About us
Awaken in Toronto is a community of individuals dedicated to awakening in this lifetime. We practice Vajrayana Buddhism, which means that along with the study and practice of the Vajrayana path, we enjoy exploring a wide range of topics helping us to unfold spiritually.
We hold weekly online Zoom classes led by Lama Linda or one of our senior students to study, meditate and explore topics that can help lead to awakening.
We also offer weekend meditation retreats several times through the year at the Dharma Centre of Canada . This allows us to explore in greater depth some of life’s questions.
We also join together from time to time for discussion groups on topics such as Dying and Death, IFS and Integral Spirituality as well as explorations of art, music and recreational events.
Learn more on our website: awakenintoronto.org
To join our mailing list click here.
Upcoming events
11
Holistic Clearing Meditation: A 4-Class Series Inspired by Namgyal Rinpoche
·OnlineOnlineInstructor: Lama Linda
Dates: February 18, 25, March 4, 11
New Link to Zoom:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87469872916?pwd=dW45sm68Mj6aOeNWT2TYvJk32Wo4OX.1
Meeting ID: 874 6987 2916 Password: 108108This four-part series introduces Holistic Clearing Meditation, a method taught by Namgyal Rinpoche for recognizing and releasing the patterned ways the mind organizes experience. By exploring strengths, negatives, lacks, and the balancing of all three, we learn to free the energy tied up in habitual reactions and open into clearer, more spacious awareness.
### February 18 — Clearing Strengths
We begin by examining our strengths—the qualities we identify with, cling to, or use to reinforce a sense of self. Students learn to appreciate these capacities without grasping, allowing strengths to become flexible, joyful, and available rather than fixed or limiting.
### February 25 — Clearing Negatives
This class focuses on the difficult emotions, memories, and reactive tendencies we push away. Through gentle inquiry, we explore how meeting negatives directly dissolves resistance, restores resilience, and releases the weight of old patterning.
### March 4 — Clearing Lacks
Here we explore the subtle territory of lacks—places of numbness, absence, hunger, or “not enoughness.” By bringing curiosity to these empty zones, we awaken clarity, energy, and creativity where there was previously dullness or avoidance.
### March 11 — Balancing All Three
The final session integrates strengths, negatives, and lacks into a single, balanced field of awareness. Through holistic clearing practice, we learn to rest in an open, panoramic presence that is not pushed or pulled by any category.
Insert link to slides
Classes are offered on the ancient basis of Dana, also known as "give from the heart" or "pay what you choose." This allows you to pay according to your heart, and to what you value. Dana can be sent by e-transfer to dana@awakenintoronto.org or by PayPal to https://paypal.me/awakeningintoronto
Teacher Bio: Lama Linda (Linda Hochstetler) has explored consciousness and awakening for more than 30 years. She trained with Namgyal Rinpoche—the first Canadian-born Rinpoche—from 1995 until his passing in 2003, grounding herself in Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhist practices. She later continued her studies with Qapel (Doug Duncan), a successor in the Namgyal lineage, and received permission to teach under his guidance. She is the co-founder and leader of the Awaken in Toronto Sangha, where she teaches weekly online classes on consciousness and awakening principles, and leads retreats 4 times a year.
A registered social worker specializing in illness, dying, and death, Lama Linda also maintains a thriving private psychotherapy practice, has presented widely at conferences, and has been interviewed extensively on end-of-life topics. In 2021 she published her first book, 21 Days to Die: The Canadian Guide to End of Life. A mother, wife, and friend to many, she encourages her students to use their relationships as gateways to love more deeply and explore dharma more fully. She is devoted to weaving Buddhist teachings with Western psychotherapeutic approaches to support transformative change. www.lindahochstetler.com5 attendees
Vajrayana Concentration Practices
·OnlineOnlineInstructor: Lama Linda
Dates: March 18, 25 April 1, 8
New Link to Zoom:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87469872916?pwd=dW45sm68Mj6aOeNWT2TYvJk32Wo4OX.1
Meeting ID: 874 6987 2916 Password: 108108This series introduces the core concentration methods of Vajrayana Buddhism—training stability, clarity, and the capacity to rest in awake awareness. Each session offers a practical technique, its purpose, and how it supports deeper meditative insight.
We explore how Vajrayana works with form, energy, and awareness to gather scattered attention and reveal the mind’s natural luminosity. Whether you’re newer to practice or experienced, these sessions build confidence and consistency.What the Series Covers:
- 1. Shamatha with Support
Using breath, sound, or visual objects to develop steady attention, relaxed effort, and continuity.
2. Deity Forms as Concentration Objects
Simple visualization practice to hold luminous images with clarity while staying embodied and at ease.
3. Subtle Energy and Concentration
Working with breath and the central channel—such as vase breathing—to steady the mind and refine perception.
4. Nondual Shamatha
Resting directly in open, effortless awareness in the Mahamudra/Dzogchen style, where concentration and insight merge.
How it comes together - The series moves from form-based focus, to subtle-energy training, to resting in the natural state—offering a progressive, experiential map for stabilizing and deepening your meditation practice.
Insert link to slides
Classes are offered on the ancient basis of Dana, also known as "give from the heart" or "pay what you choose." This allows you to pay according to your heart, and to what you value. Dana can be sent by e-transfer to dana@awakenintoronto.org or by PayPal to https://paypal.me/awakeningintoronto
Teacher Bio: Lama Linda (Linda Hochstetler) has explored consciousness and awakening for more than 30 years. She trained with Namgyal Rinpoche—the first Canadian-born Rinpoche—from 1995 until his passing in 2003, grounding herself in Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhist practices. She later continued her studies with Qapel (Doug Duncan), a successor in the Namgyal lineage, and received permission to teach under his guidance. She is the co-founder and leader of the Awaken in Toronto Sangha, where she teaches weekly online classes on consciousness and awakening principles, and leads retreats 4 times a year.
A registered social worker specializing in illness, dying, and death, Lama Linda also maintains a thriving private psychotherapy practice, has presented widely at conferences, and has been interviewed extensively on end-of-life topics. In 2021 she published her first book, 21 Days to Die: The Canadian Guide to End of Life. A mother, wife, and friend to many, she encourages her students to use their relationships as gateways to love more deeply and explore dharma more fully. She is devoted to weaving Buddhist teachings with Western psychotherapeutic approaches to support transformative change. www.lindahochstetler.com2 attendees- 1. Shamatha with Support
Vajrayana Concentration Practices
·OnlineOnlineInstructor: Lama Linda
Dates: March 18, 25 April 1, 8
New Link to Zoom:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87469872916?pwd=dW45sm68Mj6aOeNWT2TYvJk32Wo4OX.1
Meeting ID: 874 6987 2916 Password: 108108This series introduces the core concentration methods of Vajrayana Buddhism—training stability, clarity, and the capacity to rest in awake awareness. Each session offers a practical technique, its purpose, and how it supports deeper meditative insight.
We explore how Vajrayana works with form, energy, and awareness to gather scattered attention and reveal the mind’s natural luminosity. Whether you’re newer to practice or experienced, these sessions build confidence and consistency.What the Series Covers:
- 1. Shamatha with Support
Using breath, sound, or visual objects to develop steady attention, relaxed effort, and continuity.
2. Deity Forms as Concentration Objects
Simple visualization practice to hold luminous images with clarity while staying embodied and at ease.
3. Subtle Energy and Concentration
Working with breath and the central channel—such as vase breathing—to steady the mind and refine perception.
4. Nondual Shamatha
Resting directly in open, effortless awareness in the Mahamudra/Dzogchen style, where concentration and insight merge.
How it comes together - The series moves from form-based focus, to subtle-energy training, to resting in the natural state—offering a progressive, experiential map for stabilizing and deepening your meditation practice.
Insert link to slides
Classes are offered on the ancient basis of Dana, also known as "give from the heart" or "pay what you choose." This allows you to pay according to your heart, and to what you value. Dana can be sent by e-transfer to dana@awakenintoronto.org or by PayPal to https://paypal.me/awakeningintoronto
Teacher Bio: Lama Linda (Linda Hochstetler) has explored consciousness and awakening for more than 30 years. She trained with Namgyal Rinpoche—the first Canadian-born Rinpoche—from 1995 until his passing in 2003, grounding herself in Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhist practices. She later continued her studies with Qapel (Doug Duncan), a successor in the Namgyal lineage, and received permission to teach under his guidance. She is the co-founder and leader of the Awaken in Toronto Sangha, where she teaches weekly online classes on consciousness and awakening principles, and leads retreats 4 times a year.
A registered social worker specializing in illness, dying, and death, Lama Linda also maintains a thriving private psychotherapy practice, has presented widely at conferences, and has been interviewed extensively on end-of-life topics. In 2021 she published her first book, 21 Days to Die: The Canadian Guide to End of Life. A mother, wife, and friend to many, she encourages her students to use their relationships as gateways to love more deeply and explore dharma more fully. She is devoted to weaving Buddhist teachings with Western psychotherapeutic approaches to support transformative change. www.lindahochstetler.com1 attendee- 1. Shamatha with Support
Vajrayana Concentration Practices
·OnlineOnlineInstructor: Lama Linda
Dates: March 18, 25 April 1, 8
New Link to Zoom:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87469872916?pwd=dW45sm68Mj6aOeNWT2TYvJk32Wo4OX.1
Meeting ID: 874 6987 2916 Password: 108108This series introduces the core concentration methods of Vajrayana Buddhism—training stability, clarity, and the capacity to rest in awake awareness. Each session offers a practical technique, its purpose, and how it supports deeper meditative insight.
We explore how Vajrayana works with form, energy, and awareness to gather scattered attention and reveal the mind’s natural luminosity. Whether you’re newer to practice or experienced, these sessions build confidence and consistency.What the Series Covers:
- 1. Shamatha with Support
Using breath, sound, or visual objects to develop steady attention, relaxed effort, and continuity.
2. Deity Forms as Concentration Objects
Simple visualization practice to hold luminous images with clarity while staying embodied and at ease.
3. Subtle Energy and Concentration
Working with breath and the central channel—such as vase breathing—to steady the mind and refine perception.
4. Nondual Shamatha
Resting directly in open, effortless awareness in the Mahamudra/Dzogchen style, where concentration and insight merge.
How it comes together - The series moves from form-based focus, to subtle-energy training, to resting in the natural state—offering a progressive, experiential map for stabilizing and deepening your meditation practice.
Insert link to slides
Classes are offered on the ancient basis of Dana, also known as "give from the heart" or "pay what you choose." This allows you to pay according to your heart, and to what you value. Dana can be sent by e-transfer to dana@awakenintoronto.org or by PayPal to https://paypal.me/awakeningintoronto
Teacher Bio: Lama Linda (Linda Hochstetler) has explored consciousness and awakening for more than 30 years. She trained with Namgyal Rinpoche—the first Canadian-born Rinpoche—from 1995 until his passing in 2003, grounding herself in Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhist practices. She later continued her studies with Qapel (Doug Duncan), a successor in the Namgyal lineage, and received permission to teach under his guidance. She is the co-founder and leader of the Awaken in Toronto Sangha, where she teaches weekly online classes on consciousness and awakening principles, and leads retreats 4 times a year.
A registered social worker specializing in illness, dying, and death, Lama Linda also maintains a thriving private psychotherapy practice, has presented widely at conferences, and has been interviewed extensively on end-of-life topics. In 2021 she published her first book, 21 Days to Die: The Canadian Guide to End of Life. A mother, wife, and friend to many, she encourages her students to use their relationships as gateways to love more deeply and explore dharma more fully. She is devoted to weaving Buddhist teachings with Western psychotherapeutic approaches to support transformative change. www.lindahochstetler.com1 attendee- 1. Shamatha with Support
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