Please Note: Registration for the Intensive closes on January 23. If you plan to register, please do so now or mark the closing date in your calendar.
Background
The Fall 2016 Mindful Living Path Intensive presented a foundational teaching and practice of our tradition, the Full Awareness of the Breath, or Anapanasati Sutra. During this Intensive we practiced meditations on mindfulness of breath, body, feelings and mind in order to develop the stability and depth of our meditative practice, and to realize the fruits of these teachings in our consciousness and in daily life.
Winter/Spring 2017 Mindful Living Path Intensive
In the Buddhist teachings, the path of the heart is equal to the path of meditation/wisdom as a basis for happiness and well-being. For these three months we will focus on the cultivation of an open, warm, non-judgmental, accepting, kind, supportive and compassionate heart through the study and practice of the Four Immeasureables: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity.
These four “divine abodes” show us what the human heart is capable of and by practicing them we can uncover the natural qualities of our own heart. We can learn to live with an openness that feels connection and friendliness towards all beings, rejoices in their happiness, and desires to alleviate their suffering. We will practice meditations to cultivate these qualities in our mind, and through consistent mindfulness we will bring them into our daily life of relationship, work and interaction with others.
Participants in this Intensive will be provided with a path of practice that will include a mentor, readings, meditation practices, and mindful living assignments. Bi-weekly talks with a mentor alternating weekly with email updates will provide individual guidance and support. Dharma talks by a senior student, Diane Powell, will be offered to participants by phone conference call. Peer group meetings offered bi-weekly, in-person or by phone, will provide an opportunity for participants to share and provide mutual support to each other. In addition, Fred will offer two Forums in Tampa to answer questions and interact with participants. These Forums will be live-streamed so that those in other locations can participate.
The commitments for this Intensive are listed below. Before registering for the Intensive please read the commitments and reflect carefully on whether you will be able to keep them.
Commitments for each Intensive participant:
1. The commitment to practice a minimum of 30 minutes of daily formal meditative practice and/or other practices related to this Intensive.
2. The commitment to practice recommended meditational techniques/practices.
3. The commitment to have regular telephone consultations with assigned mentor.
4. The commitment to be present for the phone Dharma Talks.
5. The commitment to be present for the Forums with Fred, in person or by livestream.
6. The commitment to attend a bi-weekly support gathering of other sangha members participating in the intensive in-person or by phone.
7. The commitment to read Dharma texts that will be recommended to participants.
8. The commitment to attend all the practice periods of your sangha during the Intensive.
There is a suggested donation of $100 associated with this Intensive. This is a suggested donation, and participants are free to donate more or less, depending on their individual practice of Dana and their financial situation. Please note that participation in this Intensive is only open to members of FCM. For information about membership, please access our website at www.floridamindulness.org.
This intensive will begin February 19 and continue through May 14. Dharma texts to be read will be announced once registration has been completed. You may pay on-line or send your check made out to the Florida Community of Mindfulness (FCM) to Florida Community of Mindfulness, 6501 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, FL 33604.
Registration will close on January 23. Please be sure to register by this date. For the past several years the number of people requesting to join the Intensive after registration has closed has been increasing, reaching 20% of participants for last Fall’s Intensives. This greatly increases the workload for Intensive organizers. Thus, out of consideration, and to ensure your acceptance into the Intensive, please register immediately or mark the registration closing date in your calendar now.
Finally, please note that when registering for the Intensive, you will be asked to indicate the preferred location for your peer group (Fort Myers, Naples, St. Petersburg, Tampa, or by phone). In addition, for Tampa only, you will be asked to indicate your preferred meeting times (Sundays 8:40-9:40 am, Sundays 12:45-1:45 pm, or Monday evenings 6:30-7:30). Please indicate all the choices that you would be able to attend.
