About the Workshop:
The Four Brahmaviharas (The Four Immeasurable States)
The purpose of this workshop is to access, activate, and nurture these states of consciousness such that they are a living reality in our daily lives and support our realization of liberation, freedom, and peace.
Each Workshop Includes:
optional silent meditation
(7:15 - 7:30 p.m.)opening meditation
exploration of the Buddha’s teachings
spiritual discussion
invitation to home practice
closing meditation
These ancient teachings and meditation practices offer us ways to address and heal the root causes of our personal and collective challenges in the 21st century.
Each week we will begin with a silent meditation, followed by a brief talk on the night’s topic, an opportunity to share or ask questions, and we will conclude with a meditation designed to support us in our journey until our next gathering. We encourage participants to attend all five sessions to receive the maximum benefit. Each session builds upon the last but even showing up once (or two or three times!) can have a profound effect.
Topics for Each Week
October 30 - Session 1: Brahmavihara Where do we live, abide, dwell in our daily lives? To what are we devoted, committed? To what would each of us truly love to dedicate our lives? Where do the Brahmaviharas exist? How do we access them? How do we make them a living reality in our daily lives?
November 6 - Session 2: Metta (Loving-kindness) What is true love, unconditioned love, pure love? How do I love this way in this human life?
November 13 - Session 3: Karuna (Compassion) What does it mean to offer healing to another? How do I do that?
November 20 - Session 4: Mudita (Sympathetic Joy) We celebrate life; we celebrate others’ successes; we move beyond the consciousness of survival, competitiveness, separation, and awaken to deep, abiding Joy.
November 27 - Session 5: Upekkha (Equanimity) What is the source of undisturbed equipoise? How do we assimilate and express that in our human lives?
You are warmly invited to join Acharya Premadas for this ONLINE workshop from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Optional silent meditation begins at 7:15 p.m.
How to access the workshop:
By phone:
call 1 646 558 8656, meeting ID is 772 203 138.
By computer, tablet, or smartphone for audio and video:
Live stream on Zoom⇨
Live stream on Youtube⇨
Live stream on Facebook⇨
If you need help connecting with us online, please email info@awakeyogameditation.org and we'll put you in touch with a community member who can help.
Practical notes:
If you join us via Zoom, your voice will be muted. If you’d like to ask a question during the designated time for discussion, please click “participants” and then press the button to raise your hand. You may also submit your question by clicking on “chat” and typing it in the designated area.
We warmly invite your support. The suggested donation for a workshop session is $15. Donations for the workshop can be made online by clicking here. You may also mail a contribution via check made payable to Awake Yoga Meditation, P.O. Box 65308, Baltimore, MD 21209. Please write “Workshop” on the memo line. Your support makes it possible to continue sharing sacred teachings of truth, kindness, and healing.
About the Workshop Leader
Acharya Premadas (Michael Humphrey) has a degree in Asian religion and has been a student of Buddhism, Yoga, Tantra, and Meditation since 1973. He studied in Sri Lanka, India, and Nepal and has been a member of the Awake Yoga Meditation community since 2006.
The spiritual name Premadas, which means servant of supreme love, was given by Swami Shankarananda, the founder of our meditation community. The title, Acharya, was conferred on Michael Humphrey by Swami Shankarananda in 2014. The title is found across traditions (Vedanta, Buddhism, Hinduism) and means teacher.