Freedom from Fear:
A Buddhist & Psychotherapeutic Approach
with Pilar Jennings
Fridays, May 2 & 9, 7:30-9pm EDT
IN-PERSON & ONLINE
In this two-part class, Dr. Pilar Jennings will explore the Buddhist psychology of fear and its relevance to the significant challenges we are facing in this time of political strife, climate crisis, war, and collective division. Together we will explore the sacred insights offered in the foundational teachings of Buddhist texts, mapping out how our perceptions function protectively, but also obscure inherent capacities and needed resources for working through these formidable challenges.
Themes will include the difference between fear and anxiety, how our developmental and interpersonal experience can influence our relationship to fear, and the psychological benefits of Buddhist teachings and methods—including the practice of equanimity and self-compassion. These two sessions will include opportunity for contemplation, conversation, and meditation.
All are welcome!
Dharma Office Hours with Pilar Jennings
In the Buddhist tradition, teachers are special kinds of spiritual friends, or kalyanamitras, who play a significant role in inspiring, encouraging, and challenging us in our practices. All present understanding of the Dharma has been passed from teacher to student throughout the ages, forming an unbroken lineage that leads directly to the living Buddha himself.
In praise of this amazing network of spectacular minds, Shantideva Center presents a rare opportunity to meet with our skilled teachers directly in a 25-minute one-on-one personal meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to foster a space for Dharma practitioners to bring questions specific to developing Dharma practice. For the session on Mon May 12, 2 students will have an opportunity to meet with Dr. Pilar Jennings.
To learn more about the Dharma Office Hours program and to register, please click here.
Important Note
This is an in-person and online event. All in house attendees need to take a Covid test 24 hours before class. The federal government is currently offering free at-home COVID-19 tests. To order, please visit: https://www.covidtests.gov/
For online, the events will be 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 / Schedule
Suggested: $20 per session
Other offering options: free, $5, $10, $30
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.
Schedule
May 2: Are we Afraid or Anxious? How to Know the Difference & Find our Way Through
May 9: Equanimity & Self-Compassion as Antidotes to Fear
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. Please be conscious of any personal information you share. Recordings are typically made to spotlight only on the teacher or facilitator so participants are usually not visible.
Time zone: US Eastern Daylight Time (GMT/UTC-4)
For questions regarding registration, please email registration@shantidevanyc.org for assistance.
Recording
Available soon.
About the Facilitator
Dr. Pilar Jennings is a psychoanalyst based in New York City with a focus on the clinical applications of Buddhist meditation practice. She has been working with patients and their families in private practice and through the Harlem Family Institute since 2000. Dr. Jennings has been a Buddhist practitioner for the past 40 years and is a teacher of Tibetan Buddhism in the Sakya lineage. She is a Visiting Lecturer at Union Theological Seminary; Columbia University; and a faculty member of the Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science. Her most recent publication is To Heal a Wounded Heart (Shambhala 2017), a psychoanalytic memoir about her entry into clinical work.
