01 Introduction
Introduction Class
These introduction notes are probably the most important ones - how you then teach the reminder of the meditations is up to you.
Things to mention
- This course follows the 3 audio tracks - and is based on the booklet accompanying them
- The course builds up for the retreat - so please mention the retreat during your teachings
- The course and the retreat work together - the course opens up the meditations the retreat helps to get more our of these meditations.
- the course is designed to help people develop a daily practice
Things to bear in mind
The important thing about this is to help people gain some experience of what is the mind as well as the peace and opportunities which come from understanding our mind better
Motivation
please refer to the motivation part in the booklet
Six analogies
Please refer to the six analogies to be found at the end of the booklet - these analogies can also be found in Clear Light of Bliss - the book
How to meditate on the mind
There is a great section in Mahamudra Tantra page p.101 has a great explanation on how to meditate - it is the paragraph starting with:
To identify our own mind, the first of the six stages of training in Mahamudra,
The above points are the threads you should weave into your teachings as you go through the classes.
The firs teaching You can follow the booklet -
Happiness and suffering depend upon the mind
The source of these meditations
Why do we need these meditations - there is no less suffering in the world today
The meaning of happiness and suffering - therefore we should search for what we want in our mind - not outside it
Peaceful mind === happy person
Meditating on the mind brings inner peace
What is the mind
This is where you need to spend some time - because of the special presentation which is challenging the materialist mind set that is all around us and that we quite easily accept
(Mahamudra Tantra p.97-101 has a fantastic explanation on the nature and function of the mind)
Difficult points for people about the mind
Clarity - something that has no physical characteristics but still has function
Mind has no beginning
The relationship between mind and matter
Things that people can understand about the mind
- Its function
- How things exist as a conceptual constructs
- How the mind is what determines our experiences
The above are some ideas to help you introduce the topic and meditations we shall be doing in the next three weeks