The Awakened Mind Center is open to everyone. It is a place for those seeking simple but profound teachings and support for deep practice to end their suffering. The practice is to watch oneself in order to know the problems and to realize the cause of problems.

An "awakened mind" is the state of the Unconditioned, the Ultimate Reality.

According to the historical Buddha, there is a way to end suffering without having conflict or contradiction with any other practice or tradition. That way leads to the awakened mind. For this reason we have chosen the Awakened Mind as the name of our practice center.

The Core Teaching:

1. Admit there is a problem. (Suffering)
2. Realize the cause of the problem.
3. End the problem.
4. There is a path to end the problem (Watching oneself)

It is necessary to watch oneself in order to know one's problem and to realize the cause of one's problem. To know it is to see it, to recognize it when it happens. To realize the cause of it means to discover where the problem comes from, the root of the problem.

The Practice

Relax, release and be awake, alert in every moment. Simply recognize whatever happens in the body, feelings, and thoughts and with objects of mind. Once the problem is recognized, continue to watch it, listen, without judging, reacting, thinking, following, fighting, shifting attention, naming, denying. When any of these happen, recognize them and keep continuing to watch the problem.

Continue to relax, release and be awaked, alert in every moment. The intention is to see: what the problem looks like, who is watching, and why the problem is here. Do not use thinking mind to find the answers. The intention to know "why" will take you to the root automatically, day by day. No one can do this for you. One must do it for oneself. Then one will deeply, truly know from one's own direct experience.

When the root is realized, the problem will end. Remember, don't think. Don't guess. Don't try to answer through knowledge. Don't borrow someone else's experience. Discover for yourself!!

The Awakened Mind Meditation Center is located north of Kalamazoo, 2 miles south of the Kalamazoo Nature Center at:

Awakened Meditation Center
3628 North Westnedge Ave
Kalamazoo, MI 49004

Please view our schedule for meditation dates and times.