NEWS
For 2021, we’ve added two more weeks to the Living on the Other Side of Suffering course so it’s now 11-weeks long and the start time has shifted 30 minutes early. SIM Founding Teacher Dennis Warren will instruct. The next course begins Wednesday, April 7 and general registration opens on Saturday, January 9. For more information, visit the course summary page at https://sactoinsight.org/activities/study-groups/living-other-side/
We are starting to plan the next offering of the popular course “A Year to Live” with Rev. Diane Wilde. The 2021 meeting times/dates are still to be determined due to the pandemic. If you’re interested and want to stay in touch with the planning, visit the course summary page at https://sactoinsight.org/acti…/study-groups/a-year-to-live/.
If you’re planning to attend our annual Holiday Party this year, please RSVP now. Because we’ll be setting up some smaller break-out groups during this event, your RSVP will help us be better hosts. We look forward to seeing you there!
“Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression. We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous. We experience joy in the actual act of giving something. And we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given.”
the historical Buddha
Dear SIM Friends,
This past year has been a challenging year for all of us and we hope that you are well.
We are proud that our sangha at Sacramento Insight Meditation (SIM) has risen to the challenges of this year. Although we have not been able to meet in person at the Sacramento Dharma Center (SDC) since March, we have successfully maintained our commitment to fulfill SIM’s mission of offering continuing support for those practicing in the Insight (Vipassana) Meditation tradition.
Our progress this year required a huge learning curve in shifting to remote meetings for all our activities. In addition to meeting regularly on Zoom on Thursday nights, we created and held in September a successful on-line annual retreat with Guiding Teacher John Travis and over 30 retreatants. The on-line monthly Saturday one-day retreats have been well attended, as have been the Beginning Meditation Class, Living on the Other Side of Suffering, and A Year to Live classes.
In addition to our dedicated faculty of Dennis Warren, Rich Howard, and Diane Wilde, we have brought in a variety of new teachers for the Thursday night talks. When Covid-19 first affected us, we created a community information source on our website for Sangha members and anyone needing support. Being aware of climate change, we gave support to SDC for the addition of solar panels to the center. We continue to work at being an inclusive and welcoming community to all who are interested in Insight Meditation.
Our fund-raising goal for 2021 focuses again on our mission as an educational non-profit and has two parts:
As you plan your year-end giving, we hope that you will continue to support SIM, our faculty, and the Teaching and Development Initiative. You can do so through a one-time, year-end contribution and/or signing up for a monthly, automatic on-line contribution to SIM. Monthly contributions are key to our long-term financial health, covering basic operating expenses as well as sustaining our Teaching and Development Initiative. (A portion of either type of donation will go to the faculty’s year end dana.)
To donate today, go to Sacramento Insight Meditation.
Looking forward to continuing to strengthen our community and our practice together in the coming year.
Warmly,
Sara E. Denzler
Treasurer, SIM Board of Directors
We’ve got more details to share about this event! Click the image or click here for more information or to submit an RSVP.
Thank you to all our donors that participated in the Adopt a Family project.
Sacramento Dharma Center News Update (Oct 18, 2020). Topics include: Outdoor Events Now Permitted, Indoor Re-opening Not on the Horizon, and Video Streaming is Here to Stay. For details, click here.
Sacramento Insight Meditation welcomes Gullu Singh, a special guest presenter this coming Thursday, October 22, 2020.
Gullu is a Dharma Teacher at InsightLA (Insightla.org) and Spirit Rock Meditation Center, as well as a core teacher in the Mindfulness Facilitator Training program with InsightLA. He is a graduate of the four year Spirit Rock Teacher Training Program. He is also a practicing lawyer. In 2009 he was recognized as “California Super Lawyer.” He is a teacher in the Mindfulness in Law Teacher Training program at InsightLA and teaches retreats for lawyers at Spirit Rock.
Gullu is inspired to share meditation as a path to freedom; a way to cope more effectively with the challenges of the work and life; and a vehicle for brining more sanity, compassion and wisdom into the world.
For details about the visit, click on the following link:
Registration is now open for the online retreat in November with Dennis Warren.
[Post – Oct 12, 2020] This new group has reached maximum capacity. Should a secondary or additional group form in the future, use the RSVP option below to include your name on a notifcation list to keep informed of any new developments about this group.
ANNOUNCEMENT
[Post – Sep 1, 2020] A new group is forming at Sacramento Insight Meditation for those dealing with anxiety and loneliness during these unprecedented times.
Anxiety, loneliness, despair and fear are taking place right now at the highest levels this country has ever seen. The Covid-19 pandemic, the wildfires taking place in California, social unrest, and a dysfunctional federal government are now an everyday reality. Our usual coping strategies of spending time with friends and family, enjoying an evening out, going to weekly spiritual services or other in-person meetings, or just taking a long walk, are currently not available. Diane Wilde, an ordained Buddhist chaplain and Tom Vigran, a psychiatrist, will be offering a space where these fears can be expressed and worked with in a safe, confidential environment. Support will be provided through friendship and deep listening. This is not mental health treatment. While there are no solutions, there are strategies that can help which will be shared. We learn from each other as we support each other.
We are considering holding meetings on two Thursdays a month at noon for 90 minutes. Participation will be limited for now. If there is an abundance of interest, a waiting list will be created and future plans will be considered.
If you are interested in adding your name to the notify list, use the RSVP form – enter the number 1 and select the button “Confirm RSVP“. If you don’t see the RSVP option below, click here.
If you have questions or need additional information, contact Diane Wilde at diane@sactoinsight.org.
Re: Group for those dealing with anxiety and loneliness.