THE BUDDHIST HEART-MIND

PART I: THE BUDDHIST HEART: REAWAKENING THE FOUR IMMEASURABLES

PART II: THE BUDDHIST MIND: CULTIVATING THE FOUR FOUNDATIONS OF MINDFULNESS

An Online Intensive with Whit Hornsberger (8 x 2 hour workshops) 

The liberation (soteriological) tradition of Buddhism’s path towards emancipation from suffering (dukkha) is built upon the objective investigation into the true nature of subjective consciousness experience (phenomenology). It is a path designed to awaken the heart-mind (citta) from the sleep of its conditioned ignorance (avijjā) by unveiling the ultimate reality of the psychophysical phenomena that compose the human embodiment, liberating our heart-minds from the limitations of their past conditioning.

The success of this undertaking is dependent upon the development of insight (vipassanā) and conconmitant wisdom (paññā) via the practice of satipaṭṭhāna vipassanā bhāvanā, colloquially referred to as vipassanā meditation or insight meditation. And vipassanā meditation is built upon the study and practice of the Four Foundation of Mindfulness (satipaṭṭhānas).

But owing the natural law of causal conditionality (idappaccayatā), the four foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhānas) do not and cannot act in isolation, nor are they sufficient in and of themselves for us to receive our human birthright, the deliverance from suffering.

Where the four foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhānas) are the framework, the foundation, of vipassanā meditation, it is the four immeasurables (brahmavihāras) act as the foundation of the foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhānas). As such, in order for vipassanā practice to bear liberating fruit (phala) via the cultivation of the four satipaṭṭhānas, the four immeasurables of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy (gratitude) and equanimity must be reawakened from their conditioned sleep.

Through the reawakening of these four immeasurable innate qualities (brahmavihāras) of the heart and the cultivation of the four foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhānas), emancipation from suffering (dukkha) becomes a reality, the ultimate reality of nibbāna (enlightenment).

In this 8-part workshop series over the winter, we will dive deeply into the reawakening of the heart via the study and practice of the brahmavihāras and the development of the mind via the study and practice of the satipaṭṭhānas.

The outcome of this intensive offering is that practitioners will develop a deep and thorough intellectual and most importantly experiential understanding of the path of awakening as laid down by the Buddha that these two imperative components of the four immeasurables and four foundations of mindfulness that form the essence of vipassanā meditation pratice.

Each session includes a Dhamma (philosophy) talk/presentation and meditation practice.

Practitioners may register for one or both component parts of this workshop series. However, it is highly encouraged to participate in both components in order to gain an overarching view and understanding of vipassanā meditation practice.

To register, please visit the event pages where you will find the application forms.

For those interested in joining the entire workshop series, please fill in two forms, one for the Buddhist Heart and one for the Buddhist Mind on the respective event pages.