Foundational Practices

Fri, Feb 8, 6-8pm

I call foundational those practices that nurture our being so as to develop in us the necessary parami (spiritual force) and neurological entrainment for success in higher practices. These are not confined to the meditation seat, but can span the entirety of our daily lives. We will discuss and explore together a variety of methods that mature the trinity of our human nature: the vital energy, the heart, and the mind.

The range of contemplative approaches will include simple but effective breath work, basic concentration strategies, sensitizing the body to mind-states and subtle energy, and exploration of loving-kindness, and contemplative prayer oriented towards devotion. If time is adequate, we will review body-scanning. These methods can be as effective for beginners wanting to explore the basics of spiritual life as for more experienced students looking to strengthen their contemplative foundations. Advanced meditators will find that these methods represent traditional yogic or contemplative schools each with its own arc of higher development.

The traditions drawn upon reflect my own background and are not only Theravada Buddhist, but include Hindu yogic, Hindu tantric, Sufi, and Christian contemplative schools. Students wishing further guidance are welcome to maintain contact with me as a teacher and we can develop an individualized training program together. 

Offered by Donation.

About the teacher: Daniel Boutemy has been meditating over half a century and has studied one-on-one with many of the most respected Eastern and Western Buddhist teachers, including Taungpulu Sayadaw, S.N. Goenka, Anagarika Munindra, and Joseph Goldstein. His Theravada background includes training in both samatha and vipassana. The range of his practice also includes many years of training in the Hindu traditions of Kriya Yoga and Advaita Vedanta, as well as devotional practices in Christian and Sufi contemplative prayer. Daniel is currently working as a registered nurse doing hospice care. He is the author of a forthcoming book on the Mahasi method and the Progress of Insight. His YouTube channel is Knowledge and Vision – Ñana-Dasana.