Sati Center

Buddhist Art as Buddhist Practice
Joan DePaoli

"Buddhist Art as Buddhist Practice: Dharma Wheels, Mudras and Pop Art" was offered by Joan DePaoli on January 12, 2008.

Everyone is familiar with the image of the Buddha sitting in meditation. It is an icon which takes on the aesthetic of the culture which gave rise to it: from India to Tibet; from Japan to Southeast Asia. Most recently, we can see the influence of the Dharma in the art of the west.

The earliest Dharma images were of a wheel, an empty chair, a lotus. Later, images of the Buddha portrayed him most commonly as sitting in meditation. In Japan the dharma was inherent to the design of the tea house and in the practice of inkbrush painting. By the mid 20th century, the growing Western interest in the spirituality of the East began to influence American artists for whom pop art and abstract expressionism became a means of displaying both their understanding and practice of the dharma.

Joan DePaoli is an artist, art historian, author and lecturer, and is also a curator who, since 1970, has presented exhibitions of Buddhist art in both Thailand and the United States. The day was be devoted to reviewing how visual art has been used both to commemorate the Dharma and to facilitate its practice since the time of the Buddha. There was special attention given to the Dharma's substantial influence in contemporary modern art. In describing his own practice, 20th century artist Philip Guston said: "When you go into your studio to work, everyone is there, your friends, parents, teachers, then one by one they all leave. And when you're lucky, you do!"

The Neurology of Awakening
Rick Hanson, Ph. D. and Rick Mendius, M. D.

"The Neurology of Awakening - Using New Brain Research to Deepen Your Practice" was offered by Rick Hanson and Rick Mendius on December 1, 2007.

The latest brain research has begun to confirm the centrail insights of the Buddha. And it's suggesting ways you can help your brain to enter deeper states of mindfulness, quiet, and concentration. Suffering, joy, and freedom all depend on what happens within your nervous system. Skillful meditation practice thus means being skillful with your own brain.

This experiential workshop — led by a psychologist and a neurologist — offered user-friendly information about your brain and many practical methods to apply it to meditation practice. No prior background with meditaiton or brain science is necessary.

Awareness is Not Enough
Steve Amstrong

"Awareness is Not Enough" was offered by Steve Amstrong on September 9, 2007

Steve Armstrong presents the teachings of Sayadaw U Tejaniya, who teaches that simply being aware of our experience is not sufficient for wisdom to arise. First we must understand how to practice correctly with the right attitude. Only then will wisdom and understanding arise out of practice.

The practice itself is an awareness of mind, inquiring into our experience with such questions as: What is the attitude I am practicing with? Is there a subtle defilement operating at the moment? What do I understand about my experience? Discovering the answers to these questions allows peace and happiness to arise in your heart.

Refined Knowledge, Subtle Wisdom
Steve Amstrong

"Refined Knowledge, Subtle Wisdom" was offered by Steve Amstrong on September 8, 2007

How we approach insight practice conditions what we discover. Coming to it for stress management brings one kind of result; seeking emotional intelligence and balance brings another. Buddhist insight (vipassana) practice was originally designed as a vehicle for liberation. To fulfill this potential, it helps to understand how it works as a practice of liberation.

One of the most profound teachers of insight practice in modern times was the Burmese teacher Mahasi Sayadaw. Most insight meditation taught in the world is derived from his teachings. This daylong class presented his teachings on the 'absolute view of reality' which is helpful for attaining liberation and as well as finding happiness in our busy lives. With refined knowledge of this view, we can realize for ourselves the subtle wisdom of the Buddha's liberation.

Not Two, Not Even "One": Non-Duality in Theravada and Zen Buddhism
Ajahn Amaro and Joseph Bobrow

"Not Two, Not Even "One": Non-Duality in Theravada & Zen Buddhism" was offered by Ajahn Amaro & Joseph Bobrow Roshi on June 23, 2007

Two teachers from the Thai Forest and Zen traditions explore the experience of non-duality in Buddhist practice and everyday life. Buddhist schools have diverse perspectives on non-duality: overlapping, complementing, and sometimes, through a playful exploration of differences, cross-fertilizing one another. A day of Dharma talks, meditation practice and dialogue.

Scouting the Terrain: Exploring Dependent Co-arising as a Guide to the Path
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

It stands to reason that a knowledge of the Buddha's map of the causes of suffering would give practical guidance in how to follow the path to the end of suffering. Among his most important teachings providing such guidance is that of Dependent Co-arising. By describing the conditions which give rise to suffering, Dependent Co-arising shows the way to the end of suffering. Through teachings, readings, discussion and meditation this day-long course focused on the important connections highlighted in Dependent Co-arising and their role in shaping the path of virtue, concentration, and discernment.

Sutta Text (pdf file)     Audio Index (pdf file)

Introduction to Buddhist Spiritual Care
Steve Stuckey, Jaku Kinst, and Gayle Madison

The Life and Teachings of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu
Santikaro

Buddhadasa Bhikkhu was one of the most influential Buddhist teachers in Thai history. As a forest monk he taught Buddhism as a practice of close alignment with the natural world. In this commemoration of his 100th birthday, we review his most significant contributions, the controversies that sometimes surrounded him, and how his teachings and social activism are relevant in today's West.

The Breath: A Vehicle for Liberation
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Seeing the Path: The Buddha's Teachings on Right View
Leigh Brasington

As Large as Life: Zen Koans for Everyday Practice
Zoketsu Norman Fischer

Iddhipada: The Bases for Success
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Living With the Devil: A Reflection on the Nature of Mara
Stephen Batchelor