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SIM meets online and in-person at the Sacramento Dharma Center
What is Dana?
Dana is a Buddhist word that means generosity or heart. Nearly all Sacramento Insight Meditation activities are offered on a dana (donations) basis. This means our programs 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. Practice dana, please support our Sangha. DONATE NOW
Morning Meditation with Jerry Simkins
Weekly MeditationMorning Meditation with Jerry Simkins
All are welcome to this open sitting for anyone interested in starting their morning out by sitting with others. The session involves a 40-45 minute sitting, a limited about of meditation guidance, and a few comments at the end of the sitting to set a theme for moving into the world and your daily activities.
A Special Message Concerning Senior Teacher Steve Armstrong
NewsDear members of the SIM community,
SIM’s long-time friend and supervising Senior Teacher, Steve Armstrong, underwent surgery for a brain tumor in the last several days. Fortunately, neither his speech nor his thinking has been affected. Follow up evaluation and treatment are underway. A letter Steve wrote last week, when he first learned of his situation, follows immediately below. Read More …
03/08/2018 “Tastes of Freedom: Poems from the Therīgāthā” with Meg Gawler
Audio DharmaTastes of Freedom: Poems from the Therīgāthā – the poems of awakening of the Buddha’s first female disciples. A central message of this canonical text is that Nibbāna – complete release – is possible for practitioners of all sorts: women or men, lay or monastic, old or young, rich or poor, from all classes of society including slaves, from many different walks of life from the queen to the prostitute, for those gifted in meditation but also for those with wild minds unable to concentrate, and for individuals lost in grief, despair, or even madness. This ancient text was the subject of Meg’s Master’s thesis, which examined how the Therīgāthā might be used by Dharma teachers today to inspire practitioners, particularly in regard to the Third Noble Truth, the truth of freedom.
Audio PlayerIf you would like to download this talk, please right click and select “save as” here.
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.
Celebrating with Dennis Warren
News, VolunteerDennis completed his term as President of the SIM Board last month. Please join us on March 22 to celebrate his extraordinary contributions. We will have refreshments at the break and an opportunity to thank Dennis for his great work during the last two and a half years. All are invited. We hope to see you there!
A celebration at the break
NewsDennis Warren completed his term as President of the SIM Board last month. Please join us to celebrate his extraordinary contributions. We will have refreshments at the break and an opportunity to thank Dennis for his great work during the last two and a half years. All are invited. We hope to see you!
03/01/2018 “SIM Community Meeting” with SIM Board and Faculty
Audio Dharma, NewsThis is a meeting of the SIM community with presentations from the SIM Board and Senior Faculty regarding what we’ve accomplished in the last year and areas where we plan to direct attention and effort in the year ahead. We have scheduled ample time for community questions and comments, and are looking forward to seeing and hearing from all of you.
Audio PlayerIf you would like to download this talk, please right click and select “save as” here .
SIM Community Meeting
NewsPlease join us for a meeting of the SIM community on Thursday night, March 1. After our regular sit we will have a break with refreshments, followed by presentations from the SIM Board and Senior Faculty regarding what we’ve accomplished in the last year and areas where we plan to direct attention and effort in the year ahead. We have scheduled ample time for community questions and comments, and are looking forward to seeing and hearing from all of you.
02/15/2018 “Resolving Conflicting Teachings – Part II” with Dennis Warren
Audio DharmaResolving Conflicting, Contradictory or Paradoxical Teachings –Part II
This is the second in a series of talks on the process of working through and unwinding confusion over what appear to be conflicting, contradictory or paradoxical teachings. What do we do? How do we do it? What are the conditions that need to be in place to help us do this exploration skillfully?
Dennis’ talk will use a number of specific, familiar situations as practical illustrations of the fundamental issues involved in working with issues from a Buddhist, rather than a conventional perspective.
Talk handouts:
To listen to Part I of this talk, click here.
Audio PlayerIf you would like to download this talk, please right click and select “save as” here.