Discussion and Practice Group

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Series Begins January 3, 2019 and continues on Thursday Evenings

106 Marshall Court, Unit 120

        6:30 Meditation

        7:00 Program

        7:30 Discussion

There are many courses available for on-line viewing from amazing teachers.  Many of these provide really incredible and invaluable learning opportunities at minimal or no cost.  However, solo learning does not satisfy our desire to share the information with others and engage in discussion and practice.  The first program in our new space is a four week program from Tara Brach, Bringing Presence to Stressful Situation.  In this video program, Tara shares teachings from the Buddha’s description of the path out of suffering and into flourishing. Tara is a clinical psychologist, an internationally known teacher of mindfulness meditation and author of Radical Acceptance, and True Refuge.  

If you wish to obtain a certificate of completion you will have to register on your own (here) but if you simply want to join us to explore the teaching there is no fee. A dana (donation) box will be available at the door and you are welcome to offer dana to support community activities like this. 

Udemy says: “When stressful events come our way, evolution has hardwired us to go into the fight-flight-freeze response. This automatic process served us well in surviving across millennia as a species, but in modern life, unconscious reactivity often is counterproductive and even harmful to the things that matter most to us.

In reality, stress – the actual experience of tension, of demand – though it may be uncomfortable, doesn’t have to be a problem. In fact, a certain amount of stress is necessary to bring out our full intelligence, creativity and care. It’s the essential ground for us to wake up to our own full potential: to who we really are. When we cultivate our capacities for mindfulness and compassion, meeting the challenges of life actually helps us grow mentally & emotionally stronger, as well as physically healthier thanks to reduced inflammation responses.

A critical inquiry for us as humans is: When we get triggered and reactive, how do we shift from flight-flight-freeze, into “attend and befriend”?  This is the evolutionary shift that reconnects us to ourselves and each other; and, globally, can help to end violence and heal our precious earth."

 Join us as early as 6:15 to practice sitting meditation in mindful silence. The starting bell will ring at 6:30 and a closing bell will ring at 6:50.  There will be a 10 minute walking meditation and a break for those who want to join us for the video at 7:00.  The videos will be 20 – 30 minutes long and again, there will be a 10 minute walking meditation and break for those who do not want to stay for the discussion.  The value of sharing a discussion with a curious and a like-minded community is priceless.   I  will post the topic for the current week and if appropriate, a link to the video of the week, on the Bhavana Community Calendar.