This weekly drop-in class is suitable for both beginners and experienced meditators. The class includes a gentle, relaxing meditation followed by a practical teaching on some aspect of Buddhist meditation and practice. The session ends with a guided meditation to help us take the teachings into our hearts to improve our lives and relationships with others. With Meditation Teacher, Monica Heiser.
The Benefits of a Daily Practice
Meditation is a mind that concentrates on beneficial objects and that is the main cause for mental peace. When our mind is peaceful we are free from worries and mental discomfort, and we experience true happiness. If we train our mind to be peaceful, we will be happy all the time, even in adverse conditions. But if our mind is not peaceful, then even if we have the most pleasant external conditions we will not be happy. Therefore, it is important to train our mind through meditation.
- Sept 11 Why Meditate?
- Sept 18 Practice Makes Perfect
- Sept 25 Overcoming Obstacles
- Oct 2 No Class, Fall Festival
Dealing with Difficult Situations
If we learn to accept unavoidable suffering, unhappy thoughts will never arise to disturb us. There are many difficult and unpleasant circumstances that we cannot avoid, but we can certainly avoid the unhappiness and anger these circumstances normally provoke in us. It is these habitual reactions to hardship, rather than the hardship itself, that disturb our day-to-day peace of mind, as well as our spiritual practice. When we learn to accept difficult circumstances patiently, the real problem disappears.
- Oct 9 Coping with Loss
- Oct 16 Mastering Aging, pain and illness
- Oct 23 Accepting what we can’t change and changing what we can
- Oct 30 Subduing Unhappiness about your Circumstances.
- Nov 6 Eliminating Loneliness
Class Time: Wednesdays 7:30 – 8:30 PM
Cost: $12/person ($8 students, seniors 60+, unemployed)
Location: Indiginal Wellness Studio, 213 W. Read Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
Monica Heiser is a student and teacher at KMC Maryland who has been practicing Kadampa Buddhism for the past 8 years. While in high school, she became interested in world religions and took a comparative religion class. A senior Buddhist monk spoke to her class, and inspired by his peaceful presence, she decided to go to her local Kadampa Buddhist Center. Since that time, practicing Buddhist teachings have brought Monica incredible joy, inspiration, and meaning to her life and relationships. She is the branch class teacher in Mt. Vernon on Wednesdays as well as the Dharma for Kids Teacher at the temple on Sunday mornings.
