The topic of the talk is “We are trained to fear each other, but not trained to hear each other“ Pastor Les Simmons of Sacramento Congregations Together, commenting after the shooting of Stephon Clark LEARNING TO LISTEN
Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Community Mentor Diane Wilde

Perhaps now, more than ever, with societal polarization leaving us fearful and taking refuge in our “tribes” — those who think and look like us — we need to consciously develop the skill to listen. We will discuss the Buddha’s advise on how to do this. Anguttura Nikaya 5.202 is a deceptively simple, very short exhortation on how to skillfully listen to the Dharma. Yet its simple formula can easily be expanded beyond the few hours a week we come together to listen to a Dharma talk. This sutta also serves as a template on the skills we need to develop as we listen to other people — family and friends as well as strangers and people outside our ‘tribe’ — and perhaps most importantly, how we listen to our own hearts and our inner wisdom.

Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha.