Staying Compassionate in a Troubled World
with Geshe Legtsok

Wed Dec 2, 6:30-8pm EST ONLINE

The world can feel overwhelming. The constant influx of troubling news—from the climate crisis, to political division and artificial intelligence—can make it easy to feel discouraged and cynical. “Staying Compassionate in a Troubled World” is about learning how to face the world’s problems honestly without allowing them to consume or harden us. In this class, we’ll explore how to remain engaged while still protecting our capacity for kindness, compassion, and hope. Drawing on wisdom from His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the psychologist Steven Pinker, we’ll look at how an alternative perspective can help us face challenges without falling into despair or believing that everything is getting worse. The goal isn’t to ignore what’s wrong with the world, but to learn how to see it clearly while remaining the kind of person we want to be.

Other Teachings with Geshe Legtsok

The Art of Not Taking It Personally with Geshe Legtsok

Tue Dec 1, 6:30-8pm EST ONLINE

Rudeness, negativity, and difficult personalities can have an outsized impact on our day. Explore practical ways to maintain a sense of well-being even when the people around us are challenging. To register, click here.

Sacred Symbols Across Traditions: Where Buddhist & Christian Symbolism Meet with Geshe Legtsok

Fri Dec 4, 6:30-8pm EST ONLINE

Learn what sacred symbolism in different traditions, like the vajra and the bell or bread and wine, can teach us about the union of opposites as a path toward wholeness. To register, click here.

Important Note

This is an online-only event that is administered using Zoom.

After registering, the system automatically sends a confirmation email (if opted in) and/or a receipt email that contains the Zoom meeting link and/or other instructions. Some email domains like Yahoo, AOL are rejecting the auto emails. If you don’t immediately receive the system email(s) or you have any other questions, please contact us at registration@shantidevanyc.org. 

Registration/ Schedule

Suggested: $20 per session
Other offering options: free, $5, $10, $30

The suggested amount supports teacher offerings, rent, and other center expenses -and most importantly, it keeps teachings freely available to everyone, with session recordings shared on the center’s Recorded Teachings page and YouTube channel. Shantideva member benefits will apply automatically if you have a membership in MindBody.
 

If you prefer to donate using PayPal (i.e. not through the registration system), please click the Register button and select the “Donate via PayPal” option to get the Zoom link AND then visit this link to donate. Please note that donation via PayPal alone is separate from and not a registration.

Shantideva Center may publish recorded sessions in the public domain (e.g., on YouTube). By registering for this event, you are agreeing to give your consent to this process. Please be conscious of any personal information you share. Recordings are typically made to spotlight only on the teacher or facilitator so participants are usually not visible.

Register

Time zone: US Eastern Standard Time (GMT/UTC-5)

For questions regarding registration, please email registration@shantidevanyc.org for assistance.

Recordings

Available soon.

Dana for the Teacher

Shantideva Center makes offerings to our teachers and facilitators using the funds collected through registration. You can give additional support to the teacher or facilitator and create a stronger karmic connection by offering dana. Please make sure to select the teacher’s or facilitator’s name in the dropdown menu. Dana offered is passed entirely to them, but please note that it is not tax-deductible.

About the Teacher

Geshe Tenzin Legtsok has been ordained as a Buddhist monk since 2001 and is the first American to complete the twenty-year Geshe Studies Program in classic Indian Buddhist treatises and their Tibetan commentaries at Sera Jey Monastic University in South India, following the tradition of ancient Nalanda University. In 2025, he completed the traditional study of tantra at Gyudmed Tantric Monastery.

With over two decades of study and practice under the guidance of great masters, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Geshe Legtsok brings profound insights into the application of Buddhist teachings. Born in Virginia, USA in 1973, he earned a Bachelor of Arts from Kenyon College in 1995. His quest to answer the question, “What makes for the most happy and meaningful life,” led him to major in philosophy, eventually guiding him to study meditation and philosophy with teachers among the exiled Tibetan communities in India and Nepal since 1999.

Dedicated to studying and teaching Buddhist philosophy, Geshe Legtsok seamlessly blends ancient wisdom with modern-day relevance. His teachings emphasize understanding and transforming the mind through practice, and he is committed to helping others navigate the spiritual path with clarity and patience.