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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March Instructor Schedule Posted

The SIM Calendar now includes the instructor schedule for March.

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Buddhist Recovery Group

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Our Buddhist Recovery Group meets every Monday evening from 6:30 pm–8:00 pm at the Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA 95826 .

For additional information, visit the 12 Step Sangha page at https://sactoinsight.org/activities/practice-opportunities/12-step-sangha/

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Buddhist Recovery Group

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Our Buddhist Recovery Group meets every Monday evening from 6:30 pm–8:00 pm at the Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA 95826 .

For additional information, visit the 12 Step Sangha page at https://sactoinsight.org/activities/practice-opportunities/12-step-sangha/

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Buddhist Recovery Group

,

Our Buddhist Recovery Group meets every Monday evening from 6:30 pm–8:00 pm at the Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA 95826 .

For additional information, visit the 12 Step Sangha page at https://sactoinsight.org/activities/practice-opportunities/12-step-sangha/

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Buddhist Recovery Group

,

Our Buddhist Recovery Group meets every Monday evening from 6:30 pm–8:00 pm at the Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA 95826 .

For additional information, visit the 12 Step Sangha page at https://sactoinsight.org/activities/practice-opportunities/12-step-sangha/

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Introduction to Meditation with SIM Community Mentor, Rich Howard

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.

Introduction to Meditation with SIM Community Mentor, Rich Howard.

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*Day-long Retreat with SIM Community Mentor, Diane Wilde

“The most difficult person in your life is your best teacher…”  The Dalai Lama

Day-long Retreat with SIM Community Mentor, Diane Wilde. For a biography of Diane Wilde, click here.

Along with periods of walking and meditation, we will spend time investigating the “difficult person” in our lives through guided meditation and discussion.  When practicing metta (boundless friendliness), this person is traditionally defined as the “enemy.” Our goal with metta practice is to feel a sense of benevolence even to him or her!  Quite a goal and what a relief when it actually happens!
Please bring your lunch.

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*Sit & Dharma Discussion with SIM Community Mentor, Diane Wilde

What about God???

It seems appropriate to discuss god and its compatibility — or not — with the holiest seasons in the Judeo-Christian calendar approaching in April.  In the West, there is a widespread assumption that you can’t be a Buddhist and believe in a supreme being.
At prison, inmates — especially people who are new to the practice —frequently ask about Buddhism and its teachings on god.  Underlying this question is a concern about being cajoled to “convert to Buddhism.”  (As I have stated numerous times to inmates, the only conversion is the desire to investigate your own mind.) At SIM as well, practitioners often embrace the Buddha’s path and simultaneously maintain a strong allegiance to a belief system which defines “God” as the supreme being.  Tonight we will discuss the “gods” that were an important component of the Buddha’s culture, as well as the Buddha’s teachings on god. For many westerners, reconciling a belief in god while following the Buddha’s path of alleviating suffering can cause confusion. For others there is no problem at all, with a comfortable marrying of both.
Should make for a lively discussion!

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*Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Community Mentor, Rich Howard

Four “Nobel” Truths: Bob Dylan’s Dharma

Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Community Mentor, Rich Howard.

Bob Dylan received the 2016 Nobel Prize for Literature “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” His poetic song lyrics have an ambiguity that allows for many different interpretations. This Thursday night, “far between sundown’s finish an’ midnight’s broken toll,” we will re-visit one of the core teachings of the historical Buddha, through the lens of the words of a Jew who converted to Christianity. Even if Dylan did not have a Buddhist background like Leonard Cohen or Jane Hirshfield, we might learn something about the Four Noble Truths from the lyrics of this important American singer-songwriter-poet. Whether you are a big Dylan fan, or someone for whom he is ancient history from your grandparents’ time, or just one of the “searching ones, on their speechless, seeking trail,” join us for an evening of poetry, dharma, and discussion.

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