We recite mantras and other prayers to protect the mind and to strengthen our connection to universal virtues like generosity, compassion and wisdom.

In this lesson, Gelek Rimpoche introduces the basic mantras and prayers of Tibetan Buddhist spiritual practice and recounts how he learned about spirituality as a child in the monastery in pre-1959 Tibet.

Though human mind is sometimes clouded temporarily by negative emotions like hatred, fear, and obsession, it is by nature clean and pure.

Moreover, our wonderful human nature makes us capable of the ultimate achievement—becoming fully enlightened.

In this session, Gelek Rimpoche reminds us that when we remember this capability, we are inspired to make the best use of our life and to engage enthusiastically in the gradual and steady development of the spiritual path.

Anger is the real weapon of mass destruction and gives rise to terrorism, war and every other kind of destructive behavior.

In everyday life, anger is an addiction—a fire that destroys our peace of mind, consumes our virtue and blinds us so that we cannot act rationally.

In this lesson, Gelek Rimpoche explains that recognizing that we are angry is the first step towards ending it. Once we become aware of anger, we can apply the antidote of patience and cultivate the engaged, clear mind of compassion for self and others.

Have we lived before and will we have a new life after this one ends?

As a kid in the monastery, Gelek Rimpoche had a hard time accepting reincarnation as fact, even though he had been identified as a “reincarnated lama” himself.

In this lesson, he examines the anecdotal and spiritual evidence for the existence of past and future lives. Because mind and body are different, death ends the body and the mental events related to that life, but mind itself continues on its own path into the next life.

Karma is a widely known term that is also widely misunderstood.

In this lesson, Gelek Rimpoche discusses the four characteristics of Karma: it is definite; it multiplies easily; we do not meet with uncreated causes; and results will not occur without cause.

However, we can also take charge of our own future by intentionally creating positive karmic causes through our practice of spiritual virtue and mitigating negative karmic causes by our practice of purification.

Gelek Rimpoche discusses negative emotions such as pride, ignorance, anger, jealousy and greed which all arise from the same root: fear.

He shows us how these fears effect us by destroying our peace of mind. He also explains how our peace of mind can be restored through the recognition of our precious life and with the help of White Tara, who protects and liberates us from all fears through the practice of wisdom.

Depression arises from a lack of self-appreciation and an inability to move on from painful ruminations.

Gelek Rimpoche gives a variety of suggestions to help free us from the paralysis of depression. Concentrated and analytical meditation can help re-train the mind toward a more objective and confident experience of emotional life.

He gives his views on the value of whatever helps an individual (such as medication) to both ground a person and free energy bound in a depressive mind/body.

Our culture is rapt by entertainment that distracts us from many truths—denial of the fragility of life and the certainty of death among them.

In this lesson, Gelek Rimpoche explains that while Impermanence as represented by illness, aging and death is a reality, one can also view impermanence as the freedom to change and the end of suffering.