09/03/2021 “Annual Retreat” with Kamala Masters and Steve Armstrong

Audio recordings for this retreat are not available to the public however the retreat registrar has provided the attendees with a link and password to access the dharma talks that were recorded. If you’re interested in attending our next annual retreat, visit the retreat overview page, click here.

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09/02/2021 “Retreat Practice: At Home Again” with Rich Howard

To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

On the eve of SIM’s second online annual retreat, let us consider retreat practice in general and online retreat practice in particular. What is unique about online retreat? Are there distinct advantages to in-person retreats? What can we do to make the most of an online retreat? Please be prepared to share your retreat experience – online or in person – in the era of pandemic isolation.

2021 Retreat Container at Home (,pdf)Download
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08/19/2021 “Equanimity: Resting the Mind Before it Falls into Extremes” with Kamala Masters

To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

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(CANCELED) Daylong Retreat – Dennis Warren

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* * * This retreat is canceled. * * *

One Day Retreat with SIM’s Founding Teacher Dennis Warren

Retreat theme: The Body in Question – An Investigation

The Body in Question – your body – will be the focus of this one-day retreat. The body at rest, in motion and in relationship to others and the events around it. Our time together will involve investigations and experiments in sitting meditation, common daily movements and active forms of movement – yoga, Qi Gong, golf, dance and may more – as meditation.
Our body, and how our body moves, form core elements of our identity, our skills and our relationships with other. Being more conscious and purposeful in understanding how to be in the body, stay in the body and fully experience the body is foundational to contemplative practice and to living fully.
A key question we’ll examine: How can we help our body and its movements become a more vivid and enriching parts of our contemplative practice and our life whatever its current condition and limitations?
It would be helpful to review Dennis’ talk on August 12th entitled “Is Movement Meditation?” (click here) as preparation for this one day.
The subject matter of this one day is appropriate for all stages of practice. The principles we’ll explore will be relevant and adaptable to the condition of your particular body and its limitations.
All are welcome. (Pre-registration is required.)

DENNIS WARREN is SIM’s Founding Teacher and has been teaching mindfulness, meditation and contemplative practices since 1998. He recently completed his 11th year as a Volunteer Clinical Professor in Mindfulness in the Division of Pain Medicine at the UC Davis School of Medicine and Medical Center. He is certified as a Mindfulness Teacher, Professional Level (CMT-P), by the International Mindfulness Teachers Association. He is a graduate of the professional trainings in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression. He also is a graduate of the Spirit Rock Medication Center’s Dharma leaders training program. You can learn more about Dennis’ background and activities at https://www.denniswarren.net/ .
Dennis has been participating in residential meditation retreats, and has maintained a daily meditation practice, in the Theravadan Buddhist tradition for over 30 years. 2018 was his 20th year of teaching Insight Meditation and mindfulness practices in residential, retreat, educational, medical, corporate and community settings. In 2007 and 2014, Dennis led month long pilgrimages and moving retreats in Thailand, India and Nepal. A third is being planned for late 2021.

Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha. If you prefer to make a donation for this event online using a credit card or PayPal account, click here to DONATE ONLINE.

Summary of Important Dates

  • 09/03/2021 – Registration opens.
  • 9/22/2021 – Sorry. This retreat is canceled.

Registration Details

Registration is $15.00 per person due before the start of the event. If you are able and interested in further supporting SIM financially, you have the option of a registration fee of either $25 or $35 dollars. To pay the registration fee online, specify if you plan to attend in-person or attend remotely via Zoom. In the “Tickets” section, specify the number of people you are registering to this retreat and click the button “Get Tickets”. You’ll be automatically directed to a secure web-page where your registration payment can be made by credit card as a guest (no PayPal account required) or payment can be made by PayPal after you sign-in to your PayPal account if you have one.
For the registration fee, we also accept personal checks. No one will be turned away for lack of funds; please contact the registrar for more information.

Before registering to this event, click here to review the terms of use for this website.

Questions for the Registrar?

If you need to contact the retreat registrar with any questions, click here.

How to attend this retreat

This retreat is canceled.
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(Remote) Introduction to Meditation with SIM Founding Teacher Dennis Warren

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To join this remote meeting, note the following:

Join Online: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82438173964
Passcode: 648082
Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833 ( Meeting ID: 824 3817 3964 )
For instructions on how to join the meeting, click here.

This 45-minute course is suitable for beginners or anyone who would like a refresher. It is offered on the fourth Thursday of every month before the regular sitting and dharma talk. There is no fee.

DENNIS WARREN is SIM’s Founding Teacher and has been teaching mindfulness, meditation and contemplative practices since 1998. He recently completed his 11th year as a Volunteer Clinical Professor in Mindfulness in the Division of Pain Medicine at the UC Davis School of Medicine and Medical Center. He is certified as a Mindfulness Teacher, Professional Level (CMT-P), by the International Mindfulness Teachers Association. He is a graduate of the professional trainings in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression. He also is a graduate of the Spirit Rock Medication Center’s Dharma leaders training program. You can learn more about Dennis’ background and activities at https://www.denniswarren.net/ .
Dennis has been participating in residential meditation retreats, and has maintained a daily meditation practice, in the Theravadan Buddhist tradition for over 30 years. 2018 was his 20th year of teaching Insight Meditation and mindfulness practices in residential, retreat, educational, medical, corporate and community settings. In 2007 and 2014, Dennis led month long pilgrimages and moving retreats in Thailand, India and Nepal. A third is being planned for late 2021.

Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha. If you wish to make a donation, click here.

At the bottom of this page, you may enter the number of people planning to attend and select the button “Confirm RSVP“.
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(Hybrid) Sit & Dharma Talk – Vance Pryor – Mindfulness of the Body

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Talk topic: Mindfulness of the Body

Sit & Dharma Talk with Visiting Teacher Vance Pryor

* Hybrid events can be attended via Zoom or onsite at the Sacramento Dharma Center.

Join online meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82426058742
Passcode: 091813
Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833 ( Meeting ID: 824 2605 8742 )
For tips and instructions to join the meeting, check this news blog.

Thursday Night Talk Dana
[give_form id=”19397″ show_title=”false” show_content=”none” display_style=”reveal”] “Generosity is the virtue that leads to peace.” – The Historical Buddha
For remote meetings, please use the form above to donate by credit card or your PayPal account. Enter the amount you’d like to give and 100% of your donation will be shared with Vance Pryor.

VANCE PRYOR, PsyD, began insight meditation in 1998. He has been deeply influenced by the teachings of Sayadaw U Pandita and Sayadaw U Tejaniya. His training to become a teacher has been supported by the mentorship of Steve Armstrong and Kamala Masters. He is currently participating in IMS’s 2017-2021 Teacher Training Program.

 

Topic Details:

Tonight’s talk will emphasize working with the first foundation of mindfulness, the body. Skillfully incorporating this aspect of our experience into our meditation practice is invaluable in leading the mind to greater understandings of impermanence. This, in turn, reduces the mental forces of craving and clinging.

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(Hybrid) Sit & Dharma Talk – Tony Bernhard – Precept Practice

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Precept Practice as the Path of Awakening…

Sit & Dharma Talk with Visiting Teacher Tony Bernhard

* Hybrid events can be attended via Zoom or in-person at the Sacramento Dharma Center

Join online meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85182284181
Passcode:  512697
Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833 ( Meeting ID: 851 8228 4181 )
For tips and instructions to join the meeting, check this news blog.

Thursday Night Talk Dana

[give_form id=”15406″ show_title=”false” show_content=”none” display_style=”reveal”] “Generosity is the virtue that leads to peace.” – The Historical Buddha
We recognize that donating by cash or check at the time you attend this event may not always be convenient for you. If that’s the case, please use this form to donate by credit card or your PayPal account. Enter the amount you’d like to give and 75% of your donation will be shared with Tony Bernhard.

TONY BERNHARD is a Buddhist chaplain and teacher. He maintains an active practice with inmates in Folsom Prison and hosts sitting groups in Davis. He sits on the board of the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies and teaches regularly around the bay area and central valley. His practice is non-traditional, guided by his chaplaincy work in prison, his teaching and by his study of the early Pali scriptures.

Topic details:
to be announced

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(Hybrid) Sit & Dharma Talk – Tony Bernhard – Understanding Emptiness

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Understanding Emptiness: Action Without Actors

Sit & Dharma Talk with Visiting Teacher Tony Bernhard

* Hybrid events can be attended via Zoom or onsite at the Sacramento Dharma Center.

Join online meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82830214750
Passcode: 584861
Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833 ( Meeting ID: 828 3021 4750 )
For tips and instructions to join the meeting, check this news blog.

Thursday Night Talk Dana

[give_form id=”15406″ show_title=”false” show_content=”none” display_style=”reveal”] “Generosity is the virtue that leads to peace.” – The Historical Buddha
We recognize that donating by cash or check at the time you attend this event may not always be convenient for you. If that’s the case, please use this form to donate by credit card or your PayPal account. Enter the amount you’d like to give and 75% of your donation will be shared with Tony Bernhard.

TONY BERNHARD is a Buddhist chaplain and teacher. He maintains an active practice with inmates in Folsom Prison and hosts sitting groups in Davis. He sits on the board of the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies and teaches regularly around the bay area and central valley. His practice is non-traditional, guided by his chaplaincy work in prison, his teaching and by his study of the early Pali scriptures.

Topic details:
to be announced

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(Hybrid) Sit & Dharma Talk – Dennis Warren – Establishing Mindfulness

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The Historical Buddha’s Guidance on Establishing Mindfulness In Meditation

Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Founding Teacher Dennis Warren

* Hybrid events can be attended via Zoom or in-person at the Sacramento Dharma Center.

Join online meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85067961606
Passcode: 970006
Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833 ( Meeting ID: 850 6796 1606 )
For tips and instructions on how to participate, check this news blog.

Thursday Night Talk Dana
[give_form id=”10310″ show_title=”false” show_content=”none” display_style=”reveal”] “Generosity is the virtue that leads to peace.” – The Historical Buddha
For remote meetings, please use the form above to donate by credit card or your PayPal account. Enter the amount you’d like to give and 75% of your donation will be shared with Dennis Warren.

Topic details:
The Historical Buddha’s formula for being skillful in meditation starts with “establishing Mindfulness” as a foundational element. This guidance points to the fact that the kind of Mindfulness needed in meditation does not just happen or appear by itself. It is something that needs to be intentionally established, monitored and sustained every time we meditate in order for our meditation practices to be skillful.
During this evening we’ll take a hands-on-look at: What does it mean to “establish Mindfulness” in our meditation practices? What does one do to establish Mindfulness? How do we know if it has been established? If established, how is it sustained?
These are basic, practical, experiential questions that provide a framework for helping us evaluate the soundness and quality of our meditation practice.

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(Hybrid) Sit & Dharma Talk – Dennis Warren – Beginner’s Mind

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Virtual Event

December 16, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 9:15 pm PST

Establishing the Wonderful Quality of “Beginner’s Mind”

Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Founding Teacher Dennis Warren 
* Hybrid events can be attended via Zoom or in-person at the Sacramento Dharma Center. The teacher will present via Zoom.
Join online meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82802511823 Passcode: 627511 Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833 ( Meeting ID: 828 0251 1823 ) For tips and instructions on how to participate, check this news blog.
Thursday Night Talk Dana [give_form id=”10310″ show_title=”false” show_content=”none” display_style=”reveal”] “Generosity is the virtue that leads to peace.” – The Historical Buddha For remote meetings, please use the form above to donate by credit card or your PayPal account. Enter the amount you’d like to give and 75% of your donation will be shared with Dennis Warren.
Topic details: “Beginner’s Mind” is a wonderful quality of mind. It has the potential to significantly improve our practice of meditation and the quality of our mindfulness and experience in daily life. Despite the wide spread (and often confusing) coverage it receives in Buddhist, business, athletic, therapeutic and pop culture publications, it is something that remains elusive for many of us. This evening will explore the following practical questions:
  • What is Beginner’s Mind, really?
  • Why is it considered so valuable?
  • Why does it seem elusive?
  • How do we establish it in meditation practice? And in daily life?
The subject matter of this evening is appropriate for all stages of practice.

Details

Hybrid (in-person and online)

3111 Wissemann Drive (or *ZOOM)
Sacramento, CA 95826 United States
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