Online Insight Meditation Course

The structure of this course is simple.

• It contains 5 meditation training modules called Cultivations.
• The heading of each Cultivation describes what you will develop in that module.
• Each Cultivation contains 3 sequential Meditation skills to develop.
• In this way, you will develop calm, insight and ease in letting go.

How meditation develops.

Calm: During this course we will discuss how to develop mindfulness of breathing in a way that will create a momentum of letting go within your heart & mind. This doorway is accessed by developing your skill in relaxation & calm, while training your mind to perceive the pleasure in it.

Insight: Anything that hinders your ability to experience relaxation & calm during your meditation is used as a foundation for insight. Insight is developed by observing the by-itself-nature (anatta) of hindrances to relaxation & calm. 

Letting go: Insight is enhanced by rewarding your mind with the pleasure of letting go to teach it to incline towards it in your daily life. Your skill in letting go will be developed by following a simple formula: GOSS: Ground > Observe > Soften > Smile > repeat. This circular process of insight & pleasure reward develops a momentum of letting go that will gradually decondition attraction & aversion from your mind.

Aware of being Aware: The way that mindfulness of breathing is practiced in MIDL is designed to gradually clarify peripheral awareness and the focus of attention as two separate, distinct experiences. This develops a shift in the meditators mind where they become continuously aware of being aware, experiencing space between experiences and experiencing. As they are no longer entangled in objects of awareness, it is within this shift that deepest insight occurs.

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Talk on the structure of MIDL from founder Stephen Procter.

A summary is given on how MIDL Insight Meditation unfolds when practiced in daily life. 

• YouTube video: Introduction to Insight Meditation in Daily Life (MIDL)

Your first step is to cultivate your skill in mindfulness & letting go, by accessing the pleasure of relaxation & ease within your mind & body, creating a foundation for mindfulness of breathing. 

Suitability: Beginner.

Purpose: Creating Your Foundation.

New to Meditation?

• Introductory 2 Week: Meditation Course.

Course Lessons:

• Meditation Skill 01: Body Relaxation.
• Meditation Skill 02: Mind Relaxation.
• Meditation Skill 03: Mindful Presence.

Support Articles:

• Article: Developing Presence.
• Article: GOSS: How to Let Go.

Optional Meditation:

If you experience stress, anxiety, brain fog practice this first.

• Meditation for Anxiety: Stress Breathing Pattern Retraining.

Your second step is to cultivate curiosity in balancing mental effort by developing insight into that which hinders the development of calm & tranquility. 

Suitability: Intermediate. 

Purpose: Insight into restlessness.

Course Lessons:

1. Meditation Skill 04: Joyful Presence.
2. Meditation Skill 05: Natural Breathing.
3. Meditation Skill 06: Breathing Presence.

Support Articles:

• Article: 12 Experiential Markers.
• Article: 12 Meditative Hindrances.
• Article: Applying the GOSS Formula.

Your third step is to cultivate your skill in stable attention during mindfulness of breathing, by including joy & tranquility as part of your attention. 

Suitability: Skilled.

Purpose: Insight into dullness.

Course Lessons:

1. Meditation Skill 07: Breath Sensations.
2. Meditation Skill 08: One Point of Sensation.
3. Meditation Skill 09: Sustained Attention.

Support Article:

• Article: Working with Dullness.

Your fourth step is to cultivate your skill in unified attention to develop access concentration. 

Suitability: Accomplished.

Purpose: Develop access concentration.

Course Lessons:

1. Meditation Skill 10: Whole-Body Breathing.
2. Meditation Skill 11: Sustained Awareness.
3. Meditation Skill 12: Access Concentration.

Support Article:

• Article: Noble Eightfold Path.

Your fifth step is to cultivate your skill in meditative absorption (jhana), to establish equanimity. 

Suitability: Proficient.

Purpose: Develop Factor of Equanimity.

Course Lessons:

• How to Cultivate Skill in the Four Jhana.