Welcome friends!

The intention of this course is to support Awakening. It is not a study course that primarily focuses on academic knowledge but rather presents some of the many tools offered by the Buddha to liberate the heart. Our approach follows the encouragement of our primary teacher Ajahn Chah, which is "Read the book of the Heart." This approach informs how we present the material and how we encourage you to study and practice with it.

Regarding the material: the content of the first module covers some of the building blocks of practice offered by the Buddha - themes such as sila (ethics), karma/vipaka (action and result), and mindfulness are brought in as we build a practice of samadhi (calming meditation.)

As we go along, we also introduce the paramitas - spiritual perfections - which the Buddha developed and taught. These perfections nourish and sustain the heart and, together with the other practices we touch into, build the optimum foundation for insight and wisdom which is the theme of the second module.

In the third module, we touch on Mahayana teachings with the intention of showing how these teachings are interwoven with the themes and practices of Theravada Buddhism.

The teachings of the Buddha were handed down orally for anything from 300 - 400 years and were then later systematized into different schools, each with its own lists and approaches.

The themes, practices, and teachings we touch into are primary to most schools and aim to orient the learning within this course in a graduated way.

That said, please hold the teachings and practices as prompts for your exploration in the way you would use a map that describes the territory but is not the actual terrain of your own direct experience.

While it is helpful to have a map, we can hold it lightly, without clinging. What is important is the heart/mind qualities we develop, the deepening of our understanding, and the liberation of the heart.

Please also be patient with the course as it unfolds. Buddhist teaching is like a hologram. As we touch in on one piece, inevitably many other dimensions come into focus. Just allow whatever you listen to, or contemplate, to rest within your heart in a natural and organic way.

In approaching the course, it is helpful to keep the aim in mind which is awakening. We can enter what is offered with a spirit of listening, appreciating the ultimate mystery of life itself.

Let the teachings touch and unfold within you rather than overly grasping at them to try and hold onto cognitive knowledge. In a monastic framework, the emphasis is on daily reflections which hone our ability to be mindful, reflective and self-aware. It is this approach we would like to encourage.

As you listen to the Dharma talks, read the Suttas or engage the inquiry reflections, be with whatever draws your interest. Lessons are variable, some may be a few lines of teaching, some more extensive, but what matters most is to let the teachings enter the heart so you can deeply reflect and work with them.

We recommend applying time, effort, energy to engage the material given, but also pace yourself in a way that works for you so you are able to take in what you can each week. It is not necessary to cover everything; it is more important to feel the transformative potential of the teachings and qualities being discussed.

Remember that with Dharma practice we always begin again working with how it is now. Some of the teachings may appear linear but Dharma learning is anything but. We cycle through timeless themes, revisiting the same practices and principles as they deepen into our lives. Within this cyclic process, you can always return to topics covered in the course at an earlier time.

It's not that more is better or that teachings in module 3 are more advanced than module 1. Each step is important; each piece contributes to the overall mandala of the Buddha-Dharma.

Again, a very warm welcome to Awakening the Heart, our SMS online Dharma training. We look forward to supporting your practice and are happy to hear from you if you wish to report back about how it's going or ask any questions.

Please do also contact Adam Stonebraker with any questions ([email protected]).

Wishing you peace and well being,

Kittisaro & Thanissara