Our Approach: Three Aspects to Training the Mind

If you sit in silence and never speak,
    what stories will you leave for the young people to tell?
If you live shut away in a forest thicket,
    how can the sun of wisdom shine out?
No dried-up carcass can be the guardian of the way.
--Han Shan (1546-1623)

Training the mind is not just a matter of meditating every day. At Friends of the Heart we recommend a holistic approach that encourages students to find ways to engage their whole selves in their practice, and to integrate their practice into their daily lives. This is done through three "supports", reflecting the Buddhist concept of the "three jewels" of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. You need to develop all three supports for your practice to become stable.

Come to Class ("Buddha")

If you want to progress quickly, come to class at least once a week. In class you'll acquire knowledge, have a chance to meditate in a group, and strengthen your exposure to the instructors and teachers who serve as your guides along the path. It is much harder to progress with occasional attendance. Treat the class seriously: bring a notebook to note down interesting points, questions, or observations, and study your notebook from time to time.

Personal Study and Meditation Practice ("Dharma")

Attending once a week alone is not enough; you must also begin to accumulate "mat time", that is, by actually practising meditation on your own. Try to practice every day without fail, even for a very short time: it is better to sit for five minutes a day than to sit for an hour "once in a while". Also, we encourage you to invest time in your own studies: this handbook includes a suggested reading list, and the library at Friends of the Heart contains many books that are available for you to borrow.

Service to Others and Mutual Support ("Sangha")

You will receive a lot of quiet support from the other members of Friends of the Heart, in ways both obvious and subtle. Everybody contributes their energy and supports the membership in some way, such as by helping out, participating in community events, or donating to the Bursary Fund. Of course, the support is mutual, and part of your practice will be finding ways of helping others, whether at Friends of the Heart, at home, in your workplace, or in the community. You are encouraged to develop these activities and to begin to see this type of supportive engagement as part of your practice.