|  Sound and Silence, Paradox and Play: The Trickster in Tibetan Buddhism
Steven Goodman
In the Tibetan universe, sound is the primal matrix from which the cosmic energies of creation continuously emerge and dissolve. We’ll explore the humorous, playful, and paradoxical nature of our vibrational existence in three ways: the abundance of awakened presence, the fragility of the ego, and the compassion of the teacher.
In this workshop, we will explore the story of Buddha’s quest for enlightenment as a tale of provocation and paradox, and learn a variety of practices that stimulate spiritual growth. We’ll also learn practices that reveal the humor of egoic and emotional rigidity, and expose the ego as both our closest friend and worst enemy. Finally, we’ll see how the tender presence of the teacher destroys illusion and gleefully goads us beyond hope and fear, inviting us to sing our own authentic songs.
| Steven Goodman, PhD, is a core faculty member and the codirector of the Asian and Comparative Studies program in the Philosophy and Religion Department at CIIS, where he teaches Buddhism and comparative philosophy. A former Rockefeller fellow and visiting professor in Religious Studies at Rice University, he has taught and lectured widely on Buddhism, meditation, and Western psychology for the past 25 years. He coedited Tibetan Buddhism: Reason and Revelation and contributed to Mindfulness and Meaningful Work. |
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