Welcome to Iowa City's Tibetan Buddhist Dharma Center
We are a home for meditation, the cultivation of compassion, and the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. The center is under the spiritual direction of His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche who is known for his vast realization, attainment, and great compassion. Everyone is welcome at the center.
Fall 2025 . Weekly Schedule
WEDNESDAYS | 5:15–6:00pm
Silent Meditation: Building Inner Calm
Calm abiding meditation, offers an opportunity to cultivate stillness and stability of mind, free from distraction and agitation. We will gather at 5:15pm and begin meditation at 5:20pm.
Location: Garchen Mila Buddhist Center, The Paul Helen Building, 209 East Washington Street, Suite 200 –in downtown Iowa City,
No registration or fee: Drop-in. Regular visitors are invited to become a member. If you are not able to become a member please consider making a donation for your time at the center. There is a donation box located near the entrance.
SUNDAYS | 10:00–11:15am
Meditation & Dharma Study
Each Sunday morning, we’ll share a guided compassion meditation, using the Tibetan mantra “Om Ah Hung.” We will also read and reflect together on core Buddhist teachings. Everyone is welcome, whether you’re new to meditation or have an established practice.
Location: Garchen Mila Buddhist Center, The Paul Helen Building, 209 East Washington Street, Suite 200 –in downtown Iowa City,
No registration or fee: Drop-in. Regular visitors are invited to become a member. If you are not able to become a member please consider making a donation for your time at the center. There is a donation box located near the entrance.
News
MESSAGE from Garchen Ratnashri Ukraine Sangha
Garchen Ratnashri Ukraine
2025 Fundraising Campaign
Dear Friends,
Since the brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022, your generous support has enabled our Ukrainian Sangha — Garchen Ratnashri Ukraine — to help many people, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist, who have suffered the horrors of this devastating war.
We have created a short video about the impact of your generosity during the previous fundraising campaign launched in 2022 and the current situation in Ukraine. You are warmly invited to watch it here. Here you can also watch the Ukrainian Sangha practices a Smoke Offering in a ruined Ukrainian town to help the spirits and the environment.
As you can see, your help has made an immense difference.
We humbly ask for your support once more:
Even a small donation can make a meaningful difference for our center, which has become a refuge and spiritual home during these challenging times. May, through the pure intention and bodhichitta of us all, the brutality of violence — which is suffering and ignorance, which is the cause of suffering — dissolve, leaving the ever-present happiness inseparable from boundless love.
WAYS TO SUPPORT US:
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Thru White Lotus Buddhist Center (U.S. Account)
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Thru Lama Dawa Zangmo’s PayPal (Canadian and U.S. Accounts)
Contact Lama Dawa Zangmo: zhuravkat@gmail.com
Contact Maryna Semenyuk, Head of Garchen Ratnashri Ukraine (Ukrainian Account): Maryna.Semenyuk@gmail.com
MAY ALL BEINGS BENEFIT!
Video on the impact of 2022 fundraising campaign:
Video of the Ukraine Sangha Smoke Offering:
Zoom Sangha
Zoom Sangha sessions are a welcoming way to explore Buddhist teachings and meditation with a diverse range of teachers and communities. All session times are listed in Chicago time.
Daily Prayers and Practices
Weekdays | 10:00–11:00am
~with the Gar Drolma Buddhist Center sangha in Dayton, OH
Join Khenpo Samdup and international sangha online
Join us as we practice with the the Gar Drolma Center in Dayton, Ohio and international sangha on Zoom. The community is a group of devoted Dharma practitioners under the leadership of Khenpo Samdup Rinpoche and senior practitioners. The practices include daily prayers and deity practice including Shakyamuni Buddha, Achi Chokyi Drolma, Parnashavari, the Seven Verses of Supplication to Tara, and Vajrapani.
How to Attend: Pre-registration is not necessary. Zoom Meeting Info Request [ Once you receive the meeting ID and password using the form above, simply visit Zoom.us, click “Join a Meeting” and enter the Meeting ID and password. ] Questions: sangha@milarepaiowa.org
TEXTS for download: Daily Practice Book
Weekly Meditation and Discussion
Mondays | 5:30pm–6:00pm ~Meditation | 6:00–7:00pm ~Discussion
~with Drikung Kagyu Dharma Circle in Madison, WI
Join Drikung Kagyu Dharma Circle sangha online
Join the Drikung Kagyu Dharma Circle sangha and others in silent meditation and warm-hearted discussion. We are reading Thich Nhat Hanh’s book “In the Heart of Buddha’s Teaching, Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy and Liberation.” It is not necessary to have read the book in order to attend.
ALL WELCOME NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!
How to Attend: Pre-registration is not necessary. For Zoom information email: Dkdcbodhi@gmail.com or call: 608-209-8432
Information & Location
HEALTH: Please do not attend if you are feeling at all ill or know that you have been exposed to a contagious disease.
DANA-Generosity. Our programs are offered mostly free of charge. Regular visitors are invited to become members to support the Center. Occasional visitors are encouraged to make a modest donation.
SEATING options include both cushions and chairs. Kindly take off your shoes before entering the practice area.
Dharma Center Location: The Dharma Center is located on the second floor of the Paul-Helen Building at 209 East Washington Street (Suite 200) in downtown Iowa City. The entrance to the building faces the Dubuque Street pedestrian mall. There is an elevator that opens directly to our doorway. The building and the center are accessible to individuals with mobility difficulties.
Parking: Iowa City’s downtown streets have metered parking. Parking is also available in three ramps with entrances from Dubuque and Linn Streets (Sheraton Hotel), Clinton and Capitol Streets (Old Capitol Center), and Iowa Avenue (Clock Tower Place).
WE OFFER OUR MEDITATION IN THE TRADITION OF GENEROSITY…
The Garchen Mila Buddhist Center upholds the ancient 2600-year-old Buddhist custom of offering teachings without cost. Staffed exclusively by volunteers, the center functions through the kindness of our members, enabling us to provide meditation sessions to the community without any fees. For those who decide to make our center a regular part of their journey, we invite you to join us as a member and contribute to the sustenance of our programs. For those who drop by occasionally, a modest donation for the day would be greatly appreciated.
To send membership by mail, please send checks to:
P.O. Box 5352, Coralville IA 52241
Milarepa Buddhist Center of Iowa
