Current Class

Releasing Emotional Reactions

An 8-week series beginning
Friday, January 15, 2010

Fridays, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
1716A Linden Avenue in the Belmont/Hillsboro
neighborhood of Nashvile | Click here for map

We're starting the new year with a new series "Releasing Emotional Reactions," an audio retreat with Ken McLeod. Ken was certified to teach by HH Kalu Rinpoche, having completed two three-year retreats under his guidance. He brings a fresh point of view to working with immediate experience, integrating methods from all the major traditions of Buddhism.

He will lead us step-by-step through three methods:

• Releasing through bare attention
• Releasing through taking and sending
• Releasing through direct awareness

This series has deep personal meaning for me, as I was in the midst of listening to it when my nephew suddenly passed away 2 1/2 years ago. Click here for story. Ken's teachings not only helped me to respond with presence in the moment, but also to pass on simple methods my family could immediately use. I highly recommend this series for being equipped for the highs and lows of life.

Weekly Synopsis

RER 01: Releasing Emotional Reactions (retreat)

Opening talk of retreat, Upaya Zen Center, Santa Fe, February 2005
Aim of the retreat, overview of content including levels of practice and meditation methods, initial instruction
Duration 00:37:10

RER 02: Releasing Emotional Reactions (retreat)

Releasing through bare attention, part 1
Emotional reactions, what they are, why they are problematic, what does releasing mean, difference between releasing and suppression, instruction in five-step method of releasing from Thich Naht Hanh based on bare attention and the four foundations of mindfulness
Duration 01:05:00

RER 03: Releasing Emotional Reactions (retreat)

Releasing through bare attention, part 2
Q&A based on students’ experience with bare attention, common difficulties and how to work with them, additional instruction on the four foundations
Duration 00:58:21

RER 04: Releasing Emotional Reactions (retreat)

Releasing through taking and sending, part 1
Taking emptiness and compassion as the framework, difference between actual and projected experience, working with actual experience, instruction in five-step method that uses taking and sending (tonglen) to release emotional reactions
Duration 01:05:05

RER 05: Releasing Emotional Reactions (retreat)

Releasing through taking and sending, part 2
Q&A based on the students’ experience with taking and sending, common difficulties and how to work with them, additional instruction on taking and sending
Duration 01:03:12

RER 06: Releasing Emotional Reactions (retreat)

Releasing through direct awareness, part 1
Taking original mind, direct awareness, as the basis, all experience as the expression of awareness, instruction in a five-step process based on direct awareness (mahamudra and dzogchen), cautions and pitfalls
Duration 01:07:59

RER 07: Releasing Emotional Reactions (retreat)

Releasing through direct awareness, part 2
Q&A based on the students’ experience with direct awareness, simplified instruction in the five steps, common difficulties and how to work with them, connecting the three methods, how to use these in life, the student-teacher relationship, challenges in practice
Duration 00:56:53

Can't be here in person?

Download the podcasts and follow along from home. Click here.