Dharma College

09/01/2026

Choosing What Matters

Every day asks something of us.
Our time. Our energy. Our attention.

The question isn't whether we're making choices, it's whether those choices reflect what truly matters to us.

A meaningful life is often built through small decisions, made with care, over and over again.

09/01/2026

Your Brain Doesn't Need the Truth
Your brain has a very different job from what we sometimes imagine.

Its evolutionary task isn't necessarily to give you a perfectly accurate representation of reality.

Its task is to help you survive.

If seeing something as a dangerous animal helps you react quickly, that's useful.

If your brain can predict what will happen next, that's useful.

If it can ignore information that isn't important, that's useful.

Accuracy matters—but only within the boundaries necessary for functioning.

This creates a fascinating possibility:

Perhaps perception is less like looking through a window and more like running a useful simulation.

The simulation doesn't need to contain everything.

It needs to contain enough.

That means the world we experience may be a highly filtered version of something far more complex.

And once you understand that, certainty becomes a little more complicated.

The question isn't simply:

“Is what I perceive real?”

It becomes:

“How much of reality does my perception allow me to access?”

08/28/2026

Want to spend your Friday night with Dharma College?

Join us in person for an inspiring evening of conversation, ideas, and community at our next Berkeley Circle.

📅 Friday, September 18
🕡 6:30–8:30 PM
📍 Dharma College, Berkeley

If you’re local to the Bay Area, we’d love to have you with us.

Come spend your Friday evening exploring the mind, meeting new people, and sharing meaningful conversation.

Register here:

The Berkeley Circle is an invitation-only forum hosted by Dharma College in our historic downtown Berkeley building.

08/25/2026

JOIN A HISTORICAL MOVEMENT TO PRESERVE THE BUDDHA'S TEACHINGS IN BODHGAYA - https://mailchi.mp/331fb0489204/registration-is-now-open-for-the-21st-international-tipiaka-chanting-ceremony-14057599

07/21/2026

Our news from Dharma College:

Modern life gives us very little time to pause. A message arrives. Someone says the wrong thing. A plan changes. A worry appears. Before we know it, the body tightens, the mind races, and we are already speaking or acting from irritation, fear, or defensiveness.

07/05/2026

07/05/2026

Our second Berkeley Circle at Dharma College brought together internationally renowned neuroscientist Dr. David Presti and Khenpo Choyang Dorjee for a rich exploration of two timeless questions: What is the mind? And how does the ordinary mind differ from the nature of mind?

One of the unique aspects of the Berkeley Circle is that these conversations are not livestreamed or recorded. We have made this choice intentionally. In a world where almost everything is online, we want to preserve the rare opportunity to gather in person—to listen deeply, engage in meaningful dialogue, and ask the questions that truly matter in an intimate setting.

Attendance is intentionally limited to approximately 55 participants, creating a space where genuine conversation, reflection, and connection can flourish.

We invite you to join us for our next gathering:
Berkeley Circle #3
The Next Frontier Is Inner Space: What Neuroscience Reveals about Consciousness, Meditation, and Human Flourishing
August 21:

https://dharma-college.corsizio.com/.../6a3c6d63dbde1d339...

We look forward to welcoming you for another evening of inquiry at the intersection of science, contemplative wisdom, and human potential

06/23/2026

Join us for our Annual retreat at Ratna Ling Retreat Center from July 17-19th where we will be slowing down and experiencing Noble Silence. We'd love for you to join us and meet our senior faculty.

Many of us spend our days moving from one demand to the next. Even when there is finally a moment to pause, the mind often continues racing ahead—planning, worrying, remembering, and trying to keep up with a world that rarely slows down. Beneath that busyness, many people sense a deeper longing: a...

06/15/2026

This Saturday, June 20, come visit Dharma College and many other inspiring organizations dedicated to wellness, mindfulness, and human flourishing.

Bring your family, friends, and loved ones for a day of connection, learning, and community. The event is being hosted by our Dharma sisters at the Anubhuti Center in Novato, and we are delighted to be participating.

Stop by the Dharma College booth, meet our community, learn about upcoming programs, and pick up a complimentary wisdom quote book while supplies last.

We look forward to seeing you there!

06/15/2026

On behalf of Dharma, Executive Director Wangmo Dixey did it again! For the fifth time, we gathered at the White House to celebrate the sacred occasion of Vesak.

Buddhist leaders representing the Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions traveled from across the United States to join together in this meaningful observance. It was a beautiful and deeply moving day dedicated to prayers for world peace, compassion, and inner harmony.

Our heartfelt gratitude to the White House Faith Office for bringing together this special gathering and for recognizing the importance of Vesak as a time of reflection, wisdom, and loving-kindness.

On behalf of the International Buddhist Association of America, we wish everyone around the world a joyful and peaceful Vesak.
May the light of the Buddha's wisdom continue to inspire understanding, compassion, and peace for all beings.