Buddhism for Beginners

Curious about Buddhism? This weekly class introduces essential teachings you can start using right away to improve your relationships, bring peace to your work life, and find greater joy in everyday moments.

Each one-hour session includes guided meditation, practical teachings, and time for discussion.

Everyone is welcome!

Free for members / $10 non-members

Cultivating Joy

It can be hard to maintain a calm and peaceful mind these days. We might feel discouraged about our ability to change our lives—or the world around us. But the Buddhist perspective offers a radically different approach that empowers us to find deep meaning and lasting joy in everyday life despite challenging circumstances.

In this series, we’ll explore Buddha’s teachings on the preciousness of our current opportunity—and share practical methods, tips, and inspiration for cultivating greater happiness in our daily lives.

Free for members / $10 non-members

“I GOTTA HAVE FAITH…”

2500 years before George Michael, Buddha taught the importance of faith: “Without faith in a particular practice, we will have no wish to engage in it; and without such a wish we will not put any effort into the practice, and so we will not accomplish any results.” 

We all want to increase our love, patience and kindness. This four-week course explores the idea of faith, how it functions and how to increase it. Faith is the best way to energize our practice and make every day sing!

This online-only class is available only to members. Please join using the Center’s member link. Zoom link will be sent to all members via email. Attendance is free and no registration is required. If you don’t get the email by the first of the month, please contact epc@brooklynmeditation.org

Meditate in Community

When we meditate and look inward, we paradoxically discover a natural feeling of warmth toward others. This is because the deeper we go within, the more interconnected we are. This indicates that our meditation practice isn't meant to be a solitary journey.

By meditating with others, we can experience the inspirational energy that arises from practicing in a group, deepen our understanding of the dharma through discussion, and cultivate a community based on deep and meaningful commonalities that will help us sustain our practice.

Each class will include two meditations, a dharma talk, and a facilitated discussion designed to deepen our understanding of the teachings and foster connection with others.

This month we’ll explore emptiness—Buddha's most profound teaching. By meditating on emptiness, we’ll begin to see how deeply our mindset shapes our experience. This will leave us feeling empowered, flexible and ready to handle whatever life may bring.

Free for members / $12 non-members / Optional Discussion after class 8:15-845pm!

Meditation Toolkit

Meditation gives rise to peace of mind, and when our mind are peaceful, we are happy. We will find relief from stress, anxiety and difficult relationships. This program has been carefully designed to support those who wish to develop and sustain an enduring meditation practice. In particular, we will study the “Lamrim,” a time-tested system of 21 meditations that help us, step-by-step, become wiser, more compassionate people. Discover the joy of meditation, and become a lifelong meditator.

Free for members / $10 non-members

Freedom From Worry

We all know that obsessive worrying is pointless—endless thinking and analysis are frustrating and draining. But how can we stop? Buddhist meditation offers a practical, step-by-step solution.

Worry is a habit and all habits can be broken. In this five-week series, we’ll explore the roots of our anxiety, develop new mental habits that bring clarity and peace and build a healthier mindset that supports our daily lives.

Everyone is welcome!

Free for members / $15 non-members