The Way of the Buddha: Waking Up through the Path of Meditation

WMC Foundation Level Course – Semester One

Tuesdays 7 – 8:30 PM

September 16 – December 15, 2026

In-person at the Aligned Center, Irvington, and also on Zoom, for those unable to attend in-person.

Led by Jane Kolleeny, Charles Olson, and Kelsa DeBrabrant

Suggested offering: $150* for the full course; $15 per class.

• REGISTRATION OPENS AUGUST 1ST •

Sourcebook for this course will be available, for a modest fee. Instructions for purchase (PDF or printed) will follow by email after registration.

Join us as we explore the authentic path of meditation and insight as originally described by the Buddha and skillfully transmitted to the West by one of the great Tibetan masters of our time, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. We will explore such topics as the life of the Buddha, the birth of confusion and suffering, karma; and the path to sanity, insight and compassion. We’ll focus on the techniques and stages of meditation, as well as bringing meditation into our daily lives. Our study will be presented in talks and group discussion.

Readings have been compiled from a wide variety of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s writings and provided in a sourcebook, available in both printed and digital versions. Each class will begin with sitting meditation, followed by a talk and discussion on the topics covered in the readings. Missed classes will be available as audio recordings on our website.

The Way of the Buddha is the gateway to WMC's multi-year curriculum — the prerequisite for all further study — but is only offered every other Fall. It is thoughtfully designed for anyone new to Buddhism, as well as students with prior experience.

Click Here for more on our Path of Study and Practice

The full course will be given in a sequence of three semesters:

Fall Semester - Waking Up through the Path of Meditation

Winter Semester - Transforming Suffering into Compassion: Insight, Egolessness, and Buddha Nature

Spring Semester - The Path of the Bodhisattva: Motivation, Wisdom and Compassionate Activity

Drop-ins welcomed; suggested offering of $15/session. 

*Note that this year-long foundation course, or its equivalent in study and practice, is a prerequisite for future intermediate and advanced courses at WMC. See this page for more on the WMC curriculum.

*WMC maintains a policy of making our programs affordable to all.

Those with limited income, please note our student/fixed income rate on the registration page.