The beautiful qualities of the heart: BCIMS in-person class

The Buddha taught the practices of the Brahmaviharas--good will, compassion, joy, and equanimity--as ways of training the heart to respond appropriately in difficult times. In this class we will explore how to cultivate these qualities in our own hearts, finding joy and peace in our everyday lives.

Each session will have a mix of guided meditation, discussion, and interactive exercises; the intention is to engage with the teachings both intellectually and experientially, to begin to embed them more deeply into our lives.

This class is suitable for experienced meditators and beginners alike.

Dates: We will meet 5 times, starting on April 4, with the final class on May 2. This is not a drop-in series and we ask you to register in advance for the course. Both you and the group will benefit if you commit to coming to all sessions.

Location: We will meet in person at St Mary Magdalene Anglican Church, 2950 Laurel St &, W 14th Ave, Vancouver, BC. If you're interested in donating time or equipment to turn events like these into hybrid events, please email rachel@bcims.org, but for now this is an in-person-only event. Site accessibility: level entrance, wide doorframes, two single-occupancy all-gender bathrooms. The venue is close to several bus/skytrain stops, there is bicycle parking in front of the venue, there is limited free street parking in the neighbourhood, and we'll try to arrange rideshares for the trip home at the first meeting.

Covid policy: we invite people to stay masked indoors if they wish, and we will not be requiring people to wear masks. Please email rachel@bcims.org if you have questions about this.

Registration and teacher dana: Nobody turned away for lack of funds: email rachel@bcims.org for discount code. The ticket price goes to BCIMS to cover rent and administrative costs. You are also invited to support my teaching by making a contribution electronically (information here) or at the sessions.

Rachel Lewis began practicing insight meditation in 2003, while completing her physics PhD at Yale. Since 2011, she has taught dharma and meditation classes and retreats in British Columbia and beyond. She completed the IMS/IRC 4-year teacher training in 2021, and is a guiding teacher of the British Columbia Insight Meditation Society. Her dharma teaching interests include the power of music, humour, and creativity to increase our capacity for learning, as well as the way that practice supports and is supported by social justice work. See her upcoming events at http://rachelmeditates.ca/