Meditation workshop: embodiment, attention & friendliness

Imagine that you have to engage with a task and you are able to fully devote yourself to it for the time that it takes, without being distracted by anything around you. Or imagine that you want to relax, and you are able to simply sit down quietly and enjoy a beautiful inner silence. Or imagine that emotional turmoil comes up, and yet you remain capable of discerning what really needs to be done (if anything), without being thrown off by the unfolding of the drama around you. These are neither thought experiments, nor rare natural gifts, but specific skills that can be learned and mastered through a disciplined method, which in several traditions is called ‘meditation’.

This workshop aims to provide a basic introduction to some of the fundamental ingredients of meditation practice: the role of embodiment for the framing of experience, the way in which attention can be used, misused, or collected, and the importance of developing certain emotional attitudes such as friendliness. For the philosophically-inclined ones, these practices have the further advantage of providing a laboratory for exploring how one’s own experience is constructed, shaped, and how it can be transformed by the dynamics of attention and intentionality.

The approach presented in the workshop is largely derived from the Buddhist tradition, and especially from its oldest stratum, the Pāli discourses of the Buddha (5^th century BCE). However, the workshop is suitable for complete beginners with no prior meditation experience or any specific interest in Buddhism. Sessions consist of a short presentation of basic notions and practical guidelines, a guided seated meditation, and time for group exchange.

Attendance is free, but registration is highly appreciated. To register, please fill in this form:

https://forms.gle/sAkLVLp2jyW3LJ1F7

For any further questions: a.sangiacomo rug.nl