Foundation Course - 21 days
Meditation techniques include mindful prostration, walking meditation, sitting meditation as well as contemplation of daily activities with awareness.
The emphasis in this course is on learning the basic techniques of recognition of the body, feelings, mind, and mind-objects in the present moment.
Course content includes daily meetings with a meditation instructor. To gain insights, please try to complete atleast 8-hours of meditation practice per day (Manage your time starting from waking up until laying down to bed)
No previous experience required. Try out the course for 7 days.
Advanced Review Course – 10 days
The ten-day course is a review of the foundation course.
The emphasis in this course is on refining the knowledge gained in the foundation course, building confidence and familiarity in regards to the insight meditation.
Meditation reporting
Once a day, you report to your assigned monk meditation instructor.
Prostrate to the triple gem facing the Buddha statue 3 times.
Prostrate to the monk meditation instructor 3 times.
Here is an example of what you might say:
“Sawatdee-ka, Phra Ajahn (name)” (for women)
“Sawatdee-krap, Phra Ajahn (name)” (for men)
(Phra means monk, and Ajahn means instructor).
“You told me to do the first walking step, acknowledging ‘left-goes-thus, right-goes-thus’ for 20 minutes. I was asked to do 20 minutes of sitting practice, too, observing and acknowledging the rising and falling of the abdomen as rising and falling. In total, I was told to do 7 hours. I did 8 hours.”
“The practice is both easy and difficult. Walking is easier than sitting, and pain is a problem, with cramped legs when I sit. I never imagined that 20 minutes could be so long. I had feelings of anger, doubt, impatience, and I was constantly looking at my timer. Sometimes I felt a little bit tired, sometimes my thinking became like a movie.”
If the Teacher wants to know more, he will ask you. Give short answers. No story about the pain, anger, or thinking is necessary—you do not have to find excuses for why you are not perfect. You must just learn to understand your imperfection.
Be patient with yourself.