Sunday, June 23, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. At IMC

Everyone is welcome to participate in a community meeting with Gil.  This is a chance to ask about issues related to our IMC community and programs.

With Shin Kwan Park, Chris Clifford, and Jim Podolske

June 7, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
At IMC

The Eightfold Path leads to liberating knowledge and then to liberation. Occasionally the Eightfold Path is expanded ten by including   Right knowledge and Right Release.  This daylong Dharma Practice Day will focus on an overview of the Eightfold Path followed by an exploration of the knowledge and freedom that the Eightfold Path fosters.

The day will consist of short teachings, silent and guided meditations, exercises, and discussion.

Optional preparation: read Gil Fronsdal’s article From the Eightfold to the Tenfold Path found on the article page of IMC’s website.

When:  Sunday, May 19, 2013

Where:  Insight Retreat Center, 1906 Glen Canyon Rd, Santa Cruz (in Scotts Valley)

Carpooling: Click to Carpool.  You’ll need to login or register if you haven’t previously.

Schedule:  You may attend one or both work periods. Please come on time for the work periods. Bring your own lunch.

9:00  –    9:40 am         Sitting in Meditation Hall
10:00  – 12:15 pm        1st Work Period
12:15  – 1:15 pm          Lunch:  Bring your own lunch
1:15 –    3:30 pm          2nd Work Period
3:30  –  4:00 pm           Sitting in Meditation Hall

Please click to RSVP on this very brief form.

If you have questions, contact Eileen Messina  messina.eileen@gmail.com
or call  (650) 269-5801.

Thank you!

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 that gradually dissolves the barriers to the full development of our wisdom and compassion.
During this introductory course, the basic instructions in insight meditation will be given sequentially, starting with a focus on mindfulness of breathing, followed by mindfulness of the body, of emotions, of thoughts, of mind and of the application of mindfulness in daily life and on retreats. No pre-registration necessary.

Ines Freedman’s biography

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 that gradually dissolves the barriers to the full development of our wisdom and compassion.
During this introductory course, the basic instructions in insight meditation will be given sequentially, starting with a focus on mindfulness of breathing, followed by mindfulness of the body, of emotions, of thoughts, of mind and of the application of mindfulness in daily life and on retreats. No pre-registration necessary.

Jim Podolske’s biography
Shin Kwan Park’s biography

This series is for beginners who have taken a basic mindfulness meditation instruction class and would like to take the next step in building and supporting their practice.  This will be a four week discussion group on developing mindfulness practice.  There will be a 20 minute sitting, a review of the basic teachings, and discussion with an introduction to the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.
Chris Clifford’s biography
Jim Podolske’s biography

Practice together as a family during a relaxed weekend that will offer structured retreat practice and small group sharing with other parents, teens, and children, along with hiking and appreciation of the forest, grasslands, and views from the top of the Santa Cruz mountains.  The site features camping and a limited number of shared dorm rooms. Registration is available on the IMC website at http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/2013/01/memorial-day-weekend-family-retreat-k-5th-graders-and-parents/

Registrar: Email Liz Powell at eapowell@aol.com

Teachers: Richard Shankman, Rebekkah LaDyne

Bringing Mindfulness to Children is a daylong for teachers, parents, therapists, and others interested in brining mindfulness- based practices to children. We will explore fun and easy mindfulness practices that can be shared with youth of all ages to help them develop embodied awareness, emotional intelligence, curiosity and focus, compassion and empathy, and trust in their own inner wisdom. Pre-registration is requested.  To register or get additional information contact Liz Powell at eapowell@aol.com

Taught by:
Carla Brooke has taught Mindfulness Education to children and adults throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Peninsula and Santa Cruz . While working as a teacher with Mindful Schools, she taught K-6th grades, teachers and caregivers. She incorporates mindfulness into her private tutoring practice along with teaching writing workshops for children. Carla was an intervention specialist with at-risk youth and has worked as Artist in Residence for Habitat for Humanity.

Kate Janke is the founder of The Heart-Mind Education Project, providing mindfulness based education programs and resources to students and the adults in their lives. She has taught mindfulness to approximately 1500 students in the Bay Area and has trained over 2000 educators, therapists, and parents nationally and internationally in mindful awareness techniques and philosophy. Kate was a former director for Mindful Schools and is currently part of the Spirit Rock/ IMS Teacher Training.

Description
We are entering the world, ready or not—meeting the challenges of school and work, relationships and intimacy, and finding meaning and purpose as independent adults. The perfect place to practice is right here where we are.This will be an open and ongoing group, meeting monthly, and addressing themes relevant to the lives of twentysomethings and thirtysomethings who want to grow a dharma practice that will be a refuge and inspiration as we make our way through the many worlds we inhabit.

Max Erdstein started practicing with IMC in 1999 just after graduating from Stanford. He has practiced Vipassana and Zen in America, Japan, Thailand, and Burma. He studied Buddhist chaplaincy with the Sati Center. He is being trained as a Dharma teacher by Gil Fronsdal and is participating in the Spirit Rock teacher training program. With Gil he taught the first weeklong retreat at IRC in November 2012. He is a husband and father of one girl.

The groups will meet once a month for six months (March through August) in someone’s home at the best time for the majority based on indicated availability.  If you choose to participate, please commit to attending all six meetings.  Each meeting will consist of a short sit, a check-in and a discussion of the topic of the month.  A volunteer will facilitate each meeting, rotating among members.

The purpose of the groups is to deepen our Dharma practice by sharing our practice experience and questions with a peer group.  Dharma practice is relevant to all aspects of our lives including relationships, work, social engagement, and personal growth.  Sharing some of our personal stories will naturally be a part of the discussion, but please keep in mind the purpose of these groups is to explore how the teachings of the Buddha can help us in these areas.

These groups will be a chance to practice Right Speech.  Although this can be one of the most challenging elements of the Eightfold Path, it is also essential in establishing a safe and nurturing space for sharing our experiences, questions, insights and difficulties.  The Buddha identified five characteristics of Right Speech:

• It is spoken at the right time.
• It is spoken in truth.
• It is spoken affectionately.
• It is spoken beneficially.
• It is spoken with a mind of good-will.

We wish all participants a deepening of their practice and a greater feeling of inter-connectedness within the sangha.  May the fruits of these gatherings bring greater peace within ourselves and to the world.

To join a community group, fill out the application below

—The Buddha

Some people live focused on benefiting themselves and those to whom they feel close. Some people are devoted to benefiting others, sometimes at the expense of themselves. To the Buddha, a wise person is someone who wishes for the good of all. Our lives are so interconnected that it is not possible to benefit oneself while neglecting others. And one can’t be of much benefit to others if one neglects oneself. The path of liberation the Buddha taught neglects neither oneself nor others; it is a path that lies at the intersection of oneself and the world.

One significant place to see how Buddhist practice balances caring for oneself and others is the Eightfold Path. Four of the path factors are practices aimed primarily at benefiting others. Part of the second factor, Right Intention, is to live motivated by goodwill and compassion for others. The next three factors, Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood, are all concerned with being in the world so that our speech, action, and livelihood benefit others.

In the practice of speech the Buddha encouraged people to speak in ways that are truthful, reliable, and trustworthy and in a manner that “reunites those who are divided, promotes friendship, and speaks words that promote concord.” He also encouraged speaking about what is good and beneficial.

Right Action is defined as not killing, not taking what is not given, not engaging in sexual misconduct, and not lying. While just following these guidelines provides others with the gift of safety, the Buddha went further by saying that in living a life that doesn’t harm practitioners, one should “abide compassionate to all living beings.”

For many people, one’s livelihood is how one has the most impact on the wider social world. The practice of Right Livelihood aims at being thoroughly ethical in how one works and supports others. Exploiting or harming others through our work is antithetical to Right Livelihood.

While Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood are practices that benefit others, we also benefit when we practice them. One of the great sources of well-being and peace is a clean conscience. Our own ethical integrity can become a meaningful refuge.

The last three factors of the Eightfold Path—Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration—are usually understood to emphasize caring for oneself. All three factors focus on improving the quality of our minds and hearts. Right Effort involves learning to do those things that increase our wholesome states of mind. Right Mindfulness gives us the presence of mind to differentiate between the wholesome and unwholesome. Right Concentration brings calm, ease, and peace.

The wholesomeness and well-being that Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration bring is a wellspring for both self-care and care for others. It shows us how meaningful and beautiful the developed heart can become. It is knowledge that strengthens empathy and appreciation of others. This is probably why the Buddha often presented concentration practice as an approach for cultivating goodwill and compassion for others.

Caring for others and for oneself are not distinct from each other. When we benefit others we are benefited in return, not least because it strengthens wholesome qualities in ourselves. When we benefit ourselves through developing our integrity, hearts, and wisdom, we will inevitably benefit others. Conversely, if we harm others we will sooner or later see how this also harms us. Even if others don’t retaliate, we cannot escape our own conscience forever.

The Buddhist approach to living a wise life can be called “a life of mutual benefit.” By benefiting others we are benefited ourselves; by benefiting ourselves we are benefiting others.

However, some people may feel that any emphasis on benefiting oneself is selfish. The Buddhist response is that selfishness harms the person who is selfish. If we understand what brings and supports personal well-being, we will avoid being selfish. We will not pursue our own well-being at the expense of others.

In Buddhism, benefiting oneself is not the same as acquiring pleasure, status, or wealth. It is developing beautiful and wholesome qualities of heart. It is cultivating the kind of inner wellbeing, love, and peace that helps make how we are in the world as helpful for others as what we do.

For similar reasons, we would not want to benefit others if it harmed our self in any significant ways. How can we really touch the hearts of others if our own heart is being harmed?

A person focused on mutual benefit does not view life as a competition that only some people can win. Rather, one considers what is best for the greater good, something the Buddha described in the above quote as benefiting both self and others. This is not the greater good that sacrifices some for the welfare of the majority. It requires creatively seeking ways to improve the lives of all.

In practice, a life of mutual benefit does not mean that everything we do has to benefit everyone. It means that when we care for ourselves in healthy ways, we can be reassured that this is for the greater good. And when we care for others in healthy ways, this is for our own benefit as well. At different times, in different situations, we will act on different ends of the self/other spectrum.

At times it is appropriate, and even important, to care for oneself. Meditating every morning may be immensely helpful for the meditator. It can be as important a form of self-care as making sure one eats healthily, gets enough sleep, and keeps one’s body healthy. At the same time, daily meditation may prepare us to care for others in calmer, wiser, and more compassionate ways.

There are other times when it is appropriate to care primarily for others; their needs may be greater than our own. However, one task of mindfulness practice is to help us care for others without giving in to attitudes and reactions that are harmful to ourselves. It is important to learn how to benefit others without harming ourselves.

A life of mutual benefit embraces a wider perspective than any stance that supports conflict. Without shrinking from conflict, it searches for the common ground that can work for the common good.

To understand Dharma practice as a life of mutual benefit clearly places our practice within the context of our social life. Even if one spends long periods of time in mostly solitary meditation practice, there is always a social dimension to one’s practice. We don’t walk the path of liberation for ourselves only. We practice for the sake of all beings.

—Gil Fronsdal

With Andrea Fella, Wes Nisker, Pat Coffey and Anushka Fernandopulle

The Thanksgiving retreat at Spirit Rock is a special opportunity to spend the holiday in the compancy of a like-minded community, surrounded by the peace and silence of the land. We will spend our days in noble silence with the sitting and walking practices of Insight meditation (VIpassana). Supported in this beautiful container, we will explore how the teachings of the Buddha point us to directly touch and understand our experience, opening us to compassion and wisdom.

For further information see: https://www.spiritrock.org/calendarDetails?EventID=3453

With Joseph Goldstein, Carol Wilson, Guy Armstrong, Andrea Fella, Winnie Nazarko, Bhante Buddharakkhita

For more information, see https://www.dharma.org/meditation-retreats/retreat-center/retreat-description?id=304

August 12-21, 2013
With Phillip Moffitt, Andrea Fella, Adrianne Ross, Donald Rothberg

Concentration (samadhi) defined as the collection and unification of the mind, was emphasized by the Buddha as one of the aspects of the Eightfold Path. It can bring joy to your practice and develop the skillful use of pleasure in the meditative process. Whatever your level of practice, you can improve your Insight Meditation (Vipassana) by strengthening your concentration skills. Your ability to concentrate will develop in response to the attention you give it.

This retreat offers a series of techniques for staying on the meditation object for extended periods of time. We will explore the factors of concentration that lead to the deep absorption states known as jhana. Teachers will also give instruction for utilizing concentration during insight practice.

For further information see: https://www.spiritrock.org/calendarDetails?EventID=3432

With Andrea Fella, Tempel Smith
May 13-19, 2013

The Living Dharma retreat is intended for committed vipassana practitioners who wish to deepen their practice and understanding of the Buddha’s teachings through meditation, inquiry, study and sangha. Each year in this retreat, we offer some of the central teachings of the Buddha, and examine them in detail, especially regarding their relevance to our meditation practice and the experience of suffering and freedom in our lives. In 2013, the theme for the retreat will be the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. This teaching offers the Buddha’s main instructions for meditation, instructions that we work with to this day. During the week we will explore each of the Four Foundations through study, discussion and meditation practice.

For further information see: https://www.spiritrock.org/calendarDetails?EventID=3417

With Andrea Fella
January 18 – 25, 2013

During this residential retreat, we will explore the Buddha’s teaching on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, with an emphasis on the third foundation: Mindfulness of Mind, awareness of the qualities of the mind.  The practice encourages relaxation of body and mind while paying close attention to present moment experience, as well as the relationship of our mind to our experience. The practice unfolds through continuity of awareness in all activities.

For further information: http://www.vipassanahawaii.org

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 that gradually dissolves the barriers to the full development of our wisdom and compassion.
During this introductory course, the basic instructions in insight meditation will be given sequentially, starting with a focus on mindfulness of breathing, followed by mindfulness of the body, of emotions, of thoughts, of mind and of the application of mindfulness in daily life and on retreats. No pre-registration necessary.

Gil Fronsdal