01/05/2023 “Who Am I If I Am Not Special?” with Diane Wilde

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One of the main characteristics of delusion is being totally identified as a Special Me. Starting with our name, our history, and our self-image, all of these enable us to solidify the sense that we are living a separate, subtly significant and special life. Interestingly, our feeling of specialness is not just from having positive qualities; our suffering too can also make us feel unique. “I am the most victimized”, “I never lived up to my potential” “No one understands me” and so many other self-narratives create a Special Me. Not needing to be special, not needing to be any particular way, is what it means to be free—free to experience our most authentic self. Tonight, we will discuss the traditional methods for breaking thru this delusion, as well as some practical everyday exercises.

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12/22/2022 “The Greatest Blessing: Maha-Mangala Sutta” with Rich Howard

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As the days wane and the nights get longer, Rich will bring reflections on the “greatest blessings” from the Maha-Mangala Sutta (Sutta Nipata 2.4). This beloved sutta reminds us that, even in the midst of loss and grief, our ordinary lives contain so many sources of happiness. In balancing our awareness of suffering with the uplifting conditions in life, we come closer to seeing things as they are. This awareness provides a balance to our daily life practice and a motivation for skillful action in the world.
While not usually repeating topics, Rich finds this sutta to be a favorite at this season, connecting the gratitude of Thanksgiving and the reflection of New Year’s, not to mention the gift-giving spirit of Christmas and Hannukah. Rich last offered reflections on this sutta six years ago, as we moved into the Sacramento Dharma Center, and two years ago, when we returned to the SDC after the COVID-19 lockdown. As we celebrate 20 years of SIM, let’s bring these blessings to mind again.

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12/15/2022 “Revisiting Fundamentals: Paying Attention – What? And How?” with Dennis Warren

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It seems obvious that one of the foundations of practice is paying careful attention to our experience. What paying attention means from a Buddhist perspective, however, may not be so obvious.
The answers to the What? and How? of paying attention are closely linked with the purposefulness of practice; our intention in practicing; and the short and long-term consequences (karma) of how and to what we pay attention.
This evening will be a practical, working exploration of these issues from the standpoint of Buddhist psychology, teachings and methods.
The subject matter of this evening is appropriate for all stages of practice. 

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12/08/2022 “Right Thought as a Key to Happiness” with Walt Opie

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We will discuss Right Thought, often called Right Intention, which is the second factor of the Noble Eightfold Path (after Right View). In one sutta, usually translated as “Two Kinds of Thought” (MN 19), the Buddha said that before his enlightenment he realized he could divide his thoughts into “two classes” as either: thoughts of sensual desire, ill and cruelty OR thoughts of renunciation, non-ill will and non-cruelty. He then saw that the first class of thought led to affliction for himself and others, while the other class did not. Pondering this helped lead him on to his eventual liberation. He concluded this discourse by telling his audience that “the safe and good path to be traveled joyfully has been reopened by me.”

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12/01/2022 “20th Anniversary Celebration” with SIM Teachers

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Sacramento Insight Meditation is celebrating 20 years as a sangha! We have come a long way since the start in 2002 and will be commemorating the anniversary at a special event on December 1, 2022. Our esteemed teachers, Dennis Warren, Diane Wilde, Rich Howard, and special guest, John Travis, will be there in person to share memories of their involvement in SIM. Kamala Masters and Steve Armstrong will also be joining us via Zoom. The meditation portion of the evening will be shortened a bit to have time for cake and tea afterwards. This will also be an opportunity to socialize with one another.

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11/17/2022 “4 Qualities which Support Inner Transformation and Service in the World” with Heather Sundberg

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Based on a wonderful teaching from long-term Buddhist teacher and activist Joanna Macy, the Talk explores the 4 Qualities which are Gratitude, Compassion, Wisdom Lenses, and Intentions for Service, and will include a short guided meditation to explore the qualities directly.

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11/10/2022 “An Introduction to the Abhidhamma” with Tony Bernhard

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11/03/2022 “Finding the Middle Way in Practice” with Rich Howard

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The Buddha described the path of awakening as the “Middle Way.” This Middle Way is key to the most basic and important teachings of the Buddha – the Noble Eightfold Path, Dependent Origination, and the practice of meditation. On this evening, we will explore how understanding the Middle Way informs our practice all along the path.

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10/27/2022 “Revisiting Fundamentals: Mindfulness of Direct Experience v Ideas” with Dennis Warren

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Buddhist practice is based on the idea of “directly” exploring experiences and events that come into our awareness. What does “directly” experiencing or “direct experience” really mean? How does it relate to thinking and conceptualizing? Is it different, and in what way, from the experience of ideas? The answers to these questions influence and shape our understanding of, and our ability to work with, all of the teachings and methods in practice. This will be the focus of our discussion this evening.
This subject is appropriate for all stages of practice. You can attend in person or by ZOOM. Dennis will be presenting in person and encourages you to be there in person as well.

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10/20/2022 “Reflections on Letting Go” with Gullu Singh

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