About Event:
Mindfulness is everywhere at the moment but what’s the point? Is it just being present? Is that it?
In this 8-week course led by Ben Isbel you will learn how to develop your own authentic mindfulness practice. Through understanding the practice clearly, we will see how to effortlessly sidestep many of the difficulties we face in mindfulness and meditation.
Each week you will be supported to deepen and refine your experience, allowing you to move beyond just an intellectual understanding of this profound practice. Mindfulness is grounded in the Buddha’s teachings, and so this simple practice can lead us directly into the heart of the Buddha’s wisdom. In this way, we come to see how the practice of mindfulness can take us far beyond what we may have thought possible.
There is no Buddhist path where mindfulness is not the core and Vipassana (Insight) is not the objective. As such, mindfulness is the essential foundation of all our practices, no matter which path we undertake.
Course Materials and Requirements
After each session you will receive handout materials covering all of the content discussed each week. In this way you can simply focus on integrating the instructions during class without trying to remember everything, while the handouts enable you to review the material each week at home.
You will also be asked to do some daily home practice for the duration of the course. The aim of this course is to develop an experiential understanding of the practice, rather than an intellectual understanding. We cannot read our way into mindfulness. We cannot think our way into mindfulness. We can only practice our way into mindfulness. For this reason, daily home practice is a vital component of the program.
Event Schedule:
Every Thursdays: 10am – 12pm
Thursday 3th April – Thursday 22nd May 2025
Wellbeing Centre
On day one we will see how to develop your own authentic mindfulness practice with a detailed look at the technique itself, highlighting the common errors both beginners and experienced practitioners make. By understanding the practice clearly, we will see how to effortlessly sidestep many of the difficulties we face in mindfulness and meditation.
On day two we will see how to refine and develop this practice to take us beyond our superficial experience. The practice of mindfulness is grounded in the Buddha’s teachings, and so this simple yet profound practice can lead us directly into the heart of the Buddha’s wisdom. In this way, we may come to see that mindfulness can take us far beyond what we may have thought possible.
About Teacher:
Ben is a mindfulness teacher with over 30 years’ experience spanning both traditional Buddhist meditation techniques and contemporary psychological approaches to mindfulness. Ben has studied in both the Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist traditions and holds a B. of Psychology (Honours) and a PhD in neuroscience of mindfulness.
Ben began training in the Burmese Vipassana tradition before spending many years studying with Tibetan lamas from a range of different traditions. As a neuroscientist and contemplative researcher, Ben has used advanced neuroimaging techniques to show how mindfulness training can improve cognition, mood, and wellbeing. Having left academic research, Ben now focuses on developing innovative methods to present the essential core of the Buddha’s teachings in a way that is accessible and engaging.
Registration:
Registration for the course is required for the 8-weeks only, attending individual sessions will not be permitted. This program works much better when people commit to the 8-week course.
Registration for the whole 8-weeks course is $280.
After each Thursday session there is an opportunity to enjoy delicious lunch in the Big Love Cafe Served from 12.00pm – 1.00pm
Please book your lunch here: