Sit & Dharma Talk with Founding Teacher, Dennis Warren

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Thursday, December 3, 7:00-9:15 pm. Sitting and Dharma Talk, with Dennis Warren, SIM Founding Teacher.
LOSS – SEEING IT COMING, LIVING IT, REORGANIZING AFTERWARDS – WITH SIM’S FOUNDING TEACHER DENNIS WARREN

Loss brings us up against the limitations in understanding how the Dharma and practice apply to this painful aspect of being human. Loss not only helps, but forces us, to recognize where our understanding is conceptual or intellectual, rather than one that informs real life challenges.

How we respond to the losses in our individual lives, and losses in the lives of others, influences everything – how we experience the loss; how those around us experience the loss; how we reorganize our emotional, psychological and dharmic lives after the outward manifestations of the loss have taken place. Loss, and the way we work with it, change who we are.

This evening with SIM’s Founding Teacher, Dennis Warren, will examine this phenomenon that is one of the most common roots of difficult emotions and crisis. We’ll explore how loss fits into the framework of Buddhist psychology, the nature of loss and ways to work with it.

Please join us at 7:00 pm. The evening will take place at the Sacramento Friends Meetinghouse, 890 57th Street.

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Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Community Mentor, Diane Wilde

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Thursday, December 10, 7-9 pm. Sitting and Dharma Discus with Diane Wilde, SIM Community Mentor
Anger… it’s not what you think!

It’s the holiday season! Anger? Not allowed now! Yet anger creeps into our lives uninvited, disguised in a variety of forms. There are a wide range of behaviors that signal anger, yet we don’t usually consider ourselves “angry” because traditionally anger is defined as an explosion of violent behavior, verbally or physically. Yet this is only the extreme form on a continuum of emotional manifestations which the Buddha defined as “ill-will.” One of the most difficult aspects of anger or ill-will is when it is self-directed, and may be experienced as disappointment, guilt, jealously as well as a variety of other emotions. This time of year often brings these feelings to a head when we are convinced that everyone has it all together, and we don’t. The Buddha defined ill-will as one of three states of mind that keeps us in samsara, or a state of unease. He also teaches that this painful emotion can be seen for what it really is, and with patience, can be experienced with insight and ultimately released.

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SIM Community Potluck

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Annual get-together of the SIM community during the holiday season. All are invited — bring a dish of your choosing to share with attendees! Please bring a potluck dish to share (for six or more.) Set up will begin at 6:30. This year there will be tables and chairs in the sangha room to enable everyone to socialize during the meal. To encourage “green” practices, please bring your own dinner plate, silverware, cup, and cloth napkin.

Following the meal, sangha members will have an opportunity to share creative/artistic expressions, original or other, such as readings, poetry, music, dance, skits, stories (Think “SIM Talent.”)  Presentations with a holiday, dharma, and/or seasonal theme—dramatic,  serious, humorous, spiritual or whatever—are encouraged. Presentations should be no more than three (3) to five (5) minutes. About an hour total will be allotted for the presentations. To maximize the number of presentations, please send your name, title, and length of presentation, to linda.franklin92@gmail.com.

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Christmas Eve — No SIM events

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Sit & Dharma Talk “Reflections on the Year” with SIM Community Mentor, Rich Howard

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The title of Rich’s talk is “Reflections on the Year.”

We are reminded in the Dhammapada that there are three elements of practice:

Doing no evil,

Engaging in what’s skillful,

And purifying one’s mind.

This is the teaching of the buddhas.

(v. 183, Gil Fronsdal translation)

As the year ends, we will reflect on how we did in these three areas, using the lens of the Pārami (the perfections of the mind-heart), an attitude of kindness, and the support of the sangha, the community of fellow practitioners. We will close together by ringing 108 bells. Join SIM Community Mentor Rich Howard for a peaceful, supportive evening.

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Day-Long Retreat with SIM Founding Teacher, Dennis Warren

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The topic of Dennis’s day-long retreat is Being Imperfect and Human. During this day-long retreat we’ll also explore a year-long course Dennis will be leading starting in January 2016.

Here is a flyer for the retreat: 12 26 15 – Year End One Day Retreat – 2016 Year Long Course – Flyer

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Day-Long Retreat with Senior Teacher, Kamala Masters

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On Saturday, February 27, 2016, senior teacher Kamala Masters will be leading a one-day retreat on “The Integration of Love and Wisdom.” Please see the flyer for more information: Revised Last week Flyer

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Everyday Practice With The Aspiration Of Awakening with Dennis Warren

One of the most elusive, yet fundamental, elements of Buddhist psychology and practice is the idea that we can be transformed in some genuinely permanent way through our practice, and that we can be “liberated” from what burdens our minds and hearts. Buddhist practice promises the possibility of a lasting peace and satisfaction that is not dependent on external circumstances.

This one day retreat will focus on the meaning of Awakening or Enlightenment in realistic terms for those practicing at a community, non-monastic, level. We’ll explore the question “What may be possible in this lifetime through practice?” We’ll examine specific daily life, relationship and meditation practices designed to move our practices toward Awakening. The day will involve sitting and walking meditation; practice instruction; a dharma talk; and plenty of time for questions, answers and discussion. The day will be led by SIM’s Founding Teacher Dennis Warren.

This one day retreat will begin at 8:30 and end at 4:00 pm. Please bring a lunch and plan on staying on site during the lunch hour and during the whole day. The event will take place at the Sacramento Friends Meeting house, 890 57th Street.

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