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Meditation 101 ~ Core Practices
of Buddhist Meditation ~ Introduction
to meditation
~ Silent
Meditation ~ Enlightenment day ~ First Dharma Day ~ Tara Tuesdays
~ Lama
Chöpa ~ Tibetan
Calendar dates ~ Tantra
Groups
Buddhist Meditation 101. This course is not offered
in the Summer Programme
Suggested donation £25 or £5 per session
Buddhist Meditation 101 is an introductory course on basic
Buddhist meditation techniques for complete beginners. It
teaches basic Buddhist meditations that can be used by anyone
to create more peace and happiness in daily life.
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Core
practices of Buddhist Meditation.
Wisdom
Through Insight:
a chance to practice and be instructed in
Vipasyana (heightened insight/ critical awareness/ investigative
attention) a key
part of the Buddhist Path to becoming a better human being.
Mondays
10 May to 26 July 7.30 – 9pm.
Suggested donation £5 for
each evening session.
Meditation
Practice Day
Saturday 19 June 10am – 5pm.
£25 for
the Meditation Practice Day (includes lunch). Please
register in advance for the day
Autumn programme
a
chance to practice and be instructed in Shamatha (the ability to apply
sustained attention to a single object), the foundation of all
significant spiritual growth in Buddhism
Mondays 11 September to
13 December 7.30 -9pm
Suggested donation £5 for each evening
session.
Meditation Practice Day
Saturday 28 August 10am - 5pm
Saturday 9
October 10am - 5pm
£25 for the Mediation Practice Day
(includes lunch). Please register in advance for the
day.
If you are a student,
click here to get the documents for the class
This is a weekly class that runs through the year.
For newcomers it provides a comprehensive introduction to
the core practices of Buddhist meditation, and for those
with previous experience it provides an opportunity to deepen
meditation practice.
The course focuses
on three core themes of Buddhist meditation:
- Shamatha (steady, clear and calm concentration)
- Brahma Viharas (loving kindness, compassion,
joy and equanimity)
- Vipashyana (developing wisdom through insight)
The classes work as a structured and progressive course
for those who wish to commit to the whole year. Alternatively,
you would be welcome to drop in to any class when it
suits you.
The first theme deals with shamatha, the foundation practice
of developing meditative concentration, or ‘calm abiding’.
Through this practice you will learn how to skilfully deal
with different habitual mind-states, such as restlessness,
agitation, distractedness, dullness, and compulsive rumination,
and learn how to rest the awareness on a chosen object of
attention with stability and clarity. The class will introduce
relevant theory as found in the Indo-Tibetan tradition, but
the emphasis will be, as in each theme in this course, on
the actual meditation practice. Practical matters around
setting up a daily practice, including time and place for
meditation, meditation postures and lifestyle considerations
are also discussed.
The second theme presents traditional methods of accessing,
broadening and developing wholesome emotions. The classes
will primarily be working to develop the four immeasurables,
- love, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity, by following
traditional meditations found in the early Buddhist teachings.
Known as the bramha viharas, or ‘divine abidings’ this
practice reveals and counters the mental factors that cause
animosity, greed and indifference in the way we relate to
ourselves and others, thereby further aiding the awareness
to settle in deeply wholesome, healing mental states leading
to profound balance and well being.
The final theme is vipashyana, the cultivation of insight
into the ultimate nature of reality. The previous practices
of shamatha and the brahma viharas help
to bring a steadiness, warmth and equanimity of heart and
mind, which is now turned towards the practice of looking
deeply within your immediate experience to inquire into its
true nature. The core Buddhist practice of mindfulness will
be introduced and developed in reference to the early Buddhist
discourse, the Satipatthana Sutta (‘the four
foundations of mindfulness’). Through this practice
and supporting theory you will be introduced to ways of meeting
the experience of body and mind with greater clarity and
understanding so as to learn how the conditions for suffering
arise, and how to release yourself of these processes. Practical
instruction will be given on how to skillfully handle challenges
to meditation such as proliferation of thought, pain, and
overwhelming emotion, as well as how to develop the introspective
tools, such as mindfulness, introspection, equanimity, and
analysis, all for cultivating the wisdom insight into the
Buddhist teaching of selflessness that roots out ignorance
and brings an end to suffering.
Introduction to Meditation.
FREE ENTRANCE
Monday 3rd May and Monday 6 September
7.30pm - 9.00pm
Are you curious about meditation?
Come along to this free evening to learn one of the most
effective methods to calm your mind and relax your body.
No previous experience is required. Just bring along
some comfortable clothes because we will be sitting
on cushions (but chairs are available).
Meditation can help
you:
*relax
*gain concentration
*develop positive feelings like compassion, love and
wisdom
You don't have to be of a particular faith to practice
meditation. Everyone is welcome!
 Silent
Meditation Group.
Thursdays 6.15pm - 7.15pm,
voluntary donation
(Check calendar for dates)
London is a busy city and you sometimes need a quiet
space to calm your mind and cultivate awareness. This meditation
space at Jamyang is ideal for this purpose. This
group will give you an opportunity to deepen your meditation
practice and experience the benefits of doing it regularly
in a group. The sessions are very simple, with no instruction
and lots of time to practice in silence.
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Enlightenment Day - celebrating Buddha's enlightenment.
27th May
8am - 6pm
Free entrance
One of the four main holy days
in Tibetan Buddhism the full moon day
of the fourth Tibetan month is used to commemorate the birth,
enlightenment and
passing from this world of Shakyamuni Buddha in Lumbini, Bodhgaya and
Kushinagar
respectively. Come join with us to celebrate this day and to practice
together
at the Temple.
Schedule for the day
8.00 Motivation and mahayana precepts
9.15 Shakyauni Buddha puja
10.30 Vajrasattva puja
11.30 Lunch
12.30 Personal practice
2.15 Chenrezig Puja
3.15 Tea break
4.00 Silent Mediation
5.00 Tara Puja with prayers and dedications
6.00 End of schedule for the day
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First
Dharma Day - celebrating the first teaching of the Buddha.
15 July
8am - 6pm
Free entrance
One of the four main holy days in Tibetan Buddhism this day is used to
commemorate the first public teaching that the Shakyamuni Buddha gave in
the
Deer Park at Sarnath. This is where he first taught the Four Noble
Truths in
the Turning of the Wheel of Dharma sutra. Come join with us to
celebrate this
day and to practice together at the Temple.
Schedule for the day
8.00 Motivation and mahayana precepts
9.15 Shakyauni Buddha puja
10.30 Chenrezig puja
11.30 Lunch
Tara Tuesdays.
Tuesdays
4, 11, 18, 25 May, 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 June, 6, 13, 20, 27 July
Four mandala offerings to Khadiravani Tara Puja
4.00pm to
6.00pm
A chance to practice together in community focusing on the
liberating energy of all the enlightened ones that grants
fearlessness, embodied in the mother goddess Tara in her aspects as Green
Tara and as Khadiravani Tara. The Taras bestow protection,
liberating energy, resources and wisdom. Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche has recommended
that we regularly do the four mandala offering ritual.
He and others have stressed that, in this Centre at this
time, we should emphasise Tara practice; for the benefit
of the people connected to our Centre and our work.
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Lama
Chöpa with Tsok Puja .
• all levels •
6
July 7.30 – 9.15pm (celebrating the official birthday of His Holiness
the
Dalai Lama), 20 July 6 – 6.45pm (shorter puja)
3 and 17 September 6pm (shorter puja)
3 and 17 October 6pm (longer puja)
1 and 16 November 6pm (shorter puja)
15 December (shorter puja)
13 and 27 February 2011 6pm
(longer puja)
A ritual celebration of the kindness of our teachers and
of the teachers in the lineages lying behind them. The
focus is on Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Geluk, Shakyamuni
the founder of Buddhism, and Vajradhara the tantric aspect
of the Buddha. A short tsok puja is included for those
with the highest yoga tantra commitment. Please feel
free to bring flowers, food or drink to offer at the
altar.
 Lama Tsongkhapa memorial day
Lama
Choepa Tsok Puja with Jamchen Choje memorial day
Tuesday 30
November
7.30pm
Free
Lama Tsongkhapa demonstrated the tantric technique of
utilising the subtle mental states that arise as we go through the
natural process of death, bardo and rebirth to attain dharmakaya (ie
become fully enlightened) and then emanate very subtle and less subtle
Buddha bodies for the benefit of others. This in particular is what we
remember when we offer lights on the night of the twenty fifth day of
the Tibetan month as well as Tsongkhapa's extraordinary life and works.
This
celebration is known as the Ganden Ngam cho, the Gandenpa's offering
puja on the twenty fifth day.
This year since the 25th day is missing in the Tibetan
calendar for this month, Tsongkhapa's memorial day falls back to the
24th day of the Tibetan month. This is also the day when we recall the
great kindness of Tsongkhapa's student Jamchen Choje who founded the
monastery of Sera from which most of the Tibetan teachers in the FPMT
come. This evening is known as the Ganden Sera shib cho, the Gandenpa's
offering puja on the twenty fourth day.
So this year is a double celebration! Please join
with us for a Lama Choepa puja to celebrate the life and works of the
founder of our tradition and the great
achievements of those who have come after him. Offerings of food and
flowers for thepuja and altar are very welcome.
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Kalachakra Practice Group.
 • initiates
only •
Saturdays 15 May, 5
June, 3 July
14:00 to 17:00
The Kalachakra group is for the practice and study of
the Kalachakra sadhana in order to deepen our practice.
For information contact Marianne on: Marianne_Hartley@hotmail.com
Guhyasamaja
Practice Group.
• initiates only •
Sundays 16 May, 6 June, 4 July
10:00am -13:00
There will be a recitation of the long sadhana and
discussion. All benefit is dedicated
to the long life and
success of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Please also see www.guhyasamaja.com to
download a copy of the sadhana.
Vajrayogini Practice
Group.
•
initiates only •
Sundays 16 May, 6 June, 4 July
15:00 – 18:00hr
The group is for the practice and study of the Vajrayogini sadhana
in order to deepen our practice. People should bring their own copy of
the FPMT
sadhana (in Vol 1 of the Vajrayogini Practices Books). Please contact kecharagroup@googlemail.com
for
additional information about the group’s activities.
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