Dharma Nights: Buddhist Discussions on Mind & Other Matters

Dharma Nights is a weekly Buddhist discussion group in Seattle, Washington, held on Wednesday evenings at Nalanda West, the home of Nalandabodhi Seattle. It is open to anyone who wants a dharmic way of working with feelings, thoughts, and emotions, and it pairs guided discussion with community sharing. The evenings are facilitated by Karunika teachers Kris Shaw and Hilery Avritt, in the Tibetan Buddhist and Dzogchen tradition of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche.

What to Expect

Each session runs from 6:00 to 7:00 pm Pacific time and begins with an opening and a round of community sharing. From there the group turns to a discussion of emotions and thought from a Buddhist perspective. The tone is conversational. The point is to look at what actually comes up in daily life, such as frustration, struggle, and difficult feeling, and to consider how the teachings might meet it.

The theme comes from Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche's book Emotional Rescue, which describes emotions as the sparks and fizz that can inspire us to turn struggles and frustrations into music and poetry. Sessions are held in person only, and you choose which Wednesdays you would like to attend.

About Kris Shaw

Nalandabodhi Karunika Kris Shaw has been a student of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche since 1997. He is a long-time Buddhist, a father of two, and has worked as a public defender for more than 20 years. His interests include lucid dreaming and the question of how to suffer less and less. He also serves as the Nalandabodhi study coordinator.

About Hilery Avritt

Hilery Avritt has studied and practiced Buddhism for more than 30 years, primarily in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. She is now a student of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche and Tina Rasmussen. Her work and interests center on self-compassion practices, neuroscience, and the meeting of modern tools with ancient wisdom. She is a wellness professional and entrepreneur, and she loves to dance.

About the Karunika Role

In 2021, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, with the support of the Nalandabodhi Acharyas, Lamas, and Mitras, appointed more than eighty long-time students as Karunikas, a newly created role of supporting teacher. The Sanskrit word means "one who has compassion." Karunikas help guide sangha members and share Nalandabodhi's approach with the wider public, offering programs on study, meditation, and mindful activity, and on the five fields of knowledge: healing, the arts, language and communication, logic and epistemology, and the inner science of mind.

The Setting

Nalanda West is the Nalandabodhi Seattle center, at 3902 Woodland Park Ave N in Seattle.

Before You Go

No prior experience with Buddhism is listed as a requirement, and the evenings are built around shared conversation rather than formal instruction. Dharma Nights is offered by donation, in the spirit of dāna and the generosity of dharma. Contributions help Nalandabodhi Seattle keep the doors open and the lights on. Questions can go to Kris Shaw, the Nalandabodhi study coordinator.