Every year, the last stretch feels the same: the calendar fills up, the to-do list gets longer, and somewhere in the noise we lose the thread of why any of it matters. Gratitude fades. Commitments become complicated. Generosity slips into obligation.
The Buddhist tradition has a name for the qualities that can help us navigate any season the Brahma Viharas, the divine abodes. Four practical, relatable ways of meeting life — even when it’s moving faster than you can manage.
For four weeks, we'll take one each:
Week 1 — Metta (Loving-Kindness)
Week 2 — Karuna (Compassion)
Week 3 — Mudita (Sympathetic Joy)
Week 4 — Upekkha (Equanimity)
These four qualities were taught as a path toward psychological and spiritual freedom, but they double as the exact toolkit the holiday season demands: how to love people who are difficult, how to hold grief alongside celebration, how to be happy for others without losing yourself, how to stay steady when everything speeds up.
By the time the year closes, you won't just know about the Brahma Viharas. You'll have practiced them — in your own body, in your own relationships — and you'll be walking into the season with something sturdier than good intentions.
Four weeks. Four abodes. One steadier way to say good-bye to one year, and welcome the next.
MORE DETAILS COMING SOON….
In Collaboration / Support of Buddhist Prison Ministry | Facilitated by Suzanne Lucas
Six-Week Series
Starts Thursdays, June 11th | 6pm to 7:15pm | Online Only.
By donation: Suggested $108 for series, or $20- $25/class
Each week, we'll focus on two things: building a daily meditation practice that works for your life — even just a few minutes a day — and exploring one of the Six Paramitas, or Great Perfections.
The Six Paramitas offer a timeless road map for opening the heart and mind, and for living with greater integrity, generosity, and compassion. Our guide will be the Buddhist Prison Ministry's Prayers and Practices: Activating Buddhism in Daily Life — a course book written by Rev. Susan Shannon for incarcerated practitioners, whose wisdom speaks to all of us.
Along the way, we'll draw inspiration from the wisdom alive in each participants’ life expereince and from the incarcerated sangha — practitioners who are doing this profound inner work amid some of the most challenging circumstances imaginable. Their commitment is a powerful reminder of what's possible, and an invitation to deepen our own compassion.
The Six Perfections Overview:
Generosity: Of material things, time, and safety.
Integrity: Living ethically and protecting others from harm.
Patience: Staying open and steady in the face of difficulty.
JoyfulEffort: Bringing wholehearted energy to what matters.
Meditation: Cultivating a focused, peaceful, and open mind.
Wisdom: Learning to see ourselves and life with clarity.
Together, these elements are intended to open your relationship to the Dharma and create a meaningful connection with fellow participants.
Sign-up for the entire series to receive weekly handouts and recordings of missed classes.
Note: Drop-in available for weekly discussions only. Make a donation on the week you’d like to join, and you will receive a Zoomlink. Options: June 11, 18, 25 and July 2, 9, 16.
Learn more about Buddhist Prison Ministry
Having issues with registration? Contact me.
No results match your search. Try removing a few filters.
