When the heart understands that grasping is pointless, it lets go. Based on that insight alone, one becomes independent of others, and what we land in is a way of being that doesn't take from or demand anything of the world around us. Once we are independent, and all the way along the path toward this independence, there's a kind of power and deep maturity that comes when we can be with the culture, people, and dramas around us without being pulled under by them. And that means that our participation is cleaner, more creative, more compassionate, and more choiceful.
Sean Oakes, PhD
Guest Teacher, Movement Teacher
Sean Oakes, PhD, teaches the Dharma with a focus on the integration of meditation, study, and self-inquiry with trauma resolution and social justice. He has studied in Theravāda, Zen, and Vajrāyāna Buddhist lineages, including training as a monk in Burma, and was authorized to teach Insight Meditation by Jack Kornfield in 2010. He completed the Dedicated Practitioner (DPP1), Mindfulness Meditation and Yoga (MYMT2), and Community Dharma Leader (CDL5) trainings at Spirit Rock. In addition to mentor Jack Kornfield, Dr. Oakes’ primary Buddhist teachers include Sylvia Boorstein and Eugene Cash, Kitissaro and Ṭhānissara, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Anam Thubten, and Sayadaw U Janaka, with whom he ordained as a bhikkhu for a Rains Retreat in Burma in 2002. He studied Yoga with Alice Joanou, Rachel Shaw, Amanda Moran, and David Moreno, and taught mindfulness-based Yoga āsana and prāṇāyāma for 10 years. He studied and performed for many years in music, dance, and performance art, and trained in Somatic Experiencing (SE) and Organic Intelligence (OI) with Steven Hoskinson, integrating the complex systems approach from OI in a distinctively Buddhist approach to trauma resolution. Sean teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, East Bay Meditation Center, and online with Insight Timer, Yoga International, and other lovely organizations. He received his PhD in Performance Studies from UC Davis in 2016, writing on states of consciousness in Buddhist meditation and experimental dance, and lives in Northern California on ancestral Pomo territory with his family and beloved community.
Sean Oakes' Upcoming Programs
Class Series | Online | Dharma Institute
January 9 - February 6, 2025 | Thursday - Thursday | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Men in the Dharma: Healing, Power, and Liberation
As the world around us changes rapidly, from climate to culture, the roles we fill as men in our family structures, workplaces, and relationships are also changing. In these classes, we will learn meditation and mindfulness-based approaches to working with our minds and hearts, learn from each other in council, and feel the support of brothers on the path of liberation. We will share a mix of silent practice, relational mindfulness practices, and community connection. All self-identified men are welcome.
Upcoming Drop-Ins
Drop-in | Online
Monday, December 16 | 7:15 PM - 9:15 PM
Monday Night Meditation & Talk
For over 35 years, the Monday Night sitting group at Spirit Rock has been a welcoming refuge to gather, hear the teachings of the Buddha, and practice Insight Meditation together as a community. The program includes a 30-40 min guided meditation, a short break, and a Dharma talk.
Sean Oakes
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Sean Oakes through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.
