> Meditation Series with Andy:

Learn to Meditate Workshop

Saturday, Feb 12, 2 - 4 pm. $20. ($18 before Feb 5) 

Many cultures have practiced some kind of meditation and almost everyone can benefit from meditation practice. Basically there are two types of meditation: mindfulness and awareness. Mindfulness deals with precision and awareness deals with insight and wisdom. Mindfulness leads to awareness. Participants in this course will learn how to use mindfulness meditation as a way to be in the present moment. To do that we use sitting meditation and other techniques to become mindful. We then use the precision and concentration that develops from our mindfulness practice to gain insight and wisdom. We use mindfulness and awareness techniques to better understand our world, to work with difficult emotions, and for decision making. We apply it at work, home and daily life. This two hour class will integrate various mindfulness & awareness practices along with discussion to explore these practices and their relevance to Westerners.

Lojong: The Seven Points of Mind Training

4 Thursdays, 2/17-3/10, 8:15-9:30 pm. $52. ($48 before 2/12)

The Seven Points of Mind Training is a Tibetan Buddhist teaching that was first taught in Tibet by a great yogi called Atisha. The foundational practice for these teachings begins with calming our busy mind in order to make ourselves workable. When we calm our mind and we are in the present moment we can have the experience of the basic or ultimate nature of mind; we can refer to this as selflessness or egolessness. In that ultimate state all appearances appear as dreamlike, and we can rest in the ultimate nature of mind. When we are in that ultimate state we experience genuine wisdom. We take full responsibility for our actions, and work with whatever situation arises. Working with difficult emotions and situations gives us an opportunity to practice patience, accumulate merit and work with negative karma. We also practice generosity, and develop love and compassion. The unity of wisdom and compassion is complete awakening. Participants in this course will be encouraged to develop a regular meditation practice.

Suggested reading material: Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness, Chogyam Trungpa available at Jade Yoga Boutique.