Meditation

Sitting meditation is an ancient practice that is fresh and completely applicable in today's world. It is a way that we can make a direct and simple relationship with our experience, by helping us cultivate the ability to be in the present moment. The awareness that meditation or mindfulness brings can be a source of personal insight and self-understanding. It is also empirically proven to reduce stress and anxiety.

This six-week course is ideal for beginners and experienced practitioners alike. These classes will offer practical instructions for living in an awakened way through mindfulness awareness practice, which connects us with our mind's inherent stability, clarity and strength and allows us to extend friendliness toward ourselves and others. The class will give students a basic grounding in the principles of meditation, as well as practical ways to bring meditation practice into everyday life.

The basic meditation practice presented is called shamatha/vipassana. These are Sanskrit words meaning "calm abiding" and "clear seeing" respectively. Shamatha is a practice which uses the breath as the focal point. It is designed to quiet our mind by gently bringing it to rest on the breath. Over time as our mind becomes quieter and more spacious we are able to practice/access vipassana. Having a quiet mind makes it possible for us to see our world and ourselves more clearly. Along with this clarity comes a level of confidence in our ability to work with the world.

Each class is one hour long and is structured with practice, a brief philosophical talk as well as time for questions and discussion.

Please call to inquire about any upcoming sessions. At this time, we do not have a session scheduled. If you are interested, please let us know so we may form a session.