TARA INSTITUTE
Centre for Buddhist Study and Meditation
HIS HOLINESS DALAI LAMA
WELCOME TO TARA INSTITUTE
Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre in Brighton, Melbourne Australia
Welcome to everyone who aspires to gain happiness and inner peace, through the study,
meditation and practice of Mahayana Buddhism.
Our programmes suit beginners and more advanced students in the quest for a more meaningful life.
BUDDHIST TEACHINGS & PROGRAMMES
WEDNESDAYS
Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life
with Geshe Lobsang Dorjee
3, 10, 17 & 24 June at 8pm
Geshe Lobsang Dorjee will continue his teachings on Chapter 6: Patience, from Shantideva’s text, Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life.
Venerable Geshe Lobsang will teach on Shantideva’s text The Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life.
Dharma Club for Children
One Sunday a Month
Sunday 14 June, 10.15am
Sunday 15 March; 19 April; 17 May; 14 June.
The Dharma Club offers Buddhist teachings for children aged between 4 and 15, understanding of how to be happy through listening to stories, learning meditation, acting in plays and joining discussions.
The Healing Group
With Kathi Melnic, William Liew and Kerry Whitlock
Held fortnightly on Thursdays, from 11am to 12.30pm
11 & 25 June at 11am
Healing has a great deal to do with the mind. In each session this year the Healing Group invites us to acknowledge what is currently undermining our health and well-being, including the challenges of disturbing emotions, and while benefitting from the mutual support and shared experience of the group, examine ways to create the conditions to restore balance.
School Program
Introduction to Meditation for Students
This session is available for students to experience an Introduction to Buddhism meditation class at Tara Institute, or at your school if that is your preference. The session can follow a secular presentation of mindfulness and meditation if that is more suitable.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday 7 June, 9am to noon (lunch after) | Tara Institute
Group Reading
Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life
Create the cause for developing immeasurable love,
compassion, and wisdom by reciting Shantideva’s Guide to
the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life with Geshe Doga, Geshe
Lobsang Dorjee, Geshe Jangchod and our spiritual
community.
Shantideva shares in great detail how to transform every
conceivable suffering mind-state into the blissful mind of
enlightenment. These heart teachings are as relevant
today as when they were composed in the 8th century.
Everybody is encouraged to come along and enjoy this
virtuous activity and accumulate enormous merit in the
merit-multiplying auspicious month of Saka Dawa . If you
have Stephen Batchelor’s version of the text, please bring it with you; otherwise,
we have some copies to lend on the day.
Join us for lunch ($25 – a $5 facility fee is included) after the reading, or feel free
to bring your own. To register or find out more
Sun, 28 Jun, 9am - 5pm | Tara Institute
One Day Course
June One Day Course with Geshe Lobsang: Compassion and Wisdom of Emptiness
Compassion allows our mind to expand and embrace others, however just compassion alone is not enough, compassion coupled with wisdom of emptiness will enhance our compassion, and this will make our interaction with others more beneficial and effective, hence help our practice of compassion be meaningful.
Meditating on Emptiness helps us to mitigate a lot of the emotions which arises from our own conceptual thinking, and bring our mind to virtue or at least neutral state.
As Lama Zopa Rinpoche explains: ‘If you don’t meditate on emptiness, it’s a great loss since this meditation is the most precious, most important thing in life, the solution to all problems. Also, by actualizing the wisdom realizing emptiness, you can help others; you can free all other sentient beings from all sufferings and all problems. This opportunity to free all others from suffering and lead them to ultimate happiness comes from whatever understanding you have of emptiness in your day-to-day life”
- from meditating on The Essence of Wisdom, which is a condensed teaching on emptiness.
Venerable Geshe Lobsang Dorje will be giving a commentary on this topic. It is great opportunity to learn how using wisdom of emptiness can help us to manage our own emotions when going about in our daily activities
Participants are also encouraged to bring a shawl, water bottle and note book. Seating in chairs or cushions on the floor are provided
Wed, 10 Jun, 5am - Wed, 24 Jun, 12pm | Tara Institute
Retreat
White Tara Retreat
White Tara is associated with practices which can contribute to enhancing one’s life span and overcome life-threatening hindrances. White Tara practice can also be done on behalf of someone who is ill.
Tara Institute is inviting interested participants to engage in White Tara retreat. The retreat is from 10th June to 24th June 2026, followed by a fire puja on 24th June 2026.
It is also with a deep sense of respect and devotion to continue last year’s celebration of their 90th birthday year, this retreat is an opportunity of accumulating merit and creating conducive conditions for the long life and good health of Venerable Geshe Doga and His Holiness the Dalai Lama
The collected mantra recitations will also contribute to
TI community’s commitment to meet the 10 millions recitations for the long and healthy life of our most Venerable Geshe Doga.
At the same time, for our own benefit, to dedicate the positive energy to our physical, spiritual and mental well-being. Geshe-la has said that he has seen sick and critically ill people regain their health after being given the White Tara mantra to recite.
By relying on White Tara and reciting her mantra, we can achieve a deep level of inner well-being so that we can truly be of help to ourselves and others.
Please email spc@tarainstitute.org.au if you have further questions
Sat, 27 Jun, 6pm - 10pm | Landcox Hall Tara Institute
Fundraising Dinner
Trivia Night Fundraising Dinner & Silent Auction
This will be a great night out! Have fun dusting off your brain for an exciting trivia night, all while supporting Tara Institute.
Gather your friends, test your knowledge, and enjoy a lively evening filled with laughs, friendly competition and prizes.
There’ll also be a delicious vegetarian dinner to enjoy as you play.
Don’t forget to check out our silent auction, featuring fantastic items and experiences you won’t want to miss.
Join us for a fun-filled fundraiser that makes a difference!
Please purchase your tickets in advance, as space is limited.
Walk-ins may be accommodated if seats are still available.
Build The Spaces Where
Wisdom Grows
We’re working to improve and expand our facilities so we can continue offering programs that benefit our whole community.
Your generosity supports a place where children and adults can explore kindness, resilience, and inner wellbeing.
Together, we’re building something meaningful.
Donations above $2
are tax deductible
Friday evenings, 7pm| Tara Institute
Golden Light Sutra Recitations
Join us on Fridays evenings to recite this powerful sutra for world
peace and the long life of our gurus and teachers. To find out more,
email spc@tarainstitute.org.au
You can also join the group
commitment to ongoing daily sutra recitation at home: email the
coordinator at gls@tarainstitute.org.au
Self-Practice Programme
White Tara Practice
At the completion of the 3000 recitations of the Golden Light Sutra in May 2025, the students at Tara Institute requested His Holiness the Dalai Lama to advise what practice to do for the long life and good health of both His Holiness the Dalai Lama
and Venerable Geshe Doga.
Rejoice, students of Geshe Doga can now practice the following:
-
White Tara Long Life Sadhana at home or group practice days-
o The White Tara Sadhana group practice dates will be announced regularly throughout 2025 and will continue to be shared each year through 2028
-
White Tara Mantra –
o Goal is 10 million mantras by July 2028
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer Book and Gift Shop Manager
Love books, beautiful gifts, and community spirit? Tara Institute, a Tibetan Buddhist Centre in Brighton and part of the FPMT network, is looking for a warm and organised volunteer to manage our not-for-profit shop. This flexible role is perfect for someone passionate about service and meaningful impact.
Click the Job Description for more information.To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter explaining your interest in working with Tara Institute and the FPMT to bookshop@tarainstitute.org.au. For all inquiries, please use the same email.
CENTRE UPDATES
Essential teachings by Geshe Doga
Two new books available at the TI Bookshop
If you’d like to arrange a house blessing, please reach out with your details
House Blessing Ceremony
We warmly invite you to experience a traditional house blessing, a sacred and meaningful ritual led by 2–3 Geshes from Tara institute (Tibetan Buddhist monks).
This ceremony brings spiritual clarity, harmony, and peace into your home — helping to remove obstacles and support the well-being of all who live there, both physically and mentally.
Shopping at the
TI Bookshop
The TI Bookshop stocks a range books on Buddhism, from introductory to advanced, including children’s books and books by the Dalai Lama, Lama Yeshe, Lama Zopa, Geshe Doga, and our Monday night teachers. It also stocks gift items like incense, malas, singing bowls, cushions, Tibetan rugs and more. TI members enjoy a 10% discount on all purchases. End-of-year specials include Meditation for Modern Minds, Vol 3, an introduction to meditation and Buddhism by our Monday night teachers.
NOTE: Thank-you to all our wonderful hardworking bookshop volunteers!
Café Bliss: Great Coffee, Delicious Food on TI’s Doorstep
Next door to TI, Café Bliss is a great spot for a coffee, chai latte, or vegetarian meal or snack with friends. It’s open for eat-in (or take-away) breakfast, brunch, lunch and snacks. The Bliss menu is available for delivery through Uber Eats or online take-away. Bliss also offers a dinner service prior to teachings on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 5:30pm to 8:00pm, served in the TI dining room – available to all, no booking required.
For more information, visit.
Tara Institute is now a donation partner in the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme!
You can now exchange eligible drink containers for 10 cents.
Together we can make a positive difference to our community and our environment.
All eligible drink containers are worth a 10 cent refund that you can either keep, or donate to a community donation partner. If you would like to donate the refund to Tara Institute, you can use this barcode or Donation Partner ID at the refund point when you deposit your containers.
To find your nearest donation point, go to https://www.returnit.com.au/vic/recycling-locations-return-it-vic/
MEMBERSHIP & SUPPORT
This enables the Tara Institute community to support the dharma and allow us all to receive precious teachings from Venerable Geshe Doga and Geshe Lobsang
Lama Zopa said: My point here is for you to understand what we are doing and what you are helping with. This is so that you can rejoice. It really is unbelievable, incredible, what you are helping with, and this creates so much benefit for the world and for sentient beings. This actually creates the cause to liberate so many beings. This is an incredible opportunity for you to rejoice, and if you rejoice and then dedicate the merits, it is amazing.
Tara Institute is a Buddhist centre located in Melbourne, Australia. Tara Institute is a non-profit incorporated association that is affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), a group of over 150 meditation centres worldwide.