Thinking with the Heart
An Introduction to Buddhist Thought and Practice
July 29 – August 5 / weekend option: July 29 - Aug 2
with Brian McLeod
Buddhadharma (the teachings of the Buddha) and its associated meditation practices are often portrayed as simple and accessible. Yet anyone who starts looking into the various practices and traditions in the Buddhist world soon starts to come across an ocean of complex and sometimes contradictory ideas. And an incredible number of lists.
This one-week workshop is intended for people new to the teachings of the Buddha, as well as those who have that nagging feeling they have missed a few important details. Rather than pretend to explain all traditions of Buddhadharma in detail in a single week, this course will introduce a number of principles central to the Buddha’s teachings, each of which is a gateway to deeper study and contemplation.
Each morning we will take up a major theme for two hours, exploring it with a combination of talks, personal reflection and small group discussions.
Daily themes will include a number of core ideas, including
Intention/attitude
Dissatisfaction/suffering
Impermanence
The idea of a self
Interconnectedness, and
(What is often translated as) Emptiness.*
Through the week we will also weave in what you may recognize as some of the starting points of the path, like The Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold path, and Foundations of Mindfulness.
All study will be tilted towards applicability to daily life.
Each afternoon we will talk about various types of meditation practice, to give participants an idea of the range of practices that have developed in various traditions of Buddhadharma.. There will also be instruction on how to meditate, with daily guided meditations on kindness and compassion the main focus for the week.
A list of readings will be provided to supplement our sessions together.
*If you have been reading traditional commentaries on Buddhist philosophy you might recognize these as bodhicitta, dukkha, anicca, anatta, paticca samuppada and sunyata.
Brian McLeod was accepted as a student of the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche in 1978. From 1984 to 1989 he lived at the Dharma Centre, participating in the first three-year Academy program for training Dharma teachers, followed by a two-year stint as Property Manager. He has been leading retreats in Canada and Germany since 1999, and has been the lead teacher of the River and Bridge Dharma Group in Winnipeg since 2007.
Brian’s teaching is simple and clear, informed by his life experience with work and family. Following his time at the Dharma Centre he lived in the eastern Arctic for seventeen years, working in business and as a senior manager for Inuit political and business organizations. He now lives in Winnipeg, working in mediation (one ‘t’) and organizational development, in partnership with his wife Lorraine Thomas. They have two sons, both now in university. Brian has a degree in Forestry from UBC (forest soils and ecology) and a Master’s degree in dispute resolution from Osgoode Hall Law School.
Important Details:
When:
Full retreat option: Thursday, July 29th @ 9 am to Thursday August 5th @ 3:30pm.
Long weekend option: Thursday, July 29th @ 9 am to Monday August 2nd @ 11am.
Daily classes will be at 9am-11am & 2pm-3.30pm EST
Rates: The Dharma Centre of Canada is hosting a number of online retreats to support ongoing access to Dharma Teachings during this challenging time. In order to offset administrative costs we ask for a suggested fee of:
$15 per day (minimum fee)
$25 per day (patron fee)
Any fee below or above the suggested amounts. We are grateful for all your support.
(this is considered either an 8 day or 5 day retreat (long weekend option)
To make this payment please send us an e-transfer to retreats@dharmacentre.org or make a payment via PayPal or credit card at: https://www.dharmacentre.org/make-a-payment
Thank you for your support!
Dana: Teachers give the teachings of awakening (Dharma) freely so that anyone, no matter their financial means can attend classes. Each time one receives teachings, it is an opportunity to consciously practice generosity. Giving money and other means of support expresses gratitude and support to the teacher and helps to ensure that these teachings continue. Each person receiving Dharma teachings determines the kind and amount of Dāna according to one’s heart and one’s financial means. When deciding how much to offer, one should think about what these teachings mean to you and try to give accordingly. It is recommended that students make an offering of dāna at the beginning of a class or retreat to establish the intention to make the most of this opportunity for one’s own progression and for the benefit of all others.
Brian is sharing his experience within the traditional understanding of dana/donation which can be offered through e-transfer if in Canada, or through PayPal to the following email address: imaituk@shaw.ca
Registration deadline is July 27th at 4pm. The zoom link will be sent out at that time. Please note: a working camera and microphone is necessary to participate online.