Volunteer Spotlight – Barbara Briscoe

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Much gratitude to Barbara Briscoe; to date, she has uploaded five dharma talks to SIM’s website. We are in need of more volunteers to assist us with this effort. If you’re interested, “Leave a Reply” on this post or fill in the contact us form.

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SIM Board of Directors Meeting

This SIM Board of Directors meeting was rescheduled from Monday Jan 23 to Monday Jan 30.  Please join us. All are welcome. For more information, contact info@sactoinsight.org.

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Growing our Facebook Followers

SIM’s facebook page currently has 398 LIKES. If you’re on Facebook, we hope you’ll head over to the SIM page (www.facebook.com/sactoinsight/) and check the LIKE button to ensure our posts appear in your newsfeed.

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Brahma Viharas Study Group is FULL

The Brahma Viharas Study Group enrollment and waitlist are both full. SIM is no longer accepting registrations to this group.

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11/17/2016 “Change And Karma” with Dennis Warren

CHANGE AND KARMA

What is the relationship between the constant element of change in our lives and what is called “Karma” in Buddhist practice? These two realities can act as powerful resources for understanding Buddhist psychology; informing our meditation practice; and helping us live more satisfying and meaningful lives. How does the Buddhist understanding of these issues differ from that of other spiritual traditions?

This evening with SIM’s Founding Teacher, Dennis Warren, will explore these topics from both a short and long term perspective. As background for this evening, you may find it helpful to review Dennis’  presentation from Oct 20, 2016 on the nature of change.

If you would like to download this talk, please right click and select “save as” here

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Three Assignments Community Discussion

HOME PRACTICE. At the SIM inaugural sitting and discussion on November 3 at the Sacramento Dharma Center, Community Mentor Diane Wilde gave three assignments for discussion on November 10 at our quarterly Community Discussion evening. We will discuss and investigate aspects of Right Speech and Skillful Listening. Have fun with one or all of these investigations! Take a chance and learn a bit more about freedom and yourself.

  • Offer a kind observation.   When you notice something admirable about another person — friend, acquaintance or a stranger — say it to them. Perhaps you have admired something about a friend or appreciated the kindness of a stranger, but never took the time or had the nerve to state it out loud. Internally notice if you are embarrassed, afraid, spacious, ebullient, or ?  What is the external response from the other person?  How would you describe the entire experience?
  • Listen!    Take time to listen carefully to a friend, acquaintance or a stranger.  Internally, do you wish you were somewhere else?  Are you daydreaming?  Was this difficult to do or was it enjoyable?  Keep coming back to listening and perhaps even asking a question to keep yourself present.  Externally, notice the reaction of the other person.
  • Notice!   Your Own Experience with Skillful Speech and Skillful Listening.  When has your speech and/or listening to others been skillful?  When has it not been skillful?  What did you learn?
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11/03/2016 “Friendship” with Diane Wilde

Friendship… the friend we are to others and the friendships we cultivate.    Our new home and the first SIM Dharma sitting practice and discussion at the Sacramento Dharma Center is a wonderful opportunity to look at friendship in this new, expansive and beautiful venue… our new home. What kind of friends do we cultivate? What kind of friend are we to others? What hinders us from being a friend and why do some of us shy away from developing friendships? What can we learn from those whom we consider “difficult”? With three sanghas coming together in our shared space, it is a timely topic.
All of us who practice and study the Buddha’s teachings at the Sacramento Dharma Center will all be asked to help and support our new home. This is a wonderful opportunity to deepen old friendships and cultivate new ones. The Buddha offered wise and compassionate advise which couldn’t be more relevant then right now.

If you would like to download this talk, please right click and select “save as” here

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