Dharma-Inspired Book Group

An Evening to Select Our Next Book and Share Tidbits of Favorite Books

Next Zoom meeting: Friday, November 6, 5-6:30 p.m. Pacific time

We are going to spend the evening sharing excerpts from our favorite books on Buddhism or meditation. Our emphasis will be on options for our next book, but this is also a chance to share a bit about a great book that isn’t right for reading as a book group.

 Here’s what to do:

1. Find an excerpt from your meditation or Buddhism book selection

•  a page scanned from a book you own

•  a page from a book available free online

• Books by monastics, e.g.
  

         https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books?language=English

          https://www.accesstoinsight.org/

• A page from a book that will need to be bought, e.g.

            Amazon’s“Look Inside”

            https://archive.org/details/texts (These are scanned books, or audio books you can borrow. You can view excerpts for our evening, but since we go through books very slowly, you probably won’t be able to check out a book for long enough for the book group to read the book)

•  If none of that works, you can fall back on a web site’s description and reviews.

 2. Send your info to Eric de Mund, ead-imcdharmafriends@ixian.comby Wednesday, please. He’ll put them together on his web page that we can view during our book group. At least that’s the plan.

The Dharma-Inspired book group is self-led. For our current book, Anne Foster is acting as facilitator and contact person: afoster@rawbw.com. 

 Now WEEKLY via Zoom!

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85944054149?pwd=ZWVmZnNGOWNIL1AwbmFyTm9saUNSdz09

 Meeting ID: 859 4405 4149

Password: 8n74PW

 Phone:

+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc0WSFA9Ib

Meeting ID: 859 4405 4149

Password: 760464

To receive updates about Dharma Friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

Dharma Friends Movie, Music  and Poetry Get-Together via Zoom:

Honoring Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s Life and Legacy

Dear Dharma Friends,

 ABOUT THIS EVENT

Living with Covid means adjusting to how we socialize,explore, connect and appreciate culture.

Please join us for the first Zoom "Dharma Friends Movie, Music and Poetry Get-Together" on Saturday, November 7 at 1pm PT. Given Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg's passing on 9/18/2020, we will focus this session honoring her extraordinary life and legacy. A particular focus of discussion will be her friendship with the late Justice Scalia. How can their friendship inspire us to respond appropriately to those who see and hear life differently to us?

 WHEN Saturday Nov. 7 1-2 pm Pacific time via ZOOM (link below)

 BEFORE YOU JOIN

In advance, you can watch the Oscar nominated documentary,"RBG", available at public libraries, Netflix, etc .

You can read Information about the box-office breaking"Scalia/Ginsburg: A (Gentle) Parody of Operatic Proportions" by Derrick Wang. The opera was  inspired by the opinions of U.S. Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia.

Prefaces both Justices wrote to the Scalia/Ginsburg Opera at http://www.derrickwang.com/scalia-ginsburg

The script of the opera can be downloaded at https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/lawandarts/article/view/2119/1071. 

 Feel free to join us Nov. 7 at 1 pm even if you haven't read or watched any of the above. Help in "reaching across the aisle"is more relevant than ever.

COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS WELCOME

 With Metta,
Helen Carter, 4suiochan@gmail.com

Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com

ZOOM INFO

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88305214587?pwd=L0dqdnZyZkJ4eFJBR3BuY2IvT1FNdz09

 Meeting ID: 883 0521 4587

Passcode: HX3yTd

One tap mobile

+16699006833,,88305214587#,,,,,,0#,,576444# US (San Jose)

+13462487799,,88305214587#,,,,,,0#,,576444# US (Houston)

Dial by your location

        +1 669 900 6833US (San Jose)

       Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcwtdHIQVK

 Meeting ID: 883 0521 4587

Passcode: 576444

Dharma-Inspired Book Group

The Four Noble Truths

By Ajahn Sumedho

 Next Zoom meeting: Friday, November 13, 5-6:30 p.m. Pacific time

 READING ASSIGNMENT:

 Read page 3-18, covering the introductory material (“A Handful of Leaves, Preface and Introduction) as well as chapter 1 “The First Noble Truth”.

PDF, EPUB and MOBI are available for download at: https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/the-four-noble-truths?language=English

The Dharma-Inspired book group is self-led. For our current book, Anne Foster is acting as facilitator and contact person: afoster@rawbw.com. 

 Now WEEKLY via Zoom!

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85944054149?pwd=ZWVmZnNGOWNIL1AwbmFyTm9saUNSdz09

 Meeting ID: 859 4405 4149

Password: 8n74PW

 Phone:

+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc0WSFA9Ib

Meeting ID: 859 4405 4149

Password: 760464

Planning ahead

Since our current book is quite short, we have already chosen the subsequent book set on the Brahma Viharas. If you want hard copies of these books, here is the info so you can order them now.These books look at the opposites of the Brahma Viharas and uses this investigation to show how the positive qualities can be developed.

I'm Right Your Wrong, by Ajahn Amaro (on Loving-Kindness)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/i-m-right-you-re-wrong?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/598-im-right-youre-wrong  (looks as if they don't have print copies of this one right now)

 Don't Push - Just Use the Weight of Your own Body, by Ajahn Amaro (on compassion)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/don-t-push?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/599-dont-push-just-use-the-weight-of-your-own-body (select request print copy)

 Just One More, by Ajahn Amaro (on appreciative joy)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/just-one-more?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/600-just-one-more  (select request print copy)

 Who is Pulling the Strings, by Ajahn Amaro (on equanimity)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/who-is-pulling-the-strings?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/601-who-is-pulling-the-strings  (request print copy)

 To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

The Four Noble Truths

By Ajahn Sumedho

 Next Zoom meeting: Friday, November 20, 5-6:30 p.m. Pacific time

 READING ASSIGNMENT:

 Read page 19-24, chapter 2-3 “The Second Noble Truth” through “The Third Noble Truth”.

PDF, EPUB and MOBI are available for download at: https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/the-four-noble-truths?language=English

The Dharma-Inspired book group is self-led. For our current book, Anne Foster is acting as facilitator and contact person: afoster@rawbw.com. 

 Now WEEKLY via Zoom!

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85944054149?pwd=ZWVmZnNGOWNIL1AwbmFyTm9saUNSdz09

 Meeting ID: 859 4405 4149

Password: 8n74PW

 Phone:

+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc0WSFA9Ib

Meeting ID: 859 4405 4149

Password: 760464

Planning ahead

Since our current book is quite short, we have already chosen the subsequent book set on the Brahma Viharas. If you want hard copies of these books, here is the info so you can order them now.These books look at the opposites of the Brahma Viharas and uses this investigation to show how the positive qualities can be developed.

I'm Right Your Wrong, by Ajahn Amaro (on Loving-Kindness)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/i-m-right-you-re-wrong?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/598-im-right-youre-wrong  (looks as if they don't have print copies of this one right now)

 Don't Push - Just Use the Weight of Your own Body, by Ajahn Amaro (on compassion)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/don-t-push?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/599-dont-push-just-use-the-weight-of-your-own-body (select request print copy)

 Just One More, by Ajahn Amaro (on appreciative joy)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/just-one-more?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/600-just-one-more  (select request print copy)

 Who is Pulling the Strings, by Ajahn Amaro (on equanimity)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/who-is-pulling-the-strings?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/601-who-is-pulling-the-strings  (request print copy)

 To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

The Four Noble Truths

By Ajahn Sumedho

 Next Zoom meeting: Friday, November 27, 5-6:30 p.m. Pacific time

 READING ASSIGNMENT:

 Read page 33-47,chapter 4 “The Fourth Noble Truth”.

PDF, EPUB and MOBI are available for download at: https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/the-four-noble-truths?language=English

The Dharma-Inspired book group is self-led. For our current book, Anne Foster is acting as facilitator and contact person: afoster@rawbw.com. 

 Now WEEKLY via Zoom!

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85944054149?pwd=ZWVmZnNGOWNIL1AwbmFyTm9saUNSdz09

 Meeting ID: 859 4405 4149

Password: 8n74PW

 Phone:

+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc0WSFA9Ib

Meeting ID: 859 4405 4149

Password: 760464

Planning ahead

Since our current book is quite short, we have already chosen the subsequent book set on the Brahma Viharas. If you want hard copies of these books, here is the info so you can order them now.These books look at the opposites of the Brahma Viharas and uses this investigation to show how the positive qualities can be developed.

I'm Right Your Wrong, by Ajahn Amaro (on Loving-Kindness)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/i-m-right-you-re-wrong?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/598-im-right-youre-wrong  (looks as if they don't have print copies of this one right now)

 Don't Push - Just Use the Weight of Your own Body, by Ajahn Amaro (on compassion)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/don-t-push?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/599-dont-push-just-use-the-weight-of-your-own-body (select request print copy)

 Just One More, by Ajahn Amaro (on appreciative joy)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/just-one-more?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/600-just-one-more  (select request print copy)

 Who is Pulling the Strings, by Ajahn Amaro (on equanimity)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/who-is-pulling-the-strings?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/601-who-is-pulling-the-strings  (request print copy)

 To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

Once again we are assisting Reclaim Our Vote with their non-partisan efforts to reverse voter suppression of underrepresented minorities and increase voter turnout. This time we will be writing postcards to support participation in the runoff election for both of Georgia's U.S. Senate seats. These postcards will inform citizens how to (re)register to vote and encourage them to exercise their voting rights



So far this year Reclaim Our Vote has reached out to more than ten and a quarter million voters! They have distributed 6,400,182 postcard addresses, made 1,381,489 phone calls (82,278 just last weekend during Callapalooza!), and sent 2,493,374 texts.

Contact:
Kim at kaknapper@gmail.com for more information and the Zoom link for this event (Please contact at least three days before to allow time for preparation)

Agenda:Brief sit and check-ins
Training session
Postcard writing
Debrief
Dedication of merit

For updates on future Dharma Friends activities, please go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

I’m Right, You’re Wrong:

Loving-Kindness, Attachment to Views, Alienation and the Buddha’s Path of Non-contention

By Ajahn Amaro

 Next Zoom meeting: Friday, December 4, 5-6:30 p.m. Pacific time

 READING ASSIGNMENT:

 Read page 9-32, chapter 1, “Right in Fact, wrong in Dhamma” through chapter 2, “Guided Meditation”.

 PDF attached. PDF, EPUB and MOBI are available for download at:

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/i-m-right-you-re-wrong?language=English

 The Dharma-Inspired book group is self-led. For our current book, Anne Foster is acting as facilitator and contact person: afoster@rawbw.com

 Now WEEKLY via Zoom!

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85944054149?pwd=ZWVmZnNGOWNIL1AwbmFyTm9saUNSdz09

 Meeting ID: 859 4405 4149

Password: 8n74PW

 Phone:

+1669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc0WSFA9Ib

Meeting ID: 859 4405 4149

Password:760464

 About this book

We will be reading all four books in this series. This small book is the first in a series of four, consisting of reflections and practices related to the‘Sublime Abiding Places for the Heart’-the four brahma-viharas. The vision for the series is to explore these sublime abidings via the somewhat oblique approach of looking at their opposites. This particular book thus investigates metta through the lens of contention and self-righteousness and, through understanding them, how true kindness can be established.

 Plan ahead if you want hard copies

If you want hard copies of these books on the Brahma Viharas, here is the info so you can order them. Themonastery only processes these orders every couple of weeks, so plan ahead.

I'm Right Your Wrong, by Ajahn Amaro (on Loving-Kindness)

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/598-im-right-youre-wrong (looks as if they don't have print copies of this one right now)

 Don't Push - Just Use the Weight of Your own Body, by Ajahn Amaro (on compassion)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/don-t-push?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/599-dont-push-just-use-the-weight-of-your-own-body(select request print copy)

 Just One More, by Ajahn Amaro (on appreciative joy)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/just-one-more?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/600-just-one-more (select request print copy)

 Who is Pulling the Strings,by Ajahn Amaro (on equanimity)

https://forestsangha.org/teachings/books/who-is-pulling-the-strings?language=English

Print copies: https://www.abhayagiri.org/books/601-who-is-pulling-the-strings (request print copy)

To receive updates about Dharma Friends events via e-mail:

Go tohttps://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

 The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of which more than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the original teachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is your opportunity to read them together with other like-minded meditators. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda or timeline

 When: every Friday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

 Next Zoom meeting: Friday, December 4, 7:15 - 8:15 p.m. Pacific time

READING ASSIGNMENT:

     “Befriending the Suttas: Tips on Reading the Pali Discourses”

Optional Sutta Reading (we will read all the sutta together again)

 Noble Truths

Eight fold Path

dana

sila

mindfulness of breathing

mindfulness of death

The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie is acting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

Prerequisites - none

Topic: Sutta study Fridays 7:15 till 8:15 pm
Time: Fridays starting 12/4 at 7:15pm till 8:15 pm (no meeting 25th Dec and 1st Jan)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7380613778?pwd=MS93aStpeXNjODRmWlRpcWFvOW0wdz09

MeetingID: 738061 3778
Passcode: whoami

About this Suttas it is said...

"Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness— are being recited. We will lend ear, will set our hearts on knowing them,will regard these teachings as worth grasping & mastering.' That's how you should train yourselves."— SN 20.7

To receive updates about Dharma Friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

Let's take turns sharing our favorite poems ... or excerpts from poems if they're a bit long.
This will be a chance to rest our eyes and just listen.

For questions, contact Helen Carter, 4suiochan@gmail.com.

Join Zoom Meeting

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To receive updates about Dharma Friends events via e-mail, go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.

More information will be added the week before this date.The Sutta Study Group is self-led. For this Sutta reading, Aditie isacting as facilitator and contact person: aditie.panda@gmail.com

What is the activity?

We are making honor cords (graduation leis) to give to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the GRIP program. (no special skills or experience is needed, see this video for an quick example of the braid, see this video of a simple slip knot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj21JDDSrgM ) See also examples of a braid here.

These cords are a potent symbol of the intricate, necessary, and beautiful work the men have done in healing themselves and "weaving themselves into a sangha" of deeply conscious human beings. These cords are deeply meaningful to the men as they continue to serve out their time.

What is the GRIP program?

 The GRIP program (Guiding Rage Into Power) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. The men have committed themselves to transforming their lives through non-violence and becoming "peacekeepers".  The inmates commit to a one-year training of looking deeply into their lives. They are helped to develop emotional intelligence, mindfulness, ability to "sit in the fire", and address victim impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate they again commit themselves to refraining from any violence, but this time for the remainder of their lives. It’s a highly successful program, truly transformative and healing. Many graduates become GRIP facilitators themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.

When will we do this?

We have an on-line Zoom training session every Saturday at 11 AM. George Lunas, the GRIP facilitator at Soledad State Prison joins us. We spend the hour braiding, teaching newcomers, and George talks to us about GRIP, some of the challenges the men face, and some of the moving examples of their courage, love, and triumph over despair. It's potent.

Who to contact?

If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbrahamg@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.

More info will be added the week before this meeting.


For questions, contact Anne Foster, afoster@rawbw.com.

To receive updates about Dharma friends events via e-mail:

Go to https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/dharma-friends/ and follow the instructions under "subscribe to receive e-mail updates".

Sutta Study Group

The Pali canon contains many thousands of suttas (discourses), of whichmore than one thousand are now available in English translation at Access to Insight. If you have tried to read the originalteachings/ suttas by Buddha but have found them overwhelming, here is youropportunity to read them together with other like-minded souls. We will be reading slowly without a fixed agenda ortimeline

When: everyFriday from 7:15 till 8:15 meeting via zoom.