Daylong Retreat: Meeting Political Unrest with a Compassionate Heart
Daylong Retreat: Meeting Political Unrest with a Compassionate Heart
5800 Prescott Road, Soquel, CA, USA
December 13, 2025
About this Retreat
Your Guides
Geshe Tenzin Legtsok graduated from Sera Jey Monastic University in South India where he studied classic Indian Buddhist treatise and their Tibetan commentaries in the tradition of ancient Nalanda University. He has been ordained as a Buddhist monk since 2001. Born in Virginia, USA in 1973, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Kenyon College in 1995. The question, “What makes for the most happy and meaningful life?”, which compelled him to major in philosophy during college, gradually led to his study of meditation and philosophy with teachers among the exiled Tibetan communities in India and Nepal from 1999 until the present. For the past fifteen years he has tried to make basic Buddhist teachings accessible to various audiences in India and the US through lectures, essays, and meditation instruction.
Details of this retreat
In-Person and Online Via Zoom
Saturday, December 13
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
We are living in a time of social and political turmoil. For some, this unrest may feel distant, while for others, its impact is deeply personal. Either way, many of us are struggling to navigate this moment. In this daylong retreat, Geshe Legtsok will guide us in exploring the difference between outrage and anger, help us navigate the relational challenges that arise, and invite us to reflect deeply—with a compassionate mind—on how to respond to these times without anger, attachment, or indifference.
We will explore Buddhist perspectives on nonviolence and compassion, as well as examine how Buddhists have taken compassionate stands against injustice throughout history. Compassion does not have to lead to complacency—true compassion is active and works for the well-being of all people, including those we may have labeled as “bad” or “other.” We can cultivate compassion for those we disagree with, without condoning harmful actions. Through teachings, meditations, and discussion, we will work to release the narrative of “us vs. them” and instead reflect on the conditions we wish for all beings.
Schedule:
9:00 am – 10:30 am—Opening Session
10:30 am – 11:00 am— Tea Break
11:00 am – 12:30 pm— Session 2
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm—Lunch
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm—Session 3
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm—Tea break
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm—Closing Session
Saturday, December 13
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
We are living in a time of social and political turmoil. For some, this unrest may feel distant, while for others, its impact is deeply personal. Either way, many of us are struggling to navigate this moment. In this daylong retreat, Geshe Legtsok will guide us in exploring the difference between outrage and anger, help us navigate the relational challenges that arise, and invite us to reflect deeply—with a compassionate mind—on how to respond to these times without anger, attachment, or indifference.
We will explore Buddhist perspectives on nonviolence and compassion, as well as examine how Buddhists have taken compassionate stands against injustice throughout history. Compassion does not have to lead to complacency—true compassion is active and works for the well-being of all people, including those we may have labeled as “bad” or “other.” We can cultivate compassion for those we disagree with, without condoning harmful actions. Through teachings, meditations, and discussion, we will work to release the narrative of “us vs. them” and instead reflect on the conditions we wish for all beings.
Schedule:
9:00 am – 10:30 am—Opening Session
10:30 am – 11:00 am— Tea Break
11:00 am – 12:30 pm— Session 2
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm—Lunch
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm—Session 3
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm—Tea break
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm—Closing Session
Getting Here
Land of Medicine Buddha, 5800 Prescott Road, Soquel, CA, USA
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