05/14/2020 “TBD” with Rich Howard

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TBD is an acronym that stands for “To Be Determined.” So many aspects of our lives right now are “to be determined”: When will schools re-open? When will a vaccine for COVID-19 be developed? When will I be able to visit [insert your favorite person’s name here]? When will I be able to go to a retreat center? The answers to all these questions and so many more will flow from a complex set of causes and conditions over which we have no control. So, how does that feel? How can we use the practice of meditative awareness to develop a sense of ease with changing and uncertain conditions? How can we apply both wisdom and compassion to work with this question?

We will also explore an alternate interpretation of “To Be Determined.” One of the ten paramis is adhitthana, or determination, in the sense of resoluteness or resolve. It may be helpful as the stay-at-home orders continue to cultivate an attitude of determination lightened by patience and kindness. We will look at how these qualities of mind might be applied to the way things are right now.

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05/07/2020 “Energy Practices and Teachings for COVID-19 Times” with Heather Sundberg

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Body, Nervous System, and Energy Practices and Teachings for COVID-19 Times and For Anytime

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04/30/2020 “Paradox of Physical Distancing” Community Meeting

The Paradox of Physical Distancing…Finding Connection

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Join co-hosts Rev. Diane Wilde and Rich Howard on Zoom for a community evening looking at how we can connect in this extraordinary time of physical distancing and potential isolation. After we sit together, Diane and Rich will give short “dharmettes” to introduce the theme. The rest of the evening will be a chance for community members to share their experience and wisdom on how we are using the practice of meditative awareness in this time and what we are learning about our attachments in the process.

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04/25/2020 “Take Us Home To Safety” with Dennis Warren

What Do We Need Now To Take Us Home To Safety?

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Handout: Characteristics Suffering and (Present Moment) AwakeningDownload
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04/23/2020 “Sensory Awareness and Intuition” with Dennis Warren

The Foundational Role of “Sensory Awareness” and “Intuition” In Practice & Daily Life

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Handout: The Nature of Insight by Joseph GoldsteinDownload

This evening will be devoted to exploring the meaning and indispensable roles of “Sensory Awareness” and “Intuition” in formal meditation practice and enriching our daily life.
For many, the practice of Mindfulness as described in beautiful detail in the teachings of the Historical Buddha seem rational, logical and linear. While having a clear intellectual understanding and framework for practice is essential, in actual application we open our experience to the vast and multi-dimensional world of direct experience through Sensory Awareness and Intuition. We go far beyond the limited potential of language, concept and thought when we move in the direction of becoming fully human through the cultivation and integration of these experiences in our practice and life.
The importance of this examination is focused by our reaction to, and relationship with, the current international health crisis. It must be clear to all of us that logical and rational problem solving, by itself, will not be enough for each of us to get through this situation with a sense of wholeness, healing and meaning.
If you have time, it might be helpful to listen to Dennis’ last talk on March 26. The discussion on this Thursday will be an extension of the themes in his prior talk.

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04/16/2020 “The End of the World” with Diane Wilde

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Reading the title of this talk, “The End of the World” might bring up visual images such as a catastrophic asteroid strike, economic or religious conflicts that culminate into a devastating World War… or maybe a world wide pandemic. The Buddha in a few suttas addressed the ending of this world and what takes its place. The world as we knew it, is indeed ending. Nothing will be as it was, no matter how diligently some of us will try to make it “normal” again. It’s not just the exterior world we inhabit that is ending. As the Buddha taught, our internal mental world is continually ending and being reborn moment by moment. Actually being aware that this is taking place is an incredible opportunity to have a hand in how the new internal world will manifest. The internal world that emerges ultimately creates the external world. How we do that, and what we create is up to us.

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04/09/2020 “Now Spirit and World are One” with John Travis

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04/02/2020 “Practicing the Heart Qualities Together” with Rich Howard

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In these challenging times, we need to cultivate both wisdom and the qualities of the heart. In this evening of practice and discussion, we will practice gratitude and the four brahmaviharas: metta (boundless friendliness, loving kindness), karuna (compassion), mudita (sympathetic joy), upekkha (equanimity). Between each of these short meditations, we will discuss what came up and how it felt. Join us for an evening of opening the heart and creating community.

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03/26/2020 “Dealing with the Present Moment” with Dennis Warren

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03/05/2020 “Suburban Arhats” with Tony Bernhard

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Suburban Arhats — exploring the possibilities of full awakening for those of us living a lay lifestyle

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