New Year’s Eve Day Retreat with SIM Founding Teacher Dennis Warren

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Finding Balance In The New America

The landscape of American society and politics is in the process of significant change. Many of us find this period of transition confusing, troubling, destabilizing. The future seems so uncertain. What do we do?

This one day retreat, with SIM’s Founding Teacher Dennis Warren, will end 2016, and begin 2017, with an exploration of how we cannot just survive, but engage and thrive in this new environment. It will take all of our dharmic skills, as well as our creativity, engagement and the support of our community. During this one day retreat, we’ll rest, practice together in silence, share our common distress, set a number of themes in a dharma talk, and work with questions and answers. An important part of the day will involve examining our common dilemma and looking at how we can mobilize our resources to take care of ourselves, our families, our community and our country in 2017. Bring a lunch and plan on staying on-site all day, including the lunch period.

Your RSVP will help our volunteers plan and setup the event space appropriately.

 Scroll down to RSVP to the event.
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Sitting and Dharma Reflection/Discussion with SIM Community Mentor, Rich Howard

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REFLECTION AT YEAR’S END:  THE PARAMIS

For SIM’s last Thursday gathering, we will take time to reflect quietly together on the past year in terms of the Paramis, those qualities that lead to peace when cultivated and perfected. Rather than evaluating or judging, we will then use this reflection to assess our strengths and weaknesses as a way of setting intentions for our practice in the coming New Year. Join the SIM community one last evening in 2016 for a time of silence, sharing, reflection, and community.

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Introduction to Meditation with SIM Founding Teacher, Dennis Warren

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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.

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Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Founding Teacher, Dennis Warren

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Karma & Reincarnation from a Buddhist Perspective

Here’s the topic that so many Buddhists try to avoid – Karma & Reincarnation. Some claim – incorrectly – that the historical Buddha did not teach reincarnation. Others claim that you don’t need to know about these teachings or take them seriously to engage in conscious Buddhist practice. Others are just confused and want to avoid the whole topic. But this is an important topic, and one that needs to be thoughtfully and deeply considered if you take the Buddha’s teachings seriously.

What did the historical Buddha actually teach regarding karma & reincarnation? How do these teachings differ, if they do, from the teachings on the same subject by other major spiritual and religious traditions of the day? Why are the Buddha’s teachings on karma & reincarnation relevant to our daily spiritual lives today ?

This evening with SIM 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’  November 17th presentation on “Change and Karma”.

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SIM Community Holiday Potluck

Every year, SIM holds a community potluck during the holidays. Your RSVP is requested as it will help us estimate the number of tables and chairs we’ll be setting up. Event details and the RSVP are posted on Eventbrite at https://simpotluck.eventbrite.com/.

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Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Community Mentor, Rich Howard

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The Greatest Blessing: Reflecting on the Maha-Mangala Sutta

Seeing things as they are requires opening both to life’s pain and to life’s gifts. For his first presentation in our new home at Sacramento Dharma Center this Thursday, Rich will bring reflections on the blessings listed in the Maha-Mangala Sutta. This beloved sutta reminds us that our ordinary lives contain so many sources of happiness, many of which we may overlook. Bringing awareness to these blessings provides a balance to our daily life practice and and a motivation for skillful action in the world.

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Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Community Mentor, Diane Wilde

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From Chaos to Opportunity and Reflections by Leonard Cohen

Chaos is a time of upheaval and confusion… not exactly a fun state of mind for the individual or society.  The reality of the Buddha’s profound teaching on impermanence is brought clearly into view when the ground we stand on is no longer stable.   Yet this is also a time which offers a unique opportunity to mindfully adjust how we think, act and speak due to our suddenly shifted reality.  Leonard Cohen, Canadian poet and song-writer who died November 7, 2016, delved into the chaos of his own life as well as society, through his unique artistic expression. His genius was ultimately embracing it all.  Here we’ll discuss chaos and  opportunity along with some reflections by Leonard Cohen.

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Day-long with SIM Community Mentor, Diane Wilde

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Gratitude: the easiest practice of all!

Gratitude is the sweetest of all the practices for living the dharma in daily life and the most easily cultivated, requiring the least effort for what is gained in return. It is a very powerful form of mindfulness practice, particularly for those who habitually look for what is wrong in a situation or person.  We will investigate the causes and conditions that cause gratitude and gratitude’s healing qualities.

We will start the day with gentle mindful movement, with periods of sitting and walking leaving time for discussion.

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Thanksgiving — no SIM events

No SIM events

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Introduction to Meditation with SIM Founding Teacher, Dennis Warren

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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.

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