WESTERN EXPRESSIONS OF TRADITIONAL DHARMA
Down-to-earth Tibetan Buddhist teachings, scholarship, and heartfelt meditations paired with an inspiring and often unexpected artistic component.
Expect deep Dharma delivered with deceptively simple, playful language.
DHARMA FRIENDS is a registered 501c3 under The Center for Compassion and Creativity, which was founded with a $100,000 seed grant from His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2013. We’re honored to be hosted by Tibet House US, the Tibetan Cultural Center of the Dalai Lama in New York City.
Resident Dharma Teachers
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Founder and Resident Teacher
Megan Mook holds a Master’s in Buddhist Studies and is a long-term student of both Tibetan Buddhism and yoga. A member of the Tibetan Translators Guild of New York, Megan has studied Tibetan translation with Dr. Robert Thurman and Dr. Lozang Jamspal, a Tibetan Lama with whom Megan studied and traveled for several years. The heart of Megan’s teaching is tender-hearted clarity, accessed through compassion and embodied awareness. Megan regularly offers Buddhist philosophy classes and meditation retreats and pilgrimages. MeganMook.com
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Resident Teacher
Kevin Townley is a writer, performer, and meditation instructor. His first book, Look, Look, Look, Look, Look Again: Buddhist Wisdom Reflected in 26 Artists, delves into the Five Wisdom Families of Tantric Buddhism through the lens of secular women artists. Kevin teaches regularly in Susan Piver’s Open Heart Project sangha, and has also studied at the Interdependence Project where he completed their teacher training in 2012. In 2022, Kevin guest-curated the Rubin Museum’s Brainwave Series. Kevin is passionate about exploring the interplay between meditation and art, always encouraging others to bring their own innate humor and insight to their meditation practice. KevinTownley.nyc
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Warm, light-hearted, and (just) a tad edgy.
Our community consists of long-term Tibetan Buddhist practitioners, total newbies, and spiritual seekers from a variety of traditions. Come learn, practice, and be nourished by art and community.
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Absolutely! Our practices and teachings are engaging for new and experienced practitioners alike. In each DHARMA FRIENDS event, seasoned teachers offer concise Buddhist philosophy to contextualize the theme and corresponding meditations.
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Dharma Friends is honored to partner with Dharma Gates, a non-profit dedicated to removing barriers for young adults to practice Dharma.
Dharma Gates sponsors young adults ages 18-35 to attend Dharma Friends for free/ by donation. Simply select this ticket option when you sign up.
FALL EVENT ONLY: Ages 18-35 tickets are $15.
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At DHARMA FRIENDS, everyone is welcome and valued. We are committed to fostering a community that values diversity.
Ages 18-35 attend for free through our sponsor Dharma Gates. For participants above 35, we have tired a pricing structure. Tibet House is wheelchair accessible.
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Awww, thanks!
Fill out the contact form, and let us know if you’d like to volunteer, donate, present, or get involved in some other way.
We’re a small team and extra hands are very appreciated!
FAQs
OUR PARTNERS
Tara Mandala
Tara Mandala generously hosts our ticket sales, and helps with all around production. Dharma Friends is honored to host Tara Mandala teachers and practices.
Tara Mandala is a vibrant international Buddhist Community with 40 international practice groups, anchored by a 700 acre retreat center and Buddhist Temple dedicated to the divine feminine in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Tara Mandala was estbaliehd in 1993 by Lama Tsultrim Allione and her late husband to foster innate wisdom for the benefit of all beings. Tara Mandala offers a robust calenar of retreats, online courses, and community practice opportunities for new to advanced practitioners.
Dharma Gates
Dharma Gates generously provides scholarships for young adults ages 18-35.
Dharma Gates is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to opening pathway into formal meditation practice for young adults. Working to eliminate conceptual, logistical, and financial barriers to practice, Dharma Gates offers by-donation multi-day retreats, online programs, sangha, and advising. To find out more, visit dharma-gates.org.
Young adults ages 18-35 attend Dharma Friends for free/ by donation through the generous sponsorship of Dharma Gates.