An Introduction to a Thoroughly Relational Dharma

Teacher

Gregory Kramer is the founding teacher of the Insight Dialogue Community and has been teaching vipassanā since 1980, having been trained by Ven. Ananda Maitreya Mahanayaka Thera, Punnaji Maha Thera, Achan Sobin Namto, and Anagarika Dhammadina. He is the co-creator and developer of Insight Dialogue and teaches this practice and Dharma Contemplation worldwide. He is the founder-director of Metta Foundation and the author of Insight Dialogue: The Interpersonal Path to Freedom and A Whole Life Path: A Layperson’s Guide to a Dhamma-Infused Life. Formerly a National Endowment for the Arts Composition Fellow and founder of the Electronic Art Ensemble, Gregory still composes and improvises.

Gregory Kramer will be offering a three-session series of talk and practice sessions on relational Dharma. This series will introduce what he means by relational Dharma and why it is critical to our present efforts to address personal, relational, and global suffering. Humans are sensitive beings and we have a particular sensitivity to other humans. In the feedback loop set up by human contact, this sensitivity creates a relational multiplier effect that accelerates, amplifies and sustains mind states and actions.

This power can go towards ill and towards good. Relational contact amplifies suffering and meditative qualities, delusion and insight. It can turn aversion to war, lust to abuse, delusion to injustice. Ignorance of our relational nature and its power is at the root of this suffering and harm. This ignorance manifests individually, in relationships, and in society. We need to increase relational wisdom any way we can.

The Dharma can aim relational power towards the good. Because human beings are intrinsically relational, and the Buddha’s teachings emerge from the totality of human experience, then the Dharma must also be intrinsically relational. Why would the Buddha state that good friendship is “the whole of the holy life”? Why is sangha one of the Triple Gems, up there with Buddha and Dhamma? Why are relational meditation practices like Insight Dialogue so powerful?

Perhaps the answers to these questions can help us unify our aspirations for freedom from personal suffering and societal pain. Perhaps we can realize the nearness of wisdom and love.

We seek to revive the profound relationality of the Buddha’s transmission and evolve it to directly meet the hard problem of modern selfing and social fracture. This path needs the zeal, compassion, and intelligence of co-meditation, spiritual friendship and community. A fully relational Dharma helps us realize that a life of wisdom ripens into a life of love, and that a life of love is a path of wisdom.

We will begin an exploration of relational Dharma. This is practical and accessible to anyone willing to look closely at experience. Our investigation will speak directly to our lives in the here and now. Can we live a whole-life Dharma path without understanding how mutually sensitive and how interwoven we are?

Suitability

Open to all levels of meditation experience.

Rates

Registration and payment for this programme will be through the Barre Centre for Buddhist Studies (BCBS) website, and so the rates are given in dollars.

• Supported:  $119 
• Mid level:  $169 
• Sustaining: $219 

Financial Assistance: a sliding scale may be chosen on the registration page and additional financial assistance can be requested when registering.

Program fees do not include payments to teachers. Students are invited to support the teachers with dana (generosity) at the end of each program.

As the registration is being held by the BARRE Center, their cancellation policy will be applicable for this booking, this is below:

Registration fees for all online programs are nonrefundable after the program start date. Cancellations prior to the program start date incur a $25 cancellation fee. Application-based and online Path programs incur a $100 cancellation fee.

Format & schedule

Sundays 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm (GMT)       1.00 pm – 3.00 pm (EST)

10 November — Session 1
Overview of relational Dharma. What is relational Dharma? Why is it important? What is relational ignorance, suffering, and freedom?

17 November — Session 2
Overview of relatedness inherent in the foundational Dharma teachings.

24 November — Session 3
Overview of interpersonal practices of insight, love, and release.

Sessions will include small-group practice in breakout rooms

Please note that sessions will be recorded and made available to participants within 48 hours of each session. Recordings remain available for two weeks from the program end date.

For other timezones please click here.

Well-being and online meditation

Before you book, please read these guidelines about mental well-being and silent online meditation practice:

Meditation can be very nourishing; however, as it requires sustained practice, it also need some stability of psychological health. If you have recently (within the past year or so) experienced significant trauma or psychiatric illness, or if you are currently experiencing acute emotional distress such as serious depression or anxiety, it may not be the best time for you to participate in online meditation sessions. The teachers might not be able to give you the kind of individual psychological care you need at this time. A setting with more opportunities for interpersonal engagement may be more appropriate.

• If you are currently under the care of a mental health professional, please discuss your attendance with them. You should be in a relatively stable period of mental well-being and have adequate psychological resilience.
• If you have any questions about this, please contact us.

Preparing for the evening

Please make it your intention to stay for the whole evening.

Practicalities

• Arrange your computer or device so you can see and hear well
• Make sure you have easy access to the Zoom link and arrive at a time giving you time to settle before the session starts
• Think about disengaging from unnecessary conversations and interactions: explain to any other people in your household what you will be doing and discuss how they can support you

To register please click the button below that will take you to the Barre Centre for Buddhist Studies (BCBS) website.

Please state that you heard about the course through Gaia House when asked on the registration form.