Meditation Day
Sunday 1 March 10:30am – 4:30pm
The Buddha taught Satipatthana, The Four Establishments of Mindfulness, to his followers describing it as 'the direct path to realization'. The practice progresses through four stages – mindfulness of the body, mindfulness of vedana (feeling tone), mindfulness of citta (mental and emotional states), and mindfulness of dhammas (teachings).
We will be working through these four stages during the course of the day.
The day will be in silence apart from the leading of the meditations and will be suitable for anyone who has some experience of our basic meditation practices of mindfulness of breathing and metta bhavana. It is recommended that you come for the whole of the day as the stages are progressive and each one builds on the previous ones.
Please bring vegan/vegetarian food to share for lunch.
Programme
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1015 | Arrive for a prompt 1030 start |
| 1030 | Welcome |
| 1045 | Introduction to the first stage |
| 1100 | Mindfulness of the body |
| 1145 | Break |
| 1200 | Introduction to the second stage |
| 1215 | Mindfulness of vedana (feeling tone) |
| 1300 | Lunch |
| 1400 | Introduction to the third stage |
| 1415 | Mindfulness of citta (mental and emotional states) |
| 1500 | Break |
| 1515 | Introduction to the fourth stage |
| 1530 | Mindfulness of dhammas (teachings) |
| 1615 | Short Puja |
| 1630 | Close |
It is recommended that you come for the whole of the day as the stages are progressive and each one builds on the previous ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to book?
No, please just turn up.
Can I come to just part of the day?
It is recommended that you come for the whole of the day as the stages are progressive and each one builds on the previous ones.
I'd like to bring food to share for lunch but I'm not sure what to bring?
Please bring only vegetarian / vegan food. Please label any homemade food with allergens.
Any of the following would be great: salad, grains, pasta, bread, houmous, crisps, fruit that's good for sharing (e.g. berries, grapes, sliced melon) ...and cake is always welcome
Can I come if I'm under 18?
Please contact us to discuss before you come as we have a children's safeguarding policy that we need to follow. contact@colchesterbuddhistcentre.com
Do I need to be a Buddhist?
You need to be familiar with the meditations that we teach at the Centre, i.e. The Mindfulness or Breathing and the Mettā Bhāvana
I'm quite new to your classes, can I come to this?
The day involves a lot of seated meditation practice and you need to be familiar with the Mindfulness of Breathing and Mettā Bhāvana, which we teach at the Centre.
How much does the event cost?
There is no charge, however we always welcome donations towards our running costs.