NEWS
The Sacramento Dharma Center stepped up to support the Mortgage Pay-down Campaign and with a 1-to-1 matching fund that’s still active, there’s time to help reach the initial Mortgage Pay-down goal. For details, visit Mortgage Pay-down Campaign Update.
Valley Streams Zen is hosting a “Quietly Entering the New Year” event and inviting everyone; a special invitation to everyone and anyone who practices at the Sacramento Dharma Center with Sacramento Insight Meditation or the Sacramento Buddhist Meditation Group. Starts at 7 pm, Sunday, Dec 31.
For details, visit https://valleystreamszen.org/event/welcoming-the-new-year-in-person/
“The warmth of the community, the commitment to practicing the Buddha’s teachings, and the generosity of SIM is felt each time I engage with the sangha as a teacher. I feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of all the wholesome offerings SIM continues to put forward into the world.”
~ Vance Pryor, SIM Legacy Project Teacher
Dear Friends,
For over 20 years, SIM has provided a safe and welcoming environment in which to explore the profound teachings of the historical Buddha in the Theravada/Insight Meditation tradition and to cultivate spiritual friendship and community. It has been a rich and precious experience as these teachings can change the way we understand living, relationships, and dying.
SIM has consistently provided a core set of offerings including weekly sit and Dharma talks, monthly daylong retreats, an annual residential retreat, the Beginning Meditation Course, and other courses designed to deepen our practice.
To continue to offer learning and practice opportunities and to ensure SIM’s future and long-term presence in Sacramento, we are launching two vital initiatives:
Funding these initiatives will require an additional $55,000 to our annual budget each year going forward ($33,000 for the LTP; and $22,000 for the OM). And we need your help!
SIM is wholly sustained by the generosity of the community through financial contributions and volunteering. Thank you! To support these new initiatives now, you can help in the following important ways:
Thank you for your contribution and support! We appreciate this deeply and look forward to strengthening our sangha and practicing together in the coming year.
With gratitude,
Amy Kovak, on behalf of the SIM Board of Directors & Faculty
Dear sangha members,
As a member of the Sacramento Insight Meditation community and past member of the SIM Board of Directors I’m thinking about the many things that need to be done to keep our sangha healthy and thriving and about the stresses that these multiple obligations place on our Board. I am hoping to develop a support team of sangha members who can help the Board and contribute to our community in a variety of ways. I will be reaching out to initiate conversations with some and you, and would love to hear from anyone, so that I can learn how you are feeling about your connection SIM and whether you would be willing to take a phone call from a Board member, now or in the future, to discuss helping with a particular project. You would be under no obligation to say “yes”, just to consider helping if asked. Our conversation will also include discussing your interests and your skills to see what type of contribution you would find most appropriate and enjoyable. I’ll be looking forward to these conversations and to strengthening our bonds of sangha. Feel free to drop me a note at cathy@sactoinsight.org. I look forward to hearing from you!
Cathy Vigran
Once again SIM is happy to support the Adopt-a-Family fundraiser.
Since 1985, Saint John’s Program for Real Change has supported more than 30,000 formerly homeless women and children, providing them with the essential tools and knowledge to change the trajectory of their lives.
To make a donation to Sacramento Insight Meditation, click here.
After a long break, the SDC-sponsored Climate Sangha will begin meeting again each month in the library and on Zoom. The Sangha meets on the third Wednesday of each month from 6-7:30 pm to explore the intersection of the climate crisis and Buddhism. Diane Wilde and Rich Howard, dharma teachers who led the first version of the Climate Sangha for many years, were an important part of planning and encouragement for version 2.0. Read more …
Hozan Alan Senauke will lead a discussion on the future among all of our sanghas and the Sacramento Dharma Center. Read More …
Join us for our Residential Retreat at the beautiful Mercy Center in Auburn, CA from Sunday, November 12 through Sunday November 19, 2023. We are fortunate to have Senior Teacher Greg Scharf (who is a Guiding Teacher at the Insight Meditation Society) leading our retreat this year.
GREG SCHARF has practiced with Western and Asian teachers in the Theravada tradition since 1992. He has been teaching residential retreats since 2007, including the annual Three-Month Retreat at IMS. Greg’s love of nature and the outdoors deeply informs both his practice and teaching.
We’ve posted additional information about this retreat – registration opens on Saturday, September 9, 2023. For more information visit https://sactoinsight.org/event/2023-sim-residential-retreat/.
In response to a number of requests, the Sacramento Insight Meditation Board of Directors, in consultation with the faculty, has decided to make a change for the Thursday evening format.
Our Thursday evening will continue to begin at 7 PM as usual. After 10 minutes for announcements, the silent sitting meditation period will begin at 7:10 PM and last for 30 minutes. At 7:40 PM there will be a 10-minute break and then return promptly for the Teacher’s Dharma talk and discussion from 7:50 until 8:30 PM.
Sangha members and visitors are welcome to remain at the Dharma Center to visit and hold conversations until 9:00 PM. Meanwhile the Volunteer Set-up and Closing Crew would appreciate any assistance in order to leave soon thereafter.
Please share your comments with the Board or Faculty in-person, or email us at any of our addresses found on our website at https://sactoinsight.org/contact-us/.