Description
The Ānāpānasati sutta is one of the most important suttas in the Pali Canon of early Buddhism. In this foundational teaching, the Buddha lays out a comprehensive series of sixteen sequential steps for using full awareness of breathing as a complete path to liberation.
This sutta has been understood in many ways by different teachers. In this course, we will draw primarily on interpretations from CIMC founding teacher Larry Rosenberg, Thich Nhat Hanh, Ṭhānissaro Bikkhu, Buddhadāsa Bhikku, and Bhikkhu Anālayo to deepen our understanding of the teachings. We will actively explore each of the sixteen steps, experiencing how they can form the core of a rich and fruitful daily practice and support our progress on the path toward happiness and inner freedom.
This program is appropriate for both new and experienced meditators of all levels of experience. Each session will include formal meditation practices based on the sutta, teaching, time for discussion, reflections, and questions. Practice and homework between sessions are essential to this group. All are warmly welcome.
Jim Austin has been practicing insight meditation since 1975. He regularly teaches various programs at CIMC: the Beginners Drop-In, the Parents Sangha, and the Little Buddhas Sangha. For a number of years he offered workshops and retreats at the Insight Meditation Center of Newburyport and also assisted Larry Rosenberg on his weeklong retreats at the IMS by providing mindful yoga sessions. Formerly he was the Senior Teacher at eMindful for over 10 years, leading online mindfulness courses. Anapanasati has been his primary practice.
Attending an in-person practice group
- CIMC is a refuge. Out of compassion for those with chemical sensitivities, please avoid using scented products such as lotions, deodorant, after-shave, hair products, perfume, and clothes laundered with scented detergent or dryer sheets—before you come to the Center.
- Please arrive at least 20 minutes early to check in and to find a comfortable place in the meditation hall.
- Please power off your phone, smartwatch, and other electronic devices for the duration of the program.
- Please leave your shoes on the shoe shelves on the first floor and keep your valuables with you.
- Parking at CIMC is limited; we suggest you use public transportation to the Center whenever possible.
- Food and beverages, including water, are not allowed in the meditation halls.
- We strongly recommend you dress in layers since the temperature in the meditation hall varies throughout the day. The hall thermostat is set to a comfortable temperature. Still, please give yourself a range of clothing options, as individual preferences for warmth or coolness differ widely and cannot be accommodated.
- Masks are optional. Some masks are available at the entrance of the Center.
- CIMC provides zafus (round cushions), zabutons (large mats), meditation benches, blankets, and chairs. At the end of each program, we request that you brush off and plump up zabutons and zafus and neatly return them where they belong.