The Pluralism Project at Harvard UniversityCenter Profile
Dzogchen Center Practice Group-Concord (2005)
(Buddhism)
Phone: 877-682-4535
Websites:
Description
History
In 2001, a small group of New Hampshire residents decided to pursue their interest in Buddhism beyond gatherings held at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Concord, NH. They began to attend teachings at the Dzogchen Center, a Tibetan Buddhist center lead by Lama Surya Das, in Cambridge, MA. While attending a daylong retreat with Lama Surya Das in September of 2001, the group met other practitioners living in NH; the Dzogchen Center Practice Group-Concord was founded as a result of that meeting. In the past two years, the community has expanded to about sixty members and continues to grow.
Building and Space
The Dzogchen Center Practice Group holds their weekday sittings at It's Ability Collaborative Pediatric Therapy Services (124 Hall Street, Suite H) in Concord, NH and also uses Havenwood Retirement Community’s chapel in Concord, NH for their weekend sittings.
Activities and Schedule
The Dzogchen Center holds weekly lay-led sittings every Thursday from 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. that combine both meditation practice and Tibetan Buddhist teachings. The sittings usually begin with Tibetan chanting prayers spoken in both Tibetan and English, followed by meditation and conclude with a recorded teaching by Lama Surya Das or one of his associate teachers. The center also holds lay-led sittings on every first and third Sunday of the month that are similar in format to the weekly sittings. Of the fifty members of this community, there are usually eight to sixteen at each sitting and eight members attend intensive retreats yearly with Lama Surya Das. The Dzogchen Center does not hold any special or separate classes for children, women, or families but welcomes all.
Demographics
The center attracts members from the Concord and surrounding New Hampshire towns. The Dzogchen Center warmly welcomes everyone to their sittings, regardless of experience.
Date Center Founded
September, 2001
Religious Leader and Title
All sittings are lay-led
Lay Leader and Title
Mike Allard
Membership
Core membership of 10 to 20, the wider community includes about 60