Developing the Jhana Factors in Daily Life
An online meditation course with Sarah Shaw
The five jhana factors
Find true calm
The jhana factors are wholesome qualities of mind that arise in everyday situations and can be developed through reflection and mindfulness of breathing. These five factors are application of mind, exploration, joy, happiness, and unification. When the jhana factors are present the mind feels unburdened, tranquil, and happy. We find greater ease and well-being both on the cushion and in our lives.
Join Sarah Shaw for an exploration of how these qualities can be developed and appreciated in our daily lives and then deepened and refined in formal meditation. This is a rare chance to learn a traditional samatha breathing mindfulness technique as a way to develop calm and stillness of mind.
Class begins on July 6. A new unit will be released each week and you are welcome to study at your own pace. The course is suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners.
Learn the ancient samatha technique
This style of meditation develops gatheredness of mind, ease, and tranquility. Here is one example sequence.
A unique opportunity
An expert teacher
Sarah Shaw is both a scholar and a devoted practitioner of the Buddhist path. There are few guides that share her knowledge and meditative experience. Through this offering, Sarah hopes to share the benefits of samatha (calm) and the development of the jhana factors.
Learn samatha breathing mindfulness
There is an ancient meditation technique that was once common in Thailand. This technique has been passed on from teacher to student for generations and can engender profound states of meditative calm.
Develop the jhana factors
The mind has a propensity toward peace and happiness, but it often needs a little guidance. This course will show you how to develop and enjoy the five jhana factors in your everyday life, even when conditions are challenging.
Live Q&As
Enroll now to join two bonus live sessions with Sarah, hosted on Zoom.
6:00 p.m. GMT
6:00 p.m. GMT
Sarah Shaw
Dr. Sarah Shaw is a faculty member and tutor at the University of Oxford and a visiting contemplative mentor at Brown University.
Sarah first encountered meditation as a student. After initially finding meditation difficult, it eventually clicked. She feels grateful to have found the technique of samatha breathing mindfulness and a home in the Samatha Trust community.
Sarah is the author of Breathing Mindfulness: Discovering the Riches at the Heart of the Buddhist Path, The Art of Listening: A Guide to the Early Teachings of Buddhism, and Mindfulness: Where It Comes From and What It Means.
Getting to know the jhana factors
Sarah Shaw introduces us to the five jhana factors in this introductory talk and meditation.
A note from the editor
The jhāna factors are at work whenever we settle down to a task, explore the facets of a problem, find a moment of joy or happiness, or restfully allow our minds to gather in the present.
In this course, Dr. Sarah Shaw shows how these wholesome qualities can be developed for deep practice in lay life. One aspect of this process is samatha breathing mindfulness. This ancient Thai meditation technique is unlike any I have encountered, and was nearly lost in the reforms of the past century. It is particularly conducive to the arising of joy and deep states of stillness.
Developing the Jhana Factors in Daily Life offers a unique opportunity to learn from the Samatha Trust tradition and to continue on this path beyond the course. If you are interested in calming the mind in the service of seeing clearly, I highly recommend this offering.
—Mark Cooper, Online Course Developer
An exploration in six parts
Each unit contains around 90 minutes of video presentations and guided meditations. The material is also available as a PDF or audio download for learning on the go.
Praise for Sarah Shaw's Mindfulness: Where It Comes From and What It Means
A brilliant and precise introduction to the deep roots of mindfulness.—Joan Halifax, Founder and Abbot of Upaya Zen Center
Full contents
Here is a detailed overview of the course.
Click the arrow below to see all six units.
- Introduction and Meditation (19:17)
- The Bases of Happiness (24:27)
- Training in the Precepts (27:52)
- The Highest Blessings (25:07)
- Inviting Happiness to Visit (20:24)
- Check Your Understanding
- Meditation: Happiness with Each Breath (22:36)
- Reflect
- In Daily Life (2:45)
- Discuss
- Summary
- Bonus: Charles Shaw Chants The Mangala Sutta (4:07)
Mobile app
Access the teachings,
wherever you are
Download the free Teachable app to take your Tricycle Online Courses with you on iPhone, iPad, or Android.
Benefits
- • All your enrolled courses
- • Download lessons to access offline, anywhere
- • Listen in the car or on the train
- • Pick up where you left off on any device
