Upper West Side Buddhist Meditation Class

From Weeds to Wisdom: How to Grow a Life in Full Bloom

Every day, we’re sowing seeds, with every thought, every word, every small act of kindness or flash of irritation. The question is: do we know what we’re growing?

Non-virtuous actions bring suffering. Virtuous actions bring happiness. If we sow nettle seeds, it doesn’t make sense to get frustrated when we don’t harvest strawberries!

In this eight-week series, we’ll explore Buddha’s timeless and practical teachings on karma, the natural law of cause and effect that shapes every experience of our life. We’ll discover that happiness isn’t something we stumble into. It’s something we create. We’ve been the gardener all along.

This series is for anyone who has a mind and would like it to be a garden in full bloom.

March 2: Understanding Karma
March 9: How to Create Future (and Present) Happiness
March 16: Creating the Life You Want
March 23: Healing the Past
March 30: Transforming Difficulties
April 6:: Be Fully Present to your Extraordinary Life
April 13: Creating a Treasury of Good Fortune
April 20: Rejoicing - Quick Path to Happiness

NEXT SERIES

Open Eyes, Open Heart: Training in Compassion

There is such strength in our hearts, strength that doesn’t collapse in the face of suffering, but grows stronger. That is our compassion. It is not a soppy feeling. It is the fiercest, most energizing mind we can develop. It shatters complacency and dissolves anxiety. It delivers a peace that changing circumstances can’t shake.

We sometimes think that if we really look at suffering, it will just make us sad and weak. Buddha taught the opposite: real compassion makes us fearless. It wakes us up from the lonely nightmare of orbiting on our own little ego planets—where no one ever wants to come to tea!—and gives us the courage to open our eyes. It fills us with joy!

It’s nothing we have to force. It’s already within us, part of our deepest potential, a steady, solution-oriented mind that naturally wants to jump in and help because it knows that real freedom is possible.

If you’ve ever wondered how to live with a more open heart in this complicated world, this series will show you how.

April 27: Compassion and Our Human Potential
May 4: Is Universal Compassion Possible?
May 11: Compassion-with guest teacher
May 18: The Actual Meditation on Compassion
May 25: no class, Memorial Day
June 1: How Compassion Empowers Our Life

DETAILS

Our general program classes include Dharma teachings along with guided meditations
Stay for snacks and "hangout" time afterwards
These classes are suitable for both beginners and more advanced meditation practitioners
General meditation classes are given as a series, but can also be taken individually
No special clothing is required
No pre-registration is necessary
Chairs are supplied
Everyone welcome!