Sean Feit Oakes, PhD

Welcome, and blessings on your path

SAṄGHA GATHERINGS
Insight Meditation Satsang, Tue 7:15-9pm (Pacific)
Lunar Observance Days, new & full moons, 7:30-9am (Pacific)

RETREAT
Living the Dhamma Home Retreat
Wed-Sun, July 8-12

Sean Feit Oakes, PhD, teaches Buddhism and Yoga focusing on the integration of meditation, trauma resolution, and social justice. He received teaching authorization from Jack Kornfield, and wrote his dissertation on extraordinary meditative states. His current research explores identity, ancestry, and rebirth, and working with the body in contemplative inquiry.

Read more about Dr. Oakes (“me”), here.

If you benefit from the material collected here, you can support us with a gift of any amount. Thank you for your generosity.

Stay connected! All practice offerings online.

Insight Meditation Satsang Tuesdays 7:15-9pm (Pacific)

Uposatha Days New & Full moons 7:30-9am (Pacific)

This month at Satsang (July 2020)

In June at the Tuesday Satsang we started looking at the Buddhist model of conditionality called Dependent Origination, using this elegant ancient model as a support for deconstructing racial bias and discrimination both in individual and systemic forms. I know that sounds technical, but don’t worry. It’s a discussion of reactivity, identity, and how systemic oppression and trauma psychology operate in similar ways. Beginners always welcome.

Now heading into July, we’re exploring various aspects of this model, continuing to use race, racism, and racial bias as the main example for inquiry. The conversations have been rich and dynamic as we apply an ancient analytical tool to a very contemporary problem.

Satsang is now online for the immediate future, on the Zoom platform. All are welcome to join, in the spirit and practice of Gift Economy, supporting us to make the resources of the Buddhist tradition available as freely and widely as possible.

Most Recent Talks

“Strive on!” (skillfully). Learning the Dance of Right Effort

“Even two mountains of gold are not enough…”: Livelihood, scarcity, & the dukkha of individualism

“Do not ignore the effect of Right Action”: Ethics, kamma, and the Eightfold Path

Speech like flowers, speech like honey: The discipline & art of Right Speech

Living the Dhamma: Home Retreat

Wed-Sun, July 8-12

We’re doing a second “home retreat”, where we’ll work with a flexible structure for individual practice, connecting in community and supporting each other to come out of overwhelm and excess activation. “Living the Dhamma” means bringing the formal disciplines of attention training and somatic process into every moment of our days.

5 Recollections for Daily Practice

I am of the nature to age, I have not gone beyond aging.
I am of the nature to sicken, I have not gone beyond sickness.
I am of the nature to die, I have not gone beyond dying.
All that is mine, beloved and pleasing, will become otherwise, will be separated from me.
I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related to my actions, abide supported by my actions.
Whatever action I do, for good or for ill, of that I will be the heir.

(AN 5.57, tr. Forest Saṅgha)