Everyone is welcome.
The meditation classes offered at AKBC are suitable for both beginners and experienced meditators.
WHAT HAPPENS at a CLASS?
At the beginning of each class the teacher will guide a gentle, relaxing meditation in which he or she will help us to develop a beneficial motivation for attending the class. Then the teacher will give a practical teaching on some aspect of Buddhist meditation and practice. There is usually time for discussion and questions and answers. The teachers have all trained on the Teacher Training Program and are skilled in helping us to apply Buddha’s advice to our own daily lives.
The session ends with a guided meditation, designed to help us take the teaching to heart in such a way that we are confident in beginning to practice it on our own. Afterwards, for those who wish, there is a chance to talk to the teacher and other students informally.
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR or BRING?
Everything we do at AKBC is engaged with the mind. So, you don’t need any special clothing. You can come after work or school. We have comfortable chairs to sit in or you can choose to sit on floor cushions. You only have to bring you (and a friend if you wish)!
ON GOING PRACTICE
Having learned some methods for improving our mind, we can then continue to train in these meditations and special practices on our own. If we put these methods into practice we will experience our mind gradually becoming more peaceful, our problems diminishing, and our relationships improving.
Although the General Program classes are taught as a series, each class is self-contained, so feel free to attend any one. We frequently offer special introductory workshops, courses and retreats on the weekend at the Temple.
As all General Program classes are based on Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s books, teachers will often reference a particular section of these books. This gives us the opportunity to deepen our familiarity with the topic by engaging in follow-up study.