Foundations of Meditation
A six-week course in the essentials
Starts Wed 4 Sep | 7.15–9.30pm | In person
Led by Samantavajra & Aryavandana
These days, we can access thousands of meditations online, yet most of us find it difficult to maintain a consistent and effective meditation practice on our own. It's easy to get lost in all the options, and hard to make progress without personal guidance.
In this six-week course, develop a robust meditation practice that works for you. Led by experienced Buddhist practitioners, you will get a systematic, progressive, and comprehensive grounding in Buddhist meditation, with the opportunity to connect with others.
Course Description
Set Foundations: You will gain a thorough understanding of the Metta Bhavana (development of loving-kindness) and Mindfulness of Breathing meditations. These practices are rooted in thousands of years of Buddhist tradition and are the foundation for Buddhist meditation practice. We will also look at essential aspects of meditation such as posture and preparation.
Transform Difficulty: You will learn ways of working with emotional or physical difficulty -- both inside and outside of meditation. We will look at common challenges to concentration and try out tools for overcoming these.
Cultivate Positivity: You will experience how to cultivate more and more pleasure and positivity through your meditation practice. Much more than a de-stressing technique, meditation can unlock increasing amounts of energy, calm, positivity, and pleasure.
Establish a Consistent Practice: The course will look to open up what can be a lifelong journey of Buddhist practice. The course is rooted in the Buddha's vision of the vast, unfathomable potential of the human mind. We will explore meditation as one of the ways we can radically transform our lives, and unlock our deepest human potential.
Structure of the Course
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Is this course for me?
This foundations course is open to everyone, including complete newcomers, and is aimed at making meditation accessible to all. By the end of the course you will have all the tools for a lifelong meditation practice and you will be well placed to engage with any class at the London Buddhist centre.
The classes take place at the London Buddhist Centre, in a friendly environment. They are led by Buddhist teachers who will guide you through each week's topic, answer your questions, and help you to reflect on how the teachings are relevant in your life. There will also be opportunities to connect with others, through discussion and a tea break.
After each class, we will send you a follow-up email with the key ideas and practices to try out during the week. We'll also support you to think about next steps when the course ends.
We hope to see you there!
Led by
Pricing
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I get the most from the course?
Here are some top tips for taking part:
Come every week – whether you feel like it or not. If you look for motivation before you do something, you reverse your motivation; mostly you only want to do something when you’re actually doing it.
Come early – so you can lie down in the shrine room and have a nap, you probably need it and you’ll get more from the class if you do.
Do your ‘home practice’ every day – then each week you’ll be in a small group to check in about how that went.
What if I can’t make every session?
Do sign-up even if you know you can’t make every session, as you will be able to catch-up from the weekly emails.
If you are going to miss a class – email the home group leader so we know and can let others know. And do come back the following week. Don’t feel guilty for not having attended, just come back and start again.
How to take part if I bought the online element?
You will receive a welcome email with a zoom link and all the details, including that it will be a 7.15pm start. Part of the evening will include break-out groups – you will be with the same group of people each week.
