The Practice of Being Human: Everyday Life (Home, Food, Clothes, and Friends) as a Source of Joy
We spend a fair amount of time doing so-called ordinary things: keeping house (or avoiding it), getting dressed, eating meals, hanging out. It’s normal to think of our spiritual life as separate from all of this, but it is not. To live a spiritual life, you don’t have to become a monastic or turn your back on this world. By taking five very ordinary, simple steps, you can actually make everyday life your path. When you do, rather than being draining or confusing, the way you live on a day-to-day basis can become a source of strength and joy.
Anyone can do these five things. They are very ordinary but have the power to change everything. In this four-week e-Course, we will explore:
- The impact of your home environment on your mental state
- How the way you clothe yourself can empower you
- The power of food and drink to truly nourish you (has nothing to do with eating healthy)
- The influence of others on your mindstate and how to keep it positive
- How the environment you live in changes your inner state–and vice-versa.
CURRICULUM
WEEK ONE
An overview of the five steps
Meditation practice as the foundation for our exploration
Group meditation practice and discussion
Beginning to bring the five steps into your life
WEEK TWO: Steps One and Two
Brief meditation practice and reflections on the previous week
The influence over our mental state of the space we live and the way we clothe ourselves
How to create order within your home (without becoming a neat-freak)
It’s not superficial: The way you appear is important. It’s not about impressing anyone, it’s about respecting yourself
Discussion
WEEK THREE: Steps Three and Four
Brief meditation practice and reflections on the previous week
True nourishment: The power of food over your mental state
Who you spend time with is how you feel: Choosing wisely
Discussion
WEEK FOUR: Step Five and Going Forward
Brief meditation practice and reflections on the previous week
The importance of your relationship to the natural world
Recapping the Five Steps
Going Forward
Discussion
All classes are recorded and those recordings made available for 60 days from the last class date.
This program is free with an Open Heart Project Sangha membership. Membership costs $27 a month (or $270 for the year) and offers continuous support in the form of video lessons, daily practice support, and a wildly supportive community in which you may participate or lurk as much as you like. 24/7. Become a Sangha member here.
COST: $54 USD
Questions? Please email Michele
Susan Piver is a Buddhist teacher and the New York Times bestselling author of nine books. A student of Buddhism since 1995, she graduated from a Buddhist seminary in 2004 and was authorized to teach meditation in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage in 2005.
She teaches workshops and speaks all over the world on meditation, spirituality, communication styles, relationships and creativity.
In 2011, Piver launched The Open Heart Project, an online meditation community with nearly 20,000 members who practice together and explore ways to bring spiritual values such as kindness, genuineness and fearlessness to everyday life.