This class will examine Buddha’s teaching on the five spiritual faculties (or indriyas) of faith, effort, mindfulness, concentration and discernment. The development and balancing of these five faculties provide the support needed to navigate our spiritual life from faith to wisdom to liberation.

Special Note: This event will meet remotely via Zoom software. Current event status and links are on the Online Events page.

This class is part of a ten month series on some of the essential teachings of Buddhism. The classes will include sitting meditation, dhamma talks, group discussions and will have monthly suggestions for practice. People may join the whole series or participate in individual classes as they prefer or are able to.

The classes will be on the third Wednesday of the month from February 2022 through November 2022. The specific dates are: 2/16/22, 3/16/22, 4/20/22, 5/18/22, 6/15/22, 7/20/22, 8/17/22, 9/21/22, 10/19/22, 11/16/22. There will also be three daylong retreats related to this series: Saturday May 14th – The Paramis; Saturday July 23rd – Four Foundations of Mindfulness; and Saturday November 19th – Brahma Viharas.

These classes will be taught by SIMS’ Local Dharma Leaders (LDLs) Lyndal Johnson, Sooz Appel, Susan Alotrico, Lauren Wilson, Aravind Moorthy, Steve Wilhelm, Dane DuBose and Jerry Harter.

The classes are open to anyone with experience in mindfulness meditation equivalent to SIMS Introductory Meditation Class. While the class will be accessible to beginners, it will also be substantive enough for experienced practitioners.

Buddhist Essentials Class Study Guides

Upcoming Class Schedule

July 20 Four Foundations of Mindfulness – with Lauren Wilson and Lyndal Johnson
In this evening’s class, we will explore the four foundations of mindfulness – the body, feeling tones, mental states, and dhammas. Mindful examination of these foundations reveals the true nature of phenomena, leading to clear seeing and full awakening. In the satipatthana sutta this is described as the direct path to liberation.

Aug. 17 The Hindrances & Greed, Hatred, and Delusion – with Jerry Harter and Dane DuBose
Gaining insight into obstacles on the path can turn them into possibilities. During this evening we’ll explore the Five Hindrances (desire, ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness, and doubt), and the Three Poisons (greed, hatred and delusion). We’ll learn how these barriers to freedom arise in our lives, and how through our mindfulness practice we can transform them into doorways.

Sept. 21 The Seven Factors of Awakening – with Sooz Appel and Arv Moorthy
Through discussion and practical exercises of the Seven Factors of Awakening, we will explore how awareness of these mind states helps us to let go of unwholesome tendencies and to cultivate wholesome ones, in both formal practice and our daily lives.

Oct. 19 The Five Aggregates – with Sooz Appel and Lyndal Johnson
The Five Aggregates (form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness) show how we create an illusory sense of self moment by moment. By examining them we can come to understand how we are not so much a solid self as we may have thought.

Nov. 16 The Brahma Viharas and Heart Practices – with Ara Moorthy and Dane DuBose
How do we cultivate energies that encourage our capacity for caring and compassion toward ourselves and others? In this class we will explore the heart practices called the brahma viharas – loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. We will also consider other qualities of the heart including generosity and forgiveness

REGISTRATION AND DONATION
Registration is not needed for this class series. The suggested donation for a single evening event is $5, plus teacher dana. (Dana is a term for generosity, or freely offered giving).  Dana for SIMS can be offered online here.  Indicate ‘Buddhist Essentials SIMS dana’ in the comments field.

Teacher dana can be offered online using a PayPal link provided at the zoom event.  The LDLs will be sharing all teacher dana equally for the entire series.  No particular LDL needs to be specified.

Please use your best efforts to pay the suggested donation or another heartfelt amount. All are welcome regardless of ability to pay.
If you have questions about this class or for the teacher, please contact calendar@seattleinsight.org