What’s New At Insight Meditation Center
Thursdays, January 13, to February 3, 2011, 7:30pm – 9:00pm A 4-week series on Sila (virtue, moral conduct), the cornerstone upon which the entire Noble Eightfold Path is built. Tony Bernhard is one of Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leaders. He sits on the board of the Sati Center, is a member of the Spirit Rock Planning Committee and hosts sitting groups and teaches dharma in Davis, CA.
Saturday, March 5, 9am to 4:30pm Offers a space for women to gather in silence and community. Alternate periods of sitting and walking meditation, with instruction, questions, and a Dharma Talk. At the end of the day, we will gather in community to share refreshment and mindful speech. Bring your own lunch (in silence) and refreshment to share for the afternoon gathering, if you wish.
Saturday, February 26, 9:30am to 4:30pm Taught in the style of U Tejaniya. The simplicity, silence and support of retreats contribute to letting go of many distractions that get in the way of clear seeing and for developing a continuity of awareness. We will explore relaxed open awareness with an emphasis on qualities of mind, and the attitude towards one’s experience.. The retreat will alternate periods of sitting & walking with instructions & discussion. The day will be primarily in…
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Saturdays, January 29 and February 5, 2011, 9am to 5pm Contemplating death and dying are important subjects that can deepen Buddhist practice. What is really important in the face or our inevitable death? What can we do to prepare ourselves to face our death and to skillfully help others face theirs? What can help us be mindful and peaceful when we are dying or when we are attending to others who are dying? This two-day workshop will address these (paradoxically) life-enhancing questions. To participate, please…
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Friday, January 21, 2011, 9:30am – 3:30pm The Discourse on the Buddha’s Last Days: One of the most important of the early Buddhist discourses is the one that narrates the last days of the Buddha’s life. Knowing his death is approaching the Buddha gives some of his most significant and direct teachings.
Saturday, January 15, 2011, 9am to 4:30pm The Therigatha, or the Verses of the Nuns, is the oldest collection of teachings from Buddhist women teachers. The verses give important insight into the lives of the nuns who lived at the time of the Buddha. In this daylong class we will examine how the verses reveal the close relationships among these early nuns. We will focus closely on the verses which reveal how the nuns taught the Buddha’s teachings to each…
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Wednesday, January 5, 2011, 7 to 8:30pm 7:00 pm Reception 7:30 – 8:30 pm Talk and Reading Gil will give talk about the role of stories in teaching the Dharma and then read from his new book of Dharma tales, many of which he composed for use in his Dharma talks. Gil’s new book will be available for purchase and he will be happy to sign the book.
Thursday, November 25, 2010 8:30 – 10:15 am “Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy – because we will always want to have something else or something more.” -Brother David Steindl-Rast Certainly we can be thankful for the precious opportunity to practice together. In silent sitting and movement, this morning is appropriate for all, regardless…
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Saturday, March 19, 2011, 9am to 5pm “He who sees dependent origination sees the Dhamma; he who sees the Dhamma sees dependent origination.” Majjhima Nikaya 28. The teachings on the interdependence of phenomena are the heart of the Buddha’s wisdom teachings. Dependent origination is often described as a chain of 12 links – which we will look at in detail. But it also has many other important implications which we will also discuss. Leigh Brasington has been practicing meditation since…
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We are happy to announce that Gil has written a new book! A Monastery Within, Tales from the Buddhist Path by Gil Fronsdal Inspired by his years of Buddhist monastic life, Gil Fronsdal has written these warm-hearted stories as part of the tradition of teaching through storytelling. These are tales of transformation and spiritual growth. They delight and challenge as they express different facets of the Buddhist path to liberation in familiar, yet fresh and engaging, ways. These stories can…
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Saturday January 22, 2011 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. Gil is the primary teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975,…
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Saturday, February 12, 2011 8:30am to 5pm This particular daylong retreat is meant for people who already understand the basic practice of mindfulness; no instruction will be given.This particular daylong retreat is meant for people who already understand the basic practice of mindfulness; no instruction will be given.The schedule consists of alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation. At the end of the day Gil gives a Dharma talk. Brief interviews to talk about the practice will be available with…
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Thursdays October 21 – November 18, 7:30 to 9pm A series on the fundamental teachings of the Buddha designed to provide an overview of the key concepts that are discussed in talks given at IMC. We will discuss both the theory and practice of the teachings, and how they relate to our day-to-day lives. Through an exploration of the Four Noble Truths, the Three Basic Facts of Experience, Karma, and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, we will touch most of the key teachings of the Buddha. Richard…
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Saturday, March 12, 2011, 9am to 4:30pm This is a daylong retreat with alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation, instruction in mindfulness practice and a dharma talk. It is recommended for both beginners and experienced practitioners. No interviews. Bring lunch.
“A wise person does not intend harm to self or to others. A wise person intends benefit for self, for others, and for the whole world.” -The Buddha The full scope of Buddhist practice is conveyed through the word ‘Dharma.’ This word has a number of meanings that depend on the context in which it is used. Sometimes it refers to the teachings and practices of the Buddha, but its most significant meaning is the natural truths, laws and processes of…
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