Deep Harmony:
A 7-Week Course in Buddhist Ethics
When: Wednesdays, 7:00-9:00 pm PT, 9/6/23 to 10/18/23
Where: The Flander’s House Community Room — 2926 NE Flanders St, Portland 97232
Registration: RSVP Required; email me at Da***@pa*************.com to sign up!
Cost: Gift Economy / Donation (see below)
Brief Summary:
This course will focus on the Buddhist tradition’s core ethical principles & practices — namely, The Five Precepts. More than simply learning the philosophy or theory, the primary goal is to help you learn how to infuse your actions with greater wisdom & compassion, thus contributing to deeper harmony within yourself, your relationships, and this beautiful world we all share.
Longer Summary:
This course will primarily explore Buddhist ethics through the lens of “The Five Precepts,” which are the core practices or trainings that 2,600 years of practitioners have used to embody an ethical & virtuous life.
Rather than approach the precepts as “rules,” as something to “believe in,” or as another way to judge and criticize people, we’ll approach them mostly as humble guidelines for harmonious living. Within that, our exploration will take on a spirit of openness & curiosity, closely looking at the impacts of our behavior.
Through guided meditations, brief lectures, journaling exercises, small & large group discussions, and a small amount of between-week homework, you will internalize:
- The core virtues & inquiries that underlie Buddhist ethics, such as non-harming, integrity, harmony, wisdom, and compassion.
. - The traditional approach to “The Five Precepts,” which lists five unwise behaviors to abstain from; that is, killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxicating oneself.
. - Thich Nhat Hanh’s approach to “The Five Precepts,” which lists five corollary behaviors to engage in; such as revering life, generosity, true love, deep listening & loving speech, and healthy nutriment.
. - The role of ethics in the greater Buddhist tradition, and specifically how mindfulness & meditation help us practice these precepts more sincerely.
One of the real benefits of a course like this is the ongoing community aspect. It’s one thing to read a book on the Precepts, and it’s entirely another thing to commit to seven weeks of practice with a community, where we have a chance to dive in together, get feedback, lean on each other, and do the practice day-in-and-day-out.
Students will be strongly encouraged to pick up a copy of Thich Nhat Hanh’s book, “The Mindfulness Survival Kit.”
Cost & Commitment:
As with nearly everything I do, I’m offering this course on the gift economy; aka on donation, as a practice of mutual giving and receiving!
As donation-based offerings are a bit foreign in our culture, I would love for you to read over this article on how I think about the financial part of donation-based courses. I trust that whatever you donate will be the perfect amount! No one will be turned away or judged for lack of funds!
Also, just as importantly, offered-on-donation doesn’t mean “come when you feel like it” or “only participate halfway.” While of course life happens and you may have to miss a week, I’d request that you make a genuine commitment to showing up and doing the practices — that’s the only real way to turn these teachings from a good idea into something that truly makes a difference in your life!
Registration
Space is limited to 20 people and this course will very likely fill up with a waitlist.
Email me at Da***@pa*************.com to sign up!
Healthy and Safety
There will be no masking or vaccination requirements, though we will hold a culture of respect and care for whatever steps people take to help themselves be comfortable & safe. You are always welcome to wear a mask for whatever reason.
If you are feeling sick, the best route is to just stay home (I will send out a recording of each session the following day). However, if your illness feels very minor, like a common cold, you are not actively coughing/sneezing much, and you have taken a Covid Test that same day, you are welcome to join us wearing an N95 or KN95 mask. Likewise, if you’ve had close contact with someone who was clearly sick in the few days before the class, please either stay home or come with a mask on (no testing needed if you’re not actually sick).
As a note, we’ll be about 20 people in a 420 square foot room, which means there will be perhaps 1 foot of personal space between you and the next person. There will also be a number of small group discussions where you will be conversing in close proximity to others.