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.
There won’t be online or in-person meditation sessions on Saturday, Jan 1
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.
After the 7:30 pm meditation this Thursday, December 30, we’ll have an optional discussion period. The following Thursday, January 6, after the 7:30 meditation there will be a talk on Wise View and its role in the path to freedom. Wise, or Right, View is the first step on the path that gives us an orientation and perspective that help to get started and move along the path. Chapter 4 of A Whole Life Path or Chapter 7 of Insight Dialogue, both by Gregory Kramer, would be good resources for the talk, or see the additional resources below.
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