Meditation is fundamental to any spiritual path, and calm-abiding meditation (shamatha) is elementary for all Buddhist paths. Focused on the first three of nine stages, this program teaches new meditators the fundamentals: how to focus their mind on a single object, what we mean by attention and awareness in meditation, and how to troubleshoot distraction and dullness when we meditate. Students will have access to Karuna Buddhist Center’s diverse community of experienced meditators, trained Buddhist teachers, and students’ mutual reflection on what we experience when we meditate.
Suitable for beginners or even those with a regular practice. Practitioners of other meditation styles can benefit from this course by understanding the nuances of the stages to deepen their practice.
Stages of Calm-Abiding Meditation taught in Karuna Journey (level 1):
1. Placing the Mind
2. Continuous Placement
3. Repeated Placement
Tuesday evenings 7-8:15 pm, June 11, 18 & 25, July 2, 9, 16 & 23. We encourage students to attend at least a few of these sessions in person as the course will be more effective. We will offer the ability to attend the teachings online after the first session. We welcome newcomers to this course at any time.