. In this teaching, Pema’s longtime teaching partner Tim explores the nature of mind and the simple gesture of sitting practice, our way of working with mind. It is through this sitting practice that we will have the opportunity to move more deeply into our exploration of the realms.

Page Art by Alexia Krispin 

@alexiakrispinart

We all know what it’s like to feel hooked by an emotion that just won’t let go. For many of us, it’s anger or craving or jealousy. For others, it’s an overwhelming need to check out and go blank. When we’re in the midst of being hooked, nothing else matters and often nothing—and no one—can reach us.

In this second lesson of the retreat, Pema talks more about shenpa, that experience of being hooked. Recognizing when we’re hooked is essential for applying the three steps for working with difficult emotions.

Lesson 2

Shenpa: Noticing What Hooks Us

If you like your routines, then you’re very familiar with the animal realm. Even if you don’t think you’re a person of routines, if you’ve ever found yourself irritated because someone moved something or changed the plan, then you’ve experienced the animal realm. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this realm—it’s just not a very pleasant place to be, especially when life keeps interrupting your need for order. But you don’t have to stay trapped here, even if you’re a regular visitor.

You only have to look as far as the closest advertisement to see the human realm in action. Advertising is built on making you want what you don’t have—and may not even need. In the human realm, we are always thinking “if only.” It’s not hard to see the wheel of dissatisfaction in the human realm brought on by so much longing for what you don’t have. But being trapped in this dissatisfaction is not inevitable—and in fact, the ongoing discomfort can be good motivation for trying life a different way.

The ground of our being. Our basic nature. Our basic goodness. These are some of the phrases used to describe awareness of mind or meditative awareness. In this teaching, Tim explores the nature of meditative awareness and offers a practice for experiencing this awareness.

Meditative awareness is not possible without being honest with ourselves. Though such honesty can seem terrifying, it doesn’t have to be. We’re not being exposed by some high court—we’re being greeted by a dear friend who sees our weak spots and loves us anyway. When we’re honest with ourselves, we clear the space for awareness.

In this series of teachings, Tim discusses the practice of open awareness that is the basis of who we are. In this practice, you’re not doing anything, but you’re also not carried away. Just fully present, resting in awareness. Tim explores bringing this awareness to our experience of a realm—and he talks about how the path to freedom is right here where we are, right now, in whatever potentially fraught and sticky territories we find ourselves.

As Pema says in this teaching, maybe the most important thing along with recognizing the kindness and tenderness of the human heart is training in the ability to catch our emotions when they're small, like catching an ember before it turns into flames. We are training to catch the initial tightening, the initial closing down and pulling back. Learn to recognize where you might be able to catch the embers of your emotions before they begin to flame up.

The jealous god realm is a tough realm to avoid entirely. Some people live perpetually in this realm while others of us come in and out as occasional visitors. While the suffering in this realm is not as intense as that in the hell realm, it can be more subtle and challenging in its own way. But like all the realms, any experiences of this realm are always workable.

For those who live a comfortable 21st century existence, with enough to eat and a comfortable place to live in a safe neighborhood with good schools and services, the god realm is so familiar that it’s nearly invisible. For those who can’t rely on such regular comforts, the god realm may be much more fleeting. This teaching offers the opportunity to learn more about the god realm and practice expanding our awareness beyond what’s easy and comfortable for us to take in.

If for any reason you are not completely satisfied, please e-mail us within 30 days, and we will promptly refund your purchase price.

100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE 

Recognize

Learn about the psychological states of mind known in Buddhism as the six realms

Process

Start working with your lived experiences of the realms

Stabilize

Bring meditative awareness to the states of mind that imprison you

Tim Olmsted has been a student of meditation for more than 35 years. For 12 of those years, he lived in Nepal, working as a psychotherapist and studying with many of the greatest Buddhist teachers of our time, including Mingyur Rinpoche’s father, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. Tim is a lead instructor and cofounder of Mingyur Rinpoche’s community, Tergar International. He has also served as director of Gampo Abbey, the largest Buddhist monastery in North America, and is the president of the Pema Chödrön Foundation.

Transform

Uncover the pure realms, where you experience life but are not trapped by it

Discover

Find the freedom that’s always present in every moment




Are you tired of being hooked by your emotions? In this course, Pema Chödrön and Tim Olmsted explore how emotions manifest in our lives and how to move fluidly through them without getting caught.




Our emotions color how we see and experience the world. An angry mind sees an angry world. A fearful mind sees a threatening world. But when mind is stable, we see a world that is open, fluid, workable, moveable.

Using the Buddhist teachings on the six realms of existence as a framework, Pema Chödrön teaches that our common psychological states of anger, craving, ignorance, dissatisfaction, jealousy, and obliviousness are an unavoidable part of being human. While the strong emotions associated with the realms can be overwhelming, learning to work with them skillfully can open the door to true freedom.

Don’t wait for the right time, the right situation, the right you. The path of meditative awareness that sparks transformation is available right now. Join Pema to ignite your heart so it glows for the benefit of everyone around you.

Recognize

Learn about the psychological states of mind known in Buddhism as the six realms

Process

Start working with your lived experiences of the realms

Stabilize

Bring meditative awareness to the states of mind that imprison you

Transform

Uncover the pure realms, where you experience life but are not trapped by it

Discover

Find the freedom that’s always present in every moment

9 Hours of Video Teachings

Watch Pema and Tim give sage and practical instructions on inner transformation that radiates out into the world

Practices & Contemplations

Bring the dharma alive in your daily life with practices and contemplations

Downloadable Audio Files

Listen on the go and take the  learning process where and when it works best for you—in the car, on a walk, or over the kitchen sink

Recommended Readings List

Deepen your study with a list of recommended readings and books from Pema (plus a coupon code for 50% off the recommended titles from Shambhala Publications)

Unlimited Access

Access the course on your device or computer again and again as new insights emerge on your own path

It turns out that intense experiences themselves are unavoidable—they’re just part of being human. What we can work with are the ways in which we imprison ourselves in those habitual experiences and feelings. In this first teaching, Pema introduces you to the six realms of existence and guides you in a practice of feeling what you feel.

The hell realm usually requires very little explaining—it’s a pretty familiar place for most of us. In the hell realm, everything—and everyone—is against us. As challenging as the hell realm is, it also provides our greatest motivation for practice. We’re miserable there—but as Pema teaches, we don’t have to stay stuck there.

A hungry ghost is a being with a huge stomach and a throat the size of a thread. Always hungry, never enough. If this sounds familiar to you, you’re hardly alone. So many of us carry hungry ghosts with us through life—never enough affection, never enough recognition, never enough safety, never enough love. But we don’t have to stay stuck in “never enough.” By recognizing when we’re in this realm, we make space for moving beyond grasping.



Our mind creates our world. An angry mind sees an angry world. A fearful mind sees a threatening world. But when mind is stable, we see a world as that world is. We see a world that is open, fluid, workable, moveable. In this teaching, Pema’s longtime teaching partner Tim explores the nature of mind and the simple gesture of sitting practice, our way of working with mind. It is through this sitting practice that we will have the opportunity to move more deeply into our exploration of the realms.

Learning to feel what you feel and notice your own habits allows you to deepen your compassion and understanding for everyone around you who is in the same boat. As you learn to work with your own state of mind, day by day, you open space for empathy with those around you.

If you like your routines, then you’re very familiar with the animal realm. Even if you don’t think you’re a person of routines, if you’ve ever found yourself irritated because someone moved something or changed the plan, then you’ve experienced the animal realm. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this realm—it’s just not a very pleasant place to be, especially when life keeps interrupting your need for order. But you don’t have to stay trapped here, even if you’re a regular visitor.

You only have to look as far as the closest advertisement to see the human realm in action. Advertising is built on making you want what you don’t have—and may not even need. In the human realm, we are always thinking “if only.” It’s not hard to see the wheel of dissatisfaction in the human realm brought on by so much longing for what you don’t have. But being trapped in this dissatisfaction is not inevitable—and in fact, the ongoing discomfort can be good motivation for trying life a different way.

The ground of our being. Our basic nature. Our basic goodness. These are some of the phrases used to describe awareness of mind or meditative awareness. In this teaching, Tim explores the nature of meditative awareness and offers a practice for experiencing this awareness.

Meditative awareness is not possible without being honest with ourselves. Though such honesty can seem terrifying, it doesn’t have to be. We’re not being exposed by some high court—we’re being greeted by a dear friend who sees our weak spots and loves us anyway. When we’re honest with ourselves, we clear the space for awareness.

In this series of teachings, Tim discusses the practice of open awareness that is the basis of who we are. In this practice, you’re not doing anything, but you’re also not carried away. Just fully present, resting in awareness. Tim explores bringing this awareness to our experience of a realm—and he talks about how the path to freedom is right here where we are, right now, in whatever potentially fraught and sticky territories we find ourselves.

As Pema says in this teaching, maybe the most important thing along with recognizing the kindness and tenderness of the human heart is training in the ability to catch our emotions when they're small, like catching an ember before it turns into flames. We are training to catch the initial tightening, the initial closing down and pulling back. Learn to recognize where you might be able to catch the embers of your emotions before they begin to flame up.

The jealous god realm is a tough realm to avoid entirely. Some people live perpetually in this realm while others of us come in and out as occasional visitors. While the suffering in this realm is not as intense as that in the hell realm, it can be more subtle and challenging in its own way. But like all the realms, any experiences of this realm are always workable.

For those who live a comfortable 21st century existence, with enough to eat and a comfortable place to live in a safe neighborhood with good schools and services, the god realm is so familiar that it’s nearly invisible. For those who can’t rely on such regular comforts, the god realm may be much more fleeting. This teaching offers the opportunity to learn more about the god realm and practice expanding our awareness beyond what’s easy and comfortable for us to take in.

This course was designed with your needs in mind and contains all of the following:

Recommended Reading List

Printable Transcripts

Downloadable Audio Files

Unlimited Access

Practices & Contemplations

9 Hours of Video Teachings

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When does the course begin?

The course is self-paced, so you can get started as soon as you enroll and go at your own pace.

How long does it take to complete the course?
There are thirteen lessons in the course and each lesson is designed to last a week. However, the course is flexible and you can work at your own pace as well, so you can benefit just as much from the course even if it takes you longer to go through it. We encourage you to download videos as you go through the course for your own personal use in the future. You will continue to have unlimited access to the course materials online as well.

How long will I have access to the course?
Your access to the course is unlimited. It will not expire.

Can I still take this training without a desktop/laptop computer (for example, if I only have an iPad)?
Yes, you can access this course using the browser on your device. However, please note that if you’d like to save any of the course materials, you will need to download to a computer first and then transfer the files to your device.

What if I have technical difficulties with the course?
We have a dedicated course support person who can help you with any issues you may encounter in navigating or accessing the course. Please email course-support@shambhala.com if you have any questions.

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100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE 

If for any reason you are not completely satisfied, please e-mail us within 30 days, and we will promptly refund your purchase price.