L.E.A.P. offers three levels of beginner classes: basic literacy, low beginners and high beginners, and a low intermediate class. Ten experienced volunteer instructors from First Parish and the community will teach one or more semesters. All classes are offered on Zoom.

Up to seventy students participate in the program during the year. Students may elect to attend 2 or 3 classes each week. Reading, writing, listening and speaking are emphasized in all classes.

Students are referred to us by SMOC, the Literacy Programs at the Natick and Framingham public libraries, Framingham Adult ESL Program, Metrowest Jewish Family Services, and Metrowest Free Medical Program. Students also learn about the program from press releases in the local media and from word-of-mouth. Our program provides access to English language instruction to students who did not win the Framingham Adult ESL Plus program lottery, students who cannot commit to programs that require 2 or 3 weekly sessions or cannot afford tuition-based programs. Most of our students are from South America.

Contact Eva Benda for more information at 508-872-7125.

 

The purpose of the group is to encourage us to continue our own practices and studies of meditation and growth of mindfulness, to experience the Buddha’s goal that we recognize and break free of habits of thought and actions that cause us suffering, so we can more fully enjoy our lives.  Our readings draw from the Buddha’s teaching. As no one in the group is a trained meditation teacher, you will find it most helpful to have received prior meditation instruction from a trained teacher at a reputable formal meditation center or retreat.

Our format is

* 5-minute silent meditation to “arrive” where we are and settle in the present

* brief check-in

* short inspirational reading

* 30 minute silent meditation

* Dhamma reading and discussion (staying for the dhamma reading and discussion is optional; you can just come and sit in silence and leave when the meditation ends.)

Though we maintain silence and stillness ourselves during meditation, be prepared to deal with the challenge of noise from church activities outside the room.

If you have no experience with meditation, you might find this 5-minute introduction from Jon Kabat-Zinn to be helpful:

Or, one of these introductory books might be a place to start:

***No-Nonsense Buddhism for Beginners, by Noah Rasheta [American mindfulness movement]

How to Meditate, by Pema Chodron [Tibetan Buddhist tradition]

The Miracle of Mindfulness, by Thich Nhat Hanh [Zen]

Meditation for Beginners, by Jack Kornfield  [American mindfulness movement, from Theravada tradition]

Mindfulness in Plain English, by [Bhante] Gunaratana [Theravada tradition]

How to Practice, by the Dalai Lama [Tibetan tradition]

Seeking the Heart of Wisdom, by Goldstein and Kornfield [American mindfulness via Theravada]

Mindfulness for Beginners, by Jon Kabat-Zinn [American mindfulness via Zen and other traditions]