Why do we practice, and how do we practice, in a life that keeps moving, changing, and asking things of us, especially in times like these, when the world feels intense, fast, and fragile?
If there is a goal in meditation practice, perhaps it could best be described as inner transformation of the heart. In Satipatthana Meditation: A Practice Guide, Buddhist scholar Bhikkhu Analayo writes, “Meditation practice should result in an improvement in the way we are, how we relate to others, and how we deal with outer circumstances.” He also describes this as “a genuine opening of the heart to the qualities of kindness and compassion.” During this talk, we will explore this further, with the aid of stories and poems, and perhaps discover ways it might manifest in our own experience.
SIM’s mission is to integrate meditative awareness into all aspects of daily life. The core faculty will explore this topic together on this evening. Walt, Diane, and Rich will reflect on their own daily life practices and leave plenty of time for reflections from the community.
This talk explores how we get swept away by reactivity or sink into disconnection, and how practice invites a steadier, more open way of meeting experience.
What is our state of mind when we show up — for meditation, for relationships, for life? The way we arrive inwardly shapes what happens next: how we perceive, relate to, and understand our experience. It quietly guides the direction in which the mind and heart are pointed.
Learning to establish the mind in Not Knowing is a vital foundation of practice. This evening will explore what “establishing the mind in Not Knowing” really means, why it matters so deeply, and some practical ways to cultivate this fertile, spacious quality of mind.
Please join us for our 2026 State of the Sangha gathering. We continue the tradition begun last year of keeping our community informed about what is happening at SIM, including updates on teaching, finances, and Board succession.
We will share where we are in our five-year plan, reflect on the past year, and offer a clear picture of SIM’s financial health. This is an opportunity to ask questions, stay informed, and better understand how our community is moving forward.
We look forward to gathering together in a spirit of transparency as we continue to strengthen our community.
“Mindfulness” has become such a commonly used term in Western culture that its meaning now has a shape-shifting quality to it. Its definition depends on the person or group talking about it.
This evening will focus on Right Mindfulness in Buddhist practice, and distinguish it for the broader culture connotations it has taken on. Join us to explore together the following questions:
What is “Right” mindfulness in Buddhist practice?
Of what are we supposed to be mindful?
Why is mindfulness important?
How does one “do” or “be” mindful?
What is the experience of mindfulness?
As part of our ongoing series, this talk will examine the final factor of the Noble Eightfold Path, which is Right Concentration. Practicing Right Effort and Right Mindfulness, in combination with a strong foundation in ethical behavior (Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood) leads eventually to a more focused or unified mind that is easily able to stay with one object like the breath or to maintain continuous awareness as the objects of our attention change (thoughts, sights, sounds, tastes, etc). With this steady, still, undistracted mind, we are then ready to cultivate insight which leads to wisdom (Right View, Right Intention) and potentially to full awakening.
Tonight we continue our series on the Noble Eightfold Path with Right Effort, the first of the “Samadhi” factors, the teachings that deal with mental cultivation.
Right Effort addresses our inner life: preventing unwholesome states from arising, letting go of those that have already appeared, and cultivating and sustaining wholesome qualities of mind. Traditionally, it is not about striving or self-pressure, but about wise discernment—knowing what nourishes clarity, kindness, and freedom, and what leads to suffering. Learning what sort of effort to expend in our sitting meditation is crucial for developing insight. In daily life, Right Effort shows up as choosing where we place our attention, how we respond to habits and emotions, and when we gently redirect ourselves rather than push or judge. It is the practice of effort that is balanced, humane, and aligned with our deepest values.