NEWS

Interest in book club

A number of people from our SIM community have expressed interest in participating in a book club or study group focusing on the Dharma. If the interest is strong enough maybe we can informally start a morning group and also an evening group for those that work during the day and maybe we can start these groups in February 2019. We will also be looking for someone to help facilitate the group(s).

The key to a successful group is a commitment to participate in both discussion and attendance. Each group can discuss what might be a good book choice or may just present the book to be read. The groups can meet once or twice a month to discuss chapters and share insights. In the past, many people have found that these kinds of groups have become a great way to build one’s understanding of the Dharma, make new friends, and deepen their practice.

If you have an interest in joining such a group, please use the form below to contact Terri Townsend and/or attend the first startup meeting.

During a community discussion this past August,Terri Townsend spoke about this book club idea. Click here to listen to Terri’s description. You’ll want to advance to time marker 31 minutes and 44 seconds to hear Terri’s portion of the audio.

[contact-form to=”terri.townsend@gmail.com” subject=”Interest in book club ({name})”][contact-field label=”Name” type=”name” required=”1″][contact-field label=”Email” type=”email” required=”1″][contact-field label=”Availability” type=”checkbox-multiple” options=”weekday mornings,weekday nights,weekends”][contact-field label=”Comments” type=”text”][/contact-form]

/by

Six Week Beginning Meditation Course

Today we open the online registration to our six week Beginning Meditation Course that starts January 22, 2019. Here is the Course Flyer in PDF format.

/by

Win a Free Ticket to a Retreat

Consider entering the “Name the Three Rooms with a Theme” Contest and you may be one of three people to win a free ticket to a one-day sangha-sponsored retreat.

Submit your entry by 5 p.m. Friday, December 7. Check the SDC’s Fall Newsletter for further details about this contest and how to enter.     More Info Here …

/by

Your generosity helps SIM thrive!

Dear SIM Friends,

We hope this letter finds you well. As we approach the end of the year, we want to share an update from the SIM Board, including milestones from this year and our goals for the coming year. We look forward to working with you to strengthen our community through a renewed focus on expanding opportunities for learning, teaching and practice.

In 2018, SIM hosted two 6-week Beginning Meditation courses, a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course, several new teachers on Thursdays and Saturdays, and a successful Fall Residential Retreat with 36 retreatants. We also encouraged opportunities for community building within the Sangha, such as monthly group dinners, hiking outings and book groups. We are so grateful to each of you for being part of our community and the role you play in making all of this possible.

In 2019, we look forward to building on this strong foundation by increasing support for our teachers. Our goal is to fulfill our mission of offering the best support possible to those in Sacramento practicing in the Insight/Vipassana tradition. To this end, we are expanding our budget to include a Teaching and Development Initiative. This will provide:

  • Increased support for our existing faculty, including additional dana for their ongoing commitment and teaching, and resources to support them in their practice; as well as
  • Dedicated funding to host new teachers for Thursday evenings, one-day retreats and new courses.

We need your help to accomplish this goal. Our projected budget for 2019, with the addition of the Teaching and Development Initiative, will be more than $65,000. As you plan your year-end giving, please consider supporting SIM by:

  • Making a one-time, year-end contribution to support our Teaching and Development Initiative (any amount will help and be appreciated); 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. If you are already giving through monthly donations, we sincerely thank you!

You can make a donation of any kind at https://sactoinsight.org/what-is-dana/. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our Board members at https://sactoinsight.org/contact-us/.

We look forward to continuing to strengthen our community and our practice together in the coming year.

Warmly,

Sara Denzler
Treasurer, SIM Board of Directors

/by

New Teaching and Development Initiative

Update from the SIM Board of Directors: New Teaching and Development Initiative

Building on the strong foundation we have established together over the last two years, the SIM Board is adding a Teaching and Development Initiative as part of SIM’s general budget for 2019.
This portion of our budget will provide:

  • Additional dana for our current teachers,
  • Support for bringing new teachers to our community, which will include travel and accommodation expenses as well as dana,
  • Possible training opportunities for our teachers as well as community members who might be interested in teaching, as recommended by our faculty.

Dana given to SIM’s general fund in the form of monthly donations or a year-end donation will now go directly to supporting current and future teachers, as well as paying for the infrastructure needed to support teaching and practice.

We also continue to encourage you to give from your heart in the dana bowl in gratitude for the teachings and are glad to inform you that we’ve increased the percentage of your gifts that go directly to our teachers as dana.

If you’d like additional information about this initiative, please contact Sara Denzler, SIM Treasurer, or another SIM Board Member.

/by

Our Annual Potluck Dec 13th

We are looking forward to seeing all of you at our Annual Holiday Event Thursday evening, December 13th at our Sacramento Dharma Center at 3111 Wissemann Dr, Sacramento, CA 95826. Please go our calendar page for details and to RSVP for yourself and guest(s).

As in our past celebrations, we will enjoy together our vegetarian potluck dinner and, afterwards, contributions of “personal dana”.  Do you have a favorite poem or reading, whether one you’ve written or one you just love?  Do you play a musical instrument, paint, sing, write, dance?  Do you have a special travel experience with photos you might share a few of?  We would love you to offer your passion, skill, or art to our group.

“Personal dana” performances/contributions can be no more than 3 to 5 minutes long.  You must pre-register in order to assure yourself a space.  “Personal dana” contributions do not have to be strictly Buddhist in nature, just whatever comes from your heart. This is a great way to get to know and enjoy each other.  It is also a generous act to share yourself with our sangha community in this way. We have room for only about a dozen performances in all, so please respond soon.

/by

SDC Anniversary Celebration Nov 10th

We closed escrow on the wonderful property on Wissemann Drive on June 13, 2016. The site was ready for occupancy by the three sustaining Sanghas in the fall. On 11/6/2016 the three sustaining Sanghas joined together to dedicate the Center as a sanctuary for Buddha’s teaching and meditation practice. Now it’s 2018 and time to celebrate so please stop by the SDC on Saturday,  –

https://sacdharma.org/event/sdc-anniversary-celebration/

/by

Oct 31 – Final Wednesday Morning Sit

The Wednesday morning sits that SIM has been hosting at 7 AM at the SDC have been poorly attended, and are being discontinued.  The last Wednesday morning sit will be held on October 31.  SIM will now be supporting Tom Hopkins in hosting a sit at the SDC on Friday mornings at 8 AM.  Everyone is warmly invited to attend this new Friday event.  Many thanks to Tom for his work in support of SIM and our community!

/by

Susan Orr Memorial, Oct 21

Sunday, October 21st from Noon to 3:00 PM at the Sacramento Dharma Center (More…)

Please join us for a service with Diane Wilde and James Baraz, Susan’s teacher. There will be time to share memories of our dear friend, beloved peace and justice organizer, defender of Mother Earth, artist, healer, teacher, and spiritual leader.

Susan asked that donations in her memory be made to the David Samuel Orr Fund for the Earth (www.dsoffte.org) and the Sacramento Dharma Center. All donations to the Center in her memory will be restricted to manifesting and dedicating an outdoor space to Susan.

/by

Our Beloved Susan has Flown

Susan Orr, beloved lifelong organizer for peace and justice, defender of Mother Earth, accomplished artist, healer, Buddhist teacher, and spiritual leader passed away at the age of 76 in Sacramento, CA on September 9, 2018.

More information on this has been posted to the Sacramento Dharma Center website (click-here).

/by