Courses
The Toronto Zen Centre offers regular Introductory
Workshops on the practice of Zen Meditation, six-week courses
in Loving-kindness Meditation, and occasional
seminars in Mastering Breath Awareness™.
Introduction to Zen Workshops
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Conducted by Sensei Henderson and his students, Workshops are a practical and authentic introduction to Zen Buddhism. During the half-day schedule of talks, question periods, demonstrations and guided meditation, participants are introduced to the body-mind disciplines of Zen Buddhism.
In addition to providing an introduction to Zen, workshops are an ideal time to see how spiritual training is carried on at the Centre. Members are happy to answer questions about the Zen Centre and its programs. People who wish to discuss their own spiritual practice can talk with Sensei Henderson at the question-and-answer periods or during breaks.
Schedule
- Sensei Henderson begins the workshop with an introductory talk
about the life of the Buddha and the main principles of Zen.
- Meditation postures, methods of breathing and ways of
concentrating the mind are taught by a senior member, followed
by two periods of guided Zen meditation.
- After the sitting there is a question and answer period as
well as a discussion lead by Sensei Henderson on how to relate
Zen to daily life.
- The workshop ends with refreshments, followed by a short
meeting with information on membership and how to try out the
Zen Centre formal sittings. Books on Buddhism are available, as
are order forms for purchasing sitting garments and cushions.
Sunday Sitting
On the Sunday morning following the workshop, participants are
welcome to come to the sitting, which may also include a chanting
service and Zen talk.
Registration
Open to all people 18 and over (under 18 if accompanied by a parent
or older friend and with parental consent). As space is limited,
reservations must be made in advance, including payment in full.
When cancellations are made less than one week before the workshop,
the contribution may be used for a subsequent workshop, but cannot
be refunded. Assume you are accepted unless you hear to the
contrary.
What to Wear
Loose-fitting clothing is ideal. Skirts should be both long and full enough to sit with the legs crossed; pants should be quite loose. Best not to wear jeans. Please do not wear shorts or sleeveless shirts.
Next Introductory Workshop—Saturday, June 8
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Date:
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Saturday, June 8, 2013 |
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Time:
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9:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Please arrive by 9:00. | ||
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Fee:
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$40 | ||
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Register:
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Registration Form |
Loving-kindness (Mettabhavana) Course
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Mettabhavana is an ancient Buddhist meditation leading to the development of unconditional loving-kindness and friendliness. Metta is something you feel in your heart, a positive emotional state towards others as well as ourselves. As a result of practicing metta we become more empathetic, more considerate, more kind, more forgiving, and in general, more loving, friendly people.
Metta practice helps us:
- Bring harmony into our lives and in our relationships
- Rid ourselves of internal and external conflicts
- Overcome lacerating guilt
- Be open to loving acceptance of ourselves and others
- Deepen our connections with all beings
The Toronto Zen Centre periodically offers a six-week course in the
practice of Loving-kindness Meditation conducted by Sensei
Taigen Henderson. Classes are held on consecutive (or roughly
consecutive) Wednesday evenings from 7 to 8 p.m. Each session
includes lectures, meditation instruction, practice periods and
discussion.
Registration
Open to all people 18 and over (under 18 if accompanied by a parent
or older friend and with parental consent). As space is limited,
reservations must be made in advance, including payment in full.
When cancellations are made less than one week before the start of
the course, the contribution may be used for a subsequent course,
but cannot be refunded. Assume you are accepted unless you hear to
the contrary.
What to Wear
Loose-fitting clothing is ideal. Skirts should be both long and
full enough to sit with the legs crossed; pants should be quite
loose. Best not to wear jeans. Please do not wear shorts or
sleeveless shirts.
Special Loving-kindness Sittings
Anyone who has completed a six-week Loving-kindness Course at the Centre is welcome to attend informal metta bhavana meditation periods, scheduled at the Zen Centre on the first Wednesday of the month. Dates of upcoming metta sittings -- held during the evening from 7:00 to 9:00 pm are:
Wednesday: TBD
Next Loving-kindness Course — Fall 2013
Dates: TBD
Fee: $100 for the six-week course
To Register: --
Please Note: As this course fills quickly, preregistration is required.
Mastering Breath Awareness Seminar
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Larry Johanson, a senior member of the Toronto Zen Centre, is a public speaker in the fields of communications, personal development, and leadership. His firm Becoming Achievers Seminars offers various on-site workshops and seminars to interested businesses, conventions, trade groups, and public or private organizations.
A long time practitioner of Zen meditation, Larry also worked for many years in the corporate world. He has used this unique combination of personal life-experience to develop a one-day seminar on stress reduction—whether found within the work environment or encountered in daily life. The seminar, called Mastering Breath Awareness—An ‘MBA’ in Managing Stress gives participants an opportunity to learn about various advantages of practicing breath awareness, including:
- How stress affects you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually
- How to use your breath to create physical, mental, emotional,and spiritual well-being
- How to find and breathe from your core and the importance of doing so
- How to reduce the constant chatter and noise in the mind and increase concentration
- How to live in the present and banish worry and stress
- How to release accumulated stress and get a good night’s sleep
A seminar workbook and an accompanying CD helps to provide a bridge from exercises and techniques reviewed in the seminar to incorporating them into one’s personal life. To contact Larry Johanson, or for information on other courses that he offers, please visit Becoming Achievers.
Larry gave an interview with CBC's Fresh Air in conjunction with a Groundhog Day movie fundraiser the Centre did in 2013. The interview gives a taste of Larry's public speaking ability and sense of humour. To listen, simply click here.
Now Available in eBook
Larry Johanson’s Stress Management program "Mastering Breath Awareness--An 'MBA' in Managing Stress" is now available as an eBook on all major eReader platforms including Kindle, Nook, Kobo and iBookstore. The ISBN number is 9781618429049. It costs under $10 in either US/Canadian and the BONUS for purchasing is a FREE download of the audio. The code for the free audio is in the eBook.
To view eBooks click here.