Wednesday Evenings (Columbia)

Our Center is a very mainstream organization, and we know that once you get here, you’ll feel very comfortable.

At our classes, we do ask people to stand when the class teacher enters or leaves the room.  We also ask for people to remove their shoes when entering any of our three meditation rooms (kids and teens room downstairs, main meditation room upstairs).  Our Wednesday and Sunday classes, as well as our branch classes, usually include some very short prayers, which you can engage in or just observe.

Other than that, there’s nothing special you need to know!

We offer classes for all levels of interest and experience.

Complete beginners will probably enjoy one of these three classes:

• Meet Ganden Center
• Sunday Mornings
• Wednesday Evenings
• Lunchtime Meditations

New students living outside the Columbia area will also feel comfortable at one of our branch classes.

Students who have an interest in studying Buddha’s teachings in a systematic, structured way may prefer our Foundation Program classes.  These in-depth study classes provide commentary to all the essential teachings of Mahayana Buddhism.  For students living an hour or more from the Center, Foundation Program can be taken as a correspondence course.

That’s fine.  Just slip in quietly and don’t forget to turn off your cell phone.

All our classes are formatted in basically the same way.  Class begins with a short introduction, sometimes a brief prayer, then a guided relaxation meditation.  The guided meditation is typically no shorter than 10 minutes and no longer than 20 minutes.

After the meditation, the teacher will give practical advice on the topic for the evening.  For example, a class series on overcoming anger might have topics surrounding the faults of anger, the benefits of patience, and how to increase patience.  At the end of the teaching, there’s usually time for Q&A or discussion.  The class ends with a brief second meditation to help students integrate what they’ve learned and form a plan for daily life.  Most classes are 1.25 to 1.5 hours.

At the Center and at some of our branches, there’s time to hang out afterwards and chat with the teacher and other students over snacks and tea.

Our weekly classes are offered on a drop-in basis and no pre-registration is required.  You do not have to attend all the classes in a series or start with the first one; all of our weekly classes are specifically designed to be self-contained.

Occasionally, we may offer classes through local universities, including Furman University and Augusta State University.  In these cases, students must register in advance through the university’s continuing education program.

We also ask that people register in advance for our special events.  In some cases, we need to know how many people to expect in order to prepare certain aspects of the course.  You can register and pay for special events in advance online, by emailing us at ganden@meditationinsouthcarolina.org, or by calling us at 803-200-2115.

No.  We provide meditation cushions for those who sit on the floor.  Some people like to take notes at our classes, so you may wish to bring a notebook and a pen.

No.  We have plenty of chairs for everyone.  In fact, most people prefer sitting in a chair to sitting on the floor, so you will be in good company!

There is no class fee for our Sunday morning classes for adults, kids, and teens.  Donations, however, are accepted.

Our other classes range from $8 to $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.  For our day courses and special events, prices vary.

One way to save money on our classes is to join our Monthly Member program.  Monthly Members attend as many weekly classes as they want for free, plus they receive a minimum of a 25 percent discount on special events, excepting fundraiser events and out-of-town retreats.

No, not at the moment.  Currently, we are open for our daily prayers and meditations as well as our classes.  If you would like to drop in without attending these events, we would suggest coming a few minutes early or a few minutes after the event is scheduled to end.

The Center is an volunteer organization that is managed by a board of directors and voting members of the local Center.  Although no one personally profits from the Center’s activities, some of the Center’s busier managers are eligible to receive a small stipend for living expenses.  At our Center, only the Resident Teacher receives financial support.  The board and local members of the Center elect an Administrative Director (in our case, Fer Fraser), who acts on behalf of the members to oversee the day-to-day management of the Center.  The Administrative Director also appoints a Treasurer (Dorothy Stafford), who manages the Center’s funds.

The other two managers who handle the Center’s day-to-day operations are the Resident Teacher (Gen Nyema) and the Education Program Coordinator (Spencer Perraut).  The job of the Resident Teacher is to serve as the community’s primary teacher and to assist in the creation of the education calendar.  The Resident Teacher of any given Kadampa Buddhist Center is appointed by the Education Council Representatives of the New Kadampa Tradition.  The Resident Teacher can also be removed by these leaders of the NKT.  The Education Program Coordinator (EPC) is appointed and removed by the Resident Teacher.  The EPC’s main job is to assist in the creation of the education calendar, publicize Center events, and coordinate classes and events.

We are a member center of the New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union.

We think the three best books for new students are How to Solve Our Human Problems, Transform Your Life, and Modern Buddhism.  Modern Buddhism can also be downloaded for free at eModernBuddhism.com, or at Amazon.com as a Kindle book or Barnes & Noble as a Nook book.

No.  Feel free to come however you are comfortable.  We do ask that people remove their shoes when they enter the meditation rooms.

No.  Our classes are suitable for everyone and there is no expectation that you are or will be a Buddhist in the future.

Yes, we have classes for both children and teens.  Click here to read about our children’s classes.  Click here to read about our classes for teens.

Kids of all ages are welcome to attend our children’s class.  Our current group ranges from about age 3 to age 9.  If you are bringing a toddler or a baby, we do request that an adult stays with the child for the duration of class.

As for our tweens and teens, right now our class consists of middle school and early high school-aged students.  The older teens at the Center (16 and above) usually prefer the adult class.

This is up to your discretion.  Please remember that other adults in the class will be meditating and trying to listen.  Out of consideration for others, if you think your child cannot sit quietly for the duration of the class, it might be a better idea to leave him or her at home.  You are welcome to bring your child with a game or book to keep him/her occupied, as long as it does not make any noises.

You may also wish to check out the classes we have at the Center for children and teenagers.

No.  We have an elevator.

Ganden Center is a 501(c)(3) organization, so no one at our center (such as the class teacher or center managers) ever personally profits from class fees.  However, like any organization, we have expenses, including rent, utilities, branch class costs, and the support of our Resident Teacher.  The most fair way to cover these costs is to ask everyone who comes to the classes to pitch in.  Our class fees cover only about half of our monthly operating expenses; the rest comes from students who are happy to donate a little extra.

Unlike some Buddhist organizations, we do not receive any outside funds from any organization, governmental or private.  We also do not receive funds from our umbrella organization, the New Kadampa Tradition.  We rely solely upon the generosity of our local students.

If you would like to support the Center financially, please click here.

By the way, our Sunday morning classes for kids and adults are always free, although we welcome donations!