THE TRICKSTER IN TIBETAN
BUDDHIST PRACTICE:
WORKING WITH
PARADOX, PROVOCATION,
AND HUMOR

Steven Goodman

Comparing Buddhist approaches with Western mythic and psychological tales of the trickster, this workshop will focus on three different aspects of the trickster:

• The Buddha as Trickster
Participants will explore the story of Buddha's quest for enlightenment as a tale of provocation and paradox, and learn a variety of Buddhist practices that stimulate spiritual growth.

• The Ego as Trickster
Buddhist practices will reveal the humor of egoic and emotional rigidity and make clear that the ego is both our closest friend and our worst enemy.

• The Teacher as Trickster
A destroyer of illusion, the teacher gleefully goads us to grow beyond hope and fear, and shows us how to laugh at death. Wewill explore Buddhist practices of union with the guru, or learning how to be with the trickster within.