All About the Mind: Buddhist Psychology and Epistemology
with Gus Cutz

Wednesdays, Sep 6, 13, 27, Oct 4, 11 & 18, 7–9pm EDT ONLINE

The mind is easily the single most important phenomenon in our lives. It is the only thing we are constantly and directly engaged with. And yet it is one of the things most of us understand the least. In fact, most of the time we are as utterly unaware of it as a fish is of water.

To help us gain a clearer understanding of our lives and experiences and greater control over our destinies, the Buddha taught extremely powerful and sophisticated methods for us to gain direct experiential and empirical knowledge of the nature and functioning of the mind, as well as “psychological technologies” for us to change our minds as we wish to increase our happiness, wisdom, and compassionate lovingkindness. For this reason, Buddhism is often described as a science of the mind.

In accordance with Venerable Robina Courtin’s specific advice to our group, we have created this course as a companion to Discovering Buddhism, to provide students with an opportunity to take a deeper look into the Buddhist teachings on the mind. This has been designed as an introductory course on the Buddhist teachings about the mind, including Buddhist psychology (the study of the parts that make up the mind, and how they function and interact to bring us happiness and unhappiness), Buddhist epistemology (the analysis that answers the question of how do we know what we know with certainty), and Mahamudra (the most profound and direct teachings of the Buddha on the ultimate nature of the mind, phenomena, and ourselves).

In this course, we will better understand the mind and its functions, as well as several key points of the Buddhadharma, such as why we can find certainty in the Buddha’s teachings, even regarding things like rebirth, karma, and emptiness; how karma actually works; and how we can decrease delusions.

Note: All About the Mind: Buddhist Psychology and Epistemology, Daylong Retreat with Gus Cutz will be on Sun Oct 22, 10:30am—3:30pm.

Important Note

This is an online-only event that is administered using Zoom.

After registering, the system automatically sends a confirmation and/or a receipt email that contains the Zoom meeting link and/or other instructions. If you don’t immediately receive the system email(s) or you have any other questions, please contact us at registration@shantidevanyc.org.

*Zoom is an interactive video-conferencing tool that allows participants to see one another and ask questions. You will need a computer, a tablet or a smartphone with the Zoom application to attend. If you are using Zoom for the first time, please login earlier to allow any necessary installations on your device.

Registration

Suggested: $20 per session, or $108 for all 6-weeks of the course
Other offering options: free, $5, $10, $30

All About the Mind: Buddhist Psychology and Epistemology, Daylong Retreat with Gus Cutz will be on Sun Oct 22, 10:30am—3:30pm.

The suggested amount helps support teacher offerings and expenses, direct costs and rent. Shantideva member benefits will apply automatically if you have a membership in MindBody. 

Shantideva Center may publish recorded sessions in the public domain (e.g., on YouTube). By registering for this event, you are agreeing to give your consent to this process. To protect your privacy, we recommend being conscious about any personal information you share during the sessions. To further enhance anonymity, you may want to consider turning off video or naming yourself using abbreviations.

Time zone: US Eastern Daylight Time (GMT/UTC-4)

For questions regarding registration, please email registration@shantidevanyc.org for assistance.

Additional Materials

If you are a registered student, you may access the readings on our password protected page. After registering, an online receipt will be sent to the email address that you used to register. The page link and password will be on the receipt. Please contact us at registration@shantidevanyc.org if you have questions about accessing this page.

Dana for the Teacher

Shantideva Center makes offerings to our teachers using the funds collected through registration. You can give additional support to the teacher and create a stronger karmic connection by offering dana. Please make sure to select the teacher’s name in the dropdown menu. Dana offered is passed entirely to the teacher, but please note that it is not tax-deductible.

About the Teacher

Gustavo Cutz is an FPMT-certified teacher and has been an active volunteer with Shantideva Center since 2008.  Gus has been the facilitator for Discovering Buddhism since 2012 and he explains complex material with simplicity, making the Buddha’s teachings practical and always accompanied with enthusiasm and a delightful sense of humor.

In addition, Gus facilitates the Debate Club and leads one day retreats. He has also taught Dharma topics at other spiritual centers. He is working on interpreting and summarizing Geshe Thubten Soepa’s teachings on several topics such as the Four Noble Truths, the eight worldly concerns, and the six perfections.  

Gus previously worked as an editor at Wisdom Publications in Boston. Presently he works as a clinical psychologist and practices on Long Island.