Building a Mindful New Year 2024

6-Days of Free Teachings to Gather Wisdom and Compassion Together

December 26-31 from 3:00-3:45 pm EST

Transcendent generosity is found in contentment;
Its essence is simply letting go.
Discipline is not to displease the Three Jewels.
The best patience is unfailing mindfulness and awareness.
Diligence is needed to sustain all the other perfections.
Concentration is to experience as deities all the appearances to which one clings.
Wisdom is the self-liberation of grasping and clinging;
In it there is neither thinking nor a thinker.
It is not ordinary. It is free from fixed convictions.
It is beyond suffering. It is supreme peace.

–Jigme Lingpa

We seem to be living in a time of unprecedented divisiveness, prejudice, misinformation, and fear. Everything feels unclear at best. We are trying to comprehend the incomprehensible. Grasp the ungraspable. Contribute to the good without adding to the confusion.

Creating a sane world may seem impossible. It is not. We can overcome aggression, remain open hearted, and see clearly what is needed in each moment. According to Buddhist thought, there are only six skills you need. They are called the six paramitas (or transcendent actions):

Generosity

Discipline

Patience

Exertion (or Diligence) 

Meditation (or Concentration)

Wisdom

The six paramitas have the power to transport us to the shore of sanity, decency, kindness, and complete liberation.

Don’t take my word for this. (Or anything.) Explore them yourself and see what you find.

To support your personal exploration, the Open Heart Project has invited a collection of accomplished Buddhist teachers to teach us about these powerful actions, one each between December 26 – 31.

Each day at 3:00 p.m. EST, a different teacher will lead a 45-minute session to explore one of the paramitas. We will start with generosity on December 26th and end with wisdom on December 31st.

You will hear teachings from a variety of perspectives and have a chance to ask questions and be in dialogue with the teachers and each other. Perhaps best of all, it will all happen live and in community. There has never been a time in my memory when being together has mattered more.

Each class will include a brief guided meditation practice followed by a talk and discussion.

You are invited to drop in to one or all sessions. If you can’t attend live, don’t worry: each one will be recorded and if you’re registered, you will have access to the recordings until January 14.

Together, we will enter the new year in a community of goodness.

Please don’t miss this opportunity to gain insight into these potent teachings and, as important, the power that comes with practicing together in community. You are not alone! There is much to learn! It is all possible!

December 26: Generosity with Susan Piver

December 27: Discipline with Kevin Townley

December 28: Patience with Maho Kawachi

December 29: Exertion with Marisa Viola

December 30: Meditation with Crystal Gandrud

December 31: Wisdom with Sokuzan 

THIS PROGRAM IS FREE. All you have to do is register.

If you can’t make it to the sessions live, no worries. We’ll send you a link to the recordings.

Love, Susan

Register here