Deepening Meditation Practice with Upasaka Upali & Kynan Tan

Deepen your meditation practice. Receive personal guidance from experienced teachers. Connect with a community of practitioners. 

Dates: Tuesdays, July 9th – August 13th, 2024

Class Times:
Course 1 (North America) – 4:30 pm PT / 7:30 pm ET – Time Zone Converter
Course 2 (Europe)– 10:00 am PT / 1:00 pm ET / 7 pm CET – Time Zone Converter
Course 3 (Australia) – 6:00 pm AET / 10:00 am CET – Time Zone Converter
Classes happen live over Zoom and last 1.5 hours.

Each course tries to accommodate different time zones. Select whichever course works best for you in the registration form below.

Live weekly practice sessions – 45 minutes
With Upali – Thursdays 10:00 am PT / 1 pm ET / 7 pm CET
With Kynan – Mondays 4:30 pm PT / 7:30 pm ET

Practice sessions included guided meditation, which will be recorded and shared. Plan to attend at least 3 sessions in person unless the times absolutely don’t work for you.

Course Description

Many meditators grasp the benefits of their practice but yearn to delve deeper. How does one transition from the surface benefits of practice, like relaxation and stress reduction, to more profound experiences?

Welcome to a course that serves as a journey of deepening practice. Its purpose is to illuminate your current meditation practice, paving the way for a more profound exploration. Join experienced teachers and fellow practitioners on this transformative path, embarking on an expedition toward meditation’s deeper potential.

Testimonials

“Perfect jump-start to practice! Compassionate, knowledgeable teachers that bring insight and humor into every session.”

“Upali and Kynan’s teaching style is gentle, encouraging and supportive. The Deepening Practice course was a good experience for me. I would sign up again in a flash.”

“Upali and Kynan are great meditation teachers! I loved the varied structure of the weekly meetings, the prompts given to us to think about, and the overall encouraging, chill vibe. I look forward to the next iteration of their course! 🤗👍”

Course Structure

  • Weekly Classes
    • Personal practice check-ins, presentation of meditative techniques and philosophies, Q & A discussion with teachers
  • Practice Sessions During the Week
    • 45 minutes twice a week
      • 15-minute group check-in with the Teacher
      • 20 to 30 minutes of meditation together, silent or guided
  • Weekly Content
    • Curated resources from the teachers related to content presented in classes
    • Guided meditations recorded by the teachers to support your practice each week
  • Forum for peer discussion 
    • Online space to discuss and ask questions that arise during the week
    • Daily practice consistency check-in 
  • Option for 1:1 support
    • Two 30-minute meditation interviews throughout the course with either Kynan or Upali 

Course Outcomes 

  • More Time Meditating & More Consistency

If you feel the amount of time you meditate and the consistency of your practice is lacking, the course will support you in overcoming the roadblocks that prevent the flourishing of your practice in day-to-day life.   

  • A Clear Path Forward

You will receive instruction for your meditation practice that fits your interests and gives direction. You will come away with tangible techniques for your practice.   

  • Knowledge of Practices and Philosophy

You will gain a refined understanding of meditative techniques such as breath practice and Metta (aka Loving-Kindness) practice and know the practical significance of these practices in the context of meditative tradition. 

  • Long-term Access to a Community of Like-minded Practitioners

You will gain inspiration from other practitioners who share your experiences in meditation. We will help facilitate practice pods so you can chat and meet with other practitioners when the course finishes. Additionally, you will have lifetime access to an online forum of current and past course participants where you can discuss practice, ask questions, and share resources.  

  • Integration 

Your personal experiences of meditation and the unique reasons you pursue them will be held in the larger context and relevance of your life. You will learn how to bring the practice into daily life and experience ways to integrate your daily life into your practice.  

Course Values

The teaching philosophy of this course heavily relies on these two values: 

  1. Student Centric – You are the expert of your experience and will be treated as such.  Professional guidance provides valuable perspective and direction, but what you experience as useful will sustain your practice and benefit you most.  
  2. UtilityDifferent methods work better for different people. This course aims to find what works toward creating benefits in your practice. While the course will present specific models and techniques related to meditation, they’re not regarded as Truth. All instruction and discussion in the course will prioritize what works for you and hold an openness to the form that takes.  

Is this course right for me? 

If any experiences below resonate with you, this course is likely a good fit.  

My interest in meditation is piqued. I’ve used meditation apps with some success, and I’d like to learn more, go deeper, and feel confident meditating on my own. 

Meditative techniques are a skill that one can learn and develop. I want to develop and grow my meditative absorption and insight abilities further.

Meditation is a positive habit, and I’d like that habit to solidify and grow. I’ve experienced the benefits of practice, and I’d like to make them more available.

I know how to meditate, and I do it consistently, but I’m on my own a lot of the time.  I’m looking for teacher support or community support.

Meditation has been helpful with my mental health, and I’d like more of those benefits.  

The instructions I have for meditation are vague or confusing, and I get inconsistent outcomes. I want clarity about how to practice and a feeling of progress.

I want to experience more benefits from my meditation practice off of the cushion. 

Awakening is an accident, and meditation makes me accident-prone. I want to grow my meditative abilities and expand my capacity for Insight. 

Standard – 345 295 Early Bird– participation in classes and practice groups plus content – weekly emails, recordings, and additional instructions

Plus – 445 395 Early Bird – all of Standard plus two additional 1:1 meetings with a teacher

Low Income – 245 195 Early Bird– a special reduced rate for those who are unable to pay the standard rate at this time

** We have created this pricing structure to offer the course at affordable rates while still providing a high level of supportive teaching. If you would like to attend but can’t afford to, even at the low-income rate, please get in touch with us. No one will be turned away due to inability to pay.

About the Teachers 

Upali

Upasaka Upali has been meditating since 2008 and has been a full-time meditation and Dharma teacher since 2018.  He teaches in a lineage that can be traced back to the Buddha and has thousands of hours of experience teaching courses and working individually with students. He has also taught over 200 days of silent meditation retreats.  

Upali was the founding director of Open Dharma Foundation and currently serves as the Board Chair for Center Space, a non-profit community meditation studio.   He co-hosts the Teaching Meditation podcast and is a somatic facilitator for Neurosystemics Dharma.  He teaches with the hope that practitioners can experience and integrate the profound benefits of meditation in liberating ways.  

Kynan Tan

Kynan Tan is a meditation teacher who is interested in helping students to achieve their meditation goals, whatever they may be. He takes a collaborative and student-centered approach to exploring the depths of what is possible through the many dimensions of practice. Kynan believes that meditation has enormous potential for creating positive change and opening up space for new ways of relating to experience.

Kynan has experience across a range of meditative and introspective traditions and techniques. He brings his experience as an artist, musician, and programmer into his understanding and sharing of Dharma teachings in a way that is clear, practical, and creative. Kynan is authorized to teach by Dr. Tucker Peck, a clinical psychologist and meditation teacher.

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