Stepping into Meditation and Community

Join us on Thursday evenings for a 6-week hybrid course to support cultivating a meditation practice and deepening a sense of community!

About This Course

Through inner exploration and engaging with community in reflection and discussion, you will learn accessible, time-tested Tibetan Buddhist practices and dharma teachings that will support you in awakening to deeper peace, happiness, and compassion in three spheres of engagement in your life: personal, community, and the world.

What You’ll Learn 

• Week 1 (Jan 29): Course Overview, Intention Sharing & Community Foundations
• Week 2 (Feb 5): Intro to Shamata Breath Practice & Four Noble Truths
• Week 3 (Feb 12): Continue with Shamata Breath Practice & Four Noble Truths
• Week 4 (Feb 19): Loving Kindness Practice Starting with Ourselves
• Week 5 (Feb 26): Introduction to Tonglen- A Compassion Practice of Giving and Receiving
• Week 6 (Mar 5): Engaged Bodhicitta: Exploring our Work in the World & Carrying the Gems Forward
• *An Optional Learning Circle will meet before the next course in this series, Deepening into Meditation and Community, to continue connecting, practicing, and discussing the Dharma teachings shared during the course. 

Who Is This Course Suited For? 

• 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!), as well as in person at the Namchak Office for a sweet sangha experience.
• For those joining us online, the Zoom link for this course will be sent out in a confirmation email immediately following registration.
• For those joining us in-person at the Namchak Office, the address and entrance info will be sent out in a confirmation email immediately following registration.
• We encourage in-person and online participants alike 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

In-Person Tuition Options

• Supported In-Person -$35
• Suggested In-Person -$50
• Sponsored In-Person -$75

Online Tuition Options

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

Invite a Friend!

Sangha or community, is one of our favorite elements of the Buddhist path. That’s why we’re happy to share that when you register for the Stepping into Meditation and Community course, you can bring a friend, family member, or loved one to the course for free!

Upon registering for the course, you’ll receive a discount code via email for your guest to use for complimentary registration. They simply have to register for the course through our website and use the promotional code that you received in your email. We look forward to seeing you and your friend at our next course! Please email kate@namchak.org if you have any questions.

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.