Cultivating resilience in challenging times:

Learning from the “heavenly messengers”

This eight-week online course offers an opportunity to develop and strengthen our inner resources of kindness, compassion, calm and clarity, through an exploration of what are traditionally known as “the four heavenly messengers.”

In Buddhist teaching, these are four archetypes that symbolise the existential challenges we face, and the way to overcome those challenges. The four are a sick person, an aged person, a dying person, and a contemplative. In addition to these four, we can also include the current challenges of the climate crisis and racial and social injustice.

At first glance, these messengers might not sound so heavenly, but by learning how to relate to their messages skilfully, they can help us to live our lives with more ease, happiness, and peace.

Each two-hour class will include a short dharma talk, some silent meditation practice, dyad (pairs) practice, and small group discussion. The course will use the Canvas online platform to provide talk recordings, guided meditations, and additional reading.

This course is best suited to people who have sat at least one seven-day silent meditation retreat, but prior Buddhist study is not necessary. Some of the material may be challenging for people who have recently experienced a bereavement or other life stressors, so please feel free to contact Jill if you have any questions about this.

NOTE: Because this is a group learning process, participants are asked to make a commitment to attend all eight sessions of the course, and to allow at least two hours a week for personal study and reflections to be shared with the group.
Each week there will be an assignment in the form of a short written reflection, and a response will be required to access the next week's resources.

Teacher: Jill Shepherd http://jill0shepherd-insightmeditation.com

Cost for all eight sessions: $80 + dana*

Times and dates of Zoom group meeings:

Please double-check your time-zone conversion here: https://www.timeanddate.com/wo...

Option 1

Sydney AEST 6:00-8:00 a.m. Sunday mornings 4 October - 22 November 2020

Auckland NZT 8:00-10:00 a.m. Sunday mornings 4 October - 22 November 2020

San Francisco PDT 12:00-2:00 p.m. Saturday afternoons

3 October - 21 November 2020 (note time will change to 11:00-1:00 pm from 1 November due to Daylight Saving Time ending)

New York EDT 3:00-5:00 p.m. Saturday afternoons

3 October - 21 November 2020 (note time will change to 2:00-4:00 pm from 1 November due to Daylight Saving Time ending)

London BST 8:00-10:00 p.m. Saturday evenings

3 October - 21 November 2020 (note time will change to 7:00-9:00 pm from 25 October due to Daylight Saving Time ending)

Option 2

Singapore SGT 8:00-10:00 a.m. Sunday mornings 4 October - 22 November 2020

Sydney AEST 11:00-1:00 p.m. Sunday mornings 4 October - 22 November 2020

Auckland NZT 1:00-3:00 p.m. Sunday afternoons 4 October - 22 November 2020

San Francisco PDT 5:00-7:00 p.m. Saturday afternoons

3 October - 21 November 2020 (note time will change to 4:00-6:00 pm from 1 November due to Daylight Saving Time ending)

New York EDT 8:00-10:00 p.m. Saturday evenings

3 October - 21 November 2020 (note time will change to 7:00-9:00 pm from 1 November due to Daylight Saving Time ending)

Option 3 - NEW

Self-study

Allows access to the course materials for you to follow at your own pace, without participation in the weekly group meetings.

Access to course materials will end 30 November 2020.

Dana/donations

*The registration fee covers only a contribution to course administration, and booking fees.

In keeping with Buddhist tradition, the teachings are offered on a dana basis which means the teacher is not paid to offer this workshop. Instead, they rely on the generosity of the participants to help them continue to share their teachings with others, and there will be an opportunity at the end of each class to offer donations to support their ongoing teaching.