about Meditation
Meditation helps cultivate steadiness in the open ground of awareness. It provides a sense of space and clarity, which in turn uncovers and nourishes a deep receptivity to life. With ongoing practice it is possible to allow the mind to rest in a calm and alert state, more and more effortlessly. From here we are able to turn our attention to the nature of experience, gaining insight that helps move us beyond our habitual tendencies, perceptions and reactions.
about the Teacher
Samantha is an authorised Dharma teacher in the Insight Meditation tradition, Yoga teacher, and a Practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Samantha embarked on her journey with meditation over 30 years ago and it fast become a cornor stone of her life. Over the years Samantha has had the privilege of spending extended time with a number of Buddhist teachers including His Eminence Dzogchen Rinpoche, Zen Master Hogen-san and Alan Wallace and is blessed to have the ongoing guidance and support of her much loved teacher – Christopher Titmuss.
Samantha's teachings are marked by a clear and tangible intention to encourage a fresh and awake attitude to practice – and to everyday life. She has a unique way of bringing attention to and playing with our tendencies of resistance while at the same time pointing to the uncontrived presence and easeful sense of possibility in us all.
Bringing the wisdom traditions to life in sometimes unconventional ways, her engagement and teaching style is grounded and opening, encouraging a vivid and insightful relationship with our deepest life.
When and Where
Thursday Evening Meditation and Dharma Exploration
Offered in line with Victorian school terms.
These sessions (offered both in studio and online) are instructive and aim to provide a space to awaken deeper insights and understanding through not only meditation but also self-inquiry and Dharma explorations. Everyone is welcome.
The session will start at 7:45 pm (sharp).
Format for the evening's meditation:
Welcome and introduction.
Lightly guided Insight meditation (Shamata and Vippasana) (40min)
Dharma exploration/reflection/questions (15-20min)
Things may change depending on circumstances.
During lockdown we move to online ONLY - please use the link below to register.
AFTER REGISTERING, YOU WILL RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION EMAIL CONTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT JOINING.
PLEASE SAVE THE ZOOM LINK YOU ARE SENT IN THE CONFIRMATION EMAIL.
IT WILL BE THE LIVE LINK UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
Monday Midday Supported Meditation
In-studio and Online - Learn ways to settle into a simple natural sense of calm and contact a deeper understanding of the mind and meditation. Based on Buddhist meditation practises and suitable for all who are interested.
Samantha will offer a lightly instructed meditation (about 20min) and an opportunity to check-in and ask practice-related questions.
As a way of providing a sense of continuity, the instructions follow on from the Thursday 7:45 pm Meditation and Dharma explorations - If you are interested in deepening your understanding, practice and application of the Buddha Dharma, then it is recommended you try to attend as many of these sessions as possible, however, casual attendance both online and in-studio is always welcome.
During lockdown we move to online ONLY - please use the link below to join.
*ZOOMERS: PLEASE TRY TO JOIN BEFORE 12NOON SO WE CAN START ON TIME.
approach
Liberation through Awakening
Based on the Buddha’s teachings of Samatha and Vipassana, the approach and instructions offered aim to elucidate and development the qualities of calm and insight. Samatha meditation, is not a kind of meditation called Samatha but rather 'a kind of meditation which develops Samatha and like wise for Vipassana (also known as Insight). Samatha and Vipassana are complementary yet distinct qualities and while they serve different functions they are both a precious part of the Buddhist path of Awakening.
By way of elaboration - Samatha as an approach to meditation, primarily uses concentration to help stabilise attention and loosen up the stickiness of disturbances - this in turn helps bring about deep states of calm and receptivity. While Vipassana as an approach, requires a willingness and ability to look deeply and directly into the reality of experience. The wisdom of Vipassana is intrinsically linked to seeing and knowing directly (not intellectually) what’s known in Buddhism as the three characteristics of all existence and beings - namely impermanence (anicca), unsatisfactoriness or suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anattā). Through deep and clear seeing, ignorance is destroyed, old habits of attachments released and freedom fully known.
Samatha and Vipassana are not completely separate - one quality can help support and deepen the other. Through the application of different meditation or mind training methods a genuine sense of easeful alertness, stability, receptivity and pliability of mind can be developed - opening the way for deeper and deeper insights to emerge.
personal practice & silent meditation
There are many opportunities to sit together for self guided meditation and personal practice at the Dharma Circle studio.
Developing a meaningful home practice can be a challenge however it is a journey well worth embarking on. "Personal Practice" sessions are designed to help establish a sense of structure and maintain motivation for ongoing self directed exploration and practice with the support of a teacher and other yogis. These sessions are also offered on a donation basis and are open for all levels of experience. You can use this hour of practice to rest or move, meditate or a combo of all. To book you need to select a 'Dana Pass".
Tuesday 11am personal practice followed by 12noon silent meditation and Wednesday 7am personal practrice followed by 7:30am silent meditation sessions are offered to help practitioners become more regular and confident in their practice with the support of senior students.
costs
Dana (donation)
All meditation and dharma teaching sessions are offered in the spirit of Dana - a Buddhist practice of generosity. In the Buddhist tradition, the teachings are often given without a price because they are considered priceless, and students respond with an offering to their own. At Dharma Circle, we try to continue this tradition: our meditation sessions, Dharma teachings and Personal Practice session are offered in the spirit of dana.
Please give as much or as little as you are comfortable with. The art of dana is contibuting an amount which leaves you feeling content - your dana should reflect your capacity, and a sense of gratitude, but not leave you feeling uncomfortable in any way.
Your generosity is a gift that supports not only the teacher, but also the Sangha and your own practice, and - in this case - also helps pay the rent!
You can offer your dana in the donation box at the studio or make a bank tranfer with the reference DANA - account details listed below.
If you are in a situation where you are unable to contribute financially but would like to offer support in other ways please feel free to have a chat with me.
Our practice acknowledges the significance of acts of kindness and generosity as expressions of a wise and thoughtful life.
Your generosity supports the capacity to offer these teachings. 🙏🏽
Making a dana offering electronically:
Account Name: Samantha Coker-Godson
BSB 193-879
Acc 419 875 631
Ref: DANA
Meditation sessions are offered by Samantha Coker-Godson (founder of Dharma Circle) with the support of senior students (sangha).