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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
8/22/2024 “Walking the Path”with Rich Howard
Audio DharmaDiscursive, subtle states of mind are difficult to isolate which makes it difficult to utilize methods to lessen their negative impact on us. They just seem to be “us”, who we are. Even though they are almost always “invisible”, you can count on experiencing their results… anxiety and more anxiety! The Buddha describes these troubling subtle states of mind as the Ten Fetters. He offers an approach, a sort of “To-Do List” on how to mentally address the Fetters, and what happens when we undertake the process of recognizing them. Tonight we will do a brief overview of the Ten Fetters and their unique properties. We’ll spend additional time on the first fetter, which is the illusion we each have concerning our own personality, or “personality view”. We will explore this first fetter through a few brief mental exercises.
8/15/2024 “The Buddha’s To-Do List for a Happier Life” with Diane Wilde
Audio DharmaDiscursive, subtle states of mind are difficult to isolate which makes it difficult to utilize methods to lessen their negative impact on us. They just seem to be “us”, who we are. Even though they are almost always “invisible”, you can count on experiencing their results… anxiety and more anxiety! The Buddha describes these troubling subtle states of mind as the Ten Fetters. He offers an approach, a sort of “To-Do List” on how to mentally address the Fetters, and what happens when we undertake the process of recognizing them. Tonight we will do a brief overview of the Ten Fetters and their unique properties. We’ll spend additional time on the first fetter, which is the illusion we each have concerning our own personality, or “personality view”. We will explore this first fetter through a few brief mental exercises.
8/8/2024 “Finding Freedom Amidst Difficulties” with Diana Clark
Audio DharmaIn this talk we will explore a well-known Buddhist story, inquiring how we can apply the learnings in the story to our own lives.
8/1/2024 “These Are A Few Of My Least Favorite Things” with Seth Castleman
Audio DharmaHow can we find balance and acceptance in the face of suffering, loss, and injustice, in our lives and in the world? Through our practice we find the middle path between complacency and worry.
New 3-Month Course : Experiencing Insight
NewsSIM’s Founding Teacher Dennis Warren will be teaching a new three-month course “Experiencing Insight: The Defining Characteristic of Theravada/Vipassana Buddhism“.
Registration Refund Policy
UncategorizedIf your circumstances have changed and you are no longer able to attend the retreat or course you signed up for, we are sorry that you cannot practice with us. Refunds will be given following the policies below. We cannot offer credit or transfers. We thank you for respectfully honoring our policies and not asking for any exceptions. Please contact registrar@sactoinsight.org for assistance.
We reserve the right to cancel a class or event due to low enrollment or other circumstances which would make the event non-viable. If SIM cancels an event you’ve registered for, you will be offered a full refund.
7/25/2024 “Planting the Seeds of Forgiveness” with Greg Scharf
Audio Dharma7/18/2024 “Boredom: Door to Awakening?” with Rich Howard
Audio DharmaAs the dog days of summer arrive, we may not be filling our days with as many activities. We may even be facing periods of boredom. Or we may have children who are BORED!! Dr. Katie Hurley (Happy Kid Handbook) says, “We have a tendency to treat boredom as a sign of distress, or a sort of call for help. It is uncomfortable, but it’s not necessarily negative.” Like any hindrance (restlessness, sleepiness, etc.), we can take up boredom as an object of awareness, and by learning about an apparently negative mind state, learn about ourselves and our suffering. On a meditation retreat, John Travis has recommended looking closely at boredom. What might we find? This talk will explore boredom and related mind states.
7/11/2024 “The Benefits of Cultivating Mindfulness of Feeling Tone (Vedanā)” with Rick Maddock
Audio DharmaVedanā is often defined as the feeling quality of any experience, which is felt along a spectrum from pleasant, through neutral, to unpleasant. The Buddha attributed great importance to cultivating mindfulness of Vedanā. Tonight’s discussion will examine some of the beneficial effects of this practice, with reference to insights from both early Buddhism and modern neuroscience.
We suggest you listen to talk and reference the slideshow available in .PDF format.
Movie Night Fundraiser – July 19
NewsThis fundraising event is open to all community members and practitioners, allies and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) alike. Details about the fundraiser are shown below or CLICK HERE: