Joe Engum has been leading weekly meditation groups at the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution in Pendleton and the Three Rivers Correctional Institution near Umatilla for 19 years. He is looking for volunteers to help offer meditation at these facilities so he can begin to transition into retirement from that service. Times are open for day or evening meditation, whatever works for the volunteers. If you are interested, please contact Joe at engumjoseph@gmail.com.

______________________________________________

Thursday Evening Meditation & Talk:

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, July 30, 2026, Chris will give a talk on mindfulness of breathing, a cornerstone of mindfulness practice and one of the main ways in which we can be mindful of the body and learn to be present in the moment. The following Thursday, August 6, we’ll have an open discussion of the practice of mindfulness of breathing. We can find links to resources available on the internet for these topics on our Updated Resources page.

______________________________________________

Beginning Meditation Classes Continue until August 9th, 2026

We will begin a series of beginning meditation classes on July 12, 2026 that will run through August 9, 2026. The classes will be on Sunday afternoons from 1:30 pm until 3:00 pm in the Parish Hall of All Saints Episcopal Church, 1322 Kimball Avenue in Richland. There is no charge for the classes; donations are accepted. Registration for the classes is now open. 

Please send an email to insightmeditation.midcol@gmail.com to register for the classes.

The five classes are intended to work together to provide an introduction to meditation for those new to meditation or serve as a useful “touchstone” for more experienced practitioners. You are welcome to attend any or all of the classes, especially if you’ve taken one or more of the classes before. Each class can be a stand alone class, and will focus on a different topic.

The classes will be taught by Chris Murray, guiding teacher of Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia, and Fabiola Robinson, a new meditation teacher with the IMMC.

The remaining dates and topics for the class series are:

August 2 — Compassion & Loving Kindness Meditation Practices

August 9 – Insight Meditation and Open Awareness

__________________________________________

Meditation Retreat on Saturday, August 15, 2026

Chris Murray will lead an Insight Meditation retreat on Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. Registration is now open for the retreat. To register for the retreat, please send an email to the following email address: registrar@insightmeditationmc.org.

The retreat will be conducted at All Saints Episcopal Church, 1322 Kimball Avenue, Richland, in the Parish Hall. Chris is the Guiding Teacher of Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia.

The topic for the retreat is “Flourishing in Turbulent Times”. This in-person retreat will explore meditation practices for the encouragement and recognition of awareness, connection, insight, and purpose. Those four factors have been identified as key contributors to human flourishing and wellbeing by Richie Davidson and Cortland Dahl, two well-know neuroscientists and dedicated practitioners of Buddhist meditation. During the retreat we will explore ways to establish a well-rounded and supportive meditation practice that can help us move with more awareness, compassion, and wisdom in a turbulent world, so that we can help ourselves while helping others and the world.

The retreat will consist of a mix of stationary meditation and movement meditation with instruction and a Dharma talk and will be suitable for beginners and experienced meditators. 

Fee for the retreat will be $10. Please use our online donation form at donorbox to pay the retreat fee and leave a comment indicating that the donation is for the retreat on August 15. The fee will be waived for those who can’t afford it, please send an email to the Registrar’s email address (registrar@insightmeditationmc.org) if you’d like to request a scholarship. Those who are registered for the retreat will receive an email the week of the retreat with additional information.

Meditation and Talk on Friday, August 14, 2026

Chris Murray will also lead a meditation and give a talk on the same topic as the retreat on the evening before the retreat, Friday, August 14, 2026, from 7:00 pm till 8:30 pm. That event will also be held in the Parish Hall of All Saints, 1322 Kimball Avenue, Richland. There is no fee for the Friday evening event and no registration or RSVP is required.

__________________________________________

Tri-Cities Cancer Center Meditation Support Group Meets August 20th

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,8/20/2026. 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.

__________________________________________

IMMC Picnic and 20th Anniversary Celebration August 29th

There will be a picnic for the meditation group at Leslie Groves Park in Richland on Saturday, August 29, from 11:30 am – 2:30 pm. We plan to meet in Picnic Shelter #1, near the Park Avenue entrance. That’s the shelter closest to the volleyball court and the river. We will provide: Table cloths, utensils (forks, knives, spoons), plates, napkins, cups, a big water jug, iced tea, lemonade, and a cooler with ice. Please bring a potluck dish to share and any utensils needed to serve it. You may also want to bring a chair to sit on. There is seating on benches in the picnic shelter, but additional seating will be needed. All participants in the meditation group are welcome to attend, even if you’re new or if you haven’t been participating in the last few years. Spouses, family, and significant others are also welcome. 

August 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia, so if you’re a part of the community, or have been in the past, we hope you’ll join us for the picnic and celebration.

If you’re planning to attend, please RSVP to this email: insightmeditation.midcol@gmail.com. This will help us plan for what we need to provide.

__________________________________________

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

The Greater Good Science Center has a good introduction to mindfulness of breathing with a verbal description of the practice and a link on the page to a guided meditation by Diana Winston. You can find their article here:  Mindful Breathing

~ Jack Kornfield

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. We find links to resources available on the internet for these topics on our Updated Resources page.

After the 7:00 pm online meditation on Thursday, July 16, 2026, Chris will give a talk on the four domains of our experience that the Buddha suggested we focus our mindfulness on. This will include a discussion of some general recommendations of ways in which we can practice with those domains. The following Thursday, July 23, we’ll have an open discussion of our practice of mindfulness. Please visit our Updated Resources page for more information about the four domains (foundations) of mindfulness and how to practice with them.

______________________________________________

Beginning Meditation Classes Continue until August 9th, 2026

We will begin a series of beginning meditation classes on July 12, 2026 that will run through August 9, 2026. The classes will be on Sunday afternoons from 1:30 pm until 3:00 pm in the Parish Hall of All Saints Episcopal Church, 1322 Kimball Avenue in Richland. There is no charge for the classes; donations are accepted. Registration for the classes is now open. 

Please send an email to insightmeditation.midcol@gmail.com to register for the classes.

The five classes are intended to work together to provide an introduction to meditation for those new to meditation or serve as a useful “touchstone” for more experienced practitioners. You are welcome to attend any or all of the classes, especially if you’ve taken one or more of the classes before. Each class can be a stand alone class, and will focus on a different topic.

The classes will be taught by Chris Murray, guiding teacher of Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia, and Fabiola Robinson, a new meditation teacher with the IMMC.

The remaining dates and topics for the class series are:

July 19 — Mindfulness Meditation and the Body

July 26 — Mindfulness of Thoughts and Emotions in Meditation

August 2 — Compassion & Loving Kindness Meditation Practices

August 9 – Insight Meditation and Open Awareness

__________________________________________

Tri-Cities Cancer Center Meditation Support Group Meets July 16th

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,7/16/2026. 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 Retreat on Saturday, August 15, 2026

Chris Murray will lead an Insight Meditation retreat on Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. Registration is now open for the retreat. To register for the retreat, please send an email to the following email address: registrar@insightmeditationmc.org.

The topic for the retreat is “Flourishing in Turbulent Times”. This in-person retreat will explore meditation practices for the encouragement and recognition of awareness, connection, insight, and purpose. Those four factors have been identified as key contributors to human flourishing and wellbeing by Richie Davidson and Cortland Dahl, two well-know neuroscientists and dedicated practitioners of Buddhist meditation. During the retreat we will explore ways to establish a well-rounded and supportive meditation practice that can help us move with more awareness, compassion, and wisdom in a turbulent world, so that we can help ourselves while helping others and the world.

The retreat will consist of a mix of stationary meditation and movement meditation with instruction and a Dharma talk and will be suitable for beginners and experienced meditators. 

Fee for the retreat will be $10. Please use our online donation form at donorbox to pay the retreat fee and leave a comment indicating that the donation is for the retreat on August 15. The fee will be waived for those who can’t afford it, please send an email to the Registrar’s email address (registrar@insightmeditationmc.org) if you’d like to request a scholarship. Those who are registered for the retreat will receive an email the week of the retreat with additional information.

The retreat will be conducted at All Saints Episcopal Church, 1322 Kimball Avenue, Richland, in the Parish Hall. Chris is the Guiding Teacher of Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia.

Meditation and Talk on Friday, August 14, 2026

Chris Murray will also lead a meditation and give a talk on the same topic as the retreat on the evening before the retreat, Friday, August 14, 2026, from 7:00 pm till 8:30 pm. That event will also be held in the Parish Hall of All Saints, 1322 Kimball Avenue, Richland. There is no fee for the Friday evening event and no registration or RSVP is required.

__________________________________________

IMMC Picnic and 20th Anniversary Celebration

There will be a picnic for the meditation group at Leslie Groves Park in Richland on Saturday, August 29, from 11:30 am – 2:30 pm. We plan to meet in Picnic Shelter #1, near the Park Avenue entrance. That’s the shelter closest to the volleyball court and the river. We will provide: Table cloths, utensils (forks, knives, spoons), plates, napkins, cups, a big water jug, iced tea, lemonade, and a cooler with ice. Please bring a potluck dish to share and any utensils needed to serve it. You may also want to bring a chair to sit on. There is seating on benches in the picnic shelter, but additional seating will be needed. All participants in the meditation group are welcome to attend, even if you’re new or if you haven’t been participating in the last few years. Spouses, family, and significant others are also welcome. 

August 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia, so if you’re a part of the community, or have been in the past, we hope you’ll join us for the picnic and celebration.

If you’re planning to attend, please RSVP to this email: insightmeditation.midcol@gmail.com. This will help us plan for what we need to provide.

__________________________________________

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

~ Spirit Rock Meditation Center

Our monthly mindfulness meditation support group meeting at the Tri-Cities Cancer Center will be held on Thursday, July 16, 2026. The Cancer Center is located at 7350 West Deschutes Avenue, Kennewick. The sessions, which are held on the third Thursday of each month, are meant for cancer patients, cancer survivors, and their caregivers. The session this month will begin at 12:00 pm at the Cancer Center in the Fireside Room, adjacent to the Wellness Center conference 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.

We will hold a series of beginning meditation classes starting on July 12, 2026 that will run through August 9, 2026. The classes will be on Sunday afternoons from 1:30 pm until 3:00 pm at All Saints Episcopal Church, 1322 Kimball Avenue in Richland. The first class will be held in the main sanctuary of the church, upstairs in the front of the church, with the rest of the classes held in the Parish Hall on the lower level in the rear of the church.

There is no charge for the classes; donations are accepted. Registration for the classes is now open. 

Please send an email to insightmeditation.midcol@gmail.com to register for the classes.

The five classes are intended to work together to provide an introduction to meditation for those new to meditation or serve as a useful “touchstone” for more experienced practitioners. You are welcome to attend any or all of the classes, especially if you’ve taken one or more of the classes before. Each class can be a stand alone class, and will focus on a different topic.

The classes will be taught by Chris Murray and Fabiola Robinson, meditation teachers with Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia.

The dates and topics for the class series are:

July 12 – Introduction to Mindfulness and Mindfulness of the Breath

July 19 — Mindfulness Meditation and the Body

July 26 — Mindfulness of Thoughts and Emotions in Meditation

August 2 — Compassion & Loving Kindness Meditation Practices

August 9 – Insight Meditation and Open Awareness

Warm regards,

Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia

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. We have links to resources available on the internet for these topics on our Updated Resources page.

After the 7:00 pm online meditation on Thursday, July 2, 2026, Chris will give a talk on mindfulness, what it is and ways in which we can cultivate it. This will include ways to practice meditation and also ways in which we can bring mindfulness into our daily lives. The following Thursday, July 9, we’ll have an open discussion of our experience of mindfulness. Below you can find resources with more information about mindfulness and how to develop it.

______________________________________________

Beginning Meditation Classes Start July 12, 2026

We will begin a series of beginning meditation classes on July 12, 2026 that will run through August 9, 2026. The classes will be on Sunday afternoons from 1:30 pm until 3:00 pm in the Parish Hall of All Saints Episcopal Church, 1322 Kimball Avenue in Richland. There is no charge for the classes; donations are accepted. Registration for the classes is now open. 

Please send an email to insightmeditation.midcol@gmail.com to register for the classes.

The five classes are intended to work together to provide an introduction to meditation for those new to meditation or serve as a useful “touchstone” for more experienced practitioners. You are welcome to attend any or all of the classes, especially if you’ve taken one or more of the classes before. Each class can be a stand alone class, and will focus on a different topic.

The classes will be taught by Chris Murray, guiding teacher of Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia, and Fabiola Robinson, a new meditation teacher with the IMMC.

The dates and topics for the class series are:

July 12 – Introduction to Mindfulness and Mindfulness of the Breath

July 19 — Mindfulness Meditation and the Body

July 26 — Mindfulness of Thoughts and Emotions in Meditation

August 2 — Compassion & Loving Kindness Meditation Practices

August 9 – Insight Meditation and Open Awareness

__________________________________________

Tri-Cities Cancer Center Meditation Support Group Meets July 16th

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,7/16/2026. 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.

__________________________________________

Upcoming Meditation Retreats

Two meditation retreats and associated talks have been scheduled for this summer. All events will take place in Richland, in person.

Chris Murray, guiding teacher of IMMC, will offer a talk and meditation the evening of August 14, 2026, from 7:00 – 8:30 pm, and a meditation retreat on Saturday, August 15, from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. Registration for this retreat will open in mid-July.

Keri Pederson, Senior Teacher at Seattle Insight Meditation Society (SIMS), will offer a talk and meditation on Friday, September 11, from 7:00 – 8:30 pm. She will also offer a retreat the following day, September 12, from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Keri will be assisted by Temira Lital, a Local Dharma Leader with SIMS. The retreat will open for registration in mid-August.

More information, including topics and exact locations, will be provided later.

__________________________________________

Weekly Meditation Schedule

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