Tuesday 15th July

The two themes of this class are a) the classic formations of dukkha – the core experience of suffering, our response to it and thirdly our response to our response; and b) the five characteristics of mindfulness or sati.

Wednesday 16th July

How can we unwind the solid convictions we have about reality? The poem "Mirages" by Kapka Kassabova is read as an offering of teaching about practice. The two basic attributes of samatha - tranquility/calm and stopping - are discussed.

Thursday 17th July

How can we discover how to take a break from our own suffering and enable healing? How can we turn towards our suffering rather than turning away from it? Can we ask ourselves: "How is it to practice with this?"

Friday 18th July

Can we meet the moment directly, actualizing practice and going beyond ideas? An experiential exercise working with mindfulness of present experience is offered. To complete the first week of the Summer Intensive a reflective exercise: What stands out emotionally during the week? What does this have to teach you about you and practice? How will that teaching be carried forth from here on?

Monday 21st July

How do we create and experience our subjective world and how it is to practice with this? An experiential exercise carried out in pairs uses the break on the weekend from the Summer Intensive schedule as material for reflection and discussion.

Tuesday 22nd July

How do we bring awareness to our everyday life? How do we bring forth the mind which sees everything in our life as teaching the Dharma? How can we use the mind’s natural curiosity and discrimination? An experiential exercise about the healing of suffering is included in this class.

Wednesday 23rd July

The contemplation of the hindrances and the five skandhas or aggregates as specific mental qualities are explored.

Thursday 24th July

The discussion of the five skandhas is continued and an exploration of the six sense doors is commenced.

Friday 25th July

"What is Buddha?" The last class includes an experiential exercise using the grounding of one of the six sense doors. " Eagle Poem" a poem by Joy Harjo is shared as an exemplar of the poeticism of the Zen school.