Thursday evening info:
Over the next month or so we’ll explore the Buddha’s teachings on four qualities of the heart that support us in our lives and practice, and can help us to cultivate an open heart. These four qualities, lovingkindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, are usually known as the Brahmaviharas or the four immeasurables. A resource that we’ll draw on for the talks and discussion is the book Boundless Heart: The Buddha’s Path of Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity by Christina Feldman.
After the 7:00 pm online meditation on Thursday, September 11, Chris will give a talk on equanimity, learning to experience balance in meditation and life in all conditions. We’ll discuss in more detail the practice of working with the Eight Worldly Winds as a way to actively cultivate equanimity. The following Thursday, September 18, we’ll have an open discussion after meditation of the role of equanimity in our lives. You can find resources with more information about equanimity here.
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Meditation Retreat on Saturday, September 27, 2025
Keri Pederson will lead an Insight Meditation retreat on Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm. Keri Pederson is one of the Guiding Teachers of Seattle Insight Meditation Society.
The retreat will be conducted at All Saints Episcopal Church, 1322 Kimball Avenue, Richland, in the Parish Hall. To register for the retreat, please send an email to Tim Barbour.
The title and description of the retreat follow:
What is Trust-Worthy? Exploring Faith in Uncertain Times
In times of personal or collective uncertainty and challenge, it is natural to seek out what is dependable and worthy of our trust. The quality of faith in the early Buddhist teachings does not imply belief or adherence to a dogma or external system, but rather the willingness of our hearts to stay open and inquiring, even in the midst of great difficulty. What makes this possible? A sense of faith (or trust) is said to precede all other wholesome qualities of mind, and when it is developed and balanced by wisdom it can provide energy and become a kind of power.
During the Friday evening talk (see below) and Saturday daylong retreat, we will explore together this quality of faith — how we experience and know it for ourselves, what supports and strengthens it, and how to relate to its challengers, doubt and discouragement.
The Saturday retreat is suitable for all experience levels. The day will consist of short talks, sitting and walking meditation, as well as group discussions.
Fee for the retreat is $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 September 27. The fee will be waived for those who can’t afford it, please send an email to Tim Barbour 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, September 26 with Keri Pederson
Keri will also offer a meditation and talk on the same topic the evening before the retreat, on Friday, 9/26, from 7:00 pm till 8:30 pm. You’re welcome to attend the Friday evening event whether or not you’re joining the retreat. This event will also be held in the Parish Hall of All Saints Episcopal Church. No registration is needed for the Friday evening event, which is freely offered by donation.
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Tri-Cities Cancer Center Meditation Support Group Meets Sept. 18th
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,9/18/2025. 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 email Lorie MacIsaac to register for the support group session or call 509-737-3412.
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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 8:00 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.
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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.
Warm regards,
Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia