Developing a Mindfulness Meditation Practice — A skill-building class

This course is taught by Sharon Allen, Janetti Marotta, and Laura Lin.

6 Thursdays, February 23 – March 30, 2017

To live with mindful awareness in our world, we must become well grounded in a meditation practice. This course will focus on understanding, practicing, and developing mindful awareness, so you can more fully integrate it into your life. If you find yourself wanting to have greater balance in your life, more mental clarity, calm and ease, this course can help.

The class will emphasize learning how to remain mindful with both pleasant and unpleasant experiences, and practicing the four postures taught by the Buddha: sitting, walking, standing, and lying down.

This foundational Level 1 class is appropriate for those new to meditation as well as those wanting a refresher on developing a mindfulness meditation practice. These classes and practices draw on the Dhamma, the ancient teachings of the Buddha.

Class content and practice skills will include:

• February 23 — Why Meditate: The power of mindfulness with breathing
• March 2 — Cultivating Presence: Mindfulness of the body
• March 9 — Settling the Restless Mind: Mindfulness of thoughts
• March 16 — Making Room for Emotions: Mindfulness of mental states
• March 23 — Practicing Kindness: Metta Practice
• March 30 — Remember to Remember: Mindfulness recap and practice tips

Plus an optional drop-in session that continues the development of mindfulness practice on April 6:

• April 6 — Enlivening Daily Activities: Eating and Walking with Mindfulness

Class format will include:

• Meditation instruction, with both guided and unguided meditation practice time
• Teaching on a mindfulness theme
• Written and experiential exercises and homework
• Group discussion, Q&A

Resources will include:

• Guidance from experienced mindfulness teachers
• Handouts of practice guidelines
• Internet links for sutta references and writings on mindfulness

REGISTRATION:
Registration is required for this course. Registration fees are non-refundable. To register select an option under the Tickets heading in the right-hand column of this page.

The sliding scale fee range is from $360 to $90 and will be shared between IMSB and the teacher(s). The lower end of the sliding scale is intended for those with limited means. The basic rate of $90 is estimated to cover the most basic costs such as rent and insurance for the specific class period. It does not factor in compensation for teachers or ongoing administrative expenses for IMSB. The scholarship rate of $45 offers an even lower rate for those with very limited financial means.

By choosing to give at the mid to high range of the sliding scale your generosity supports those with limited income to attend our programs, and it supports IMSB and the teachers, enabling the dhamma to thrive in the South Bay Area. We encourage you to choose the highest level that is appropriate for your economic situation. If you need additional scholarship assistance and can volunteer to help, please inquire with the registrar about service scholarships by contacting ThursdayClass.

TAX DEDUCTIBILITY:
The basic registration fee is not tax deductible and non-refundable. Donations above the base rate will be considered voluntary tax deductible contributions. Each January the IMSB treasurer sends donors letters that acknowledge the accumulated deductible donations from the previous year. This annual letter will acknowledge the amount given that is above the basic rate and serve as documentation for tax deduction purposes.

CANCELLATION POLICY:
All fees and payments are non-refundable. If it becomes necessary to cancel participation in a course, and the registrar is notified prior to the start of the first class meeting, your registration fee will be converted into a voucher creditable towards the fee for a future IMSB Thursday Class. Vouchers must be used within one year of the initial course start date. Cancellations that occur after the start of the first class are not eligible for the voucher credit.

To redeem a voucher, send an email to the registrar for the appropriate course and request to use your voucher credit as payment of the registration fees. If the voucher does not cover the base rate for the new class, the balance will be due to complete the registration process. Credits vouchers can be transferred to only one future course.

SUBSEQUENT PROGRAMING:
The Thursday night dhamma classroom will include an array of topics that will support the development of meditative skills and liberating insight. Please see our 2017 Calendar of Events for details. Courses will be led by experienced teachers and local experts in meditation, mindfulness and Buddhism. Most classes will be appropriate for both new students and seasoned practitioners; any restrictions or pre-requisites will be noted in the course descriptions.

While this change in programming from a drop-in style sitting group to a Dhamma classroom is an experiment for IMSB, it is our hope that it will enable in-depth systematic sequential teachings, while also supporting a cohort of insight meditation practitioners in the San Jose – Saratoga area, and providing the necessary income to cover the expenses and compensate our teachers.