Beyond Distraction: Buddhist Practices to Free the Mind

Join noted Buddhist author and teacher Shaila Catherine for a compelling meditation workshop and learn to overcome mental restlessness.
About this Event

Saturday, October 19, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. CT

Most meditators struggle to overcome mental restlessness, an insidious hindrance. Obsessive planning, worrying, fantasizing, and judging can distract us, but we can develop skills to work with these thoughts. As we free the mind from distractions, we nurture concentration and understanding.

In this online workshop, we will work with a mindfulness-based meditation practice and cultivate a sequence of strategies that remove distracting and troublesome thoughts. These strategies can be found in two well-known discourses given by the Buddha (Middle Length Discourses 19 and 20). In these discourses the Buddha outlines the nature of thinking, as well as its benefits, dangers, and limitations. He provides practical instructions for working with the thinking mind so that it becomes a helpful friend rather than a source of oppression.

Our time together will include lecture, meditation, and breaks. Please join us to learn new skills that will nourish your meditation practice. The workshop is designed to benefit beginning meditators as well as those who are more experienced.

Prior to the workshop, please consider reviewing the resources listed below.

Registrants will receive on-demand access to recording(s) that can be viewed for two weeks following the conclusion of the program.

Shaila Catherine is a Buddhist author and the founder of Bodhi Courses, an online Dhamma classroom, and Insight Meditation South Bay, a center for mindfulness, compassion, and wisdom in Silicon Valley, California. She has taught insight meditation since 1996 throughout the world. Shaila draws inspiration from the Discourses of the Buddha and is known for her expertise in guiding practitioners to cultivate concentration and the deep absorption states of jhāna. She has written three books: ; ; and . For more information about Shaila visit shailacatherine.com.

Suggested Preparation
· Discourse 19: Two Kinds of Thought
· Discourse 20: The Removal of Distracting Thoughts
· by Shaila Catherine
Program Format

This is a live, interactive online program that will also be recorded. Registrants will receive on-demand access to recording(s) that can be viewed for two weeks following the conclusion of the program.

Join online via a Zoom link that will be emailed upon your registration. Please download Zoom for free at zoom.us/download and test your connection at zoom.us/test. For further information, check out www.theosophical.org/FAQ or email [email protected].