Breathingawareness

Breathingawareness: Introductory Workshop on Buddhist Meditation

Glenn Wallis

April 20, 27; May 4, 11, 18. Tuesday evenings, 6-8 PM EST.

Sitting still, silent & aware
in a churning world
full of tumult & pain–
what good is that?

This five-session seminar is an intensive hands-on workshop. It has three goals. The primary aim is to engage in prolonged periods of guided practice. To that end, it will be helpful to introduce the participant to basic theoretical models informing Buddhist meditation. Finally, we will discuss together how such a practice might simultaneously encompass care of the self and social change.

The seminar is structured according to the Buddha’s blueprint for meditation, called the Anapanasatisutta or Breathingawareness. Our emphasis will be on practice and discussion. As a workshop, we want to keep the course apparatus light. So, there are no outside readings.

• April 20. Orienting ourselves. (I will post questions such as the following for each session.) What are these terms asking of us: meditation, contemplation, bhavana, jhana, yoga? Why the breath? Why stillness? What is samadhi (concentratedness)? What is sati? What are the kilesas (impulsive forces) and nivaranas (subjective hindrances)? Practice: Techniques for samadhi: gathering yourself through (i) feeling the breath; (ii) counting breaths;  (iii) subtle awareness of each breath; (iv) taking pleasure in each breath.
• April 27. Breath-body-awareness.
• May 4. Feeling-sensation-awareness.
• May 11. Mind-thought-awareness.
• May 18. Dissolution-impermanence-emptiness-awareness. Disappearance.

Facilitator: Glenn Wallis holds a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Harvard University. He is the author of several books, including Basic Teachings of the Buddha, Cruel Theory/Sublime Practice, and A Critique of Western Buddhism: Ruins of the Buddhist Real, as well as numerous articles, chapters, and essays on various aspects of Buddhism and Western Buddhism in contemporary society. Wallis has taught at Brown University, Bowdoin College, and the University of Georgia. He is the founder of the blog Speculative Non-Buddhism and Incite Seminars. His most recent book is An Anarchist’s Manifesto. More at glennwallis.com.

Seminar Cost:

• $120 – Member Ticket for Incite Seminars Patreon Supports at any level
• $180 – Non-Member (True Cost) Ticket
• $225 – Generous Supporter Ticket
• $60 – Student/Contingent Scholar/Activist Ticket
• Solidarity scholarships available – please email us

Registration

Please register by buying a ticket at our Eventbrite page. We are committed to making all our offerings accessible to those who are eager to learn, regardless of financial means. If you have any questions or concerns, please email inciteseminarsphila@gmail.com.