What’s New At Insight Meditation Center
The intention to not cause harm lies at the heart of Buddhist ethical and spiritual life. The commitment to non-harming leads to a life committed to not killing, which is the first of the five precepts undertaken by Buddhists the world over. The first precept has implications in many areas of our lives, some personal and others societal. Close to home it may relate to such issues as eating meat, hunting, having firearms, self-defense, and pest-management. Both at personal and…
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5 Wednesday evenings, July 2 – August 3, 7:30 – 9:00 pm 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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5 Monday mornings, June 2-30, 10:00 – 11:30am 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 also a spiritual path…
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Unhindered: A Mindful Path Through the Five Hindrances Gil Fronsdal’s new book is now available. It can be ordered through Amazon and maybe available through special order at a local bookstore. It provides a detailed discussion of each of the five hindrances. These are the mental states that present the most common obstacles to meditation. As such, all meditators should become familiar with the hindrances and how to work with them. The book provides instruction on how to turn the…
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The January-March 2014 IMC Newsletter is now available.
Anyone practicing mindfulness knows there are forces in the mind that can make it difficult to stay attentive to one’s present moment experience. Ranging from weak to very powerful, these forces hamper our ability to remain mindful, develop concentration and have clear insight. They pull our attention away from our efforts to meditate. Even with the best of intentions to stay focused, these forces can propel us into the world of pre-occupation and distracted thought. Rather than reacting to these…
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The Spring 2014 IRC Newsletter is now available.
Saturday, January 4, 2014, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm After the busyness and external focus that often accompanies the holidays, this mini-retreat offers a quiet and grounding place where we can slow down, deepen our meditation, connect with our bodies, and perhaps help clarify what is important for the coming year. Appropriate for beginners and experienced yogis and meditators – you don’t need to be flexible to do yoga; you only need to be as you are. Bring a large…
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March 1 – 28, 2014 With Gil Fronsdal, Mary Grace Orr, John Travis, Sharda Rogell, Phillip Moffitt, Heather Martin, Teja Bell (qigong) Click here for further information.
December 27 – January 4, 2014 With Gil Fronsdal, John Travis, Sharda Rogell, Eugene Cash, Janice Clarfield (yoga) Click here for further information.
September 13 – October 25, 2014 Taught by Joseph Goldstein, Carol Wilson, Andrea Fella, Winnie Nazarko, Bhante Buddharakkhita For more information: Three Month Course, Part One at IMS
Feb 1-28, 2014 With Guy Armstrong, Carol Wilson, James Baraz, Andrea Fella, Greg Scharf For further information: February Month-Long at Spirit Rock
June 20-27, 2014 With Andrea Fella Taught in the style of Sayadaw U Tejaniya. For further information: Cloud Mountain Mindfulness of Mind Retreat
Four Tuesday mornings: February 4, 11, 18, 25 9:30 – 11:00am These three conditions characterize all of our existence. To “see things as they really are” means seeing experience in the context of: the impermanence of all things, the presence/unsatisfactoriness of suffering; and the realization that we are not our experiences. This series will delve into the encounter, insight and freedom inherent in the unfolding of these factors in our lives. Week 1: Impermanence Week 2: Suffering Week 3: Not-Self…
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Four Thursday evenings: January 2,9,16,23 7:30pm – 9:00pm In this four-week series, we will explore the Buddha’s key teachings on suffering and dissatisfaction. The series will particularly investigate the path of practice that leads to the ending of suffering. January 2: The Four Truths January 9: The Path of Practice: Wisdom (Panna) January 16: The Path of Practice: Ethics (Sila) January 23: The Path of Practice: Mental Cultivation (Samadhi) Tony Bernhard’s biography