Deepening into Meditation and Community with Rachel Ashley

Join us on Thursday evenings for another 6-week online course to continue deepening our meditation practice and cultivating community!

About This Course

Are you interested in deepening your meditation to experience more awareness and compassion? Would you like to continue connecting and growing with this great group with whom you have been traveling to continue benefiting through the wisdom of Buddhist practices and teachings?

Continuing in April of 2026, we are offering our Deepening into Meditation and Community course. During this course, we will continue to dive into foundational Buddhist practices and dharma while also inviting participants to continue cultivating the warmth of sangha (community) that they have already begun to create.

*Please note that Part 1: Stepping Into Meditation and Community is a pre-requisite for attending this course. If you have not attended Part 1, but have previous experience with foundational Buddhist practice and meditation, please email Rachel, the course facilitator (rachel@namchak.org).

What You’ll Learn 

• Week 1 (Apr 23): Course Overview, Revisiting & Deepening Intentions, and Impact Tracking
• Week 2 (Apr 30): Shamata Practice w/Visual Object & Working w/Obstacles to Our Practice
• Week 3 (May 7): Clearing of the Stale Winds & Exploring the Three Poisons
• Week 4 (May 14): Engaged Bodhicitta: The Six Paramitas
• Week 5 (May 21): Introduction to Mantra
• Week 6 (May 28): Sympathetic Joy & Carrying the Gems Forward
• *An Optional Learning Circle will continue to meet after the conclusion of this Meditation and Community course series to continue connecting, practicing, and discussing the Dharma teachings shared during the course. 

Who Is This Course Suited For? 

• If you’ve recently completed the pre-requisite course, Stepping into Meditation and Community
• If you’re new to meditation
• Curious about or new to Buddhism
• Wanting to create the habit of a daily meditation practice, supported by others doing the same
• A more experienced Buddhist practitioner looking to meditate and contemplate the Dharma with others
• Wanting to connect with the Namchak Sangha

Course Format & Login Info

• We will meet for six consecutive 90-minute weekly sessions on Thursdays. We will have participants joining online from all over the country (and possibly world!) for a sweet sangha experience.
• The Zoom link for this course will be sent out in a confirmation email immediately following registration.
• We encourage online participants to create an immersive and focused environment, free from distractions. Recordings of these teachings will be made available after each course session has ended. These recordings are shared with the intention of making the session content available to those who had a conflict that prevented them from attending live. 

Tuition

Our intention is to make this offering financially accessible to all, so we offer a tiered fee structure. Please choose whichever level works best for you. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds. If you would like to apply for financial assistance to attend this offering, please reach out to kate@namchak.org.

• Supported – For those with limited financial resources who will benefit from participating in the course.
• Suggested – For those with sufficient financial resources who can pay for the experience without difficulty.
• Sponsored – For those with the financial resources and the desire to support access for others.

Tuition Options

• Supported Online -$35
• Suggested Online -$50
• Sponsored Online -$75

What is a Learning Circle?

At Namchak, we value the deep connection found in sangha—one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism.  Learning Circles are small groups of meditators within our larger sangha who meet regularly to connect, practice, and discuss the Dharma together.

Our Stepping into Meditation and Community Course lays the perfect foundation for Learning Circles to form. Through the foundations of knowledge and relationships, these groups are equipped to meet after the course is finished to continue experiencing the connection, inspiration, and accountability that arise when meditating and studying in a group setting. Learning Circles are grounded in a “peer-led” model, so each member’s voice and participation contribute equally to the functioning and success of the Circle.