meditation fundamentals: practicing for a free heart ROUND 2!!!
the mindfulness strikes back
time to see if we can spark up some more meditation practices among interested people, for the benefit of all beings :)
please reach out to me if you have any questions about taking this course, and also please feel free to share it with anyone you think might be interested!
all of the following text in the main body of this post, as well as the form to sign up for the class, can be found here.
why practice meditation?
meditation allows us to practice the fundamental actions of consciousness that help us in our lives. just as a musician can practice their scales and an athlete can practice their throw, we can practice kindness and self-compassion, we can practice wholehearted presence and undivided attention, we can practice inner strength and inner peace. we also learn a tremendous amount about ourselves and reality along the way.
this practice has transformed my life in beautiful ways i never would have thought possible. this isn't to say meditation has solved my every problem, turned me into a saint, or given me a perfect psychology – far from it – but it is still absolutely true. for more on this topic, see my essay “what is meditation good for and what is it not good for?”
course description
this course is designed to help you have a daily practice that is enjoyable, interesting, and beneficial. it's suitable for total beginners as well as those who already have some experience.
the teaching philosophy of this class is to focus on the fundamental principles common to all meditation, offer a variety of techniques to help you discover what suits you best, and provide the individual support that is invaluable in learning a new skill.
we'll have eight 90-minute group sessions (one per week) which will primarily include:
• live guided meditations
• short talks on our current topics
• practice reports and Q&A
the course also includes seven 45-minute one-on-one coaching sessions (or fewer if preferred). these are for:
• working through obstacles to establishing a daily practice habit
• choosing a practice technique focus
• addressing practice questions
• posture support
• personalized guided meditations (recorded for you)
• social meditation
• support for difficult emotional material arising in your practice or life
between sessions, you'll have access to a library of guided meditations, written summaries of each class, a group chat, and the option to text me for further support.
schedule: Saturdays at 10am PST / 1pm EST
dates: Oct 18, 25, Nov 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Dec 6
(all classes will be recorded, so it's fine to miss some, or even all, and watch later)
curriculum
week 1 – body scanning, physical relaxation, trauma-sensitivity
week 2 – working with emotions, cultivating compassion
week 3 – mindfulness of breathing, cultivating samādhi (collectedness of mind)
week 4 – mettā (lovingkindness)
week 5 – open awareness and noting
week 6 – cultivating adhiṭṭhāna (wise commitment), recognizing the five hindrances
week 7 – investigating vedanā (pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral experience), practicing mindfulness in daily life
week 8 – keeping practice alive, enjoyable, and supported after class
supporting this course
in order to balance the needs of my livelihood with my wish for this course to fundamentally be a gift, i am offering four options:
Standard Rate: give $750. this figure accounts for market rates as well as my experience and the value of this course.
Benefactor Rate: give anything between $750 and $1500. i am deeply grateful for any extra support you can offer!
Supported Rate: give anything between $300 and $750, with my gratitude for your discernment and contribution.
Open-Door Rate: if you wish to be in this class and $300 would keep you from doing so, please know that the opportunity to help you is more important to me than how much money you have to offer. book a call with me and we'll figure out something together. i'm happy to offer you up to a full scholarship if needed.
to send me money for this course, use either Venmo (@Daniel-Brottman) or PayPal (danielbrottman@gmail.com). please either send payment when you submit this form, or contact me to discuss other options.
who’s teaching?
i've been practicing meditation for 12 years. in that time, i have studied with respected teachers (mostly from the insight meditation tradition), spent over 7 months on silent meditation retreats, read and listened widely on meditation and the dharma, and been trained to teach by Inward Bound Mindfulness. several of my teachers have encouraged my desire to teach, and i've now given over 150 one-on-one meditation coaching calls and taught several group classes. i've also explored and practiced a number of other inner-work modalities that inform my teaching. for an expanded version of my story, you can read this essay.
while i'm still a relatively new teacher, i feel confident in my ability to help meditation students based on the clear positive feedback i've received -- check out these testimonials. for more on my teaching philosophy, see this essay.
to explore if working with me and taking this course is a good fit for you, or to talk about money or anything else, you may book a call with me. i can also be reached by email at danielbrottman@gmail.com, on twitter @danielbrottman, or by text at 847-651-0707.
thanks for reading! if you are interested in practicing meditation with me, i’d love to get to work with you and to see you in the class. once again, if you can think of anyone who may be interested in this class, please help me spread the word. and the link to sign up for the class is here.
i offer donation-based support for meditation practice! please feel welcome to book a call with me via savvycal
if you wish to financially support my life and efforts, i gratefully invite you to contribute via my patreon account