Description Of Classes & Sits

The Way Of Mindfulness Meditation Of Tucson
(Sunday)
Session I (Guided for beginners)
3:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Session II (Silent for the experienced meditator)
6:00 pm. - 8:00 p.m.

The primary goal of this group is to bring people together to practice meditation and provide the opportunity to meet other meditators. Our center and temple has a community room to talk with and share experiences with other like-minded individuals. We would like to encourage our friends out there, who are interested in the Buddhist meditation practice of being mindful and peaceful, to join us. We believe that mindfulness makes our everyday life more effective, productive, and fulfilling. By developing mindful practice, you will gain a deepening understanding of your own mind, and insight into how you react to, and interact with, the world around you. You will meet many wonderful and unique people, and will have the opportunity to build relationships with like-minded people. "The Way of Mindfulness Meditation of Tucson" is open to everyone. Our meeting consists of meditation practice rather than a discussion. If you are new to meditation or just starting your practice, we recommend attending the 3:00 session where you will be gently guided through a basic mindfulness technique. For the more experienced meditator, the evening session is silent with no guidance.

Silent Meditation Sitting & Dhamma Talk
(Tuesday & Friday)
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
(First Saturday of the month / CANCELLED)

(Silent for the experienced meditator)
For those interested in deepening their meditation practice and for those exploring Theravada Buddhism come and join us. This session is for advanced meditators who have the ability to meditate, sitting and walking, for 30 minutes at a time without instruction. The length of the sitting, walking, sitting meditation is 1.5 hours. The Dhamma talk is on the subject of meditation to help you understand and further your practice.

Full Moon Meditation
(Check calendar for monthly date)
6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Taking Refuge ceremony

Our monthly full moon meditation begins at 6 p.m. with the Evening Chanting, which is a form of meditation, where everyone can participate or listen. Then we have a brief instruction on silent sitting followed by sitting for 15 minutes. Then we have a brief instruction on walking meditation followed by walking meditation for 15 minutes. We listen to guitar music by Chancey, then a Dhamma talk by Ajahn Sarayut. The talk is designed to widen our understanding of meditation and the benefits of it. The evening continues outside with a candlelight procession where we honor the Buddha and a fire dance by Adam.. The evening concludes about 8:30 p.m. You don't have to be Buddhist to enjoy this evening. Free and all are welcome. We may also have The Taking Refuge ceremony (5:30 p.m.-6 p.m.) for a lay person who wishes to become a lay disciple of the Buddha and has discussed this with Ajahn Sarayut.

Community Chanting Class
(Tuesday)
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Did you know that chanting is a form of meditation? Ajahn Sarayut and the other monks at Wat Buddhametta will teach us how to chant the Evening Puja in Pali, as has been done in the Theravada tradition for thousands of years. A short segment in the beginning of the class will be devoted to learning Pali phonetics, pronunciation, intonation, pitch, tempo and speed as we follow his lead. The last portion of the class will be our participation in the actual Evening Chanting. This class is of particular interest to those interested in joining the monastic community, as the twice-daily chanting forms an integral part of the daily routine. This is an open class and you are welcomed to come on a drop-in basis.

Buddhist Study Group with Ajahn Sarayut
(Wednesday)
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Meet with the Monk to learn the history, traditions, philosophy, and practices of Theravada Buddhism. The primary teacher, Ajahn Sarayut, was born in Thailand and has been a monk for over 25 years and now resides in Tucson, but guest speakers from other traditions and experiences occasionally lead this group as well. The idea is to give lay people an opportunity to learn and discuss Buddhism regularly and directly with a monk who has spent a lifetime training as a practitioner and a teacher. No need to call yourself a Buddhist, just explore a new world and have fun while you learn. Open class, drop-in.

Day Long Meditation Retreat
(Second Saturday of every month)
Welcome and orientation is from 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

The all day retreats are designed for those wishing to deepen their experience in meditation, and to develop insight into the workings of the mind. The schedule for the day alternates 30 minute periods of sitting and walking meditation, with occasional breaks for tea and lunch, and ending with a Dhamma talk at 4:00 pm. This is a silent retreat, so we encourage you to speak as little as possible and to keep eye contact to a minimum. Please bring a small lunch for yourself, or a larger one to share with the monks and your fellow meditators. If you have not attended one of our retreats before, you are encouraged to attend the Orientation on the Friday before the retreat. This consists primarily of a Dhamma talk on the value and practice of meditation, and typically focuses on the experiences and obstacles that one will generally encounter when meditating for long periods. Space in the retreats is limited, so please stop by the Temple to sign up. Like all our programs, the retreats are offered freely to the community, though donations are always appreciated.

Gentle Yoga with Jose
(Monday)
6:30 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.

Tucson Buddhist Meditation Center is pleased to host Jose for his weekly Gentle Core Yoga class. Jose is a certified yoga instructor and teaches a yoga focusing on the sacrum as a building block on which to to initiate the yoga posture, which is then developed through the breath. The practice is gentle and slowly builds the level of difficulty depending on the student's ability. Please bring a mat. Open class, drop-in. As with all of our classes, this class is a free offering to the community. Donate as your heart inspires you.

Tai Chi & Qi Gong with Stefanie
(Thursday)
6:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.

We host a Tai Chi and Qi Gong class, lead by Stefanie, every Thursday at 6:15 p.m. Everyone, of all ages, from beginners to experienced are welcome. There is no cost for taking this class however, if you wish, your generosity in the form of a donation is always appreciated. Open class, drop-in.