Cultivating the Seven Factors of Awakening
A One Day Retreat with visiting Teacher Walt Opie
According to Ven. Analayo, the seven awakening factors provide the conditions conducive to awakening. These factors require a sequential building up as well as a balancing in our meditation practice. And when we do this, as Ven. Analayo says, “Just as a river inclines and flows towards the ocean, so the awakening factors incline towards Nibbana.”
We will spend this day of practice exploring these seven important factors in depth and looking at how they build upon each other sequentially. The first factor is mindfulness (sati), so we will examine how one firmly establishes mindfulness, which the Buddha stated is always useful, in every situation.
Walt recently completed a retreat with Ven. Analayo and will offer lessons learned both on retreat and in further study of the teachings on the seven factors. There will be sitting and walking meditation periods with guided instructions, along with dharma talks and time for questions and discussion.
All are welcome. Come for all day or for a portion of the day. Please bring your lunch.
WALT OPIE was first introduced to insight meditation in 1993 at Spirit Rock and began attending regular residential retreats in 2005. He is a graduate of both the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leaders’ (CDL4) training program and the Sati Center Buddhist Chaplaincy program. He has led sitting groups for people in recovery since 2011. Walt also serves as a volunteer chaplain with Buddhist Pathways Prison Project (BP3) at Solano state prison in Vacaville, CA. In addition, he is currently a trainee in the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) Teacher Training program based in Barre, MA.
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
- 03/30/2019 – Registration opens.
- 05/24/2019 – Registration via this website is closed but there is still space available. Come to the retreat and register in person where we accept cash or check.
- 05/25/2019 – 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. Online registration is currently closed however there is still space available. Come to the retreat and register in person. 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. Day-of registration will be on a first-come first-serve basis, contingent on availability of space.
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.
02/28/2019 “Entering the Stream – Doubt” with Diane Wilde
Audio DharmaEntering the Stream to Awakening, Dealing with Doubt
If you would like to download this talk, please right click and select “save as” here.
This is second in a series on “Entering the Stream” of Awakening. To listen to Diane’s initial talks on this subject, follow these links: Entering the Stream and Not clinging to Self-identity.
Yogis who are sincere in their practice, and desire to alleviate suffering are said to be on the precipice of “Entering the Stream”. A Stream-Enterer, known as a Sotapanna in Pali, the ancient language of the Buddha, is a practitioner who is well on the path to “awakening”, which means cutting through and eliminating the fetters that cause suffering. The first fetter is understanding the delusion of self-identity, the belief that each of us is a separate entity unto ourselves. The second fetter to be uprooted is doubt. Tonight we will briefly discuss self-identity, which will be the topic of the Feb. 23rd daylong and examine in more detail, the second “fetter” of doubt. Doubt is traditionally seen as having two aspects: skillful doubt, which prods us into deeper experiential investigation of the path, and unskillful doubt, which is a dead-end, leading to confusion and unhappiness. We will discuss the characteristics of both types of doubt and how skillful doubt is an aid in navigating the difficulties we often encounter in our own practice. Unskillful doubt is abandoned as we Enter the Stream.
Thanks, Barbara Colton
News02/23/2019 “Not clinging to self-identity” with Diane Wilde
Audio DharmaIf you would like to download this talk, please right click and select “save as” here.
Not clinging to Self-identity is the first “marker” on the path to liberation — and could be divided into both exterior and interior ‘processes’. Our exterior self-identity fixates on how we need to be seen by acquaintances and strangers with our predefined narrative. We want our “specialness” to be recognized. Our interior self-identity is a confusing contrivance which is constantly changing, re-evaluating and re-constructing itself. In fact, our mutating interior self-identity causes even more suffering than the outward modality in which we face the world. In contemporary terms, working with self-identity might be defined as, learning how to not take ourselves so seriously. At our daylong we will learn from traditional Buddhist teachings, as well as contemporary teachers, how to start releasing this bag of tricks that ultimately makes no sense at all. We may even begin to see the truth that clinging to self-identity is ultimately the source of our suffering… and begin to let go.
*Daylong Retreat – Walt Opie – Cultivating the Seven Factors of Awakening
RetreatCultivating the Seven Factors of Awakening
A One Day Retreat with visiting Teacher Walt Opie
According to Ven. Analayo, the seven awakening factors provide the conditions conducive to awakening. These factors require a sequential building up as well as a balancing in our meditation practice. And when we do this, as Ven. Analayo says, “Just as a river inclines and flows towards the ocean, so the awakening factors incline towards Nibbana.”
We will spend this day of practice exploring these seven important factors in depth and looking at how they build upon each other sequentially. The first factor is mindfulness (sati), so we will examine how one firmly establishes mindfulness, which the Buddha stated is always useful, in every situation.
Walt recently completed a retreat with Ven. Analayo and will offer lessons learned both on retreat and in further study of the teachings on the seven factors. There will be sitting and walking meditation periods with guided instructions, along with dharma talks and time for questions and discussion.
All are welcome. Come for all day or for a portion of the day. Please bring your 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. Online registration is currently closed however there is still space available. Come to the retreat and register in person. 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. Day-of registration will be on a first-come first-serve basis, contingent on availability of space.
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.
Daylong Retreat – Diane Wilde – The Five Daily Recollections
RetreatThe Five Daily Recollections
A One Day Retreat– with SIM’s Community Teacher Rev. Diane Wilde
The Buddha advised his followers to reflect on five topics daily: aging, sickness, death, separation form those we love, and our own karma. The surprising result from this practice is paradoxical… spending more time with these concepts, rather than continually creating diversions to avoid “thinking about something unpleasant”, causes us to live with more ease and equanimity. Neurologically, with avoidance we pay the price. Resistance causes greater and greater anxiety and tension… often culminating in painful physical and mental manifestations. We will investigate any resistance we might have to one — or all of these five recollections — and how to use these reflections as a benefit for our daily mindfulness and meditation practice.
If the weather is nice, we may spend some time outside. Bring a blanket to sit on, or a folding chair. Please bring your 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. To pay the registration fee online, use the “Tickets” section at the bottom of this page. It’s not necessary to Log in before purchasing and you won’t need to print the ticket on paper. On the left side, specify the number of people you are registering to this course. On the right side, click the button “Buy now” and you’ll be automatically directed to a secure webpage 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 accept checks and cash. No one will be turned away for lack of funds; please contact the registrar for more information. Day-of registration will be on a first-come first-serve basis, contingent on availability of space.
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.
Young Persons Sangha forming at SIM
NewsIdris
Sacramento Insight Meditation teacher Diane Wilde has volunteered to sponsor a group for young people who are interested in learning more about addressing life’s challenges through insight meditation. Topics will be relevant to the concerns younger sangha members face. The group will develop if there is sufficient interest. If you would like to learn more or take part, please contact Idris at idris.ahmed54@gmail or info@sactoinsight.org
CANCELLED – Nurturing Sangha Over Dinner
Study GroupNurturing Sangha Over Dinner was meeting informally at six o’clock on the second Thursday of the month, before the regular dharma talk and sit.
Nurturing Sangha Over Dinner
Study GroupNurturing Sangha Over Dinner meets informally at six o’clock on the second Thursday of the month, before the regular dharma talk and sit. Please bring your dinner and something extra to share, if you would like. We can continue to get to know one another and talk more about how SIM can support us in our practice. We’ll try this out for a few months and see if it is something we want to continue.
Nurturing Sangha Over Dinner
Study GroupNurturing Sangha Over Dinner meets informally at six o’clock on the second Thursday of the month, before the regular dharma talk and sit. Please bring your dinner and something extra to share, if you would like. We can continue to get to know one another and talk more about how SIM can support us in our practice. We’ll try this out for a few months and see if it is something we want to continue.
Special honor – Nurturing Sangha Over Dinner
Study GroupNurturing Sangha Over Dinner meets informally at six o’clock on the second Thursday of the month, before the regular dharma talk and sit. Please bring your dinner and something extra to share, if you would like. We can continue to get to know one another and talk more about how SIM can support us in our practice. We’ll try this out for a few months and see if it is something we want to continue.