8 Weeks
Tuesdays, March 11 – April 29, 2025
7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
on Zoom
In this course, we will explore the foundational principles of Buddhism and Insight Meditation (Theravada tradition), its core teachings, and the experiential nature of meditation practice. The course is designed for anyone who is new to Buddhist thought or who wants to refresh their understanding and practice. The program consists of eight 90-minute sessions offered via Zoom. Each session will include a brief centering meditation, an overview of the week’s topic, a break out discussion, whole group sharing/Q&A, and a guided meditation to apply the week’s topic.
This course is designed as an overview of the basic teachings. We don’t expect you to understand or absorb everything in eight weeks. Rather, the goal is to introduce you to the teachings so that you may pursue further study if you choose.
The eight sessions are intended to build upon each other so we encourage you to attend as many as you can. The talk and guided meditation from each session will be recorded and made available. The course will be led by Laurie Rodney and Heidi Wormser.
The program is offered free of charge but registration is required. Please register below. Questions about the class? Contact Heidi Wormser.
March 11 – Session 1
What Is Meditation and How Do We Do It?
March 18 – Session 2
Suffering and the End of Suffering
March 25 – Session 3
Loving Kindness (Metta) Meditation
April 1 – Session 4
Hindrances We Encounter in Meditation
April 8 – Session 5
Vipassana (Insight or Mindfulness) Meditation
April 15 – Session 6
The Three Characteristics of Existence
April 22 – Session 7
Causes and Conditions
April 29 – Session 8
Five Aggregates of Clinging
Laurie Rodney has been practicing meditation since 2002. In addition to learning from multiple teachers including Pema Chodron, Tara Brach, and Joseph Goldstein, she has also learned much from extended retreats through Southern Dharma Retreat Center, Tri-State Dharma, and Yellow Springs Dharma in addition to the offerings from our own Insight Meditation Cleveland Sangha. Laurie holds a daily morning practice in addition to the weekly sangha and experiential practice throughout the day. Her most valuable teachings are “Everything is curriculum,” and “Everything changes with the breath.” A career educator, Laurie is drawn to teaching the Dharma as an offering that has so enriched and supported her own life. Our core purpose is to end the suffering in ourselves and to teach others the path.
Heidi Wormser first became aware of meditation in the mid 1970’s but, despite reading about it and thinking about it, didn’t get around to actually doing it until 2014. Since then, however, she has been fully immersed in the Dharma. She has attended numerous retreats, completed a year-long study of non-dual practice with John Cunningham, has studied the teachings of Rodney Smith, Sayadaw U Tejaniya and others, and is a certified mindfulness mentor. Heidi serves on the Board of IM Cleveland, leads sitting groups and day-long retreats, and co-teaches an 8-week introduction to insight meditation.