February 24 - May 18
Those whose life is informed by the desire for liberation from an existence of narrow self-centeredness, constricted emotionality, and underlying dissatisfaction in order to better connect to, understand, love, and bring only goodness to their fellow beings are called “bodhisattvas.” Bodhisattvas cultivate bodhicitta, the seed of understanding and love that lies dormant within each of us. This way of living taught and modeled by the Buddha and the endless stream of awakened beings is called the Path of the Bodhisattva or the “path of the awakened and compassionate warrior.”
There is no better introduction to the living path of the bodhisattva than the eloquent and insightful poem/text, The Bodhicaryavatara, by the great eighth century Indian Buddhist, Shantideva. Participants in the Intensive will use this text as a manual for the practices of the Six Paramitas, the guiding practices of living the life of a bodhisattva. These practices, as expounded in The Bodhicaryavatara, inform much of other writings and practices dedicated to cultivating the life of a bodhisattva. Those of you who recently participated in the Mind Training Intensive may recall how frequently Traleg Kyabgon, in his book The Practice of Lojong, quoted Shantideva’s words.
The Winter/Spring intensive will begin our year-long study and practice of The Bodhicaryavatara. As was the case with the Dharma Path intensive last year, the study and practice of this subject will continue past the winter/spring into summer and fall intensives, giving us the opportunity to look and practice deeply and thoroughly.
This Intensive is open to FCM members who have established a foundation of mindfulness and emotional stability through the practices of our Mindful Living Path, and are now prepared to tread more deeply into the Dharma path of transformation. We are offering two Intensives this winter/spring. One is organized around the teachings of the Mindful Living Path; one is organized around the Dharma Path. A detailed description of the Three Paths of Practice can be found on the FCM website, www.floridamindfulness.org under Programs/Paths of Practice. Reviewing the Three Paths of Practice can be helpful in deciding which of the upcoming 2020 Winter/Spring Intensives may be most suitable and beneficial for you. FCM members may also wish to consult the Three Paths of Practice Self-Assessment Questionnaire, which can be accessed via this link (be sure to log in to the website first to access this link).
The path of practice for this Intensive will include assigned readings in The Bodhicaryavatara and in recommended commentarial texts. Bi-weekly group mentoring video-conference calls on Zoom will provide individual guidance and support. These mentor calls will alternate between being led by Diane Powell and Ken Lenington, both senior students of Fred. Dharma talks given by Fred will be offered to participants via Zoom. A Daylong Retreat will be scheduled.
If you have any questions about the Intensive please contact Diane Powell at dslpowell@gmail.com.
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 participants:
Study & Practice:
- A minimum of one-hour of daily formal meditative and/or other practices related to this intensive.
- Reading the Dharma texts that will be assigned to participants.
- Attending all the practice periods of your Sangha during the Intensive, as possible.
Participate in Assigned Practice Groups:
- Participation in bi-weekly small group video forums with Diane and Ken during the intensive.
- Being present for the Zoom Dharma Talks with Fred which will occur every three weeks.
- Be present for the Intensive’s Daylong retreat in-person or by Zoom as possible (Scheduled for April 18 in Tampa).
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. 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.
Please note that participation in this Intensive is only open to members of FCM. For information about membership, please access our website at www.floridamindfulness.org.
This Intensive will begin on February 24 and end on May 18, 2020. Readings, group assignments, and Zoom teleconference/phone call instructions will be announced once registration has been completed.
Registration will close on February 5.
REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
Please read the information below before you click to register.
Mentoring Groups. When you register, you will also be asked to indicate your preferences for the Mentoring Groups offered through Zoom. The following six mentoring groups will be listed, and you will be required to score each group as one of the following:
If there is more than one group that will work well for you, please mark all these as “my first choice.” This will provide us with added flexibility in making group assignments. Please have your calendar available when you register so that you can complete this part of the registration process accurately. (Mentor calls generally last one hour.)
Mentoring
Group 1: Wednesdays 7:30 – 8:30 am. March 4, 18; April 1, 15, 29
Group 2: Wednesdays 7:30 – 8:30 am. March 11, 25; April 8, 22; May 6
Group 3: Thursdays 7:30 – 8:30 am. March 5, 19; April 2, 16, 30
Group 4: Thursdays 7:30 – 8:30 am. March 12, 26; April 9, 23, May 7
Note: In the four groups below, dates will alternate between Wednesday and Thursday evenings—i.e. the group will meet on a Wednesday, then two weeks later on a Thursday etc. All Thursday dates are in bold
Group 5: 6:00 – 7:00 pm. March 4, 19; April 1, 16, 29
Group 6: 6:00 – 7:00 pm. March 5, 18; April 2, 15, 30
Group 7: 6:00 – 7:00 pm. March 11, 26; April 8, 23; May 6
Group 8: 6:00 – 7:00 pm. March 12, 25, April 9, 22; May 7
