09/08/2022 “Various Aspects of Faith in Buddhism” with Walt Opie

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One of the attractive aspects of Buddhism to many of us is that it does not require blind faith in a teacher or the teachings. However, in several suttas, the Buddha referred to faith as a type of wealth or treasure. And Bhikkhu Bodhi has said the significance of faith is that it “serves as a spur to practice.” There are at least three different types of faith described in our Buddhist tradition, including bright faith, verified faith, and unshakeable faith. We will take a look at these and other facets of faith.

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09/01/2022 “The Dukkha Response” with Tony Bernhard

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08/27/2022 “Death As Our Teacher” with Ayya Santacitta and Diane Wilde

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Just as life is happening all around us, so is death. Human beings appear to be the only species that are conscious of our mortality. Yet most people ignore this fact of our existence, preferring to put efforts, thoughts and practice on “more pleasant things”. We want to “wake up”, to let go of our endless attachments and experience contentment and ease in our lives. Paradoxically, facing the death of our loved ones and ourselves, is one of the classic Buddhist teachings for accepting the truth of existence and waking up to impermanence. It is also a teaching that can greatly reduce and perhaps even eliminate the biggest delusion of all… that everyone else will die, except me.
This daylong retreat may not be suitable for those with anxiety, trauma or those who have recently experienced the death of a loved one.

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08/25/2022 “Revisiting Fundamentals: Acceptance” with Dennis Warren

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“Acceptance” is a quality of mind and a continuing relationship with experience that is a pre-condition for genuine inclusion, forgiveness, conflict resolution and healing. It plays an even more foundational role as a basic element underlying the psychology, teachings and methods of Buddhist practice.
During this evening we’ll explore the definition and meaning of Acceptance from a practice perspective. What does Acceptance look like in action as part of the method or process of meditation? And transitioning meditative awareness into daily life? How does Acceptance change the fundamental dynamics of mindfulness? How does it empower us to see more clearly and make better choice and decisions? We’ll work with a number of familiar situations to explore these themes.
The subject matter of this evening is appropriate for all stages of practice.

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08/11/2022 “The Divine Abidings” with Jeff Hardin

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This talk title changed from “The 7 L’s of Spiritual Practice” to “The Divine Abidings: Radiation and embodiment of the four brahmaviharas in meditation practice“.

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08/04/2022 “Coping With Loneliness” with Diane Wilde

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There is no denying it… loneliness is an epidemic in our world today. Ironically, the more diversions that come our way, i.e. access to entertainment, social media, easy access to shopping — apparently the lonelier we are becoming. Out of loneliness, we create stories about ourselves which are often distorted, which lead to further suffering. How can we address the issue of loneliness effectively? Can loneliness be eliminated in our lives? Should it? What can loneliness teach us about truly connecting with ourselves and as well as establishing meaningful connections with others? A lot to consider!

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07/28/2022 “Sangha: Refuge in or Refuge from?” with Rich Howard

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The historical Buddha famously told his attendant Ananda that Sangha, the community of practitioners, “is actually the whole of the holy life.” In the Upaddha Sutta (SN 45.2), he explains that this is because “admirable friendship” helps one to follow the Noble
Eightfold Path. In this time of multiple overlapping crises, we may be tempted to come to Sangha for refuge from the sometimes overwhelming worldly winds swirling around us. Is this consistent with following the Eightfold Path? As lay practitioners, when do we step away from the conflicts around us and when do we use the practice to engage with the world? Bring a spirit of inquiry to this evening; there will be plenty of time for discussion of this challenging and rewarding topic.

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07/21/2022 “Images of the Mind’s Potential: Glasses, Water, Flagpoles and Leave” with Heather Sundberg

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Using teachings from Ajahn Chah and the Thai forest tradition elders, we will explore how the mind gets caught and how to develop clarity, equanimity and freedom.

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07/14/2022 “The Three Refuges as subjects for inquiry rather than as subjects for devotion” with Tony Bernhard

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What does it mean to ‘take refuge’ in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and how might they serve as a refuge for us today?

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07/07/2022 “I’m Bored… What to Do!” with Diane Wilde

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Do you find yourself easily bored? Or do you sometimes feel like a boring person?
In daily life, when we’re bored or feel that we are no longer interesting, we’re uncomfortable with our basic state of being. It’s an unsettled feeling, often bringing up thoughts such as “What is my purpose?” or “Why aren’t I doing something important?” Boredom can easily morph into loneliness and the suffering that comes from feeling disconnected from others. We also associate this emotion with restlessness/anxiety and when taken to an extreme, boredom is often blamed for addictive behavior and even violence.
We often find ourselves “bored”while we meditate. Boredom is often internally translated as “I’m not doing this right”, which leads us to compare ourselves to others creating more suffering. It’s an uncomfortable mental state that we rarely investigate. We just want it to go away and get back to enjoying a “good” meditation.
The good news is that boredom can be our gateway into truly understanding ourselves, both in daily life and on the cushion. It can even lead to enhanced creativity! We will discuss how we can transform boredom from restlessness and anxiety, to insight and happiness.

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