Good relationships are foundational to a meaningful life and they can be a continuous source of frustration, disappointment, and suffering. Curious about that? Wish you had more skills for getting your needs met?

We human beings spend enormous energy seeking connection, yet intimacy can remain mysterious and confusing. We absorb models of relationship from family, culture, and let’s be honest, a remarkable amount of bad television. We carry assumptions we’ve never questioned, habits we inherited without choosing, and a baseline loneliness we’ve learned to mistake for normal.

Most of what makes relationships hard has less to do with finding the right person than with cultivating a deeper understanding of what we ourselves bring to the exploration. But that can be changed. Relationship building is a learnable skill set. And like most skill sets, it can be intentionally practiced, and gradually refined. The quality of our connections is, in fact, surprisingly workable.

In this Olio, we’ll deconstruct a handful of basic misunderstandings that may be costing you intimacy, pleasure, and joy. We’ll look honestly at what draws people together, drives them apart, and what it actually takes to sustain something at the deepest level of meaning. The facilitator is a Buddhist Lama. Through more than three decades of training she’s found how nearly 3,000-year old advice offers deep insights into relationship dynamics that are still very much relevant today.

If you still feel lonely in a city of 8 million people, this might be for you. Come curious. Leave with something useful.

Our teacher for the evening:
Lama Lekshe (Julia King Tamang) has been praticing Tibetan Buddhism since 1994 in Portland, Oregon, Nepal and India. Her teachers are Bokar Rinpoche, Khenpo Lodro Donyo Rinpoche, and Lama Michael Conklin. In 2018, she completed a traditional 3-year meditation retreat in the Shangpa Kagyu tradition. Before retreat, was a university teacher and a consultant to colleges. Lekshe is the founder of Dekeling.

The evening flow:

6:45- Doors open, grab a drink and get settled

7:10-7:30pm - Opening remarks from Lekshe and a guided meditation

7:30- Intimacy, Pleasure, and Joy: Relationships Olio begins

8:15- 8:40pm - Audience Q&A

8:45- Closing meditation?
9-10pm - Mingling at the Lighthouse

What Is an Olio?

Think Olio is an ongoing experiment in lifelong learning. We are a community of open-minded people who gather to exchange ideas with new friends and connect over art, literature, and philosophy.

Check out our full calendar

Our $30 membership gives you two events for the price of one!

An Olio is what we call the social learning events we’ve been organizing since 2015. A blend between a lecture and a house party, Olios are led by a teacher who loves sharing their passions and the room is filled with curious, open-minded New Yorkers.

Our goal is to spark new perspectives, ignite curiosity, and enjoy ourselves socially offering an alternative to typical nightlife options.

Disclaimer: By purchasing a ticket, you agree to have your photo/video used for social media/marketing materials. If you prefer to not have your photo taken, feel free to send us a note.

Photo by Zhi-Da Zhong

Intimacy, Pleasure, and Joy: A Buddhist take on Relationships

Intimacy, Pleasure, and Joy: A Buddhist take on Relationships