Satipaṭṭhāna Meditation
An online study and practice course
guided by Bhikkhu Anālayo
9 Weeks of practice and focused study on the liberating teachings of the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta, a foundational early Buddhist teaching
Satipaṭṭhāna Meditation is an interactive and comprehensive online program modeled on in-person courses offered globally by Venerable Bhikkhu Anālayo on the foundational mindfulness text the Satipaṭṭhāna-sutta. While based on scholarly research, the emphasis throughout this online course is on what is relevant to actual meditation practice. In order to promote accessibility and support individual learning styles, students are offered a variety of tools to make this text personally relevant and integrated into daily living.
The core text for this course is Satipaṭṭhāna Meditation: A Practice Guide by Bhikkhu Anālayo. The student experience is enriched by a variety of learning modalities and practice experiences, including interactive group study meetings facilitated by guiding teachers, recorded guided meditations and video lectures by Bhikkhu Analayo, moderated forum-based discussions, and practical exercises. Each week students will investigate one aspect of the four foundations of mindfulness, by contemplating a particular aspect of body, mind, feeling, or the dhammas.
From previous students of this course:
"The curriculum was incredibly well designed, the teachings were well-paced and clear, and the sangha discussions were wonderful!"
"Shook me to my core and reawakened the kind of passion for the Dharma I first had in my teens."
"The online sangha was and is wonderful. I learned so much from my fellow travelers."
"You have taken online teaching to a new level."
Course Overview
 | Application time frame | July 1- September 1, 2020 |
 | Course dates | October 11- December 12, 2020 |
 | Duration | 9 Weeks |
 | Time commitment | 7-10 hours per week |
 | Participation expectation | Intensive |
 | Prerequisite | Basic mindfulness practice |
 | Self-Paced components: | • Weekly lectures • reading assignments • sutta study • guided meditation • optional quizzes |
 | Interactive components | • Weekly 90 minute live small group discussions • sutta study meetings • moderated weekly written discussion forums |
Certification Track
This online course offers an optional certification track, which would qualify students to meet the prerequisites for Bhikkhu Anālayo's advanced online and residential courses (Mindfulness of Breathing and Brahmavihāra & Emptiness). The optional certification track requires the completion of a final reflection and review of participation.
Guiding Teacher
Bhikkhu Anālayo is a scholar-monk and the author of numerous books on meditation and early Buddhisn, such as Satipatthāna: The Direct Path to Realization, Perspectives on Satipatthāna, and Satipatthāna Meditation: A Practice Guide. He is a Faculty Member at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, having retired from being a professor at the Numata Center for Buddhist Studies at the University of Hamburg. His main area of academic research is early Buddhism, with a special interest in the topics of meditation and women in Buddhism. At the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies he regularly teaches residential study & practice courses, participates in online programs and undertakes research into meditation-related themes.
Facilitating Teachers
Dawn Scott
Dawn Scott has been practicing insight meditation since 2008, is a Diamond Heart practitioner, and currently serves as the Family Program Coordinator at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. She teaches teen retreats at Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme) and is a participant in the 2017-2021 IMS Teacher Training Program.
Rachel Lewis
Rachel Lewis is a participant in the 2017-2021 IMS Teacher Training Program, as well as a graduate of Spirit Rock’s Dedicated Practitioners Program and Community Dharma Leaders training. She began practicing meditation while completing her physics PhD at Yale. She developed a songbook of Buddhist music including her own choral arrangements of traditional chants. She has taught classes and retreats in British Columbia since 2010.
Walt Opie
Walt Opie has practiced insight meditation with various teachers since 1993. He leads sitting groups for people in recovery and serves as a volunteer teacher with Buddhist Pathways Prison Project. A graduate of Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leaders program, he is a participant in the 2017-2021 IMS Teacher Training Program.
Tuere Sala
Tuere Sala is a Guiding Teacher at Seattle Meditation Society (SIMS). She is a retired prosecuting attorney who has practiced Vipassana meditation for over 25 years and has been a practicing member of SIMS since 2001. She is also the founding teacher of the Capitol Hill Meditation Group.Tuere has a long history of assisting others in establishing and maintaining a daily practice. Her teachings reflect an approach to Dharma that is both easy to follow and understand – making it accessible to everyone.
Course Curriculum
| Week 1 | Orientation; Mindfulness, Satipaṭṭhāna |
| Week 2 | First Satipaṭṭhāna (Body): Contemplation of Anatomical Parts |
| Week 3 | First Satipaṭṭhāna (Body): Contemplation of Elements |
| Week 4 | First Satipaṭṭhāna (Body): Contemplation of Death |
| Week 5 | Second Satipaṭṭhāna (Feeling): Contemplation of Feelings |
| Week 6 | Third Satipaṭṭhāna (Mind): Contemplation of Mind |
| Week 7 | Fourth Satipaṭṭhāna (Dhammas): Contemplation of the Hindrances |
| Week 8 | Fourth Satipaṭṭhāna (Dhammas): Contemplation of the Awakening Factors |
| Week 9 | Conclusion and Integration |
Course Participation
This course requires considerable commitment from participants. We require attendance at weekly virtual meetings, as well as completion of writing prompts and course assessments throughout the program. The required time commitment is roughly 7-10 hours per week.
Each week includes:
- 1 hour of reading
- 90 minutes of a small group video meeting**
- 20-30 minutes of video lectures
- 30 minutes of daily practice with guided meditations
- Contribution to written discussion boards
- Additional time for personal study and completion of course assignments
**The small group meeting is the only course component which happens at a fixed time, and meetings will occur at same day/time every week. A list of the Fall 2020 meeting times can be found here. Applicants will select the times that they are available for on the application. Attendance is mandatory.
Ethical Commitment
In early Buddhist thought, tranquility and insight are complementary dimensions of meditative cultivation, traditionally based on a solid foundation in moral conduct and part of a gradual process of training. This online course will follow the Buddha's principle of ethics as the foundation for Satipaṭṭhāna practice. Participation in this course is supported by group commitment to respect and non-harming, applying to both communication with others and also to one's personal relationship with the practice.
Program Fee, Teacher Dāna and Scholarships
The course fee is $450. This does not include financial support for the facilitating teachers. As is customary at BCBS, there will be an opportunity to offer dāna to the teachers at the end of the program.
We are committed to making this program accessible to all. Financial assistance is available to help supplement the course fee. Requests for financial assistance may be made in the registration process. If accepted into the course, a 30%, 40% or 50% scholarship can be selected on the registration page, and it will be applied directly. If the financial assistance need is over 50% of the course fee, there is a space to indicate what amount of the course fee would be affordable, and we will offer what we can to accommodate the request. We generally only offer financial assistance one time per person per year so as to make this support available to as many students as possible.
Application Process and Criteria for Selection
In order to maintain weekly study groups to support the intimate nature of the program, space in the course is limited by the number of small groups we can offer. For those who meet the prerequisite experience of having a basic mindfulness practice, applications are processed on a lottery basis, with some spaces reserved for people of color and young adults.
The prerequisite experience for this course is a basic mindfulness practice.
Acceptance into the program is contingent upon a short virtual conversation (approximately 15 minutes) with BCBS staff to ensure clarity of commitment and comfort level with technology.
Please contact us at contact@buddhistinquiry.org or 978-355-2347 ex. 16 to share any feedback regarding ways that we could make the application process or participation in the course more accessible for you or others.
Timeline
Applications Open: July 1
Applications Close: September 1
Initial Accepted Applicants Notified: September 7
Pre-course Interviews and Registration: September 8- October 2
*If accepted, course payment will be required within 3 days from virtual interview
Enrollment Period: October 5-8 (Last day to pay October 5)
Fall 2020 Course Dates: October 11- December 12
