ABHIDHARMA - BUDDHIST PSYCHOLOGY

A Portrait of Human Consciousness with David Nichtern & Larry Mermelstein
Tuesdays, September 7th - October 26th, 7-9pm
Cost: $185

INVESTIGATE THE WORKINGS OF THE MIND AND THE STATES OF HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS

Much of our meditation practice involves working directly and intuitively with our experience of our mind, the world around us and how they seem to work together to create our sense of reality.

The study of Abhidharma is perhaps more theoretical. I have long been fascinated by this subject - and in particular Trungpa Rinpoche’s very unique take on it.

In the long and collaborative 2500 year history of Buddhism, there are 3 important groupings of teachings that are collectively known as the tri-pitaka (3 bundles):

Sutra - study of the discourses of the Buddha
Vinaya - the code of ethical conduct and personal discipline.
Abhidharma - the detailed study of how our consciousness operates - a portrait of mind - in great detail and subtlety, including thoughts, emotions, sensations, and sense perceptions.

In this workshop, based on "Glimpses of Abhidharma" by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, we will have a look at the evolution of consciousness from a Buddhist perspective as well as the detailed exploration of the different layers of consciousness and how they operate in real time.

I think you will find this material fascinating and eminently useful as I have. The class will include lectures, discussion, meditation instruction & practice. Recordings will be available.

*Prerequisite: Dharma Moon 100hr MMTT

Suggested Reading: Glimpses of Abhidharma by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche (click title to purchase).

YOUR TEACHERS

David Nichtern

David Nichtern is a senior teacher in the lineage of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. This tradition combines a contemporary, secular approach to meditation with the ancient practices and philosophies of Tibetan Buddhism.

David is also a four-time Emmy winner and two-time Grammy nominee, and a successful entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience integrating spiritual practice and everyday living. He is the author of Awakening From The Daydream; Re-imaging The Buddha’s Wheel of Life and Creativity Spirituality and Making A Buck on Wisdom Publications.

Larry Mermelstein

Beginning in 1971, Larry Mermelstein became a close student of the Venerable Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Tibetan Buddhist meditation master and scholar. He served as an acharya (senior teacher) in the Vajradhatu/Shambhala community for twenty years, as well as being a member of the board of directors for nearly that long.

He is a founding member and the executive director of the Nalanda Translation Committee for over forty years and is a long-time consulting editor to Shambhala Publications.