Special Events

Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation with Gil Fronsdal

Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation with Gil Fronsdal

Six Wednesday Evenings, January 12 to February 16, 2011, 7:30 – 9pm Insight Meditation or Vipassana, is a simple technique, beginning with focusing the attention on the breath. The practice concentrates and calms the mind. At the heart of Insight Meditation is the practice of Mindfulness, a practice of moment-to-moment observation which cultivates a clear, stable and non-judgmental awareness. While mindfulness practice can be highly effective in helping bring calm and clarity to the pressures of daily life, it is…

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“Taking in the Good” with Rick Hanson

“Taking in the Good” with Rick Hanson

Saturday, August 7, 2010, 9:00am – 4:30pm Taking in the Good – Weaving Positive Emotions, Optimism, and Resilience into the Brain and Self Rick Hanson shows how to use the brain’s machinery of memory to get at the essence of beneficial change in the process of personal growth: the internalization of positive experiences. Drawing on recent discoveries about neuroplasticity, he will present a simple, four step process that weaves positive experiences into the structure of the brain and the fabric…

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Intensive Daylong Retreat with Gil Fronsdal

Intensive Daylong Retreat with Gil Fronsdal

Saturday, June 12, 2010, 6am – 9pm This is a great opportunity for a full day of immersion in silent Dharma Practice. Practicing mindfulness on retreat is one of the foundations for maturing insight meditation. The simplicity, silence and support of retreats contribute to letting go of many of the distractions that get in the way of clear seeing. Retreats also are a wonderful environment for developing a continuity of awareness for an extended period. Fifteen minute Interviews with Gil…

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Daylong Retreat with Gil Fronsdal

Daylong Retreat with Gil Fronsdal

Saturday, November 20, 2010, 9am to 4:30pm This is a daylong retreat with alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation, instruction in mindfulness practice, particularly in mindfulness of the body and a dharma talk. It is recommended for both beginners and experienced practitioners. No interviews. Bring lunch.

An Evening with U Pyinya Zawta

An Evening with U Pyinya Zawta

Tuesday, February 16, 7:30 to 9pm Hosted by Alan Senauke of Clear View Project Short Meditation followed by a talk and discussions. Clear View Project has been working closely with several groups of activist monks inside Burma and in exile to support the monks, nuns and Burmese democracy movement. U Pyinya Zawta is Executive Director in Exile of the All Burma Monks’ Alliance, a leader of Burma’s Saffron Revolution in the autumn of 2007. In 2008, arriving in the United…

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Meditation Retreat Discussion with Kim McLaughlin, Megan Cowan & Jim Podolske

Meditation Retreat Discussion with Kim McLaughlin, Megan Cowan & Jim Podolske

Sunday, February 21, 2010, 11:15am to 12:30pm For those who have never sat a retreat, or those who have but are curious about extended retreat practice, experienced practitioners will discuss the following: • A typical retreat day, retreat “etiquette”, interviews, accommodations, food • Types of retreats: Vipassana, metta, monastic, study, abroad, self-retreat • Preparing for a retreat and post-retreat integration • Helpful hints Kim McLaughlin has been a student of insight meditation since 1987. Prior to that she practiced concentration…

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Sati Center: Deconstructing Buddhism with Stephen Batchelor

Sati Center: Deconstructing Buddhism with Stephen Batchelor

Saturday, March 20, 9am to 5pm Based on an examination of early discourses found in the Buddhist Pali Canon, we will explore the question: “What did the Buddha teach that was distinctively and originally his own?” By differentiating the Buddha’s Dhamma from the ideas of Indian religion and metaphysics that prevailed at his time we will seek to uncover a clearer sense of the Buddha’s message and then consider what relevance it still has for people living in the modern…

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Sati Center: Sutta Study – The Supreme Net Taught by Andrea Fella

Sati Center: Sutta Study – The Supreme Net Taught by Andrea Fella

Friday, April 30, 9:30am to 1pm During this class we will study the Brahmajala Sutta, the first discourse from the Digha Nikaya. In this profound discourse, the Buddha describes sixty-two speculative views about the nature of the self and the world. All these speculative views are shown to lead away from freedom; the Buddha points to the craving and agitation that underlie them. Finally, the Buddha teaches the way out of the net of speculative views through the development of…

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Forgiveness Daylong with Daniel Bowling and Maria Straatmann

Forgiveness Daylong with Daniel Bowling and Maria Straatmann

Saturday, April 3, 9am to 4:30pm Forgiveness is something we do for ourselves; it is the act of not shutting someone out of our hearts. But how do we forgive the unforgiveable? Forgiveness is a way to let go of the pain, anger and fear we carry from harm that was done to us or by us. The day will be devoted to Buddhist practices on forgiveness through meditation, discussion and reflection. Daniel Bowling is a mediator and teaches negotiation…

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Mindfulness of Mind Daylong Retreat with Andrea Fella

Mindfulness of Mind Daylong Retreat with Andrea Fella

Saturday, October 2, 9:30am to 4:30pm Taught in the style of U Tejaniya, an approach to mindfulness emphasizing relaxation and careful attention to the attitude one has toward one’s experience; mindfulness in the context of one’s daily life.Practicing mindfulness on retreat is one of the foundations for maturing insight meditation. The simplicity, silence and support of retreats contribute to letting go of many of the distractions that get in the way of clear seeing. Retreats also are a wonderful environment…

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Mindfulness in Daily Life Retreat with Andrea Fella

Mindfulness in Daily Life Retreat with Andrea Fella

(Householder Retreat) Sunday to Saturday, March 7 – 13 Integrating practice into our daily lives can be difficult. Many of us need support for this challenging but rewarding aspect of practice. We will integrate formal practice and Dharma discussion with daily life by surrounding our usual workweek and workdays with practice & discussion. A half-day retreat with instructions and discussion on Sunday, ending with a daylong retreat on the following Saturday. During the week, meet morning and evening. You may…

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Beginners’ Practice Group

Beginners’ Practice Group

Wednesdays, February 17, 24, March 3, 10, 17, 7:30 to 9pm This series is for those beginners who have taken a basic mindfulness meditation instruction class and would like to take the next step in building and supporting their practice.  Come to this six-week discussion group on developing mindfulness practice.  There will be a 20 minute sitting, a review of the basic teachings, and lots of discussion.  The class will review the basic instructions in mindfulness meditation, discuss the five…

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