Foundation Program

Tuesdays 6:30 – 8:30 pm with Cindy Parker

What is Foundation Program?

Foundation Program is a tried and tested way to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of Buddha’s teachings, maintain a daily meditation practice that is both focused and powerful, and make genuine spiritual progress.

Who is Foundation Program for?

If you have been coming to classes regularly and have been getting a lot out of your General Program drop-in classes and feel you’re ready to go a bit deeper with your study and practice, then the systematic study of this essential Buddhist text on FP may be a perfect next step for you.

About the Book, Joyful Path to Good Fortune

We all have the potential for self-transformation, and a limitless capacity for the growth of good qualities. But to fulfill this potential we need to know what to do at every stage of our spiritual journey.

In Joyful Path of Good Fortune we find a clear and comprehensive explanation of the entire path to enlightenment.

With this book, the author Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche offers us step-by-step guidance on the meditation practices that will lead us to lasting inner peace and happiness.

With extraordinary clarity, he presents all Buddha’s teachings in the order in which they are to be practiced, enriching his explanation with stories and illuminating analogies.

What happens at a class?
  • The class begins with chanted prayers and a guided meditation.
  • The teacher then reads from the book while giving commentary to the text.
  • The students then divide into pairs to discuss material.
  • The teacher and students concluded by deciding what to meditate on in the next class and how to practice during the coming week.
What are the Commitments?

Our General Program classes are offered on a drop-in basis and there are no requirements for attending. As a more structured program of study, the FP does require students to make some basic commitments:

  • Students keep the intention to attend every class during the FP term (terms are September through mid-December and mid-January through June), and try not to miss more than two classes per term
  • Students read ahead and memorize the essential points of the text
  • Students are encouraged to attend at least one weekly drop-in class or group puja (chanted prayers)
  • Students take one exam per year to check their understanding of what they have studied
  • Students fee is $60 per month (including the months when FP is not in session)
In-Person & Live-stream
  • FP classes meet in-person in Columbia
  • A livestream option is available for those who qualify, for example, if you’re unable to attend in-person due to long-distance or disability. A number of folks join by Zoom from Charleston.
More Questions?

Contact us at kmcsc.fpcoordinator@gmail.com or 803-200-2115