Certificate Course in Applied Buddhist Psychology by WCCL Foundation (SPPU) (Offline)
The course aims to introduce students to the View, Meditation and Action available in the Buddhist Tradition. The Curriculum has been created under the guidance of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. The course is being offered by WCCL Foundation. It will be conducted in the Savitribai Phule Pune University campus. Master Classes are taught by Tibetan Buddhist Monks & Scholars. The course utilises Pune University recommended text books and syllabus. The course faculty is a visiting faculty at the Dept. of Pali & Buddhist Studies, SPPU.
Study of Mind Lecture Series
Generating a spirit of community, collaborating with various stakeholders to organise 29 teachings in 8 years in Pune. The Study of Mind Lectures are open to all, and are an excellent opportunity to listen and learn from Buddhist Teachers and Practitioners.
We will keep updating this space for announcements of the lectures.
Practice at Home Resources
Mind can be trained. Here are some of our choicest picks from over 84000 methods that Buddhism has on offer
- Sadhana of the Recollection of the Noble Three Jewels: Arranged for Daily Practice. त्रिरत्न अनुस्मृति साधना Download your copy of this beautiful practice text: Triratna Anusmriti Sadhana
- Bodhi Bhajan Project: Beautiful Bhajans & Songs related to Buddhist Philosophy
- Read Buddha’s Words. A gigantic project undertaken to translate the entire Sutra Pitaka from Tibetan into English. A tremendous opportunity for us to re-acquaint ourselves with the words of the Buddha. Visit the reading room at “84000 – Translating the Words of the Buddha”. Visit Visit the 84000 website here
- Visit: Deer Park Institute Website Study classical Indian wisdom traditions in Bir, Himachal Pradesh at Deer Park Institute.
- Visit: Buddhapada Institute Website Plan a trip to Buddha Pada Institute in Kalimpong to study, practice and contemplate.
- Undertake a pilgrimage to Buddhist sites armed with a copy of “Best Foot Forward” in which Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche offers pilgrims advice on every aspect of pilgrimage: where to go, what to do, the meaning of pilgrimage and generating the right motivation before leaving home.You can Download the e-book here
Ms. Asha Pillai-Balsara – Faculty for the School of Mind Training.
Asha is a Trainer and Adult-Learning Specialist who honed her skills in Top Management Corporate Training. As a Facilitator, Counselor & Creative Head in Pragati Learning Systems Pvt. Ltd.(now Pragati leadership centre) from 1992 – 2000, she facilitated workshops for all major corporations in India in the area of Self-Awareness, Personal Effectiveness, Team Building & Stress Management. Her corporate clients included: HDFC, Hindustan Lever Limited, Godrej GE, Wartsila NSD, Castrol, Johnson & Johnson, Cummins India, Thermax & Forbes Marshall. She provided consultation in the area of Diagnostic studies & surveys, 360-degree feedback & role clarity. In her capacity as Creative Head, she has designed resource material, newsletters and products with a team.
She was a resource person and volunteer for the Pragati Foundation, a Non- Profit Organization working in the area of Women and Youth development. She conducted programs for health workers in the ‘Women & Health’ Project (WAH!). She has been a counselor with the Good Work Centre – a subsidiary of Pragati Learning Systems Pvt. Ltd. During the course of her work, she has counselled over 500 individuals, primarily youth-career counseling. She has conducted ‘Living Life Successfully’ programs for youth. She has designed and conducted ‘Teachers Training Programs’ for Schools Like Sanjeevan Vidyalaya Panchgani, Karnatak High School Pune. She has conducted programs for women called WELL (Women Enjoying Life & Learning)
In 2001, along with the other founding members, she started WCCL Foundation, and assumed the leadership role of Executive Director, WCCL Foundation.
Asha is also instrumental in establishing the Buddhist Psychology as a theoretical foundation for therapy work in India. In the ABT Model, she designed the modules on ‘Subtle Energy Guide’ which became the ground on which the entire healing approach of ABT was built.
Until 2015, WCCL Foundation’s ABT Course was the only one in India. Under her leadership, WCCL has taken “ Capacity building” to the next level by developing a train-the-trainer program called “ABT Educator’s Program” (AEP).
She pioneered the ‘Study of Mind’ project (2010-2018). The project initiated by her allowed for creative collaboration between WCCL Foundation and various other organisations from the field of Indian Philosophy & Psychology (Department of Pali, SPPU, Siddhartha’s Intent Society, Tibet House, DGL Nunnery, Khyentse Foundation, Arth, Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health, Deer Park Institute. The aim of this collaborative effort is to promote the Indian traditions of mind-training, and establish it in a secular format.
Under the guidance of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche (Chairperson, Khyentse Foundation), she has designed the course syllabus for the Post Graduate Certificate Course in ‘Applied Mahayana Buddhist Psychology & Ethics’ (ABPE) at Dept. of Pali, Savitribai Phule Pune University. After establishing the ABPE course, two similar courses were established. They are called ‘Healing the Mind through Knowing the Mind’ offered by Arth, Mumbai and Banyan Academy for Leadership in Mental health (BALM), Chennai. She is visiting faculty in those courses as well. With the help of Geshe Dorji Damdul (Director, Tibet House Delhi) and Khenpo Choying Dorjee, she has written text books for the courses.