Talks and practice exercises by Donald Rothberg on Wise Speech
Here’s a link to Gregory Kramer’s Insight Dialogue practice.
Here’s a great little video about mindfulness that is very simple but conveys the practice:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/video/2011/jan/20/health-and-wellbeing-fitness
Here is the link to the talk on metta and mindfulness we listened to this evening by John Peacock:
http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/91/talk/9774/
And here is an interesting article on Kindness:
Here’s a picture of our New Year’s eve altar (courtesy of Gen Tregor):
There is a wonderful post by Marguerite from her blog, Mind Deep, on the precepts.
Here are my thoughts on the topic of Refuge.
I loved these two quotes posted recentely on a favorite blog by a dharma friend, Marguerite Manteau-Rao, called Mind Deep:
There is one thing that when cultivated and regularly practiced leads to deep spiritual intention, to peace, to mindfulness and clear comprehension, to vision and knowledge, to a happy life here and now, and to the culmination of wisdom and awakening. And what is that one thing? Mindfulness centered on the body. ~ Anguttara Nikaya I, 21 ~
If the body is not cultivated, the mind cannot be cultivated. If the body is cultivated then the mind can be cultivated. ~ Majjhima Nikaya 36 ~
Insight Meditation Modesto will be offering a daylong with Dr. Lee Lipp on Satuday, Jan. 8th, from 10am to 5pm at Doctors Medical Center, Conference Center, room 1 (the building between the parking structure and the emergency department) on:
Transforming Depression and Anxiety: A Path of Skillful Compassion
Combining mindfulness meditation and specific therapeutic approaches, this workshop will examine how to best take care of ourselves by relating to depression and anxiety with compassion. Suitable for both experienced and beginning meditators, the aim of the workshop is for participants to practice identifying, relating to, and interrupting conditionings that are hindrances to feeling better. With encouragement and skillful means to interrupt the mind’s habitual patterns contributing to depression and anxiety, participants can cultivate practices to manage and prevent chronic feelings of unhappiness.
There is no fee for this workshop. Donations for the Insight Meditation Modesto’s future daylongs and for the teacher will be gratefully accepted.
TO REGISTER: Those wishing CEU credit must pre-register in advance and a CE administrative fee of $25 will be collected at the workshop. 6 CEUs for MFTs/LCSW’s may be earned by those attending the entire workshop (Dr. Lipp’s Provider #4468). Please download the Transforming Depression and Anxiety Flyer and fill out the registration form and return it – follow instructions on the form.
WHAT TO BRING: Please bring something vegetarian to share for a pot luck lunch. Hot water and tea will be provided. If you prefer to sit on the floor, please bring your own cushion.
Lee Lipp, Ph.D. has been a member of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Order of Interbeing, practicing Zen and Vipassana since 1991. Having taught in psychology graduate programs for 16 years, her most recent work has included being Diversity Coordinator at SFZC. She has taught classes at Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Center, San Francisco Zen Center, East Bay Meditation Center, Zen Hospice Project, Tassajara, Arcata Zen Center, La Casa de las Madres, Gay Men’s Buddhist Sangha, UCSF Trauma Recovery Center, SF Mental Health Assoc. and SF Dept. of Mental Health. Lee supervises at Haight Ashbury Psych Services, leads “Transforming Depression” and “Transforming Anxiety” groups, and has a psychotherapy practice in San Francisco. www.leelipp.com
Insight Meditation Modesto will be offering a daylong with Sean Feit on Sunday, Dec. 12th, from 9am to 4pm at Doctors Medical Center, Conference Center, room 1 (the building between the parking structure and the emergency department).
Devotion, faith, and refuge:
A day of mindfulness, meditation and chanting
Devotion and faith are beautiful qualities of the open heart, as well as being necessary and powerful supports on any spiritual Path. They manifest in the core Buddhist practice of going for Refuge, and when strong can sustain us through the deepest challenges of practice and life. In this day of retreat, we’ll practice sitting and walking meditation, discuss the wonderful and sometimes charged teachings on devotion and faith, and bring in the ancient practice of chanting, learning mantras and verses from the Buddhist tradition. Everyone is welcome. Meditation instructions will be given, and all chants taught.
Please bring a vegetarian dish to share for lunch if you wish, and anything else you need to stay warm and cozy through the day. Hot water and tea will be provided. Please bring a cushion if you wish to sit on the floor. Chairs will be available.
Sean’s teaching is dedicated to the integration of yoga and meditation, and draws on 17 years of practice in both. He was a monk in Burma in 2002, and has studied with many wonderful teachers including Jack Kornfield, Sylvia Boorstein and Eugene Cash (Dharma/meditation), David Moreno and Alice Joanou (yoga), and Steve Hoskinson (Somatic Experiencing). Sean teaches at Yoga Mandala and SF Insight, is recording a CD of Buddhist devotional chants, and leads kirtan, offering the practice of Bhakti Yoga as an integral aspect of a heart-centered Path. nadalila.org
Here is a great list of ways to support your practice during the holidays compiled by Diane Wilde of the Sacramento Insight Meditation group:
Mindfulness and Holiday Stress
Here’s a great article:
Why Gratitude is Good
and a guided meditation on gratitude by Ven. Thubten Chodron:
Annual Thanksgiving Gratitude Meditation
And an article about boosting your health with gratitude.
A wonderful video on gratitude:
Watch the full episode. See more Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly.
Here is the text of the talk on the five aggregates: Five Aggregates-Nov 9, 2010
Insight Meditation Central Valley 