Our Beginning Meditation class has begun. The next class will be this Sunday (Jan 30). Registration is still open and you are welcome to attend, even if you did not attend previous classes. All classes will be on Sunday afternoons from 1:30-3:00. The dates for the remaining classes are Jan 30, Feb 6, and Feb 13. More information about the class, the content and how to register can be found here: Beginning Meditation Classes.
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 and you will also find more detailed information below. You’re welcome to join us online for any of the 3 meetings each week.
In addition to our regular online meetings, we are now meeting for indoor in-person meditation sessions every Wednesday and Saturday Morning. Please see the Events Calendar for specific details.
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.
The current Thursday night series of talks is focused on Buddha’s first and most basic teachings, the Four Noble Truths, which describe stress and suffering, their causes, and the path that can lead to the end of suffering. Starting in early 2022, the emphasis will be on the last noble truth, the path to freedom from stress and suffering. In addition to meditation, that path, known as the Eightfold Path, includes suggestions for living a wise and ethical life filled with kindness and compassion. Chris will emphasize the interpersonal and social aspects of the Eightfold Path as he continues this series of talks. Excellent resources for the talks will be Gregory Kramer’s books, Insight Dialogue: The Interpersonal Path to Freedom. and A Whole Life Path.
On Thursday, 1/27, we’ll have a discussion after the 7:30 pm meditation on impermanence and our experience of self as aspects of Wise View. The following Thursday, 2/3, Chris will give a talk after the 7:30 meditation on the next factor of the Eightfold Path, which is Wise Intention. We’ll look at intention as the bridge between having some understanding of the path to greater freedom and bringing the path into all aspects of our lives. Chapter 5 in Gregory Kramer’s book, The Whole Life Path, would be a great resource for this topic.
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. I’ve had many people contact me to say they were doing that for our meditation sessions recently, and that it can help bring a feeling of connection.
Warm regards,
Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia