Meditation events scheduled

BRUNSWICK — Aspiring and experienced meditators are invited to attend events offered at the Brunswick and Portland Shambhala Meditation Centers in the month of January.

The programs will guide participants toward beginning or reinvigorating a meditation practice. A weekend program along with a five-week class introducing the practice of sitting meditation are being offered.

“The Art of Being Human” is a weekend program January 4-6 at the Brunswick Center that will introduce participants to the practice of meditation and the principles of the Shambhala path of warriorship.

Under the guidance of senior teacher Shastri Diana Evans, participants will spend the weekend learning how meditation can lead to the development of genuine confidence, humor and personal dignity within the complexity of daily life.

The Shambhala teachings were introduced in the West in the book "Shambhala: Sacred Path of the Warrior," by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, a Tibetan meditation master.

He taught that there is a fundamental basic goodness present in all experience, and this energy is innate to the way things are, inherent and unconditional.

The program will begin with a free public talk Friday evening, January 4 at 7:30 p.m., continue Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Preregistration is required for the weekend, though the Friday evening talk is open to all.

The fee for the weekend program is $140. Student or need-based discounts are available for all Shambhala Center programs. Register online at www.shambhalabp.org. For more information, contact Karen Simpson at ksimpson1953@gmail.com or 251-3437.

“Meditation in Everyday Life” is a five-week class that follows the Shambhala Training Level 1 at both the Brunswick and Portland Centers.

In Brunswick, the classes will be on Mondays beginning January 7 from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. In Portland, the classes will be on Thursdays from 6:15 p.m.–8 p.m. The courses will offer new students the opportunity to deepen their experience and understanding of meditation.

Classes will include discussions on how to utilize and maintain a meditation practice in the midst of a busy life and how daily meditation relates to the Shambhala vision of an enlightened society. Preregistration is encouraged.

All are welcome to attend. The fee for the five week class is $40. Register online at www.shambhalabp.org. For more information, contact Bill Barry at billbarry51@gmail.com or 975-2405.