EDG’s previous Dharma Talks are now available on YouTube.
2024 Dharma Talks Playlist:
2023 Dharma Talks Playlist:
Category: News & Events
Saturday Meditation at the American Bodhi Center
Saturday Meditation – Every Saturday (9:00 am – 2:00 pm)
This program is conducted by Ven. Tong Hong and consists of sitting and walking meditation followed by Dharma Talk & Discussion. Bring your own bag lunch. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Weekly (Sunday) Dharma Talks
Every Sunday, the Jade Buddha Temple (Kwan Yin Hall), has weekly Dharma talks. Some of the talks are given in person (at Kwan Yin Hall) and others are given/seen remotely via Zoom (seen via projector in Kwan Yin Hall).
Check our calendar to find out who will be delivering the Dharma talk and if the talk will be in person (at the Kwan Yin Hall of Jade Buddha Temple) or remotely via Zoom (seen via projector in Kwan Yin Hall). Please join us every Sunday and participate in these Dharma talks.
Timelines (Central Time):
10:00 AM – 10:30AM: Guided meditation
10:30 AM – 11:30AM: Dharma talk
11:30AM: Vegetarian lunch
Also, you can sign up for the weekly newsletter to receive information about these weekly Dharma talks.
Venerable Hung I giving EDG Dharma Talk (9/17/2023)
On the September 17th, 2023, EDG talk, Venerable Hung I gave the Dharma talk. Shown above is Venerable Hung I and the persons attending the talk
EDG Back at Kwan Yin Temple (9/3/2023)
On September 3rd, 2023, EDG finally got together (in person) at Kwan Yin Hall (Jade Buddha Temple, Houston, Texas). We will meet every Sunday (10AM Central for meditation, and 10:30AM for Dharma talk. In addition, we are still continuing to show all Dharma talks on-line too (via Zoom). See the image above.
Thursday meditation group now on Saturday morning
Update Satellite Meditation Program (SMG)
SMG is a non-sectarian meditation group of mindfulness practitioners. We focus on supporting each other in developing beneficial habits and growing mindfulness skills. We are composed of small neighborhood groups that meet once a week.
For an in-depth overview, visit our webpage here.
If you are interested in joining us and have question, please email us via the Contact Us page. To register, follow the link to Mobilize, our group communication platform.
Neighborhood Groups
- SMG Inner Loop West Alabama/Kirby | Saturday 10-11:30am
- SMG Northwest near Willowbrook Mall | Thursday 7-9:00pm
- SMG Jade Buddha Dairy Ashford/Bellaire | Saturday 9:30-11:30am
NOTE:
As of February 1st, 2020, SMG Jade Buddha moved their mid-week class to Saturday morning from 9:30am to 11:30am.
Reflections on Compassion by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield
The month of February brings Valentine’s Day, a romantic holiday, celebrating love and affection. Here are two Buddhist psychologists, authors, and thought leaders sharing their reflection on acceptance and compassion.
Jack Kornfield on Compassion for Imperfection
What if you could love yourself fully, including your imperfections? What if you could love others in the same way? You might fear that by loving your anger or laziness, your addictions or your anxiety, that you will never change for the better, that you will become more angry, lazy, addicted, or anxious. But if you experiment, you will see that what happens is often the opposite. As you love and accept yourself in a bigger, wiser love, your fear and aggression, your neediness and inertia, lose their hold. …Continue reading…
Tara Brach on Learning to Go Through Life with Love in Your Heart
A Q&A with Buddhist psychologist and renowned meditation teacher Tara Brach about offering radical compassion to yourself and others. Many of us have the habit of judging ourselves and others harshly, drawing lines of blame that separate us from each other. But there’s another way, writes internationally recognized meditation teacher Tara Brach in her new book. Radical Compassion is a way of practicing acceptance and care for ourselves and others that allows us to stay present to all that life brings and stay connected to each other. …Continue reading…
The Saving Grace of a Spiritual Community-Josten Ma
The Saving Grace of a Spiritual Community by Josten Ma
Josten distinctly remembers when he left Hong Kong over 30 years ago, that he would not be interested in Buddhism. Until many years later, he attended a Dharma class near his home in Northwest Houston and learned about the Buddha’s true words, Jade Buddha Temple and the English Dharma Group. And this started his meditation “career,” which continues to be a vital part of his life.
Josten served the Texas Buddhist Association in various roles as a long-time EDG coordinator and three-term Board member. More recently, he developed EDG’s semi-annual four-week class on Mindfulness in Urban Living, which he leads in its fourth year. Additionally, he spearheads a local community meditation program called SMG, Satellite Meditation Groups. Meditators meet weekly in three geographical areas around the Greater Houston area.
Meditation is an essential part of his life, and Josten is inspired by sharing his passion with others. It is especially gratifying for him to see dedicated members that join EDG’s classes and take the instructions seriously. The inspiration comes when many begin to see benefits from their earnest practice of the mindfulness exercises.
“Personally, my saving grace is the spiritual community (Kalyāṇa-mittatā), nowadays called “support group.”
“Meditation is always present deep inside me, doing it, however, is a different ball game,” Josten points out. “If I didn’t continually associate with people that were interested in meditation, my 20+ years of practice might not have happened.”
An internet search on this topic reveals a multitude of excuses for not starting or maintaining a regular meditation practice:
According to Mindful Magazine:
- I’m too busy; I don’t have the time.
- I find it really uncomfortable to sit still for too long.
- My mind won’t stop thinking.
- There are too many distractions; it’s too noisy.
- I don’t see the benefit.
- I’m no good at this; I never get it right.
- It’s all just weird New Age hype.
“If any of these excuses sound familiar, you are not alone. And so, I encourage you to join our weekly Sunday meditation program at Jade Buddha Temple from 10-10:30 am. I am leaving you with a few articles; they might inspire you in the coming New Year 2020. After all, it’s the time of the year to set internal and external intentions!”
Buddhist Podcast Ethan Nichtern
Celebrating Compassion in Houston
Celebrating Compassion with the English Dharma Group&TBA – Sunday, November 10
As a partner of Compassionate Houston, the Texas Buddhist Association joins various faith and non-profit organizations in celebrating the Charter for Compassion’s 10th anniversary.
The Charter is an umbrella organization of many compassionate cities and individuals around the globe, united in the principle of creating a respectful, kind, and compassionate world.
The Buddha taught that to realize enlightenment, we must develop two qualities: wisdom and compassion, two wings that work together to enable flying.
EDG, on behalf of TBA, is taking part in celebrating the 10th anniversary by reading the Charter of Compassion during our Sunday Dharma talk on November 10, 2009,
For information on the Charter and Compassionate Houston, see the download link below:
Charter for Compassion with brief overview of Compassionate Houston