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Awareness+Wisdom:
An 8-Week Insight Meditation Course

Logistical Info

Dates: 10/29/25 to 12/17/25
Cost: Gift Economy (see below)
Registration: RSVP required; email me at David AT pathofsincerity DOT com to sign-up
Location: 2926 NE Flanders Street, Portland, OR @ The Flander’s House

 

Brief Summary

This course will guide you step-by-step into one of the most ancient and proven meditation approaches, Buddhist Insight Meditation, aka Vipassana.  

In a nutshell, it uses mindfulness to steady ourselves in the present, where we can see what’s actually happening beneath the veils of our stories and reactions, and through that, develop a profound ease & peace in our own skin.

In turn, the central aim of this course is to help you develop or deepen a consistent meditation practice that allows you to realize this clear-seeing wisdom & peace for yourself, as much in moments of quiet as in your relationships, work, and everyday life.

Each class will feature a dynamic mix of Q&A, guided meditation, brief lectures, journaling exercises, and group discussion.  You will also receive a recording of each class, 10+ guided meditations on mp3, and follow-up emails with optional readings.

Everyone from total beginners to seasoned meditators is welcome to join.

 

Cost & Commitment

As with nearly everything I do, I’m offering this course on the gift economy; aka on donation, as a practice of mutual giving and receiving!

As donation-based offerings are a bit foreign in our culture, I would love for you to read over this article on how I think about the financial part of donation-based courses.  I trust that whatever you donate will be the perfect amount!  No one will be turned away or judged for lack of funds!

Also, just as importantly, offered-on-donation doesn’t mean “come when you feel like it” or “only participate halfway.”  While of course life happens and you may have to miss a week, I’d request that you make a genuine commitment to showing up and doing the practices — that’s the only real way to turn these teachings from a good idea into something you truly live and embody.

 

Week-by-Week Summary

WEEK 1 – FRAMEWORK & FOUNDATIONS

  • An overarching approach to developing mindful awareness, wisdom, and inner freedom
  • Practical considerations, such as posture, habit formation, when/where, and for how long
  • How meditation fits into the greater context of the Buddhist path (and your life)

WEEK 2 – WORKING WITH OBSTACLES & THE MEDITATIVE SPIRIT

  • What it means & feels like to radically allow what is
  • How to bring a spirit of kindness into your meditations, as opposed to it being dry, rote, or disconnected
  • How to handle common obstacles, such as the thinking mind, sleepiness, physical discomfort, and random sounds

WEEK 3 – TECHNIQUE & METHOD

  • A framework to understand all methods & techniques
  • Try out four of the best methods and learn how to choose the best one for you
  • Two pro tips for making the most of any method

WEEK 4 – FEELINGS & EMBODIMENT

  • The three types of feelings the Buddha particularly emphasized
  • The keys to embodiment and not dissociating or spiritual bypassing
  • How to feel your feelings without resistance, grasping or ignoring

WEEK 5 – THE ESSENTIAL ATTITUDE

  • What true equanimity looks and feels like
  • How to become more aware of and adjust your hidden attitudes, especially the reactive ones!
  • How wisdom and concentration support equanimity

WEEK 6 – DEMYSTIFYING AWARENESS

  • How awareness is not a metaphysical idea or rarified state, but rather a tangible & simple experience (which you’ll learn how to access anytime, anywhere)
  • How to stabilize awareness so that the mind becomes “concentrated” in the present
  • How to bring more awareness into our daily lives (and a key technique to do it)

WEEK 7 – INSIGHT & MEDITATIVE WISDOM

  • Shifting from mental stories to natural processes
  • The in-the-moment impermanence of everything
  • The liberating perception of not-self

WEEK 8 – CONCLUSION

  • The direct path to inner freedom
  • Bringing it all together and answering unresolved questions
  • How to sustain and deepen a meditation practice beyond this course

 

Lineage & Background

The material for this course is rooted in the Theravada-Vipassana Buddhist tradition (I more or less use Vipassana, Mindfulness & Insight Meditation synonymously). 

Although, more specifically, the primary orientation comes largely from my core teacher, the Burmese monk, Sayadaw U Tejaniya, who coined the phrase “awareness+wisdom” as a way to describe the essence of the practice.  We will also draw upon the insights of the early Buddhist texts (suttas) and other contemporary teachers.

 

Final Notes & Testimonials from Prior Course Participants

I’ll limit the group to around 20 people to ensure a more intimate container.  Please feel free to email me any questions you might have.  Here are a few testimonials from previous participants:

“After taking the Awareness+Wisdom course, I now know how to slow myself down, separate myself from the swirl of daily life, and find beautiful acceptance with what is. I am so much more aware and able to step back from situations even when emotions are high. And, I am a better listener!”
– C.N., previous course participant

“The ability to share the Buddha’s teachings with accuracy and ease is an incredible gift. David possesses that gift as well as a manner of sharing with others, that encourages them to use the very tools brought forth in the teachings.  It was a pleasure to have David as a teacher and guide.”
– M.D., previous course participant & decades-long meditator“

“I enjoyed this course immensely. David’s approach made it easy for me to apply the teachings to my own life. I gained a lot of insights and it was like a light switch turned on for me and for some of my ways of thinking. I can truly say I came out of this course a kinder, wiser person.” 
– B.D., previous course participant

I had been meditating for a little while, so thought I knew at least the basics.  But whatever I thought I knew, it was really only the tiny tip of a giant iceberg…  I highly recommend this class to everyone.  Learning how to meditate and practicing daily has been huge.  For me, already there’s a lightness and more space for joy.”
– G.P., previous course participant

“The pacing of the class, the way the material unfolded, and the reinforcements David compassionately offered us effectively helped me start a meditation practice, and I’ve been enjoying a slow but very noticeable positive effect in my life from it. This class truly has made my life better.“
– R.Z., previous course participant

“Taking David’s course was definitely the right jump start I needed. David’s presentation style is engaging and informative.  His honesty and sense of humor come through every time he talks.  I highly recommend this course if you are interested in increasing your meditation practice and learning in a caring down-to-earth way.”
-K.C., previous course participant

“The Awareness+Wisdom course was an excellent overview and I am surprised at how my ability to sit and become more aware of my thoughts improved over the course. I would recommend trying it too if you are looking for a teacher with a sense of humor that speaks in plain English.”
-J.M., previous course participant 

“For the first time ever, I was able to meditate every single day during the period of this course, and I’ve meditated every day since! It’s a perfect combination of teaching, guided meditation, readings, and practical advice for habit forming.”
-J.S., previous course participant

“David’s teaching helped me shift my perspective on what meditation is. I learned to release judgment, and how to use meditation as a tool to cultivate deep peace, compassion, kindness, trust and surrender in whatever is arising. His teaching is really down-to-earth and simple, and he presents multiple perspectives in a very compassionate way, so anyone entering the spiritual journey can take something from his teachings.”
-S.T., previous course participant

“Through David’s guidance through awareness and truly turning in without tuning out, I have a deeper appreciation for the multi-layered approaches to meditating. Make it your own, utilizing different resources, and remaining consistent, are all ideas that I can now keep with me for a long time.”
-C.A., previous course participant

“I love David’s simple and powerful approach. He has figured out how to make meditation accessible for anyone where they are. Meditators of all levels, from first-timers to long-timers, will benefit from David’s guidance into experiencing awareness.  I feel that my practice of meditation has taken on a new dimension of application every day. Thank you for sharing your gifts and passions David!”
– another C.A., previous course participant