6 Week Program
$125 Early Registration (Before February 5th)
$150 Registration (After February 5th)
Week 2 - Cultivating a Calm & Wakeful Mind
In our daily lives we are in often in states of mental restlessness, ruminating about the past or worrying about the future and we spend very little time resting our mind in the present moment where we can find a profound sense of peace and fulfillment. The ability to realize this peace comes when we stop chasing after our conceptual and emotional narratives that we have fabricated. In order to help us break this habit we need to cultivate a Calm & Wakeful mind, this is the practice of Shamatha Meditation.
When people first begin meditating they usually find themselves in one of the two extremes, either the mind becomes dull and sleepy, or they are focusing too hard and the mind becomes agitated and even more restless. These are the common mistakes beginners make, but if we understand the meaning of shamatha which translates as “peaceful dwelling”, its less about focusing the mind but rather resting our wakeful attention on the peaceful qualities of the breath and finding this as a place of refuge for your mind to rest on.
In this second class of the series we will…
Explore the practice of Calm Abiding Meditation (Shamatha)
Discuss the importance of working with our attention and discover the differences between meditating with focused attention vs. open attention
Explore various tips and techniques that balance our attention and lead the mind into a more calm and wakeful state.
Discuss and explore the Four Foundations of Mindfulness and other objects of meditation to rest our attention on.
Eric Brooks L.Ac, MMT, RYT
Eric is a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher with over 15 years of study and practice. He holds a Degree in Buddhist Philosophy from UMASS Amherst & The Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in India. Eric also holds certification to teach Mindfulness Meditation through his training with Dharma Moon and Tibet House. Eric brings to his teachings his extensive knowledge in the theory and principles underlying the practice of meditation and is able explain these topics thoroughly and clearly. Eric also brings to his teachings the wisdom he gain through his experience of engaging in a three year retreat at Odiyan Buddhist Center in CA. There he studied and practiced mindfulness in daily living under the guidance of Tarthang Tulku Rimpoche. Eric is passionate and excited to share these teachings about Mindfulness Meditation.