Embodying Nature’s Perfection

Mother Earth and the Six Paramitas

With Alexander Julie

Starts: Feb 11th for 8 weeks (skipping March 18th)
Held: Tuesday evenings, 5:00 pm Pacific Time
Duration: 90-Minute Class Sessions

Event Desciption

“The Earth is the mother of all bodhisattvas” – Thich Nhat Hanh

In the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, the six perfections, or paramitas, are qualities embodied by the Bodhisattva – the enlightened being who vows to take rebirth over and over again until all beings attain liberation. These perfections allow the Bodhisattva to act in the world from a place of wisdom and compassion without becoming lost in attachment and suffering. How can the paramitas support us in navigating our modern lives? Can we find their essence, their roots, in the appearances and activities of the Earth – the primordial Bodhisattva?

This secular course will explore these questions through nature-centered practices and inquiries. With the help of the Earth and our Sangha, we will seek to integrate the paramitas into the walk of our daily lives and perhaps reveal glimpses of our own Bodhisattva nature.

This course is appropriate for both new and experienced practitioners.

Student Experience

In this 8-week course, participants will be given a chance to work with Earth-centered practices including meditation, journaling, art, and ritual. We will also turn our awareness inward and examine our own existing relationships with the paramitas. Practices will center the power of imagination, playfulness, and creativity.

Our weekly 90-minute gatherings will be an opportunity to explore new ideas and meditations, and to share about our experiences with the prior week’s exercises. We will close the program with a session on empowerment in how to embody the Earth-centered Bodhisattva or EcoSattva more deeply in the course of a busy, modern life.

Course Outline:

Week 1 – Introduction: The Bodhisattva, Six Paramitas, and Nature as our Teacher
Week 2 – Generosity
Week 3 – Ethical/Harmonious Conduct
Week 4 – Patience
Week 5 – Enthusiastic Effort
Week 6 – Concentration/Meditation
Week 7 – Wisdom/Understanding
Week 8 – Empowerment and the EcoSattva Path

Registration Information