The Buddha is very clear that the primary aim of all his teachings is "the end of suffering". The roots of suffering are within us and the method of eliminating suffering is within us as well.
When we practice mindfulness we follow the Buddha's example and look inside. As anyone who tries mindfulness practice quickly discovers, the more aware we are of our actions, feelings, thoughts, and perceptions that give rise to them the more insight we have into why we are doing what we are doing. Mindfulness helps us to recognize that beneficial actions bring peace of mind and happiness in our every day lives, while actions based on hatred, delusion and greed makes us miserable and anxious.
In this series we will be covering the teachings on the Four Foundations from a teaching talk given by the Buddha known as the Satipatthana Sutta, containing the underlying principles of mindfulness practice.
The practice of contemplating (or meditating if you prefer) on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness - mindfulness of the body, feelings, mind and dhammas (or phenomena) is recommended in every step of the spiritual path. In each week we will explore one of the foundations:
Week 1: Mindfulness of the body: breath, four postures, reflections of the body parts
Week 2: Mindfulness of feelings: pleasant, unpleasant and neutral, worldly or spiritual
Week 3: Mindfulness of Mind: understanding the states of mind, aware of its manifestation, origin and disappearance.
Week 4: Mindfulness of Dhammas: 5 hindrances, the 7 factors of enlightenment, the 4 noble truths, the noble 8 fold path Insight meditation, is the practice of continued close attention to sensation, through which one ultimately sees the true nature of existence. It is believed to be the form of meditation practice taught by the Buddha himself, and although the specific form of the practice may vary, it is the basis of all traditions of Buddhist meditation.
* No previous experience in meditation is required. All levels welcome!
We will meet on 4 consecutive Thursday evenings from 7-830pm, and it is $120 for all 4 weeks.