Course 1 CALM is designed to develop the mind through a myriad of the Buddha’s practices of mental-development, leading towards a mental-state of tranquil receptivity and mindful presence, the prerequisites for the arising of liberating insight through vipassana meditation.
In this six-month course our intention is to cultivate a consistent meditation practice (Program 1), empower the mind through ancient mindfulness techniques (Program 2), and awaken the limitless power of the human heart (Program 3).
This course contains three systematic, interrelated two-month meditation programs.
Upon completion of Program 1, you will have the option to continue with Program 2 and subsequently Program 3.
We look forward to having you be a part of our online community, the medium through which the transformative gifts of the Buddha’s teachings (Dhamma) may be transmitted.
Each program includes:
APPLICATION FORM
*Please visit our dāna page prior to submitting your application.
8-WEEK MEDITATION PROGRAM
The intention behind this initial program is to support practitioners in cultivating a consistent relationship with meditation, the most important ingredient for meditation to bear fruit. Through dedicated effort meditators will systematically develop a sustainable meditation practice using a variety of the Buddha’s techniques for mental development (cittabhavana).
In this program you will be supported and guided in the application of two different methods of Buddhist meditation:
Loving-Kindness (metta)
Tranquility (samatha)
In order to receive the benefits of meditation consistency is of utmost importance. For this reason, in the first week of Program 1, the recommended length of practice is between 5-10 minutes.
Beginning with attainable goals increases the sustainability of the practice, ensuring that your time will not be wasted and that your efforts will continue to serve you long after you complete this initial program.
8-WEEK MEDITATION PROGRAM
Mindfulness is exploding in popularity throughout the world. From corporate business to athletic performance, the idea of presence is a welcomed addition to our distracted contemporary culture. Nonetheless, the ancient teachings of the Buddha expound that mindfulness encompasses much more than just the act of being present.
In Program 2 we dive into the ancient teachings of mindfulness (sati), gaining intellectual and experiential understanding into what mindfulness actually is and why it is vital for our our mental and physical well-being.
Over the 8-weeks of this program we will work with the following practices:
Primary Practice:
Tranquility (samatha)
Secondary Practices:
Walking (cankama)
Loving-Kindness (metta)
Engaging with new and challenging variations to our samatha practice and the new practice of walking meditation (cankama), practitioners will build upon their efforts from Program 1, systematically developing the mind and rewiring the brain, replacing inefficient neural networks of distraction with new neural patterns of mindful presence.
8-WEEK MEDITATION PROGRAM
The scriptures of the Buddha, recorded primarily in the ancient language of Pāli, apply the word ‘citta’ for both mind and heart. As such, you will we often see citta translated as the ‘heart-mind’.
Until this point we have predominantly been working with the more mechanical aspects of mind-training. Now, in Program 3, we step into the heart of our practice, exploring the ancient practices of the heart that are of imperative importance for progress upon the path. It has been said that without integrating the practice of loving-kindness, mindfulness can only take us so far.
In this program we will engage with the following practices:
Primary Practice:
Loving-Kindness (metta)
Secondary Practices:
Walking (cankama)
Tranquility (samatha)
In this program, through study and committed loving-kindness practice, practitioners will witness first-hand the power of metta practice to reawaken the limitless potential of the human heart.
