Meditation as Embodied Presence
An nine-month inquiry into the heart
Term 1 | Discovering Compassionate Embodied Presence | Oct. 14 thru Dec. 9 - No class on Oct. 28 and Nov. 25
Term 2 | The Path of Meditation | Jan. 13 thru March 3
Term 3 | Waking Up to Your Life | March 31 thru June 2 - No class on April 28th and May 5
Thursdays 6-8pm; 7-8 classes per term
Hosted via Zoom throughout.
Guided by Audrey Perkins, MA and Kate Gallagher, MA, 500 e-RYT.
Uncertainty is our human inheritance, a truth that has been made ever more obvious by the global events of the last two years. Presence, compassion, and wisdom are a tremendous refuge as we endeavor to meet the full spectrum of our human lives--the confusion, fear, longing, anticipation, connection, joy-- the whole catastrophe, as Jon Kabat-Zinn calls it.
The good news is we can train to cultivate the inner resources that provide a refuge from being helplessly yanked around by life’s inevitable uncertainties. These protective qualities--embodied presence, compassion, and wisdom--are always available to us, yet paradoxically emerge with skilled training over time. This program emphasizes direct experience and a systematic development of meditative skills and methods that are hard to cultivate through “drop-in” sessions, the use of apps, and casual practice.
The curriculum is secular in nature and draws heavily from the teachings of the Buddhist tradition and the subsequent field of mindfulness. Rather than studying dogma or relying on texts to find “the Truth,” we use the teachings to reveal intuitive insight and become more familiar with the dynamic landscape of being human. Fueled by loving curiosity, we become walking, breathing laboratories, applying the teachings to meet our own experiences, moment by moment and seeing what happens!
Throughout, group connections will be fostered as we explore, practice, and train within three defined modules. Brief readings (less than 20 minutes) will accompany most class sessions. This program is limited to 30 participants. Campus and community members far and wide interested in deepening contemplative presence on a day-to-day basis and learning a long-term meditative arc of development are welcome. For more information, view our program learning outcomes/intentions, read the FAQs, and/or reach out to Kate at [email protected].
Required texts: Attention Revolution by B. Alan Wallace. Links to additional web articles will be provided.
Prerequisites: A deep interest, and some experience with meditation. Ability to commit to attending at least 6 of the 8 classes per term. Sessions will not be recorded/distributed, live attendance is encouraged. Aspiration to incorporate a contemplative path more deeply into daily life. Please note this program is not a clinically therapeutic group.
Program Q&A Sessions: Thursdays September 30th 6-6:45pm and October 7th 6-6:45pm via Zoom Password: 12345
Learn more about the program instructors here.