SP2016 Portland Classes
MEDITATION IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Dates: January 19- February 16
Tuesday Evenings 6:30-8:30pm
This first class in the Way of Shambhala series is for new meditators and offers the opportunity to deepen their experience and understanding of meditation.
FMI: see MaineShambhala.org or contact Karen Monahan or Erika Bjorum at [email protected]
By making a deep connection to the present moment and understanding our mind through the practice of meditation, we can learn to finally make friends with ourselves.
Meditation in Everyday Life is a 5-week course that teaches mindfulness meditation and shows us how this practice can improve our daily lives in the most practical sense. We experience what happens when we stop avoiding ourselves and the present moment and practice simply being with whatever is going on in our lives. We learn to cultivate courage and stability in the daily complexities of jobs, responsibilities, relationships, and the everyday desires, concerns and uncertainties we all face.
This is the first class in the Way of Shambhala curriculum. It offers a glimpse of the Shambhala vision of an enlightened society created through mindfulness-awareness meditation. The stability and wisdom cultivated through meditation practice can expand to benefit the world around us.
Suggested readings will come primarily from Turning the Mind Into An Ally by Sakyong Mipham. Participants may also wish to purchase Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chögyam Trungpa. These books will be available for purchase at the first class.
CONTENTMENT IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Dates: March 8- April 5
Tuesday Evenings 6:30-8:30pm
Through meditation practice, we learn to appreciate ourselves and meet life’s challenges with gentleness and bravery.
FMI: see Programs at MaineShambhala.org or contact Sarah Chandler at [email protected]
The Way of Shambhala is a practice and study path that presents the Shambhala Buddhist teachings and explores how we can apply them in everyday life. “Contentment in Everyday Life” introduces the foundational Shambhala and Buddhist teachings, and provide an opportunity to explore these teachings in depth in a meditative environment.
“Suffering is a result of roaming, the urge to keep looking for an external source of happiness. Much of our stress these days is caused by simple lack of contentment.”
-Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
This program builds on the discovery of basic goodness and introduces the foundational teachings of Buddhism. By seeing clearly the painful conditions and emotions that keep us trapped in habitual patterns, we can open further to our inherent goodness. This course trains us to develop gentleness, precision, appreciation, and steadiness. Practicing these qualities leads to contentment, which helps us extend our mindfulness practice into everyday awake action.
Through this course we learn to cultivate a gentle and friendly relationship with our every day lives. Through talks, guided meditation, contemplation, and discussion, we gain understanding and experience of unconditional contentment as well as exploring the obstacles and challenges to experiencing simplicity and nowness. This course is beneficial to new and experienced meditators alike.
JOY IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Dates: May 3- May 31
Tuesday Evenings 6:30-8:30pm
Prerequisite: Contentment in Everyday Life
An introduction to the Buddhist concept of bodhicitta- awakened heart/mind. Through an exploration of the Buddhist teachings on intelligent compassion towards others, we begin to discover the joy of discipline, health and bravery.
FMI: see Programs at MaineShambhala.org or contact Kathy Bither or Cathleen Miller at [email protected]
Joy in Everyday Life is a 5-week course exploring the meaning of joy and the “windhorse” of personal energy and inspiration. The course introduces Mahayana Buddhist teachings, to experience how awakening our heart and extending loving-kindness to others also arouses our personal inspiration. This cheerful, perky, joy provides the inspiration and energy to go forward on the journey of compassion and warriorship.
As meditation practice expands and we develop trust in basic goodness, we can begin to discover the confidence and personal energy to go forward on the journey. Joining gentleness with discipline leads to a sense of joy. The mahayana teachings on compassion can become the inspiration for a life of bravery and freedom from doubt.
This is the 3rd class in the Way of Shambhala curriculum (after Contentment in Everyday Life). It offers a glimpse of the Shambhala vision of an enlightened society created through mindfulness-awareness meditation, and how the stability and wisdom cultivated through this practice can expand to benefit the world around us.
Pre-requisite: Meditation in Everyday Life OR Contentment in Everyday Life OR Shambhala Training Level I OR Basic Goodness Series Classes OR with permission from the facilitator.
HEART OF RECOVERY
Ongoing Weekly Gathering
Monday evenings 6:30pm -7:30pm. 81 Oak Street, Portland, Maine.
This group is especially helpful for people interested in exploring how Buddhist teachings and a strong meditation practice intersect with recovery from addiction. While not a step-based meeting, wisdom from 12-step and other recovery programs routinely enter Heart of Recovery discussions.
FMI : see programs at MaineShambhala.org or contact Kudra at [email protected]
DHARMA DROP-IN
Ongoing Weekly Gathering
Thursday Evenings: 7pm-8:30pm
Ready to make your mind flexible and workable! Join us Thursday evenings for meditation, short teaching videos, and discussion.
FMI : see Programs at MaineShambhala.org
