Past Programs
Naropa Extended Campus offers continuing education, professional development and public programs for the lifelong learner within us all. Our programs promote Naropa University’s core mission and values in ways uniquely adapted to meet your ongoing educational needs.
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Sex Positivity and White-Sex Supremacy:
A Book Talk with Carole Clements, MFA, MA
On June 27, 2024, Carole Clements, Associate Professor of Contemplative Psychology at Naropa University, hosted a critical—and queer—conversation (and book talk) about sex positivity and race. This talk examined how White Supremacy shapes bodies, sex, and sexuality through discourse, meaning how we talk or don’t talk about sex.
Café Contemplative: Mindfulness is for Everyone Series
Roots of Liberation: Integrating Ancestral Wisdom and Contemplative Practice for Ecological Healing and Collective Transformation
On June 13, 2024, Betsy Gonzalez Blohm shared contemplative practices for reconnecting to the roots of our ancestral wisdom. She also explored the synergy between mindfulness-based approaches and what is needed to support sustainable, life-giving service toward ecological healing and collective liberation.
Healing With The Ancestors:
Toltec Practices for Intergenerational Flourishing
From March 15-17 2024, Participants embarked on a journey of self-discovery and communal connection during this Weekend Wisdom Intensive led by mindfulness author, healer, and spiritual teacher, Brenda Salgado.
Rooted in her Nicaraguan heritage and enriched by her training in Toltec spirituality, Brenda invited participants to explore a profound vision for engaging with our ancestors and ancestral heritage, strengthening our bonds with one another, and forming a deeper relationship with the earth and its energies.
Lenz Foundation Distinguished Guest Lecture: Bill Porter (Red Pine)
On April 4, 2024, Naropa University and the Creative Writing & Poetics department were honored to host author and translator Bill Porter, known by his pen name Red Pine, as our Spring 2024 Lenz Distinguished Lecturer
In Porter’s exciting lecture, “Transcendence of the Mundane,” he explored the timeless wisdom of four Chinese poets, and his journey as a translator to echo their voices.
Café Contemplative: Mindfulness is for Everyone Series
What Is—and Isn't—a Contemplative Practice? Mindful Brains, Present Minds, and Wakeful Beings w/ Jordan Quaglia, PhD
On February 13, 2024, Dr. Jordan Quaglia explored why defining contemplative practice is not only possible—it matters. By clearly describing the essential elements and boundary conditions of contemplative practices, we can imagine a more diverse and wide-ranging realm of possible practices inspire us to rethink, refine, and expand our own approach.
Live Into Leadership: Engaging Our Inner Critic with Presence and Love
During this empowering evening workshop on November 7th 2023, leadership trainer and artist Rosi Greenberg led participants toward shifting their relationship with self-doubt to one of self-acceptance and appreciation, while also highlighting the deep systemic origins of imposter syndrome.
Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche
October 2023 Visit to Colorado
Naropa University and the Ri-mé Society were honored to sponsor Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche’s historic return to Colorado for three teaching events from October 14-21, 2023. Events included “Enlightened Courage: Vital Instructions for the Cultivation of Awakened Heart,” which was open to both students and the public, and offered in person and virtually. This was followed by two Abhishekas, or Vajrayana Buddhist empowerments, which were offer in-person only and each attended by more than 500 practitioners from around the world. Read more about Rabjam Rinpoche’s US tour in Lion’s Roar.
Holotropic Breathwork®
Intensive with Stacia Butterfield
From October 5-8, 2023, participants joined certified Holotropic Breathwork® practitioner, Stacia Butterfield, for four days of immersive breathwork sessions, contemplative practice, and community integration, and explored the inner insight gained from profound, non-ordinary states of consciousness.
Pioneered by renowned psychedelic researcher, Stanislav Grof, and his late wife, Christina Grof, Holotropic Breathwork® is a transformative practice utilizing accelerated breathing, immersive music, somatic awareness, and expressive arts to access healing states and a more integrated sense of self.
Best Minds: A New Look at Allen Ginsberg's
Madness and Creativity
On May 2nd, 2023, Extended Campus hosted Dr. Stevan Weine, author of Best Minds: How Allen Ginsberg Made Revolutionary Poetry from Madness, for a unique and thought-provoking discussion on the intersection of mental health and the arts, as revealed through the life and work of prolific poet Allen Ginsberg.
Using never-before-seen materials given to him by Ginsberg, Dr. Weine explored how the poet’s psychiatric and cultural experiences informed his creative process, transforming mental illness and madness into the most powerful and widely read poetry of the twentieth century.
Erotic Justice & Sexual Citizenship:
An Introduction
On April 20th, 2023, participants joined Associate Professor Carole Clements for an introduction to the concept of erotic justice and its relevance in today’s polarized cultural climate.
Attendees left this evening talk with a greater sense of openness in discussing sex and sexuality, as well as an expanded understanding of the role gender and sexuality play, not only in establishing diverse and inclusive communities, but in creating a widespread culture of belonging.
Yoga Nidrā & Nāda Yoga:
An Immersion in Somatic Meditation
and Sacred Sound
During this Weekend Wisdom Intensive from April 14-16, 2023, participants were introduced to the powerful practices of yoga nidrā, the yoga of guided somatic awareness, and nāda yoga, the yoga of sacred sound.
Guided by expert instructors Sreedevi Bringi, Sheela Bringi, and Brent Kuecker, attendees immersed themselves in the experiential, theoretical, and scientific aspects of these traditions, with the aim of establishing mindful awareness in blissful and deeply relaxing states.
WELCOME: Mindful Compassion Training
In this 8-week, 15-hour course, participants explored an integrative approach to mindful compassion training that blends cutting-edge research from neuroscience and psychology with practices and teachings from ancient wisdom traditions.
In Fall of 2022 and Spring of 2023, this course was offered in partnership with Naropa University’s Cognitive and Affective Science Lab, which conducted an online research study examining compassion training’s effect on personal and social well-being.
Let Your Light Shine:
Book Signing & Discussion with the Authors
On April 11th 2023, Naropa University in partnership with Holistic Life Foundation hosted the Colorado book launch of Let Your Light Shine: How Mindfulness Can Empower Children and Rebuild Communities by Ali Smith, Atman Smith and Andrés González.
In the book, Smith, Smith, and González describe their experience teaching yoga, meditation, and breathwork to thousands of at-risk kids in Baltimore schools, helping them to develop deep reserves of patience, empathy, resolve, and—when needed—the righteous anger that fuels deep structural change.
Frederick P. Lenz Foundation Distinguished Guest Lecture: Barbara Bash
On April 6th, 2023, Naropa University and the Visual Arts department hosted calligraphic artist, educator, and author Barbara Bash as the Spring 2023 Lenz Distinguished Lecturer.
Bash’s exciting lecture, titled “Mapping the Moment: The Calligraphic Voice” illustratively explored her insights and experiences from the early years of the Naropa Institute.
Returning the Self to Nature:
A Conversation with Jeanine Canty, PhD
Sacred Activism:
Social Justice as Spiritual Practice
Created and guided by author, sacred activist and Naropa professor Dr. Jennifer Bacon, participants explore the intersection of contemplative practice and social justice, and learn how an action-oriented, spirituality-infused approach to anti-racism can foster compassion and radically transform anger.
Compassion-Based Boundaries:
An Introduction
In daily life, we’re often confronted with difficult situations that demand we not only consider our own and others’ well-being, but also weigh possible tradeoffs between the two. How can we learn to better navigate challenging situations that push and pull our hearts and minds in multiple directions at once?
In this workshop on September 6, 2022, Director of Naropa’s Cognitive and Affective Science Lab, Jordan Quaglia, PhD, offered an introduction to what he calls compassion-based boundaries, a science-backed framework that provides practical skills for navigating complex interpersonal situations.
Tonglen: A Tool of Subtle Activism
How can we meet and engage with the pain we see in our own lives, in those around us, and in our world? What can we do to help?
Co-hosted by Extended Campus and the Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education (CACE), this experiential workshop on June 28, 2022, introduced to tonglen – “sending and taking” – an ancient Tibetan Buddhist compassion practice that enables us to turn towards difficulty with awareness and lovingkindness, and offer health, well-being, and abundance wherever it is most needed. Learn more about CACE.
Finding Your Peak State of Mind: A Conversation with Amishi P. Jha, PhD
On March 17, 2022, Extended Campus was pleased to host Naropa neuroscience faculty Jordan Quaglia, PhD and CU Boulder’s Renée Crown Wellness Institute Director Sona Dimidjian, PhD for a conversation with Amishi P. Jha, PhD as they discuss her new book, Peak Mind. Together, they explored the intersections between neuroscience and contemplative practice, discussed how Jha’s mindfulness-infused approach to brain training can increase focus and decrease interest in distractions, and examined how meditation can profoundly improve cognition and help you find a peak state of mind.
Lenz Foundation Distinguished Lecturer: Thupten Jinpa
On April 17, 2022, Naropa University was honored to host author, compassion researcher, Chair of the Mind and Life Institute, and principal English translator to the Dalai Lama, Thupten Jinpa, as our Spring 2022 Fredrick P. Lenz Foundation Distinguished Lecturer.
Jinpa’s public lecture, titled “A Buddhist Theory of Mental Transformation” explored a classical Buddhist understanding of how enduring mental transformation takes place, especially through knowledge, insight, and practice.
The Way Out is Through: From Empathy Fatigue to Compassionate Resilience
Hosted on November 8, 2021 by Naropa Extended Campus and the Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education (CACE), this online evening workshop reviewed a number of practical takeaways about compassion from the intersection of cutting-edge science and ancient wisdom traditions.
Instructors Jordan Quaglia, PhD and Charlotte Rotterdam, MTS shared practical skills and new perspectives around transforming empathy fatigue into compassionate resilience, particularly focusing on the ways compassion can reduce personal distress and burnout. Learn more about CACE.
Sufism and the Religion of Love
Can love and relationship be used as a tool for transforming consciousness? This Weekend Wisdom Intensive explored the intersection of love and spirituality, particularly as understood in the Sufi tradition’s infamous mazhab-i ‘eshq or “school of love.”
On March 11, 2022 Naropa faculty and head of the Inayati-Maimuni lineage of Sufism, Pir Netanel Miles-Yépez, guided participants in gaining a rich understanding of secular and non-secular teachings, practices, and stories that invited them to deepen their connection to self, other, and the metaphysical.
An Intimate Dialogue with Netanel Miles-Yépez
Hosted on October 28, 2021 by Naropa Extended Campus, religion scholar, philosopher, and Naropa Wisdom Traditions faculty Netanel Miles-Yépez was joined in dialogue by Naropa University graduate student, Greg Yamada. Together, Pir Netanel and the religious studies student shared stories, discussed Sufi and Hasidic principles and philosophy, and introduced Netanel’s new book, The Merging of Two Oceans: Nine Talks on Sufism & Hasidism.
In The Merging of Two Oceans, Miles-Yépez follows his In the Teahouse of Experience with a new collection of talks, laying the foundations for understanding the historical and spiritual connections between Sufism and Hasidism, two of the world’s great mystical traditions. Learn more about The Merging of Two Oceans.
Cynicism and Magic: Intelligence and Intuition on the Buddhist Path
This 7-week course, hosted by Extended Campus and the Chögyam Trungpa Institute from October 4 – November 15, 2021, explored Cynicism and Magic, a volume of never before published talks by Chögyam Trungpa, based on his first seminar at what became Naropa University.
Class sessions featured presentations and dialogues with the book’s editors, Naropa faculty, and distinguished authors, and focused on topics such as such as positive cynicism, meditation and the fourth moment, and artistic expression. Participants were with provided fresh perspectives on Buddhist teachings for uncovering intelligence and insight, and for transcending both nihilistic thinking and naïve faith on the path of meditation.
Cynicism and Magic: Book Celebration
Hosted on October 4, 2021 by Naropa Extended Campus and The Chögyam Trungpa Institute, this evening event celebrated the release of Cynicism and Magic, a new volume of never before published talks by Chögyam Trungpa, based on his first seminar at what became Naropa University.
Featuring discussion and Q&A with the book’s editors, Naropa University staff, and more, this event offered participants an opportunity to explore Chögyam Trungpa’s teachings about the real magic of positive cynicism, intuition, and critical thinking. Purchase a copy of Cynicism and Magic from our friends at Shambhala Publications. Learn more and support the Chögyam Trungpa Institute.
Anne Lamott & Neal Allen in Conversation
In this special evening event, hosted on June 3, 2021 by Naropa Extended Campus, spiritual coach and writer Neal Allen is joined in conversation by best-selling author and his wife Anne Lamott. Allen’s new book, Shapes of Truth: Discover God Inside You, provides a contemplative method for discovering one’s inner nature that is influenced by Eastern traditions, especially Sufism and Buddhism, as well as contemporary psychodynamics. Lamott’s best-selling spirituality books often explore a personal Christianity that is removed from the currently popular doctrinal evangelism. Together they discuss their collaborative writing life, practical approaches to spiritual practice, freedom from suffering, and much more. Purchase the book from our partners at Boulder Bookstore. Visit Neal Allen’s website at shapesoftruth.com.
