Watch this Free Talk on The Paradox of Meditation
"One of the things we are cultivating is a path of intimacy, rather than a practice that's trying to get somewhere."
Watch this Free Guided Meditation on Breath
"You start to pull your attention from the distractions, or from the looping that tension can bring, into a deeper awareness of the body in the present. This intimate practice of breathing has a deep healing effect on many different layers of the body."
Enroll today to make the life-changing benefits of mindfulness practice yours with A Buddhist Course in Mindfulness.
- Over 3 hours of teachings offered in 29 easy-to-follow videos
- 35+ minutes of guided meditations
- Practical advice on finding your meditative posture (including in a chair), how to transform reactivity, what to do with your hands and eyes during meditation, and more
- Supportive Lion’s Roar magazine readings on sitting with pain, understanding the Buddhist view on karma and why we suffer, key Buddhist meditative techniques, and “How to Establish a Daily Practice of Almost Anything, in Six Steps”
- All Lion's Roar Online Learning courses include closed captions
Michael Stone was a beloved teacher of meditation, yoga, and mindfulness. His passing in 2017 was a shock to all. We at Lion’s Roar were always honored to work with Michael, publishing his writing in Lion’s Roar magazine and developing A Buddhist Course in Mindfulness with him.
The course features Michael the way so many people experienced him as a teacher and friend: articulate, engaging, good-humored (sometimes downright funny!) — and in gentle mastery of his subject matter.
Engaging in mindfulness helps us cultivate the courage to meet what arises in our lives as it arises, and to not hold on to it. It’s simpler than you think — especially when you have access to a great teacher, possessed of warmth and steeped in Buddhist mindfulness training and practice.
In 3+ hours, featuring 2 in-depth guided meditations, this course presents Michael at his eloquent best, teaching you not just about mindfulness, but giving you the foundation for a lifetime of realizing it — and enjoying it.
Also included are helpful review materials to reinforce what you’ve learned, and further readings (specially selected by the editors of Lion’s Roar) by some of today’s finest Buddhist teachers, including Pema Chödrön, Sharon Salzberg, and Norman Fischer.
Course Curriculum
- Posture - Key Points and Tips (3:28)
- Mindful Listening - Using Sound as a Meditative Object (8:45)
- Why Do We Need A Meditative Object? (5:15)
- What Is Mindfulness And Why Is It Important? (2:13)
- Cultivating The Conditions For Meditation (7:29)
- Summary of Mindful Listening (3:21)
- Guided Meditation On Sound (17:53)
- Section Review
- Suggested Reading: On Sitting with Pain
- Suggested Reading: How We Work With Koans and How They Work On Us
- Transitioning from Mindfulness of Sound to Mindfulness of Breathing (11:05)
- Following the Breath in Your Body and Letting the Body Breathe (9:46)
- Staying Connected to the Breath Using the Belly and the Nostrils (4:47)
- Guided Meditation on Breath (20:57)
- Section Review
- Suggested Reading: Zazen: Just Ordinary Mind
- What To Do With Your Hands and Tongue During Sitting (5:37)
- Should You Keep Your Eyes Open or Closed? (7:32)
- How to Develop a Daily Practice (8:20)
- Quiet The Mind, Quiet The Breath (2:54)
- Section Review
- Suggested Reading: Breathing Lessons
- Suggested Reading: How to Establish a Daily Practice Of Almost Anything, in Six Steps
Shôken Michael Stone
was a Buddhist teacher, yogi, psychotherapist, and author who presented traditional meditative tools in plain language to facilitate their greater impact in the worlds of psychology, technology, economics, and ecology. His meditation teachings integrated traditional Vipassana and Zen forms with insights from Yoga and Mahayana Buddhism, while honoring the integrity of each tradition.