TARA INSTITUTE
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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
The Healing Group
With Kathi Melnic, William Liew, Kerry Whitlock
Held fortnightly on Thursdays, from 11am to 12.30pm
13 & 27 November (Thursdays) 2025
Sourcing both ancient and contemporary approaches to health and well-
being, the Healing Group incorporates guided meditations, explanatory
talks and discussions in each session.
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 23rd November |10am - 12pm |Brighton East
Long Life Puja
2025 Geshe Doga Long Life Puja
Each year, in order to thank our beloved teacher, Venerable Geshe Doga, for his unwavering commitment and kindness since 1984 to the students and friends of Tara Institute, a long-life puja is offered for Geshela’s long and healthy life.
We rejoice that this year we continue to acknowledge, celebrate and give thanks that our precious Venerable Geshe Doga has served Tara Institute for forty one years this year.
Tara Institute is indeed very fortunate to have Venerable Geshe Doga giving teachings and guiding us over these years.
The puja will be followed by a delicious lunch.
Sunday 14th December 2025 ~ 10am - 12pm | Brighton East
Celebrating Lama Tsong Khapa Day
Lama Tsong Khapa Day
Lama Tsong Khapa was considered an emanation of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom. He founded the Gelugpa lineage which continues to this day. Tara Institute and the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) exist as part of that lineage.
On this day, many thousands of Buddhists commemorate his anniversary by making candlelight offerings and singing praises so that the Buddha’s teachings will continue to flourish.
Please join us at TI, to share in this beautiful ceremony of chanting and meditation.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
You can also take this opportunity to accumulate enormous amount of merit by supporting the Lama Tsong Khapa puja in ways like:
making offerings for Tsog, flowers, torma offerings, light offerings, sangha offerings, participate in karma yoga for set up and clean up.
7th December 2025 ~ 10am - 3pm | Brighton East
Dharma talk followed by Family picnic day
Family Picnic Day
TI will hold a family day picnic on 7th December 2025. On this day from 11am, Geshe Lobsang will give a dharma talk, and lead prayers in the main gompa followed by a picnic at 12noon. Traditionally we share food from our many different cultures, enjoy relaxed conversation and play games. Bring picnic rugs, sunscreen, food, drinks, cricket bats and balls etc.
Please come along with family and friends to join us on this happy day
Note: if you are bringing food, please provide labels on the ingredients of the food you are bringing
For more information, contact Sophie or Jeremy at TI office on 61 3 9596 8900
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:
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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
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White Tara Mantra –
o Goal is 10 million mantras by July 2028
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer Book & 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
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.
Tibetan Community Prayers
for the Tibet Earthquake
Organised by Geshe Lobsang on behalf of the Tibetan Community of Victoria and Tara Institute, a prayer session was held at Tara Institute on Sunday 12 January for over 200 Tibetans from our local community. This was for the recent earthquake that struck Eastern Tibet, particularly in the Tringri region, which has claimed the lives of at least 126 Tibetans, with 337 more injured so far. This devastating event brought immense sorrow to the Tibetan community.
The prayer session honored the memory of our Tibetan brothers and sisters who lost their lives and to send collective prayers for the speedy recovery of those who are injured.
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.
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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.