We’re excited that conditions have come together for us to host a long New Year’s course at our beautiful Minneapolis Center (aka Park Ave 🥰) with our great friend and traveling teacher, Alfonso Costa.

It’s wonderful that so many friends will be joining us from near and far to share this time—meditating, learning, and simply being together.

Below you’ll find some helpful information:

PRE-REGISTER
Please help us plan by registering in advance and listing any food allergies
Register Here

SPECIAL EVENING: NEW YEAR’S EVE DINNER
We’ll close out 2025 with a delicious festive dinner. A Surf-and-Turf option will be available for those who’d like to celebrate with us. A dance party will most likely follow.

ACCOMMODATION
We’re fortunate to have a spacious center and many local sangha members who can host visitors. A sleeping bag and pad are helpful, but if you’re traveling from far away and want to pack light, please let us know—we’ll make sure everything is arranged for you.

TRAVEL
For friends flying in from other regions, we’ll do our best to arrange airport pickups.

COURSE PROGRAM
You can find the tentative program below. Depending on attendance, we may add extra lectures on Thursday and Friday.

Dec 31, Wednesday
6pm Lecture: Death and Rebirth followed by the 16th Karmapa Meditation
8pm New Year’s Eve Special Dinner
11pm Park Ave Slide Show, Bodhistavva Promise, and Midnight toast

Jan 1, Thursday
9am 16th Karmapa Meditation
11am Brunch
12pm Personal practice, (opt for q&a or lecture)
1pm City walk
3 pm Personal practice
5pm Ngondro explanations
6pm Dinner
7pm Lecture: Ngondro – The Four Preliminary Practices
16th Karmapa Meditation

Jan 2, Friday
9am 16th Karmapa Meditation
11am Brunch
12pm Personal practice, (opt for q&a or lecture)
2pm Break
3 pm Personal practice
5pm Ngondro explanations
6pm Dinner
7pm Lecture: Using Buddhist methods to transform disturbing emotions and obstacles on one's way.
16th Karmapa Meditation

Jan 3, Saturday
8am Personal practice
9am breakfast
10am 16th Karmapa Meditation
10:30am Break
11:00am Personal Practice
1pm Lecture/Panel: Q&A
3pm Personal practice
6pm Dinner
7pm Lecture: Love and Partnership
16th Karmapa Meditation
9pm Film

Jan 4, Sunday
8am Personal practice
9am Breakfast
10am Lecture: Teacher and Student Relationship
16th Karmapa Meditation
1pm Lunch
2pm Clean up
6pm Public meditation (OPEN HOUSE & 30 min intro talk)

We’re looking forward to a wonderful course and joyful time together.

Please write to dwbcmpls@gmail.com if you have any questions.

ABOUT THE TEACHER

Alfonso Costa was born in Peru in 1977. He took refuge with Lama Ole Nydahl in 2002. Since 2012, at Lama Ole’s request, he has been teaching the basics of Buddhism in many countries. He currently lives in Immenstadt, Germany, with his wife and son.