Brahmavihāras and Emptiness

Brahmavihāras
and Emptiness

Building on the practices developed in both the Satipatthāna Meditation and Mindfulness of Breathing programs offered by BCBS, Brahmavihāras and Emptiness offers eight weeks of focused study and practice guided by the teachings of renowned scholar and monastic, Bhikkhu Anālayo.

Program Dates: April 5 - May 31, 2025
Applications Close: February 24, 2025 (5:00 PM EST)

Program Overview

Program Dates

April 5 - May 31, 2025

Application Deadline

February 24, 2025 (5:00 PM EST)

Duration

8 weeks

Time Commitment

10-12 hours per week

Participation Expectation

Intensive

Prerequisites

1) Having an established mindfulness practice
2) Having either earned a certificate of completion from our Online Immersive Program, Mindfulness of Breathing, with Bhikkhu Anālayo at BCBS or another center.

Self-Paced Components

• Video lectures
• Audio guided meditations
• Reading assignments
• Sutta study
• Discussion forums
• Review questions

Interactive Components

• Weekly 90 minute live small group meetings, including:
• Break-out practice and sutta study discussions
• Moderated weekly written discussion forums

Program Description

Brahmavihāras and Emptiness is an eight-week, in-depth study of two meditation practices. The first is brahmavihāra meditation, or the cultivation of kindness, compassion, gladness, and equanimity. The second is the gradual entry into emptiness as described in the Shorter Discourse on Emptiness (Cūḷasuññata-sutta, MN 121) and its Chinese parallel. Both of these modes of practice are related to progress to awakening. The course builds on the meditative skills developed in the Satipatthāna Meditation and Mindfulness of Breathing practices.

Each week students will engage with recorded guided meditations and video lectures by Bhikkhu Anālayo, complete reading assignments from Compassion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation, attend the 90-minute weekly group meeting, and contribute to a written online forum.

Timeline:

Applications Open: January 13, 2025

Applications Close: February 24, 2025 (5:00 PM EST)

Initial Acceptance Notification: March 3, 2025

Registration: March 3-21, 2025

Orientation Week: March 31 – April 5, 2025

Program Dates: April 5 – May 31, 2025 (Small Group Meeting Times)

"These meditative practices, and their daily life applications, have given me increased space to remain present, receptive, and compassionate, even in very difficult situations."

"This progression is powerful, tapping unbounded capacities of the heart and opening profound vistas into the nature of perception and experience."

"I've found that these profound practices not only train our minds and hearts to let go of the unwholesome and to abide in the wholesome, they also train the mind to go beyond that by letting go of whatever wearies and agitates the peacefulness of the mind."

"Venerable Analayo’s approach to this practice has made the gradual entry into emptiness so accessible. Beginning the meditation with the brahma viharas as a radiating practice is a beautiful way to open the heart and experience the spaciousness that ushers in the first step in emptiness. Previously I had always used the elements practice to access emptiness, but I find this approach having such a greater impact on my sense of interconnectedness and joy."

Previous

Next

Program Information

Pre-Course	Welcome Module, Orientation, and Access to Week 1 (Brahmavihāra 1)
Week 1	Brahmavihāra 1
Week 2	Brahmavihāra 2
Week 3	Emptiness 1
Week 4	Emptiness 2
Week 5	Emptiness 3
Week 6	Emptiness 4
Week 7	Emptiness 4
Week 8	Conclusion

This program requires considerable commitment from participants and is not a self-study program. We require attendance at weekly virtual meetings as well as completion of writing prompts and program assessments. The required time commitment is roughly 10-12* hours per week.

Weekly individual participation includes:

90 minutes of a small group video meeting**
watching/listening to a 20-minute video lecture by Bhikkhu Anālayo
daily personal Brahmavihāras and Emptiness practice (Bhikkhu Anālayo’s recorded guided meditations will be provided)
completing study activities
contributing to the group discussion forum
reading one chapter per week in the core text, Compassion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation by Bhikkhu Anālayo

*Participants are strongly encouraged to read Compassion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation in advance of the program (later referring back to the book as a reference/refresher for each weekly topic). Otherwise, participants should anticipate an additional 2-3 hours per week for reading during the program.

**The small group meeting is the only program component that happens at a fixed time, and meetings will occur on the same day/time each week.

Click here to view the Small Group Meeting Times. Applicants will select their available times on the application. Attendance is mandatory.

In early Buddhist thought, tranquility and insight are complementary dimensions of meditative cultivation, traditionally based on a solid foundation in moral conduct and part of a gradual process of training. This online program will follow the Buddha’s principle of ethics as the foundation for Satipaṭṭhāna practice. Participation in this program is supported by group commitment to respect and non-harming, applying to both communication with others and also to one’s personal relationship with the practice.

Application Information

Program Fee and Teacher Dāna

The program fee is $450.

In keeping with the tradition of teachers offering the Buddhadharma out of a spirit of generosity, program fees do not include compensation for teachers. There will be an opportunity to support your teacher(s) through the practice of dāna at the end of the program.

Financial Assistance

We are committed to making this program accessible to all. Financial assistance is available to help supplement the program fee. Requests for financial assistance can be made during the registration process. If accepted into the program, financial assistance of 30%, 40%, or 50% of the program fee can be selected and immediately applied during registration. If the need for financial assistance is greater than 50% of the program fee, please indicate what amount of the program fee feels affordable to you, and we will do what we can to accommodate your request.

DEI

We are committed to providing a spiritual home and resource for all on the path to awakening. We do our best to ensure that everyone who comes here feels truly welcome, respected, and safe, whatever their age, race, ethnicity, sex (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, body type, disability, religion, or political viewpoint. We recognize this is ongoing work and invite you to reach out to us at contact@buddhistinquiry.org with suggestions and feedback as to how we can more fully embody our aspiration to be a spiritual home and resource for all.

Timeline

Applications Open: January 13, 2025
Applications Close: February 24, 2025 (5:00 PM EST)
Initial Acceptance Notification: March 3, 2025
Registration: March 3-21, 2025
Orientation Week: March 31 – April 5, 2025
Program Dates: April 5 – May 31, 2025 (Small Group Meeting Times)

Cancellation Policy

We understand that personal circumstances may require you to cancel your registration. In these cases, please contact us right away. If you cancel before the program starts, you are eligible for a full refund minus a $100 administrative fee. Registration fees are nonrefundable after the program starts.

Guiding Teacher

Bhikkhu Anālayo

Bhikkhu Anālayo is a scholar-monk and the author of numerous books on meditation and early Buddhism, such as Satipatthāna: The Direct Path to Realization, Perspectives on Satipatthāna, and Satipatthāna Meditation: A Practice Guide. He is a Faculty Member at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, having retired from being a professor at the Numata Center for Buddhist Studies at the University of Hamburg. Bhikkhu Anālayo’s main area of academic research is early Buddhism, with a special interest in the topics of meditation and women in Buddhism. At the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, he regularly participates in online programs and undertakes research into meditation-related themes.

Bhikkhu Anālayo’s teachings for this program are offered through video lectures, guided meditations, and readings. There will be no live contact with Bhikkhu Anālayo.

Facilitating Teachers

Éowyn Ahlstrom

Deepening Practice,
Building Community.

Deepening Practice,
Building Community.

Want to stay informed about news, resources, and upcoming programs at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies?

Located in Central Massachusetts

© 2024 Barre Center for Buddhist Studies