Developing Mindfulness - Teaching Program
Course Start Date: September 3rd, 2017 Course Ends: February 25th, 2018 Cost: FREE (You just need to purchase books) FOUNDATION FOR MINDFUL LIVING
”To study the way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be enlightened by all things.” - Dogen
Study the Self What does it mean to “study the self?” Rather than relying on external authority (a Deity, teacher, theology, or dogma), the Secular Buddhist approach relies on self introspection (we learn to look inward). In this program, you will be encouraged to personalize the reading material, and relate it to your own personal experiences. You are your own teacher. The goal is not to master the content, but to deepen and refine how you approach the content on a personal level.
Forget the Self The two main teachings we learn from Buddhism are Impermanence (things are constantly changing) and Interdependence (the interconnectedness of all things / all things have causes and conditions). These are the two “I’s (eyes)” of wisdom. A thorough understanding of these teachings will influence the way we see the world and perhaps, more importantly, how we see ourselves and others.
Become Enlightened by all Things Our practice is not a means to some desired end (enlightenment, nirvana, heaven, etc.) Proper perspective will awaken us to the reality that the path IS the goal. Our day to day practice is more than studying & learning, it’s experiential in nature. When we’re freed from the striving for some desired end, we will see that any and all aspects of our everyday life ARE the very sources of enlightened living.
Summary Completing this course does not mean that you will be qualified to teach Buddhism, but rather that you are ready to be a life-long student, and to help others to become students of life. A wise student is always learning, and all people and events are teachers.
• There will be a weekly reading assignment and written report/summary posted to our group study page. There is also a weekly video conference via Zoom (similar to Skype). You can call in with a smartphone or computer. • Estimated time commitment: 15 minutes a day for meditation and 15 minutes a day for reading. 1 hour video conference on Sunday. This is a combination of experiential and intellectual learning. FOUNDATION FOR MINDFUL LIVING
Format Each week, read the assigned pages from the selected book. Then, write a short summary of your key take-aways from the reading (this will be posted in our Facebook group). During our weekly call, give a brief report of your written assignment and/or comments on what other class members wrote for the week. Take 5 minutes or less for the oral report on the phone call. The call on Sunday will take up approximately 1 hour.
• Our introduction call is on September 3rd. • Be sure to join our Facebook study group. You will receive an invite before the course starts. • Download the Zoom app on your smartphone (iOS or Android) or laptop. Visit www.zoom.us to download.
FAQ’s
What if I miss one of the weekly video calls? We are all busy with other things in life and it’s inevitable that you will occasionally miss a call due to other events that come up. Each call will be recorded. If you miss a call, you can watch the video later and jump back in the following week.
Do I have to commit to anything upon graduating? Not at all. Ideally, this course will help you to be ready to lead in-person communities and study groups but that’s not a requirement. You can take this course simply for a more in-depth understanding of these concepts.
What happens when we finish the course? You will receive a certificate from the Foundation for Mindful living as a certified teacher of Threefold Mindfulness Meditation.
What are the technology requirements? You’ll need a laptop or desktop computer or a smartphone/tablet in order to join the group calls. You’ll also need to download the free Zoom app (available on Android, iOS, or via computer browser). Wifi / High-Speed Internet.
When is our first call? I would like to have an introduction call on Sunday, September 3rd. This call will give us an opportunity to meet each other and have introductions. During this call, we will also go over the format for the weekly reading assignments and the format for the course. BOOKS
Book Author Pages Dates (tentative)
Secular Buddhism Noah Rasheta 1-44 (Intro - Chapter 6) 9/3/17 Secular Buddhism Noah Rasheta 45-110 (Chapter 7 - End) 9/10/17
Buddhism Without Beliefs Stephen Batchelor 1-54 (Preface - Friendship) 9/17/17
Buddhism Without Beliefs Stephen Batchelor 55-115 (Path - End) 9/24/17
Rebel Buddha Dzogchen Ponlop 1-61 (Intro - Chapter 5) 10/1/17 Rebel Buddha Dzogchen Ponlop 63-121 (Chapters 6-10) 10/8/17
Rebel Buddha Dzogchen Ponlop 123-179 (Chapters 11-15) 10/15/17 No Group Call 10/22/17
Untangling Self Andrew Olendzki 1-50 ( Intro - Chapter 3) 11/5/17
Untangling Self Andrew Olendzki 51-95 (Chapters 4-8) 11/19/17 Untangling Self Andrew Olendzki 97-126 (Chapter 7-End) 11/26/17
The Magic of Awareness Anam Thubten 1-48 (Chapters 1-5) 12/3/17
The Magic of Awareness Anam Thubten 49-94 (Chapters 6-10) 12/10/17 The Magic of Awareness Anam Thubten 95-146 (Chapters 11-15) 12/17/17
No Group Call (Christmas and New Year Break) 12/24/17 & 12/31/17 Buddha’s Brain Rick Hanson 1-63 (Chapters 1-3) 1/7/18
Buddha’s Brain Rick Hanson 67-118 (Chapters 4-7) 1/14/18
Buddha’s Brain Rick Hanson 121-173 (Chapters 8-10) 1/21/18 Buddha’s Brain Rick Hanson 177-234 (Chapters 11-End) 1/28/18
Bring Me the Rhinoceros John Tarrant 1-72 (Chapters 1-5) 2/4/18 Bring Me the Rhinoceros John Tarrant 73-122 (Chapters 6-10) 2/11/18
Bring Me the Rhinoceros John Tarrant 123-185 (Chapters 11-15) 2/18/18
Final Call - Conclusion of Course - Certificates 2/25/18 These books are all available on amazon.com and most of them are available as audio books on audible.com