Introduction to Buddhism II - Vision and Transformation

Introduction to Buddhism II - Vision and Transformation

An Introduction to Buddhism

Finding a sense of peace in this turbulent world is not easy. This course - Vision and Transformation - is another in our Introduction to Buddhism series and will show you how to create more positive mental states through the way you engage with the world. It is also a classic introduction to Buddhist thought and practice. You will also learn two kinds of guided meditations - one which follows the breath and helps calm the mind and one which cultivate loving-kindness to ourselves and others.

Complete newcomers are very welcome as this is a good introduction to Buddhism,  but this course will also be useful for those who already have some experience.  The Eightfold Path is a very comprehensive overview of the Buddhist life  and, if we commit ourselves to it fully, it can transform our lives and  eventually take us all the way to Enlightenment!

Week One: The Four Noble Truths, the Unsatisfactoriness of our Lives (dukkha) and the Eightfold Path
This week we'll be looking at the Buddha's analysis of the human predicament and how this suffering or dukkha can be overcome through the twin Paths of Vision and Transformation

Week Two: Emotion, Ethics and Gratitude - cultivating a positive direction in our lives
Tonight we will explore what Buddhists call the Divine Abodes: Loving-Kindness, Compassion, Joy at others' good fortune and Equanimity. We'll see how by practising them we can transform our lives. This will be combined with a look at the benefits of cultivating  gratitude

Week Three: Exploring Emotion and Imagination - speaking the language of the depths
This week we'll be looking at Images, symbols and archetypes or myth and discovering how they are an intrinsic part of our lives, and how using them in our practice can help us to transform our lives.

Week Four: Right Speech - the gateway between our inner world and the outer world.
The way we speak has a powerful effect on other people and the world around us. This week we'll be exploring truthful and positive speech and seeing how it is an important aspect of transformation.

Week Five: Action and Livelihood - generosity and the contribution of work to our practice.
Ultimately Buddhism encourages us to see our lives as being about what we can contribute to the world, not what we can get for ourselves, so tonight we'll look at our approach to work and see how this might help or hinder us in our practice.

Week Six: Effort, Awareness and Meditation overcoming what holds us back and pleasure in meditation
Tonight we'll round of the Course with a look at the mental habits that hold us back in meditation and how to counter them. Then we'll look at the positive states of mind, or dhyanas that arise when these 'hindrances' abate.

BOOKING: The course itself is offered free of charge but there is a £20 booking fee which includes a copy of our teacher's Sangharakshita's book, "The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path' (Retail Price: £9.99). To Book please follow the link below. You may pay by credit/debit card or PayPal. 

DONATIONS: York Buddhist Centre has no outside income or support and no one is paid. So these classes are given  freely in a spirit of friendship. However we do have rent to pay and utilities and other running costs and we could not meet these without the generous support of those who use our centre. So, if you can, we ask you to make a donation each week when you attend. This is entirely optional but it will help us enormously. We suggest £8 to £12 each week but please give more or less according to your means.

Book Now: £20

Booking Fee includes a copy of 'The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path by Sangharakshita. Apart from the booking fee, there is no charge for the course itself, but we would very much appreciate a weekly donation of £5 to £10 to help cover our costs.

The Team

Joan
Joan
Shakyapada
Shakyapada