This is a once-a-week online group for people who have a mindfulness practice and who have done some retreats. It will run for 8 weeks. We’ll cover practices that lead to us being less bound up; how we can use insights that might otherwise fade away; ways of working with the three characteristic (dukkha, anicca, anatta) and understandings of emptiness/shunyata and dependent arising.

The group will start with ways to consider the path. It will then go on to some basic samadhi practices, and then into the Insight Ways of Looking meditations. The program is based on the approach of the Gaia House teacher Rob Burbea, and outlined in his book Seeing That Frees: Meditations on Emptiness and Dependent Arising.

Teacher: Victor von der Heyde. Victor has been involved in dharma practice for over 35 years and has taken teaching roles since the mid 1990s. He has practised with Rob Burbea since 2012.

Format of each session: Given that this is a time of intentional social isolation, there will be a check-in period in each session, related in part to the practices. After that there’ll be a talk, maybe around 30 minutes, then time for questions and discussion. Each session is expected to last over an hour but less than an hour and a half. There will also be optional reading sent out for most of the sessions to people who book in.

Cost: There is no cost, but towards the end there’ll be an opportunity to give dana.

Continuity / Expectations: The course will develop themes that build on each other week by week. It’s best if you try not to miss sessions. The course is meant for people who have the time (and inclination) to practise the meditations between sessions.

Booking: Please email dharmacloud [at] dharma.org.au if you would like to be part of the course. There will be a limit on the number of people. You’ll be sent links to the zoom sessions and at least sometimes reading material that relates to the themes.