Meditation has a proven record in its ability to improve health, awaken happiness and give a clear perspective on life. It enables you to identify the real causes of unhappiness and recover from stress, anxiety and tension. It is a very important skill to develop in these difficult times.

Calm Abiding Meditation, also known as Shamatha, is to single-pointedly concentrate on the breath or other suitable object of meditation. It is a natural process that helps you to focus better on ordinary tasks and make you become more relaxed and peaceful. This Buddhist technique of mindfulness has attracted much interest from modern scientific fields such as psychotherapy and cognitive behaviour as well as pain management and sport training.

This course will be led by Emilia Della Torre, who has many years of experience teaching the course.

The course involves a sequential set of teaching sessions that go for 90 minutes each week. It will provide you with a complete introduction to help you establish a daily meditation practice. If you are already an experienced meditator you will come away with a good understanding of the principal characteristics and the finer points of the Buddhist approach to single-pointed concentration.

Please Note: For people experiencing mental health conditions, meditation is not a substitute for professional clinical treatment. In particular, meditation may be harmful for people experiencing Complex Trauma, PTSD, significant Substance Dependence or Psychotic Disorders. If in doubt, please seek advice from a psychologist or psychiatrist before booking your place.

Download course outline here
Download course materials here

There is no textbook for this course. Interested students might like to consult the following resources, available in e-book versions:

Taming The Elephant Mind by Lama Choedak Rinpoche

How to Meditate A Practical Guide by Kathleen Mc Donald

In keeping with a 2,500-year-old tradition no fee has been charged for this course. You are invited to give a donation to express your appreciation of the course and to support Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre in continuing to make the Dharma available. The Practice of Generosity or Dana

The Zoom Link is included in the ticket confirmation email.

Feedback from previous students of this course

“This course exceeded my expectations. It will give you a thorough basic grounding in the fundamentals of Buddhist meditation. It has a traditional approach which also works really well for today's western students. Thank you Emilia. I really value the better understanding I have received.”

"I was inspired to practice more mediation. The course was well structured, systematic, easy to work with and inspirational. Excellent delivery.”

“I found this course very helpful. I thought Emilia's knowledge of the content, presentation style, approachable and personable very inclusive and professional. I think the content is a great tool for developing calm abiding practices.”