From January 4th to April 2nd 2026 the regularly scheduled Saturday morning program taught by Ayya Santussikā, will take many of the suttas referenced in "Mindfully Facing Disease and Death" by Bhikkhu Anālayo as their basis. For those who want to dive deeply into this material, you may want to read the book as we discuss the suttas, listed below. Jan 10 SN 22.1 Nakula’s Father Chapter 2 Jan 17 SN 36.6 An Arrow Chapter 3 Jan 24 SN 22.88 With Assaji Chapter 10 Jan 31 SN 22.89 With Khemaka Chapter 11 Feb 7 AN 10.60 With Girimānanda Chapter 12 Feb 14 SN 3.22 Grandmother and SN 47.13 With Cunda Chapters 13 & 14 Feb 21 MN 143 Advice to Anāthapiṇḍika Chapter 16 Feb 28 SN 55.3 With Dīghāvu and SN 55.54 Sick Chapters 17 & 18 Mar 7 SN 36.7 The Infirmary (1st) Chapter 19 Mar 14 AN 6.56 With Phagguna Chapter 20 Mar 21 SN 35.74 Sick (1st) and SN 41.10 Seeing the Sick Chapters 21 & 22 Mar 28 DN 16.31, 34-36 The Buddha’s Last Words Chapter 23

Mindfulness of Breathing and Body

The power of moment to moment mindful attention to awakeness to the inherent freedom and peace of our nature

Week Four Homework: 1. Daily meditation: 20-30 minutes. 2. Notice your “top three hits” (the thought patterns that are most recurrent). Do they preoccupy you or distract you from the present moment? 3. What helps you connect or reconnect to the present moment?

Pain is a given and suffering is optional. Mindfulness of unpleasant feelings, such as pain, can transform pain into fertile soil for wisdom and for freedom from suffering to arise.

Mindfulness of feelings plays a crucial role in our daily life and practice. The arising of feelings is beyond our control but mindfulness of them can make a difference between being in bondage and being free from suffering.

Mindfulness directed equally to every experience in the style of Dipa Ma opens us to shift from happiness dependent on conditions to unconditional happiness.

Insight Santa Cruz Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation - Week Three Homework: 1. Daily meditation: 15-20 minutes. 2. Ride out an emotion. 3. Notice feelings of happiness and contentment.