Accessing Our Buddha Nature with the Support of Psychological Science with John Makransky and Paul Condon

Jul 08, 2022 - Jul 11, 2022  |  IMS Barre

---

Click here for more information about this event

This program will explore ways of accessing and settling into our innate awakened awareness through practices adapted from Tibetan Buddhism (Nyingma Dzogchen) with support from modern psychological science. By participating in an empowering field of loving spiritual connection, we can become increasingly receptive to the unconditioned openness, wisdom, and compassionate energy of our buddha nature. Yet parts of us, often unconsciously, tend to prevent us from more fully accessing such qualities of awakening. This is true even for long-time practitioners. To address that, we will focus on ways that healing powers of our buddha nature can help harmonize all parts of ourselves with that nature, so our innate capacities for compassion and wisdom can unfold more freely. Throughout the program, we will also explore how several leading theories in current psychology can inform and empower this process of awakening—attachment theory, social baseline theory, internal family systems, situated conceptualization, dyadic expansion of consciousness, and emotional granularity. No scientific background is assumed; these terms and concepts will be introduced in accessible ways.

This retreat is both for practitioners who identify as Buddhists and for people of all backgrounds who seek an accessible way to cultivate unconditional powers of love, compassion, and wisdom for action. It is also for those interested in exploring how science can help support the process of deepening in contemplative experience. Guided meditations, explanation of key principles, and group discussion will clarify and empower our collective practice.