Awakening Awareness Pt 1 - Harness Attention in an Age of Digital Acceleration (Sept 30 - Nov 1, 2024)

5-WEEK MEDITATION SERIES

September 30 – November 8, 2024

Hosted live on Zoom (recordings available)

"The faculty of voluntarily bringing back a wandering attention, over and over again, is the very root of judgment, character, and will." - William James

In a world where our average attention span has dropped to just 8 seconds, the ability to focus has become a rare and valuable skill.

Today, our minds are constantly bombarded by digital distractions, AI-generated-reality-blurring-content, and algorithmic manipulations, and these are in addition to the age old attention-hijacking influences of blood sugar levels, hormone fluctuations, and our personal emotional triggers.

And yet we know that the capacity to direct and sustain attention is crucial for our well-being, productivity, and even our sense of reality.

"Attention is the brain's boss. It's the conductor of the orchestra of our minds, guiding which instruments play and when. Mindfulness trains attention so that it can do its job better." - Amishi Jha, Author of "Peak Mind"

Awakening Awareness

This five-week course offers a unique blend of ancient wisdom and cutting-edge science to help you cultivate razor-sharp focus and unwavering concentration. Drawing from diverse traditions including Buddhism, Taoism, Sufism, and Western philosophy, alongside insights from neuroscience and psychology, you'll develop practical skills that act as an antidote to our immersion the accelerating digital milieu.

I've taken a few different courses with Jacob now and I can speak to the benefit of steady, warm instruction. If you're like me and need a reason to create space for yourself and your practice, I can say you'll be well served here. - Madebo F.

Part 1 of a Two-Part Series:

This course is the first part of a comprehensive two-part series on the nature of our most essential faculty: awareness. While Part 1 stands alone as a complete course on attention and concentration, it also lays the groundwork for Part 2, which will be offered in early 2025.

Part 1 Awakening Awareness - Harnessing Attention in an Age of Digital Acceleration (Current Course) Focus: Cultivates a strong capacity to narrow, direct, and sustain attention. We'll work on concentration, training the mind, and developing a stable foundation in the agency of awareness.

Part 2 Expanding Awareness - Beyond The Conditioned Identity (Coming Early 2025) Focus: Explores the more expansive aspects of awareness and the letting go of everyday identity. Building on the stable foundation developed in Part 1, we'll delve into practices that open up broader perspectives on self and reality.

While participants are welcome to take either part independently, attending both parts offers a comprehensive journey from focused attention to expanded awareness. Part 1 provides the essential skills and stability needed to effectively engage with the more advanced practices in Part 2.

Join us for Part 1 now to start your journey, and stay tuned for the announcement of Part 2!

Who is this for?

- Professionals seeking to enhance their mental performance

- Spiritual seekers looking to start or deepen their practice

- Anyone struggling with digital distraction and wanting to reclaim their attention

- Experienced meditators aiming to refine their concentration skills

- Newcomers curious about the transformative power of focused awareness

Course Breakdown:

Week 1: Foundation - Breath Awareness

• Gently wade into directing attention using breath as our object of focus.

• Explore the science of attention in the digital age and raise awareness about digital habits

Week 2: Deepening Concentration

• Develop tools that correct for mind wandering and divided attention

• Focalize and clarify the concentration capacity

Week 3: Body and Breath

• Zoom into in breath, body, and heartbeat

• Learn how sensation can keep the mind focused

Week 4: Personal Practice Week

• Exercise your agency, and cultivate independence of practice

• In place of classes, this week will offer daily reminders and prompts for personal practice

• Log experiences and foster meta-cognition

Week 5: Integrating Attention in Daily Life

• Bridging practice into everyday experience

• Discover how any experience can be an object of concentration

Weekly Format

• Classes live on Zoom (Daily recordings posted within 3 hours of the live class)

• Monday-Wednesday: 30-minute sessions (8:00-8:30 AM PT)

• Thursday: Personal practice day

• Friday: 45-minute session (8:00-8:45 AM PT) for Q&A and small group work

Optional One-on-One Coaching

The $100/week and $120/week price tier includes 1 one-on-one meditation coaching session (valued at $500)

These sessions help you diagnose and correct for challenges that might arise in your practice

Such sessions also support gaining clarity about what to focus on in your practice after the course has ended

I can’t say exactly why—maybe Jacob’s clarity and calm assurance, maybe joining with others facing a similar problem, but some alchemy occurred during the course, and by the end I felt substantially liberated from the critical voices, recognizing them as a mash-up of early conditioning paired with habitual defenses, some of which I also learned early. To my surprise and delight, once the weight of that substantially lifted via the power of recognition I entered a state of quiet, confident joy, self-acceptance and optimism, which has remained with me.  - Felicia H.

Your Guide:

I’m Jacob Dominicus, an executive coach, meditation guide, and spiritual leader. I love exploring the inner life and have been a meditation practitioner for over three decades. With a BA from NYU in Organizational Behavior and Mysticism, I synthesize traditional wisdom, leadership and neuroscience research, and modern insights in a clear, accessible manner.

Highly recommend. I enjoyed the experience and was grateful for the guidance and practical tips. Starting a practice can be intimidating and this course helps to break it down without focusing on one specific discipline, but giving a taste of many. Thank you! - Cynthia G.

FAQs

I forgot my password, and there’s not “Forgot Password?” option. What do I do?

Answer: Step 1. Go back to the course description page. Step 2. In the upper right hand corner, there’s a “Login” button, click it. The form that appears should have a “Forgot Password” option. If it does not, email me!

I'm new to meditation, is this course suitable for beginners?

Answer: Yes, absolutely. This course is designed to be accessible for both beginners and experienced meditators alike. We'll cover foundational breath and concentration practices to help new meditators build awareness skills.

I have ADHD and generally have a hard time focusing in meditation. Will this course work for me?

Answer: The short format of the sessions, with new information and tips given each day, and the attention to detailed instructions make my courses very accessible and rewarding to most people with ADHD. Of course, we're all different, so the only way to know is try it! There's no risk, as you can get a full refund (see below for details).

What if I miss some of the live sessions?

Answer: Not a problem! Recordings of all sessions will be provided so you can access the course material at your convenience.

Is there an opportunity for interaction and questions during the course?

Answer: Yes, the Friday session each week is dedicated to small group sharing and listening. You'll have ample chances to ask questions, get feedback, and connect with others on the journey.

I'm pretty skeptical about all this spiritual stuff. Will this course work for me?

Answer: The approaches I use draw from evidence-based practices in psychology and neuroscience as well. The course focuses on concrete tools and direct experience rather than dogma or concepts.

Do I need any special equipment or prerequisites?

Answer: No special equipment is required beyond a device to join the Zoom sessions. The course is self-contained and no prerequisites are needed.

Will there be opportunities for one-on-one guidance or support?

Answer: Yes, while the course primarily operates in group sessions, there will be opportunities for individual feedback and guidance. My aim is to ensure every participant feels supported in their journey. Some of this will take place during the weekly Q&A. For those who value more targeted attention, the $100/week or $120/week price includes a 1 hour one-on-one session.

What's the refund policy if I find the course isn't right for me?

Answer: I offer a one-week satisfaction guarantee. If after attending the sessions in the first week you feel the course isn't right for you, you can request and receive a full refund. No questions asked!

What you'll gain from this course:

• Practical techniques to improve focus and sustain attention

• A deeper understanding of how your mind works and works in the digital age

• An appreciation of traditional points of view on the mind and concentration

• Tools to navigate distractions and digital habit loops

• Increased mental clarity and cognitive agency

• A foundation for more advanced meditation practices

Why This Course?

In an era of AI and digital distraction, the quality of our attention determines the quality of our lives. This course provides a pathway to reclaim your mind and attention. Through devoted practice, you can learn to use technology as a tool rather than being used by it.

Join this transformative journey to awaken your awareness and reclaim your humanity in the digital age!

Have questions?

Email me at j@jacobodominicus.com

To accommodate our different economic conditions, you will find several payment options. Please pick the one that most suits your current capacity. You will be charged weekly for five weeks.

If you currently work with me as a Coaching client, this program is discounted by 50%. Just let me know you want to attend, and I’ll register you.

If you are not currently a client, but are interested what that entails, please email here or book a discovery call.

Need support? Scholarships available. Money should never be an obstacle to personal growth. No one will be turned away for financial reasons.

Can you offer support? Just pick a scholarship option below.