What’s New At Insight Meditation Center

Yoga and Meditation Half-Day Retreat

Yoga and Meditation Half-Day Retreat

Saturday, October 25 2014, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm In this retreat we will develop a continuity of awareness in movement and in stillness. Our focus will be on the first three foundations of mindfulness: mindfulness of the body, of feelings or sensations, and of mental processes. We will integrate guided and silent meditation, moving meditation (yoga poses), breath work, and relaxation, and let the synergy of these practices inform and deepen one another to open heart and mind. The retreat…

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Yoga and Meditation Half-Day Retreat

Yoga and Meditation Half-Day Retreat

Saturday, January 3, 2015, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm After the busyness and external focus that often accompanies the holidays, this mini-retreat offers a quiet and grounding place where we can slow down, deepen our meditation, connect with our bodies, and perhaps help clarify what is important for the coming year. Appropriate for beginners and experienced yogis and meditators – you don’t need to be flexible to do yoga; you only need to be as you are. Bring a large…

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9-MONTH EIGHTFOLD PATH PROGRAM

9-MONTH EIGHTFOLD PATH PROGRAM

TAUGHT BY CHRIS CLIFFORD AND SENIOR IMC STUDENTS. The Buddha’s most explicit path of practice is the Eightfold Path. This is a set of eight practical approaches to bring Buddhist practice into the width and depth of our lives. The Eightfold Path Program is an introduction to each of the Eightfold factors so participants will discover how to apply each set of practices in ways that are personally meaningful. Pre-requisite: completion of IMC’s Introduction to Meditation course or the equivalent….

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Letter from Gil Fronsdal & Andrea Fella

Letter from Gil Fronsdal & Andrea Fella

Dear  Friends, As we finish our second amazing year of running our retreat center we have a clearer understanding and vision of what will help the center thrive well into the future. Coincidently and surprisingly we have been given the opportunity to accomplish this! Recently, the property next door went up for sale. It includes one forested acre with a 3-bedroom house. Owning this property will allow us to have more resident volunteers caring for our center and our retreats. This…

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Establishing A Practice Group

Establishing A Practice Group

4 Monday evenings, October 6, 13, 20, and 27, 7:30 – 9 pm, at IMC Annex, 1040 Brewster Ave. Suite D. People who have completed IMC’s Introduction to Meditation class, are welcome to apply to be part of a small four week support group focused on getting further established in a regular meditation practice. The group will be led by Chris Clifford, a long time IMC practitioner and instructor. Participants will have a chance to have a personal meeting with Chris to…

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Benefitting from the Second Precept

Benefitting from the Second Precept

The second Buddhist ethical precept—to refrain from taking what is not given— can be a source of happiness in a number of ways. For example, knowing we have not hurt others by stealing from them is one small form of the happiness that comes from this precept. Knowing that we’re a person others regard as trustworthy and safe, someone they don’t have to fear will steal from them, is another cause of happiness. And still another form of happiness is…

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Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation with Gil Fronsdal

Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation with Gil Fronsdal

5 Wednesday evenings, October 1 – 29, 7:30 – 9:00 pm Insight Meditation or Vipassana, is a simple technique, beginning with focusing the attention on the breath. The practice concentrates and calms the mind. At the heart of Insight Meditation is the practice of Mindfulness, a practice of moment-to-moment observation which cultivates a clear, stable and non-judgmental awareness. While mindfulness practice can be highly effective in helping bring calm and clarity to the pressures of daily life, it is also a…

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Finding the Dharma in the Midst of Conflict with Daniel Bowling

Finding the Dharma in the Midst of Conflict with Daniel Bowling

A two week series: Thursday June 12 and June 19     7:30 – 9:00 pm Whenever we are caught up in conflict with another, it’s as if we are enveloped in fog. Maintaining mindful presence becomes much more difficult. In these moments, we are more likely to create a separate sense of self and blame the one(s) with whom we are in conflict and/or attack ourselves. This two week series focus on the Buddha’s teachings on conflict, including specific…

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The Heart of Ethics: The First Precept

The Heart of Ethics: The First Precept

The intention to not cause harm lies at the heart of Buddhist ethical and spiritual life. The commitment to non-harming leads to a life committed to not killing, which is the first of the five precepts undertaken by Buddhists the world over. The first precept has implications in many areas of our lives, some personal and others societal. Close to home it may relate to such issues as eating meat, hunting, having firearms, self-defense, and pest-management. Both at personal and…

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Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation with Ines Freedman

Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation with Ines Freedman

5 Wednesday evenings, July 2 – August 3, 7:30 – 9:00 pm Insight Meditation or Vipassana, is a simple technique, beginning with focusing the attention on the breath. The practice concentrates and calms the mind. At the heart of Insight Meditation is the practice of Mindfulness, a practice of moment-to-moment observation which cultivates a clear, stable and non-judgmental awareness. While mindfulness practice can be highly effective in helping bring calm and clarity to the pressures of daily life, it is…

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Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation with Shin Kwan Park

Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation with Shin Kwan Park

5 Monday mornings, June 2-30, 10:00 – 11:30am Insight Meditation or Vipassana, is a simple technique, beginning with focusing the attention on the breath. The practice concentrates and calms the mind. At the heart of Insight Meditation is the practice of Mindfulness, a practice of moment-to-moment observation which cultivates a clear, stable and non-judgmental awareness. While mindfulness practice can be highly effective in helping bring calm and clarity to the pressures of daily life, it is also a spiritual path…

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