From self-help to stress-reduction, there are many ways to approach meditation. In the Open Heart Project, we view it as a sacred practice (that is also extremely ordinary). It is sacred in that it invokes deep transformation, the kind that does not come about from “working” on ourselves; it shows you who you really are. It is ordinary because, let’s face it, you’re just sitting there, doing nothing. The meditation technique involves your body (in the meditation posture), your breath (which serves as the object of your meditation), and your mind (which simply continues to produce thought because that’s what it does)—and that’s it. No matter what you do in this world, your body, breath, and mind will always be present. It’s the ultimate in “ordinary.” 

What happens when you take all your ideas, agendas, and intentions away and just…sit? Mysteriously, “just sitting” changes everything and for millennia, countless practitioners have reported increased wisdom, compassion, and courage—also known in the Buddhist tradition as the three qualities of the awakened mind.

In this program, we will look very closely at this ancient practice, its Buddhist roots, and how, if you would like, to teach it to others.

Whether or not you ever go on to teach, a close study of the teaching path will make the practice of meditation come alive for you in a whole new way. I invite you to investigate this for yourself.