Over the next couple of months we’ll explore the Buddha’s teachings on mindfulness and the four areas of experience where he suggested we focus our mindful awareness. They include mindfulness of the body, of feeling tones, of the heart and mind, as well as mindfulness of the ways in which we experience the teachings in our lives.

After the 7:00 pm online meditation on Thursday, November 5, 2026, Chris Murray will give a talk on some approaches for practicing mindfulness of the mind and heart, and specifically our thoughts and emotions, including those that we find difficult. We’ll discuss some practices for being mindful of thoughts, including the practice of mental noting, and also the practice of RAIN, an approach to inquiring into the nature of emotions popularized by Tara Brach. The following Thursday, November 12, we’ll have a discussion after the 7:00 pm meditation about our experience with these techniques of being mindful of thoughts and emotions. Below you can find resources with more information about the practices of mental noting, investigation, and self-compassion. Please visit our Updated Resources page for more information about the practice of mindfulness of the states of the mind and heart.

__________________________________________

Meditation Retreats with Debra Seido Martin on 11/14 and 11/15/2026

The Walla Walla Dharma Sangha will host a two-day nonresidential Zen meditation retreat with Debra Seido Martin, Guiding Teacher of Zen West in Eugene, OR on Saturday, November 14 and Sunday, November 15, 2026.

The topic and related information for the retreat are as follows:

– Dates: Saturday, November 14 and/or Sunday, November 15

 – Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

 – Location: Vista Hermosa Retreat House, Prescott, WA

 – Topic: “Here is the Place, Here the Way Unfolds”

Join the Walla Walla Dharma Sangha for silent Zen practice of meditation and mindful activity inspired by teachings from Zen Master Dogen’s Genjo Koan (“Actualizing the Fundamental Point”). In the Genjo Koan, Dogen says, “To carry the self forward is delusion, that myriad things come forth and actualize the self is awakening.”

During a day of Zen meditation, we practice this through moment-to-moment unconditional presence—letting go of the mind’s usual worries, problem-solving, and endless drift to become intimate with everything around us. Being with “things as they are” becomes a surprising source of freedom and anchors genuine care for the world.

Participants are welcome to attend one or both days if space is available. This retreat is suitable for both beginning and experienced practitioners of any form of Buddhism.

Registration Details:

 – Opens: Thursday, October 22

 – How to Register: Email Stacia at sloupeterson@gmail.com. Please indicate whether you prefer to attend Saturday or Sunday. If you would like to attend both days, please note that in your email. Attendance for both days will be made available if space allows.

 – Cost: $25 per day to cover space and cleaning fees. (Dana/donations for the teacher may be offered separately.)

Carpools are being arranged from Walla Walla- contact Janaki at janakihoward@gmail.com if interested in joining the carpool (recommended). To join the carpool from the Tri-Cities, please contact Chris Murray at insightmeditation.midcol@gmail.com.

__________________________________________

Tri-Cities Cancer Center Meditation Support Group Meets Nov. 19th

We’ll continue our monthly mindfulness meditation support group meeting at the Tri-Cities Cancer Center in November. The Cancer Center is located at 7350 West Deschutes Avenue, Kennewick and the next meeting will be Thursday, 11/19/2026. The sessions, which are held on the third Thursday of each month, are meant for cancer patients, cancer survivors, and their caregivers. The session will begin at 12:00 pm at the Cancer Center in the Fireside Room. If you have a serious illness other than cancer, or are a caregiver for someone who is ill, you’re welcome to attend the sessions. Each session includes a brief review of mindfulness and mindful self-compassion meditations and the role they can play in reducing the anxiety arising from diagnosis and treatment, an opportunity to ask questions, and the chance to practice meditation with others. Please contact Lorie MacIsaac to register for the support group session by email at Lorie.Macisaac@kadlec.org or call 509-737-3412.You’re welcome to attend even if you aren’t registered

__________________________________________

Weekly Meditation Schedule

In-Person Meditations Available at Shalom UCC:

There are two in-person meditations each month at Shalom UCC, at 505 McMurray Street in Richland. They are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. The meditations start at 5:30 pm and are 25 minutes long. They are followed by some discussion of meditation. The sessions are finished by 6:30 pm. Instruction and/or a guided meditation are available on the 4th Tuesday of the month. All are welcome to the meditations at Shalom. 

IMMC In-Person Meetings:

Our in-person meetings take place at All Saints Episcopal Church, 1322 Kimball Avenue in Richland. Our in-person meditation meetings are offered on Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. We meditate for half an hour, followed by an optional time for sharing and conversation after meditation. No problem if you just want to meditate and then leave. 

Chairs are available in the meeting hall. However, if you prefer to use your own chair, blanket, cushion or bench, you are welcome to bring it. The meetings have recently moved indoors and meet in the Parish Hall at the rear of the church.

Those who regularly attend the in-person meetings have developed a masking policy for the times we meet indoors. The community levels of Covid will be checked each time we publish a newsletter. When community levels are low; masks will be optional. When community levels are medium or high, masks will be required. If there is any attending member that feels more comfortable with everyone masking, we will all mask in support of the most vulnerable among us.

Currently, the Covid community levels are low in Benton County; masks are optional on Saturday and Wednesday morning unless any participant feels more comfortable with everyone masking. Please bring a mask to all of the in-person sessions in case the meeting is moved indoors and there is an attending member with greater vulnerability.

We’re looking forward to welcoming some of you in person and being there online for others.

Online Meetings:

In addition to our in-person meetings we have three online meditations a week, on Wednesday morning, Thursday evening, and Saturday morning. The Zoom links for those meetings can be found on the Events Calendar. You’re welcome to join us online for any of the 3 meetings each week.

During the Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday online meetings, we “sit together” for meditation for half an hour. Meditations include guided meditations, meditations with some initial guidance and instruction, and silent meditations. The Wednesday morning meditation starts at 9:30 am, with half an hour of meditation, followed by half an hour of sharing. On Thursday evenings there is a talk or discussion and sharing following meditation. Meditation is from 7:30 until 8:00 pm, with the talk and discussion ending at about 9:00 pm. The Saturday morning meditation starts at 8:00 am, with half an hour of meditation followed by half an hour of sharing.

If you can’t or don’t wish to join the online sessions you can just meditate at the same time as we’re meeting and know that there are others from the group who are meditating with you. 

We’re looking forward to welcoming some of you in person and being there online for others.

__________________________________________

Volunteers at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center

The Insight Meditation group has supported Buddhist meditation groups at the state prison in Connell, WA since 2003. Those visits were on hold during the height of the pandemic but resumed last year. Currently we have two volunteers visiting the medium-security prison on Monday afternoons and we are seeking additional volunteers to support that effort, especially when our lead volunteer isn’t available.

There are several requirements for those volunteering at the prison.  Orientation and training are required. Applicants also need to undergo a background investigation. Applicants with a criminal background need to be off of supervision or parole for a year before applying. 

Those applying to volunteer should have a regular meditation practice and at least some knowledge of Buddhist teachings and be willing to learn more so that you can discuss Buddhist practice with the inmates. If you’re interested, please contact Chris Murray for more information about volunteering at Coyote Ridge.

__________________________________________________

Online Donation Form for Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia

Please use our online donation form if you wish to contribute to the meditation group.

Warm regards and thank you for your support,

Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia

RAIN is an acronym for Recognizing, Allowing, Investigating and Nurturing. It is an approach to mindfulness and investigation of our thoughts and emotions developed by Michele McDonald and adapted and popularized by Tara Brach. The approach begins with mental noting of what we’re thinking or experiencing, but goes beyond it in giving us a framework to investigate what we’re actually experiencing when an emotion is present, and to encourage self-compassion if it’s a difficult emotion. You can find many different resources for RAIN, including handouts, guided meditations, and talks, on Tara Brach’s website at this location: RAIN: A Practice of Radical Compassion

~ Tara Brach

Over the next couple of months we’ll explore the Buddha’s teachings on mindfulness and the four areas of experience where he suggested we focus our mindful awareness. They include mindfulness of the body, of feeling tones, of the heart and mind, as well as mindfulness of the ways in which we experience the teachings in our lives.

After the 7:00 pm online meditation on Thursday, October 22, 2026, Chris Murray will give a talk on the practice of mindfulness of the mind and heart, and specifically the states of mind that pass through, often without notice. This involves becoming aware of the presence or absence of grasping, aversion, delusion, and other mind states. The following Thursday, October 29, we’ll have a discussion after the 7:00 pm meditation on the practice of mindfulness of the states of our mind and heart and how they change. Please visit our Updated Resources page for more information about the practice of mindfulness of the states of the mind and heart.

__________________________________________

Reminder to Vote in the General Election

Those of us in Washington State have recently received our ballots and many of those that live elsewhere in the United States are also able to begin voting now. If you’ve received a ballot by mail, please remember to submit it early so that it is postmarked by Election Day, November 3rd. Better yet, you can use a drop box provided by your local election officials or drop your ballot off at a local election center. In Washington State you can find more information, including drop box locations and your registration status at https://voter.votewa.gov/portal2023/login.aspx. For all voters in the U.S., you can find more information about how to register and vote from Vote411: https://www.vote411.org/plan-your-vote. Voting is one of main ways we can keep our democracy healthy and flourishing.

__________________________________________

Weekly Meditation Schedule

In-Person Meditations Available at Shalom UCC:

There are two in-person meditations each month at Shalom UCC, at 505 McMurray Street in Richland. They are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. The meditations start at 5:30 pm and are 25 minutes long. They are followed by some discussion of meditation. The sessions are finished by 6:30 pm. Instruction and/or a guided meditation are available on the 4th Tuesday of the month. All are welcome to the meditations at Shalom. 

IMMC In-Person Meetings:

Our in-person meetings take place at All Saints Episcopal Church, 1322 Kimball Avenue in Richland. Our in-person meditation meetings are offered on Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. We meditate for half an hour, followed by an optional time for sharing and conversation after meditation. No problem if you just want to meditate and then leave. 

Chairs are available in the meeting hall. However, if you prefer to use your own chair, blanket, cushion or bench, you are welcome to bring it. The meetings have recently moved indoors and meet in the Parish Hall at the rear of the church.

Those who regularly attend the in-person meetings have developed a masking policy for the times we meet indoors. The community levels of Covid will be checked each time we publish a newsletter. When community levels are low; masks will be optional. When community levels are medium or high, masks will be required. If there is any attending member that feels more comfortable with everyone masking, we will all mask in support of the most vulnerable among us.

Currently, the Covid community levels are low in Benton County; masks are optional on Saturday and Wednesday morning unless any participant feels more comfortable with everyone masking. Please bring a mask to all of the in-person sessions in case the meeting is moved indoors and there is an attending member with greater vulnerability.

We’re looking forward to welcoming some of you in person and being there online for others.

Online Meetings:

In addition to our in-person meetings we have three online meditations a week, on Wednesday morning, Thursday evening, and Saturday morning. The Zoom links for those meetings can be found on the Events Calendar. You’re welcome to join us online for any of the 3 meetings each week.

During the Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday online meetings, we “sit together” for meditation for half an hour. Meditations include guided meditations, meditations with some initial guidance and instruction, and silent meditations. The Wednesday morning meditation starts at 9:30 am, with half an hour of meditation, followed by half an hour of sharing. On Thursday evenings there is a talk or discussion and sharing following meditation. Meditation is from 7:30 until 8:00 pm, with the talk and discussion ending at about 9:00 pm. The Saturday morning meditation starts at 8:00 am, with half an hour of meditation followed by half an hour of sharing.

If you can’t or don’t wish to join the online sessions you can just meditate at the same time as we’re meeting and know that there are others from the group who are meditating with you. 

We’re looking forward to welcoming some of you in person and being there online for others.

__________________________________________

Meditation Retreats with Debra Seido Martin on 11/14 and 11/15/2026

The Walla Walla Dharma Sangha will host a two-day nonresidential Zen meditation retreat with Debra Seido Martin, Guiding Teacher of Zen West in Eugene, OR on Saturday, November 14 and Sunday, November 15, 2026.

The topic and related information for the retreat are as follows:

– Dates: Saturday, November 14 and/or Sunday, November 15

 – Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

 – Location: Vista Hermosa Retreat House, Prescott, WA

 – Topic: “Here is the Place, Here the Way Unfolds”

Join the Walla Walla Dharma Sangha for silent Zen practice of meditation and mindful activity inspired by teachings from Zen Master Dogen’s Genjo Koan (“Actualizing the Fundamental Point”). In the Genjo Koan, Dogen says, “To carry the self forward is delusion, that myriad things come forth and actualize the self is awakening.”

During a day of Zen meditation, we practice this through moment-to-moment unconditional presence—letting go of the mind’s usual worries, problem-solving, and endless drift to become intimate with everything around us. Being with “things as they are” becomes a surprising source of freedom and anchors genuine care for the world.

Participants are welcome to attend one or both days if space is available. This retreat is suitable for both beginning and experienced practitioners of any form of Buddhism.

Registration Details:

 – Opens: Thursday, October 22

 – How to Register: Email Stacia at sloupeterson@gmail.com. Please indicate whether you prefer to attend Saturday or Sunday. If you would like to attend both days, please note that in your email. Attendance for both days will be made available if space allows.

 – Cost: $25 per day to cover space and cleaning fees. (Dana/donations for the teacher may be offered separately.)

Carpools are being arranged from Walla Walla- contact Janaki at janakihoward@gmail.com if interested in joining the carpool (recommended). To join the carpool from the Tri-Cities, please contact Chris Murray at insightmeditation.midcol@gmail.com.

__________________________________________

Tri-Cities Cancer Center Meditation Support Group Meets Nov. 19th

We’ll continue our monthly mindfulness meditation support group meeting at the Tri-Cities Cancer Center in November. The Cancer Center is located at 7350 West Deschutes Avenue, Kennewick and the next meeting will be Thursday, 11/19/2026. The sessions, which are held on the third Thursday of each month, are meant for cancer patients, cancer survivors, and their caregivers. The session will begin at 12:00 pm at the Cancer Center in the Fireside Room. If you have a serious illness other than cancer, or are a caregiver for someone who is ill, you’re welcome to attend the sessions. Each session includes a brief review of mindfulness and mindful self-compassion meditations and the role they can play in reducing the anxiety arising from diagnosis and treatment, an opportunity to ask questions, and the chance to practice meditation with others. Please contact Lorie MacIsaac to register for the support group session by email at Lorie.Macisaac@kadlec.org or call 509-737-3412.You’re welcome to attend even if you aren’t registered

__________________________________________

Volunteers at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center

The Insight Meditation group has supported Buddhist meditation groups at the state prison in Connell, WA since 2003. Those visits were on hold during the height of the pandemic but resumed last year. Currently we have two volunteers visiting the medium-security prison on Monday afternoons and we are seeking additional volunteers to support that effort, especially when our lead volunteer isn’t available.

There are several requirements for those volunteering at the prison.  Orientation and training are required. Applicants also need to undergo a background investigation. Applicants with a criminal background need to be off of supervision or parole for a year before applying. 

Those applying to volunteer should have a regular meditation practice and at least some knowledge of Buddhist teachings and be willing to learn more so that you can discuss Buddhist practice with the inmates. If you’re interested, please contact Chris Murray for more information about volunteering at Coyote Ridge.

__________________________________________________

Online Donation Form for Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia

Please use our online donation form if you wish to contribute to the meditation group.

Warm regards and thank you for your support,

Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia

~ Midwest Alliance for Mindfulness

Over the next couple of months we’ll explore the Buddha’s teachings on mindfulness and the four areas of experience where he suggested we focus our mindful awareness. They include mindfulness of the body, of feeling tones, of the heart and mind, as well as mindfulness of the ways in which we experience the teachings in our lives.

After the 7:00 pm online meditation on Thursday, October 8, 2026, Chris Murray will give a talk on the practice of mindfulness of the feeling tones of each moment of our experience. This involves becoming aware of the pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral feeling tone that we automatically associate with each moment’s experience. Noticing whether an experience is felt as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral can help us to be more aware of the ways we respond, and help us learn to avoid the suffering that arises from clinging to the pleasant, pushing away the unpleasant, and ignoring all of the neutral stuff. The following Thursday, October 15, we’ll have a discussion after the 7:00 pm meditation on the practice of mindfulness of the feeling tone of our experience. Please visit Updated Resources page for more information about the practice of mindfulness of feeling tones, also known as mindfulness of vedana.

__________________________________________

Weekly Meditation Schedule

In-Person Meditations Available at Shalom UCC:

There are two in-person meditations each month at Shalom UCC, at 505 McMurray Street in Richland. They are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. The meditations start at 5:30 pm and are 25 minutes long. They are followed by some discussion of meditation. The sessions are finished by 6:30 pm. Instruction and/or a guided meditation are available on the 4th Tuesday of the month. All are welcome to the meditations at Shalom. 

IMMC In-Person Meetings:

Our in-person meetings take place at All Saints Episcopal Church, 1322 Kimball Avenue in Richland. Our in-person meditation meetings are offered on Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. We meditate for half an hour, followed by an optional time for sharing and conversation after meditation. No problem if you just want to meditate and then leave. 

Chairs are available in the meeting hall. However, if you prefer to use your own chair, blanket, cushion or bench, you are welcome to bring it. The meetings have recently moved indoors and meet in the Parish Hall at the rear of the church.

Those who regularly attend the in-person meetings have developed a masking policy for the times we meet indoors. The community levels of Covid will be checked each time we publish a newsletter. When community levels are low; masks will be optional. When community levels are medium or high, masks will be required. If there is any attending member that feels more comfortable with everyone masking, we will all mask in support of the most vulnerable among us.

Currently, the Covid community levels are low in Benton County; masks are optional on Saturday and Wednesday morning unless any participant feels more comfortable with everyone masking. Please bring a mask to all of the in-person sessions in case the meeting is moved indoors and there is an attending member with greater vulnerability.

We’re looking forward to welcoming some of you in person and being there online for others.

Online Meetings:

In addition to our in-person meetings we have three online meditations a week, on Wednesday morning, Thursday evening, and Saturday morning. The Zoom links for those meetings can be found on the Events Calendar. You’re welcome to join us online for any of the 3 meetings each week.

During the Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday online meetings, we “sit together” for meditation for half an hour. Meditations include guided meditations, meditations with some initial guidance and instruction, and silent meditations. The Wednesday morning meditation starts at 9:30 am, with half an hour of meditation, followed by half an hour of sharing. On Thursday evenings there is a talk or discussion and sharing following meditation. Meditation is from 7:30 until 8:00 pm, with the talk and discussion ending at about 9:00 pm. The Saturday morning meditation starts at 8:00 am, with half an hour of meditation followed by half an hour of sharing.

If you can’t or don’t wish to join the online sessions you can just meditate at the same time as we’re meeting and know that there are others from the group who are meditating with you. 

We’re looking forward to welcoming some of you in person and being there online for others.

__________________________________________

Tri-Cities Cancer Center Meditation Support Group Meets Oct. 15th

We’ll continue our monthly mindfulness meditation support group meeting at the Tri-Cities Cancer Center in May. The Cancer Center is located at 7350 West Deschutes Avenue, Kennewick and the next meeting will be Thursday, 10/15/2026. The sessions, which are held on the third Thursday of each month, are meant for cancer patients, cancer survivors, and their caregivers. The session will begin at 12:00 pm at the Cancer Center in the Fireside Room. If you have a serious illness other than cancer, or are a caregiver for someone who is ill, you’re welcome to attend the sessions. Each session includes a brief review of mindfulness and mindful self-compassion meditations and the role they can play in reducing the anxiety arising from diagnosis and treatment, an opportunity to ask questions, and the chance to practice meditation with others. Please contact Lorie MacIsaac to register for the support group session by email at Lorie.Macisaac@kadlec.org or call 509-737-3412.You’re welcome to attend even if you aren’t registered

__________________________________________

Meditation Retreats with Debra Seido Martin on 11/14 and 11/15/2026

The Walla Walla Dharma Sangha will host a two-day nonresidential Zen meditation retreat with Debra Seido Martin, Guiding Teacher of Zen West in Eugene, OR on Saturday, November 14 and Sunday, November 15, 2026. The retreats will go from 9:00 am – 3:30 pm on Saturday and 9:00 am – 3:00 pm on Sunday. The retreats will be held at the Vista Hermosa retreat house, near Prescott, WA. Carpools will be organized from the Tri-Cities for both days of the retreat.

Participants are welcome to attend either Saturday or Sunday, or both days, space permitting.

This retreat will be appropriate for both beginning and more experienced meditators. It will include seated and walking meditation, dharma talk and sharing. 

More details, including topic and registration information, will be provided when they’re available.

__________________________________________

Volunteers at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center

The Insight Meditation group has supported Buddhist meditation groups at the state prison in Connell, WA since 2003. Those visits were on hold during the height of the pandemic but resumed last year. Currently we have two volunteers visiting the medium-security prison on Monday afternoons and we are seeking additional volunteers to support that effort, especially when our lead volunteer isn’t available.

There are several requirements for those volunteering at the prison.  Orientation and training are required. Applicants also need to undergo a background investigation. Applicants with a criminal background need to be off of supervision or parole for a year before applying. 

Those applying to volunteer should have a regular meditation practice and at least some knowledge of Buddhist teachings and be willing to learn more so that you can discuss Buddhist practice with the inmates. If you’re interested, please contact Chris Murray for more information about volunteering at Coyote Ridge.

__________________________________________________

Online Donation Form for Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia

Please use our online donation form if you wish to contribute to the meditation group.

Warm regards and thank you for your support,

Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia

Sara-Mai Conway has a good article that defines and examines the feeling tones (i.e., vedana) and talks about the relationship between learning to practice mindfulness of feeling tones and freedom. You can find her article here: How we Benefit from Mindfulness of Feeling tones