When developing a Buddhist practice there are three important components to the path: view, meditation, and action. Of course, understanding the principles of right view and developing a meditation practice are essential parts of any practice. In addition, at Lion’s Roar we believe that “meditation in action,” taking what we have learned into the real world to help others, is the fruition of our practice.

As Bodhisattvas, or “awakening beings,” we are showing up in the world to say, “How can I help?” In Tibetan, Bodhisattva can also be translated as “heroic being.” Our practice is not just about sitting on a cushion; Dharma practice means we work with the impossible situations, responding with compassion and sharing our happiness and wisdom with others.

Buddhist Chaplaincy

Lion’s Roar’s senior teachers and monastics are here to offer the community transition ceremonies, prayers, and perform offerings for many different purposes in our lives. We may need a new home blessed, a thangka or Buddha statue consecrated, obstacles removed for a business venture and the like.

We offer prayers and ceremonies to pacify the mind and decrease fear for those who are ill, in mental or physical pain or dying. We are available to joyfully officiate at weddings, auspicious birthdays and anniversaries.

Our ordained sangha and senior teachers hold everything in strictest confidence. You can request that any of the ceremonies, rites or prayers be performed for yourself, for family and friends, or for all sentient beings. They can be performed in your home or at another location of your choosing. All services are based on donations and your donations are tax deductible.

Compassionate Service

Lion’s Roar has a strong interest in supporting and generating projects that benefit the overall welfare of the community including health, safety, food and shelter. We support active investigation into how we can help heal the community, sharing wisdom and joy.

Sustainable Service Program

Tenzin Chogkyi at Lion's Roar Dharma Center, Sacramento, CA

Tenzin Chogkyi

Lama Yeshe Jinpa teaches the entire Buddhist path of view, meditation, and action. A big part of the action aspect of the path is compassionate action. With the intention of enlarging the compassionate action of Lion’s Roar Dharma Center, the Sustainable Services Program: Strategies for Supporting Our Compassionate Action was created by Lama Jinpa and Tenzin Chogkyi, and was piloted by Tenzin Chogkyi in 2025-2026. We will be repeating the program in 2026-2027.

We all need support to shore up our commitment and strengths, to persevere and sustain our compassionate action in the world, which includes service in our jobs, as family members, as volunteers as well to our friends and our community. The goal of this course is to provide strategies, including meditations and other practices, to support your path of compassionate service in the world.

The Program consists of eight modules:

  • Clarifying Our Intentions – How can we be clear that our authentic intentions benefit ourselves and others? An exploration of our core values can support our highest aspirations and also affirm what is most meaningful for us.
  • Building Resilience by Balancing Empathy – Balancing our empathy helps us build a way of relating to others that doesn’t burn us out, but draws forth our best ability to help ourselves and others.
  • What’s Holding You Back – We explore the obstacles to the spiritual path and the path of service, and how we might be able to apply awareness and compassion to overcome them.
  • Compassionate Boundaries – How do we help others while taking care of ourselves? How can we say “no” and set limits with compassion, allowing us to show up sustainably, thus avoiding burn-out.
  • Managing Conflict Compassionately – We gain insight into how conflict works, why it happens, and practical skills and steps we can use to address conflict.
  • Self-compassion – Exploring what self-compassion is and is not and how it can make us happier.
  • Managing Emotions Mindfully – We learn the function of emotions, recognize and work with emotional triggers and cultivate constructive emotional responses.
  • Reclaiming Joy – Are joy and compassion contradictory? Or can joy be used to sustain our spiritual path and practice? We will learn practices to enhance and savor our joy, thereby energizing our compassionate action.

The 2026-27 Sustainable Service Program will consist of a selection of the above modules, beginning May 9 with Building Resilience by Balancing Empathy. Other modules will be presented in July 2026, October 2026 and January 2027. For more information, contact Susan Farrar at  info@lionsroardharmacenter.org

Delek Program

The Delek Program is a monthly gathering of Lion’s Roar attendees actively engaged in service and interested in learning skills to support ourselves and be more helpful to others. The Delek Program is open to anyone who wishes to participate. The Program was created by Lama Jinpa and is facilitated by Susan Farrar.

Part of our activity is studying relevant Buddhist texts and contemporary literature, such as Thupten Jinpa’s A Fearless Heart: How the Courage to be Compassionate Can Transform our Lives. We discuss our experiences as caregivers, community service volunteers, family members and workers – all the many ways we may serve others.

In addition to these monthly meetings, in 2026-27, Tenzin Chogkyi will offer an afternoon retreat four times a year. Members of the Delek Program and other community members offering service are invited to participate. In these sessions, we will work on maintaining and building the skills introduced in the Sustainable Service Program. Tenzin will offer her guidance and expertise to the group as we discuss personal experiences, obstacles and questions in terms of offering service that have recently arisen. We will also inspire each other by sharing the multiplicity of opportunities to serve our wider Sacramento community and planning ways to volunteer together. For more information, contact Susan Farrar at info@lionsroardharmacenter.org.

Community Partnership

At Lion’s Roar we believe that developing relationships with the community is an essential aspect of widening the circle of Bodhisattva activities and helping others.  We invite guest teachers and develop relationships with temples, churches, and other Dharma centers.  We invite partnerships with other community groups that share our common interest and vision for an enlightened community.

Reaching Out – A Community Collaboration

Lion’s Roar, in collaboration with Bethany and Faith Presbyterian churches, collects personal care products to be distributed monthly to needy families in the South Sacramento area. The monthly distribution of many items, from clothing to books to personal care products is held every last Saturday of the month at the Bethany Presbyterian church campus. For more information, contact Susan Farrar at info@lionsroardharmacenter.org.