Exploring Mindfulness & The Divine Abodes

Today's lesson will begin with an insightful discussion on intentions and intention setting. Whether we perceive it or not, we are always placing intentions ahead of our actions. When we are unconscious of our intentions, they can be hijacked by outside influences, such as unskillful habits, and lead to unfavorable results. By cultivating our intentions and bolstering them with powerful practices of mindfulness and concentration, we begin a process of powerful self-mastery.

Beginning with the breath, in today's lesson, we will explore the first of the Satipatthana teachings: form, body, or the somatic aspect of experience. This is a foundational practice for many meditations in this tradition and others, and can be both simple and profound in its revelations.

This is the first of the Divine Abodes (Brahmaviharas) and a foundational aspect of the other three. Today we will explore the Buddhist concept of good will (sometimes called loving-kindness); a wish for happiness, but with the necessity of being a happiness that must not be tied to the harm of others. In it's ultimate form it is limitless, extending to all beings throughout time and space, while among other benefits, it's cultivation helps the practitioner to develop spaciousness and openness in meditation.

Continuing with the second Satipatthana teaching, in today's lesson we begin to explore the experience of the pleasant, the unpleasant, and the neutral feelings (the hedonic aspect of experience), that arise as a result of any given perception. Practicing with this simple yet pervasive movement of mind helps tune the practitioner into many nuances of awareness.

The second of the Divine Abodes, Compassion (Karuna), is sometimes said to be what happens when metta meets suffering; a call to action occurs and flows out from a place of good will and identification with the being who is suffering. On Day 5 we focus on this teaching and how it observes and cultivates this natural outflow of care.

The affective aspect of experience, this third Satipatthana is sometimes thought of as the weather system of the mind; the nuances of mood and attitude. In today's session we will explore how, through making contact with the mood or flavor of the mind, we can begin to connect the dots from body sensations to feeling tones, and perhaps see how more complex structures begin to form.

When metta meets success in another being, the experience is Mudita, the third of the Divine Abodes. This is the key topic of today's lesson, yet is often a concept difficult for people to embrace as many cultures urge us to compete and feel threatened by the success of others. However, this is best understood as joy for the kind of happiness in another which causes no harm to anyone, such as that of when a friend seems to be genuinely better off having invested time in self care and discovery.

On Day 8 we delve into gaining an indepth understanding of the last of the Satipatthana teachings. This refers to the cognitive aspect of experience; aspects and qualities of thought which are more fully formed, and if perceived, can generally be acknowledged as skillful (not leading to harm) or unskillful (leading to harm).

When goodwill meets that which it cannot change, wisdom produces Equanimity, the fourth and final of the Divine Abodes. In today's lesson we explore the notion that in a world in which pain and suffering is not difficult to find, we must have a measure to protect our hearts and minds. While it can sometimes be mistaken for indifference, Equanimity is sometimes referred to as the crown jewel of the brahmaviharas; a profound steadiness which ultimately makes us more fluid and ready to respond to the world wisely when we are called.

As suggested in the Divine Abodes, a feeling of connection with divinity can be a beautiful and profound experience in spiritual practice. Today, in our final session, we recognise the importance of calling upon that which is yet beyond our understanding, but is felt to touch our lives through a more mysterious type of knowing. Our course concludes with a meditation to inspire this connection with the Divine, and to further our exploration and initiation into a rich spiritual life.