Timeless Wisdom To Remedy Extreme Thinking
The Middle Way Initiative is an educational nonprofit Buddhist organization that supports and encourages spirited conversation around the Buddha’s most essential teachings.
2026 MWI "Year of the Horse" Special Edition T-shirt
Your purchase provides direct financial support for The Middle Way Initiative, an educational non-profit dedicated to spirited conversation around the Buddha’s most essential teachings under the guidance of Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel.
We invite you to visit The Middle Way Initiative website to enjoy Elizabeth's Open Question Podcast series and for upcoming teaching events.
Thank you for supporting MWI!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Please join us for the livestream of Leaning Into the Haunted Dominion of the Mind (2026) with Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel
Dharma encourages us to work directly with the challenging aspects of life. It never recommends that we avoid them. Some methods - like the methods of chod or cutting through - take us straight to the heart of the matter. Unless you are willing to expose the ego and lean into the things that scare you, liberation is not a possibility. Yes, this may sound scary…but think twice, because things may not be as they seem.
In this day-long retreat, Elizabeth will share a brief history of chod and discuss the view of its founder, Machig Labdron. There will also be guided meditation and plenty of time for discussion.
For this program, Dungse Jampal Namgyel and Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel will join forces to share their enthusiasm for Lojong. The program will include teachings, guided meditations, and lively conversations.
Recommended reading for this program is The Intelligent Heart: A Guide to the Compassionate Life by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche.
Annual Teachings on the Three Yanas of Tibetan Buddhism
NSS is a nine-day annual program where Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, Dungse Jampal Norbu, and Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel offer teachings on the Three Yanas: Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Together, these paths represent the complete structure of Tibetan Buddhism. The event is held at Phuntsok Choling in Ward, CO.
OPEN QUESTION PODCAST: LATEST EPISODES
In episode 701, Elizabeth takes us through a classical teaching on the 12 links of dependent origination, which explores the genesis of our confusion, the dazzling spectacle of samsara, and how we can free ourselves from it. “When we feel confused about why we are practicing” she suggests, “just look at the wheel of becoming and it will remind you that there is nothing mystical about liberation. It is very matter-of-fact and within our reach.”
In this episode, Elizabeth explores the third aspect of bodhicitta: absolute bodhicitta. She uses the story of the 11th century Mahasiddha, Tilopa, and his disciple, Naropa, to illustrate the necessity of disrupting delusion in the context of spiritual awakening. At the heart of it all lies a deep exploration of the meaning and experience of what is real.
In this episode, Elizabeth opens up the topic of ‘engaged’ bodhicitta focusing on generosity. She weaves her experience of her recent trip to India with the story of Sujata, the young woman remembered for reviving Prince Siddhartha after his six years of austerities. Sujata offered him a bowl of sweet milk-rice, reviving his body with energy, enabling him to make his way to the Bodhi Tree, to attain enlightenment and become the Buddha. What happens when we conspire together to release generosity into life?
RECENT EVENTS & RECORDINGS
Burning With Love in a World We Can’t Fix
We often wish we could fix the world - bring it to a static state of peaceful equilibrium. Of course, that’s impossible, not because the world is broken, but because life is too dynamic for the likes of our ideas. The path of the bodhisattva centers on navigating our way through the heart of this predicament in the most stunning way. Elizabeth will use the story of the bodhisattva, Avalokiteshvara - The One who doesn’t avert his attention from the suffering of beings - to explore this topic.
Register today »
Please join Elizabeth on Saturday, March 21, 2026 from 10am- 12pm MT USA for her first Open Question Podcast Forum, “Awakening to The Nature of Appearance.” In this group setting, Elizabeth will lead us in opening up and more deeply exploring her latest Open Question Podcast episode 701: “The Great Escape.” This podcast forum will include guided meditation, teachings by Elizabeth, and a rich opportunity for discussion and questions.
Recordings available forOQ Live Conversation: “Essence Love” with Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel and Tsoknyi Rinpoche.
LATEST BLOGS AND NEWSLETTERS
Accessing the Richness of Phenomena. From “Living Dharma” Talk 2. Saturday, February 24, 2024. Phuntsok Choling, Ward, CO.
Acessando a Riqueza dos Fenômenos. From “Living Dharma” Talk 2. Saturday, February 24, 2024. Phuntsok Choling, Ward, CO.