Prerequisites: Beginning meditation class or the equivalent.

The Buddha taught that there is a direct way for alleviating suffering and discovering peace, wisdom and happiness -- and that is through cultivating the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. In this course three Spirit Rock teachers explore this liberating teaching that forms the basis for Insight Meditation practice. The course consists of four daylong retreats, one each month, where participants will develop awareness of these foundations in the context of meditation and how to integrate awareness of these areas into all aspects of your life.

The first daylong will explore mindfulness of body--how body awareness serves as a vehicle for awakening. In the second daylong, we bring attention to the realm of "feeling tone" (vedana), the sense of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral, that supports a non-reactive presence to the ups and downs of life. The third daylong focuses on developing a wise relationship to emotions and mind-states, and on the fourth daylong we investigate Dharmas - -different qualities and teachings that support awakening.

You will be able to register for an individual daylong but we highly recommend attending all four daylongs for a more complete understanding of this teaching. There will be practices and reflections given during each daylong for continuing this mindful exploration between courses. NOTE: If you register to attend all four daylongs, you will receive a discount on the cost of the daylongs, plus be given a copy of a book that is a wonderful overview of these important practices, "Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realization" by Analayo. We will refer to this book in the course.

We recommend that participants read the sutta on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness before attending these daylongs, which can be found in the Majjhima Nikaya, Sutta #10 or online at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html. (There are many different translations of this sutta. You might want to read a few as they sometimes convey different meanings.)

Young Adults (18-26) and Seniors (65+ with limited and fixed income) are invited to attend this 4 daylong series at a rate of $75.

Teachings are appropriate for individuals as well as health care professionals. Continuing Education (CE) credit available. See below for more information.

Online Bulletin Board for Ride Sharing

Online Registration for this event is available until 12 noon one business day before the event. If you can't attend, see our Cancellation Policy.

Even if you have been to Spirit Rock before, please review information about What to Bring to a Daylong. This link has useful information about what to wear, what to bring, how to get here, and more.

No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Limited Volunteer/Work Exchange opportunities, as well as scholarships, may be available for this program. If interested, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at volunteering@spiritrock.org or (415) 488-0164 x224.