Metta Study and Practice Daylong with Sean Feit on June 16th

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Saturday, June 16, 2012, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
(Note: change of time)
at
Doctors Medical Center
1441 Florida Ave.
Conference Center, Room 1 (building between the parking structure and Emergency Dept.)
Modesto, CA

One of the most accessible and powerful tools the Buddha offered for meeting difficulty with strength and grace is the practice of metta, or unconditional love, the first of the four Divine Abidings. The practice is beautifully described in a much-loved short text called the Metta Sutta. It reveals a Path of Love that unfolds as wise action, generosity, intention, and the deepest wisdoms of renunciation and release from suffering.

In this daylong retreat, we will study the text both as a teaching tool and a devotional practice, integrated with periods of silent sitting and walking meditation. We’ll learn to chant the text in both Pali and English, and learn a formal metta practice, cultivating the bright, clear love that transforms ourselves and everyone we meet. All are welcome.

This day is freely offered to all.  Donations are welcome to support Sean and future Insight Meditation Modesto offerings.

Please bring a vegetarian potluck dish to share for lunch, and anything else you need to stay warm and cozy through the day.  For the sake of those who may have sensitivities or allergies, please do not wear scented or perfumed products.  If you have a meditation cushion, please bring it.  Chairs will be available.

Sean Feit’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.  More information about Sean can be found at nadalila.org

For additional information, please contact Lori Wong at 209-343-2748.

Practicing with the Precepts daylong on May 5th with Tony Bernhard

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Saturday, May 5, 2012, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
at
the Stanislaus Recovery Center
Room C-112 (building is on the left as you enter)
1904 Richland Ave., Ceres, CA

The Buddha’s path to liberation is not a one-fold path, not simply a matter of regularly practicing sitting meditation. Derived from the heart of the Eightfold Path — right speech, right action, right livelihood — the five precepts are integral to the process of awakening. They are not simply a matter of being good, they bring dharma practice directly into our daily lives.

This daylong will review the function of precept practice generally in the broad context of the Four Noble Truths, and will explore them individually to uncover the unique ways in which practicing each of the precepts contributes to our own process of waking up.

Tony Bernhard is one of Spirit Rock’s community dharma leaders and is a board member of the Sati Center.  He hosts sitting groups in Davis and periodically teaches around the bay area and central valley. Tony’s practice is guided by study of the Pali scriptures and by contemporary scholarship of these texts.

 
This day is freely offered to all.  Donations are welcome to support the teacher and future offerings.

Please bring a vegetarian potluck dish to share for lunch, if you would like.  Dress in loose and comfortable clothing.  For the sake of those who may have sensitivities or allergies, please do not wear scented or perfumed products.  If you have a meditation cushion, please bring it.  Chairs will be available.  Suitable for all-levels of practitioners.

For additional information, please contact Lori Wong at 209-343-2748.

Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation Course starts Mar. 18th

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There will be a 6-week Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation course starting on March 18th taught by Lori Wong. The course will include progressive instructions, exercises and practice which will build from each previous week.  The course is designed for those new to meditation but can also be used to deepen or support practice for those who are already familiar with mindfulness meditation.

All are welcome to drop-in, although the greatest benefit will be for those who commit to attend all of the 6-week series.  The teachings and meetings are offered freely, without charge, as a gift to all who wish to come.  If you wish to sit on a cushion or mat, please bring your own. The floor is carpeted. Chairs will be available.

WHEN: Six Sundays, March 18 to April 29 from 12:30-2:30 pm (no meeting on Easter Sunday, April 8)
WHERE: Education Building (next to the colorful water tank), Room A or B, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Stanislaus County on 2172 Kiernan Ave. between Carver and Dale Rds., Modesto, CA.

Donations are gratefully accepted, but the wish is for those donations to come joyfully from whatever generosity may arise naturally from your heart. There is no expectation or obligation to make a donation.

Lori Wong has been practicing mindfulness meditation since 2003 and is a Community Dharma Leader in training through Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA.  Her mentor teachers in the program are Gil Fronsdal of Insight Meditation Center (IMC) in Redwood City and Eugene Cash of SF Insight in San Francisco.  She is a a board member of the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies and a founding director of the Buddhist Insight Network.  She also leads an Insight Meditation sitting group on Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8:30pm at the Unity Church in Modesto.

If you have questions or wish to sign up for this course, please contact Lori Wong by email (insightmeditationmodesto@gmail.com) or phone (209.343.2748).

Longing to Belong – a special daylong on April 14, 2012

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Longing to Belong:

A Daylong Meditation Retreat 
for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer, Transgender People and their Friends

Saturday, April 14, 2012, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

College Avenue Congregational Church
1341 College Ave at W. Orangeburg Ave.
Modesto, CA

We all long to belong.  At different times in our lives, we each have thought, “You do not fit in.  You are not worthy.”  Many communities, including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer and Transgender people are familiar with these messages.  Social and cultural norms greatly impact all of us.  For those of us who are overlooked or misrepresented for any reason, these messages often result in isolation and discrimination.  The Buddha declared that regardless, freedom is available to each of us without exception.  His message was and remains simple. “Everyone can be free.”  That means you too.

LGBQT people and friends are invited to come together for this daylong retreat to develop belonging. Spiritual community has the power to deeply transform our lives.  Our day will include sitting and walking meditation.  We will investigate what keeps us isolated from others and what builds connection and well-being.  There will also be time for journaling and sharing in small groups.  This day of practice will further develop tools to increase mindfulness and loving kindness in our lives.  By combining our efforts in spiritual community, our effort will bring greater freedom.  We’ll start with ourselves but we’ll do it together.

Joan Doyle founded the East Bay LGBT Vipassana group that has grown into East Bay Meditation Center (EBMC)’s Alphabet Sangha for LGBTQI and same-gender loving practitioners. In addition to co-teaching the Wednesday group at EBMC, she is active with the family programs at both EBMC and Spirit Rock, where she teaches meditation classes for young people. Joan has been meditating and practicing Dharma for over a decade, has sat many retreats and has completed Spirit Rock’s Dedicated Practitioner Program and is in the Community Dharma Leaders Training Program at Spirit Rock.

John Mifsud is in the Community Dharma Leaders Training Program at Spirit Rock. Larry Yang is his mentor teacher. John is a leader of EBMC’s Deep Refuge Group for Alphabet Brothers of Color. He also studied with Rodney Smith at Seattle Insight Meditation, coordinated the Seattle Multicultural Sangha and Seattle Dharma Buddies. His current practicum includes teaching at the San Francisco Gay Buddhist Sangha, the SF Gay Buddhist Fellowship, San Francisco Insight and EBMC.

This day is freely offered to all.  Donations are gladly accepted to support the teachers.

Please bring a vegetarian potluck dish to share for lunch, if you would like.  Dress in loose and comfortable clothing.  For the sake of those who may have sensitivities or allergies, please do not wear scented or perfumed products.  If you have a meditation cushion, please bring it. A very limited number of mats and cushions will be available.  Chairs will be available.  All levels of practitioners are welcome.

For additional information, please contact Lori Wong at 209-343-2748

Daylong on Feb. 11th with Lori Wong on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness

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Insight Meditation Modesto will be offering a daylong with Lori Wong on Saturday, February 11th, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at at Doctors Medical Center, 1441 Florida Ave., Conference Center, room 1, Modesto, CA (the Conference Center is the building between the parking structure and the emergency department) on:

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness

We will spend this day in silent practice to explore the teachings on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.  The day will include instructions for working with teachings on the four foundations, guided meditations, mindful movement and discussion.  Most of the day will be held in silence in order to cultivate the awareness in support of our exploration of the four foundations.  Lunch will be in silence.

Lori Wong has been practicing mindfulness meditation since 2003 and is a Community Dharma Leader in training through Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA.  Her mentor teachers in the program are Gil Fronsdal of Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City and Eugene Cash of SF Insight in San Francisco. She has been a student of tai chi and qigong with Sifu Neil Thomas of the Kung Fu Institute in Modesto.  She is a former board member of the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City and is currently on the board of the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies and is a founding director of the Buddhist Insight Network.  She leads Insight Meditation sitting groups that meet regularly in Modesto.

This day is freely offered to all.  Donations are welcome to support future offerings.  Please bring a vegetarian potluck dish to share for lunch, if you would like.  Dress in loose and comfortable clothing.  For the sake of those who may have sensitivities or allergies, please do not wear scented or perfumed products.  If you have a meditation cushion, please bring it.  A very limited number of mats and cushions will be available.  Chairs will be available.  All-levels of practitioners are welcome.

Living Ishfully

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I wanted to share a lovely sermon that was given by William Levwood at the UUFSC on Jan. 15th.  It’s a great dharma talk. I highly recommend reading the preface first.  If you want to hear “Ish” read, there’s a YouTube video you can watch that shows the pages from the book.  Or this is a great version read by a first grade class. The kids made their own artworks, selected their own props, posed themselves based on the artwork in the book, took the pictures with a digital camera, and read the text themselves!

Enjoy!

On teachers and teachings…

Quote

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Whatever questions you have, whatever you do not understand about yourself, you have to pursue. If you have any dissatisfaction, any discontentment, you need to pursue it. Teachings and teachers provide help, guidance, and orientation so that you don’t spend too much time dealing with the wrong issues. The teacher saves you time, energy and effort. But the teacher can’t do it for you. The teacher gives you guidelines to help you do the practice and to help you deal with yourself. –A.H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), “Inexhaustible Mystery”