Finding Balance in an Unbalanced World.
Daylong Retreat with SIM Community Teacher Rev. Diane Wilde
Creating balance both in ourselves and as well as the challenges in an increasingly polarized world, has never been so important. Personal, political and environmental issues are creating deep divisions and suffering. Along with sitting and walking meditation, we will discuss methods for creating equanimity or balance in our lives, both internally and externally. Equanimity is the “crown jewel” of Buddhist emotions. It’s cultivation is the culmination of our practice, allowing us to enter all situations with wisdom and compassion.
During this 3/4 day, retreat we will begin with light movement along with sitting, walking and reflection practice.
We will be eating our noon meal in silence, so please bring a lunch.
DIANE WILDE has studied meditation in various traditions since 1990. In 2001 she was a founding member of Sacramento Insight Meditation. She founded Buddhist Pathways Prison Project (BP3) in 2010. Since 2003, she has been a BP3 prison chaplain and aids in coordination of 75 volunteers who offer Buddhist services at numerous California prisons and jails. She is a graduate of Sati Center’s Buddhist Chaplaincy program and graduated from Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Community Dharma Leadership Training Program. She is a board member of Sati Center for Buddhist Studies, Sacramento Dharma Center, Buddhist Pathways Prison Project and California Dept. of Corrections Volunteer Advisory Board. In 2015 she was lay-ordained as a Buddhist minister by her teacher Gil Fronsdal.
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
- 07/31/2019 – Registration opens.
- 08/30/2019 – Registration via this website closed 3:00 pm however since the retreat still has space, you may register in person at least 15 minutes before the retreat begins.
- 08/31/2019 – Attend and enjoy the wonderful retreat.
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.
For the registration fee paid in person, we accept checks and cash. No one will be turned away for lack of funds; please contact the registrar for more information.
NOTICE: Online registration is currently closed – just come to the event and register in person.
Before registering to this event, click here to review the terms of use for this website.
Volunteer Opportunities
It “takes a village” to put on a large event for our community. If you would be available to assist in set-up, take-down, tea service, providing flowers or other duties for the event, please contact the retreat registrar for more information..
Questions for the Registrar?
If you need to contact the retreat registrar with any questions, click here.
*Sit & Dharma Talk – Diane Wilde – Waking Up in Perilous Times
Weekly MeditationWaking Up in Perilous Times
Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Community Teacher Diane Wilde
The times they are a-changing! This could be stated by every generation and each new epoch in our human and natural history. But the unimaginable changes taking place now — the climate emergency as well as “alternative” political realities — have never happened so quickly leaving little time to adjust. It’s no longer just the individual who struggles with dukkha or stress, as the Buddha taught. Now our entire natural world is suffering and truth itself is continually being redefined according to partisan politics. This begs the question, is our individual awakening the remedy for the situation in which we find ourselves? Or do we need to start investigating and practicing a “societal awakening.” And if so, what would that look like? How does it align with Buddhist principles? And do we even want to? Not an easy topic, but one that needs to be considered right now.
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.
*Sit & Dharma Talk – Dennis Warren – Essential Role of Context
Weekly MeditationThe Essential Role of Context or Framing in Buddhist Practice
Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Founding Teacher Dennis Warren
Context – the set of ideas, beliefs and principles which guide our understanding of ourselves, others, our relationships and how the world works – shapes our experience, our assessment of our experience and the choices we make. Context, in very real and tangible ways, determines how we relate to our experience.
In most cases, we don’t give context a second thought. It is the unseen foundation or groundwork of experience that lies just below our normal perception of events.
Buddhist practice involves a conscious and determined re-framing of the context we use to experience and relate to events. The elements of this re-framing – the ideas and principles – are significantly different than the psychological and emotional viewpoints that dominate conventional thinking. Some elements are radically different. In Buddhist practice we refer to this re—framing process as the “Cultivation of Right View.”
During this evening we’ll look at several areas of difference in fundamental context or View between conventional and Buddhist viewpoints; and how those differences translate into significant differences in how we relate to and understand experience – particularly suffering and satisfaction.
Please try to attend this evening if you plan on attending the one-day retreat Dennis will be leading on Saturday, September 28th. This evening will lay a helpful foundation for your experience of the one-day retreat.
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.
*Sit & Dharma Talk – Dennis Warren – “Framing Experience”
Weekly MeditationThe Role Of “Framing Experience” In Performance, Satisfaction and Happiness
Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Founding Teacher Dennis Warren
Every day we are presented with circumstances that can be opportunities, challenges or problems depending on how our mind frames the experience that is taking place. The way our mind frames an experience has enormous influence in determining how we relate to the experience, and how we feel about our capacity to deal with it skillfully and how we perform.
This event – how the mind frames what is it about to engage – is critical in guiding how, and whether, we can mobilize our inner resources to take on what life brings to us with determination, patience and satisfaction; or whether we struggle, suffer and are disappointed. This is the difference between feeling empowered and capable vs vulnerable and at risk.
This principle applies whether the circumstances, or life situation, involves our interior life, our relationship with others, or economic, cultural or political events taking place in our community, our country or the work.
Dennis’ talk Thursday night, and the related discussion, with focus on this critical, and frequently overlooked, element of practice. We will examine the what, why and how of framing events from a practice perspective using real life illustrations. How can we use our practice to improve the fundamental way we relate to our experience, improve our performance and feeling better about ourselves?
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.
*Sit & Dharma Talk – Dennis Warren – Seeking Nothing, Fearful of Nothing, Being Free
Weekly MeditationSeeking Nothing, Fearful of Nothing, Being Free
Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Founding Teacher Dennis Warren
Some of the most fundamental instructions we heard about practice – “Seek nothing, Be fearful of nothing, and You will be free” – seem to conflict with other fundamental instructions such as not striving for any particular results of state of mind. How do we explain this situation?
This evening we’ll explore the answer to this apparent contradiction in fundamental instructions. Understanding why such fundamental instructions are not contradictory and not in conflict is key to a sound practice. This will be the important territory we’ll investigate Thursday evening.
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.
Sangha Manifesting: New Support Group Forming
NewsA new Support Group for Persons with Life-Threatening Illness, Disability, and Health Challenges, will be meeting in the SDC Library the first and third Tuesdays of the month starting July 2, 2019 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm . Please note this is not a drop-in group. Click the flyer image for details or visit the SDC calendar.
The group facilitator, Wendy Alger, has been a student of the Dharma since 2005 practicing under the guidance of Gil Fronsdal. She is a graduate the Sati Center Chaplaincy program applying her work as a volunteer chaplain. Wendy continues learning from programs at Insight Meditation Center and attends silent retreats yearly.
*Sit & Dharma Talk – Laura Rosenthal – Bringing Creativity to Dharma Practice
Weekly MeditationBringing Creativity to Dharma Practice
Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Community Member Laura Rosenthal
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.
*Sit & Dharma Talk with Visiting Teacher Heather Sundberg
Weekly MeditationThe Experience of Devotion in our Practice
Sit & Dharma Talk with Visiting Teacher Heather Sundberg
This talk was not recorded.
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.
NO EVENTS TODAY
Weekly MeditationThere are no events scheduled by SIM today due to the July Fourth Holiday.
06/06/2019 “Can We Be Aware of Delusion?” with Rich Howard
Audio DharmaIf you would like to download this talk, please right click and select “save as” here.
This evening will be the latest in Rich’s exploration of the three roots of suffering – greed, hatred, and delusion – and how to work with them. Since delusion is always present along with any of the unskillful mind states, it is especially important to recognize it and get to know its unique flavor. But how do we know when we’re deluded? Wouldn’t delusion prevent us from knowing we are deluded? Let’s look at these questions together in a spirit of inquiry.
*Daylong Retreat – Diane Wilde – Finding Balance in an Unbalanced World
RetreatFinding Balance in an Unbalanced World.
Daylong Retreat with SIM Community Teacher Rev. Diane Wilde
Creating balance both in ourselves and as well as the challenges in an increasingly polarized world, has never been so important. Personal, political and environmental issues are creating deep divisions and suffering. Along with sitting and walking meditation, we will discuss methods for creating equanimity or balance in our lives, both internally and externally. Equanimity is the “crown jewel” of Buddhist emotions. It’s cultivation is the culmination of our practice, allowing us to enter all situations with wisdom and compassion.
During this 3/4 day, retreat we will begin with light movement along with sitting, walking and reflection practice.
We will be eating our noon meal in silence, so please bring a lunch.
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
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.
For the registration fee paid in person, we accept checks and cash. No one will be turned away for lack of funds; please contact the registrar for more information.
NOTICE: Online registration is currently closed – just come to the event and register in person.
Before registering to this event, click here to review the terms of use for this website.
Volunteer Opportunities
It “takes a village” to put on a large event for our community. If you would be available to assist in set-up, take-down, tea service, providing flowers or other duties for the event, please contact the retreat registrar for more information..
Questions for the Registrar?
If you need to contact the retreat registrar with any questions, click here.