Upcoming Dharma Teacher Order Classes

[Janet Reale]

Good Morning DTO Members and Friends,

Summer is drawing to a close and the invigorating weather of fall will begin along with our new year of study in the DTO sanghas. To copy from Fernando’s email, “On Monday September 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mariandale, we are going to have the first monthly session on The Four Heavenly Abodes. On Saturday September 15 from 10 a.m. to 2.p.m., also at Mariandale, we are having an Interfaith Dialogue. We expect members of various religious traditions to be coming to participate.”

Please note that the correct dates for the October, November and December Heavenly Abodes classes are:  (all Mondays) October 8, November 12 and December 10. The time remains the same:  10 a.m.- 2 p.m.

The Four Heavenly Abodes (what a beautiful name, “residing in heaven when you practice them,”) are also known as the Brahmaviharas  or The Four Immeasurables.

The brahmavihāras (sublime attitudes, "abodes of brahma") are a series of four Buddhist virtues and the meditation practices made to cultivate them. They are:

1.    loving-kindness (metta)

2.    compassion (karuna)

3.    empathetic joy (mudita)

4.    equanimity (upekkha)

Please come, participate, practice, learn. It's been a while since we've had the special spiritual sustenance that comes from practicing as a group. 

With metta,

Janet Reale