Brahmavihāras and Emptiness

Brahmavihāras and Emptiness is an eight-week online meditation program and optional certification in early Buddhist practice, guided by the teachings of Bhikkhu Anālayo through the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. It is for experienced meditators who want to study and practice two linked approaches: the brahmavihāras (kindness, compassion, gladness and equanimity) and the gradual entry into emptiness described in the Shorter Discourse on Emptiness (Cūḷasuññata-sutta, MN 121) and its Chinese parallel.

The program is the third in a three-part series, following Satipaṭṭhāna Meditation and Mindfulness of Breathing. Cohorts include both new and returning participants.

What to Expect

This is not a self-study course. Each week combines self-paced work on an online learning platform with a live small group meeting on Zoom. Expect roughly 10 to 12 hours a week.

Weekly participation includes:

- a 20-minute video lecture by Bhikkhu Anālayo
- recorded guided meditations by Bhikkhu Anālayo, with a daily personal practice
- one chapter of reading from Compassion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation
- sutta study, study activities and review questions
- contributions to a moderated written discussion forum
- a 90-minute small group meeting with breakout practice and sutta study discussion

The arc is gradual. A pre-course welcome module and an orientation week come first. The first two weeks are given to the brahmavihāras, and the brahmavihāra practice is taught as a radiating practice that opens the heart before entering emptiness. Weeks three through seven move step by step into emptiness, and the final week brings a closing lecture and meditation.

The small group meeting is the only fixed-time element, held at the same day and time each week. Applicants choose their available times on the application, and attendance is mandatory. Participants begin by making a shared ethical commitment to respect and non-harming, covering both how they communicate with others and how they relate to their own practice.

About Bhikkhu Anālayo

Bhikkhu Anālayo is a scholar-monk and the author of many books on meditation and early Buddhism, including Satipatthāna: The Direct Path to Realization, Perspectives on Satipatthāna and Satipatthāna Meditation: A Practice Guide. He is a Faculty Member at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies and a retired professor of the Numata Center for Buddhist Studies at the University of Hamburg. His main academic research is early Buddhism, with particular interest in meditation and in women in Buddhism. His teaching here comes through video lectures, guided meditations and readings, and there is no direct interaction with him.

Your Facilitators

Small groups are led by facilitating teachers: Éowyn Ahlstrom, Mary Aubry, Phil Jones, Rachel Lewis, Dawn MacDonald, Uzi Selcer and Ye Teng Tan.

Before You Go

Participants need an established mindfulness practice and a certificate of completion from the Mindfulness of Breathing program with Bhikkhu Anālayo, either at BCBS or another center.

The program fee includes the lectures, guided meditations, readings and study materials on the platform, forums, weekly small group meetings, and the welcome module and orientation week. The core text, Compassion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation, is not included. Participants are encouraged to read it beforehand; otherwise, plan on an extra 2 to 3 hours of reading each week.

Fees are offered on a sliding scale, and the lower rates need no application or explanation. Financial assistance is available, and teacher dāna is a voluntary offering, since fees do not compensate the teachers.

Certification is optional and completes the three-part series. It requires 100% attendance, full participation and a final reflection.