Buddhism for Beginners

Curious about Buddhism? This weekly class presents basic teachings that we can immediately use to improve our work and relationships, cultivate inner peace and increase our enjoyment of daily life. Each hour-long class includes a meditation, a teaching, and time for discussion. 

Everyone is welcome!

There will be no class on Labor Day, September 1.

Free for members / $10 non-members

The Healing Power of Change

Everything changes. Nothing lasts. While we know this is true, we often resist change and struggle with uncertainty. 

Buddha's teachings on the truth of impermanence can help us let go of the past, live lightly and develop a flexible, creative mind. In this class, we'll also explore how impermanence makes personal transformation possible. Moment by moment, we can become the person we wish to be. 

Free for members / $10 non-members

Life is Like a Dream

In this five-week course, we’ll explore some of Buddha’s most profound teachings: the teachings on ultimate bodhichitta. 

Buddha said, “Emptiness is the way things really are. It is the way things exist as opposed to the way they appear. We naturally believe that the things we see around us such as tables, chairs and houses, are truly existent, because we believe that they exist in exactly the way that they appear.”

Join us as we learn to understand and appreciate Buddha at his best: “You should know that all phenomena are like dreams.”

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 you sustain your 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 know that relationships can be a source of both great joy and great suffering. This is because most relationships are a mix of love and attachment. Buddha taught that pure love brings only happiness while attachment brings only  suffering. In this class, we will see how we can distinguish the two—and purify our relationships to make them truly loving.

Free for members / $12 non-members / Optional Discussion after class 8:15-8:45pm!

Meditation Toolkit

Meditation gives rise to peace of mind, and when our minds 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 life-long meditator.

Free for members / $10 non-members

Make Meditation WORK!

Everyone can meditate, but we can learn to train in skillful meditation. If you’ve found it hard to quiet your mind, don’t know what to do in meditation, or feel your practice has little effect, this course is for you.

Over four weeks, we’ll explore how meditation can shift our thinking and change our behavior. We will learn how to quiet mental busyness and pesky distractions. We’ll also discover an innate peace and lightness inside our hearts—a lasting ally throughout our life. Everyone is welcome!

Free for members / $15 non-members