In our busy lives, it is so easy to become overwhelmed, anxious and contracted. How do we cultivate a more open, generous and wise way of being? How can we help others when our own minds and hearts are a mess?
In this course, Michael Stone teaches six ancient practices that have never been more relevant: the paramitas. The paramitas (also known as the six perfections or six practices for awakening the heart) are guides for Buddhist practice. They have the power to change your life – not by eliminating ‘problems’, but by bringing depth and vibrancy to your life as it is.
What is Six Practices for Awakening the Heart?
Six Practices for Awakening the Heart is a seven-week online course that translates ancient Buddhist teachings into deeply relevant, inspiring and life-enriching practices for today. It offers six tools you can use to find inner stability, more satisfying relationships, and the ability to let go of the self-created suffering that we often add to our experience.
Each of the seven modules will focus on a set of teachings and tools – generosity, morality, patience, balanced energy, meditation, and wisdom.
We set the rhythm for the course, releasing a new lesson each week, but you ultimately set the pace. You can do the lessons whenever you choose, in any time zone, anywhere in the world where there is an Internet connection.
In addition to the seven lessons offered, you’ll also get a package of questions and practices. Plus, you’ll get lifetime access to the course content.
Who is Six Practices for Awakening the Heart for?
The paramitas were originally practices for bodhisattvas or ‘householders’ – ordinary people who wanted to practice the Buddha’s teachings in the middle of their busy, messy lives, and it is no different today.
If you find yourself caught in limiting patterns, or if you want to deepen and support your relationships, your work, or your current mindfulness practice, this course is for you.
The goal of this course is to let go of the attachment to pleasure and aversion to pain that is at the root of suffering. Life is always in flux: something wonderful happens, something tragic happens, it is painful, then beautiful, then boring. In acknowledging that our lives will never be exactly what we want or expect them to be, we can open up to the wider, weirder beauty of the world as it is, as resilient, wise, and awakened human beings.
You’ll learn:
- the six practices of generosity, morality, patience, balanced energy, meditation, and wisdom
- to establish a daily meditation practice
- to decrease stress and reactivity
- to uncover and realize your particular forms of creativity, responsiveness and compassion
- to notice and transform limiting patterns
- to become intimate with your life
You’ll finish the course:
- with a powerful yet gentle set of tools and practices for life’s challenges and joys
- with an expanded sense of appreciation for your life
- with a deep (or deepened) mindfulness practice
- an expanded sense of self
How does the course work?
You’ll receive weekly video teachings with Michael via our easy-to-use custom-built online learning platform. Videos are available for streaming or download. You can also listen to an audio-only MP3 version.
Should you run into any problems, friendly and helpful technical support is available.
Sliding scale spaces are available by application. Please note, it can take up to a week to receive a response.
Course Syllabus
Week 1 – Intro: Six Paths to Awakening the Heart
Week 2 – Generosity
Week 3 – Morality
Week 4 – Patience
Week 5 – Balanced Energy
Week 6 – Meditation
Week 7 – Wisdom
