Weekly virtual dharma meetings continue.
The Shepherd's Center continues to suspend all participant activities until further notice.
September 22- Wendy Farrow will follow last week with the second of three talks on Pema Chodron's teachings on fearlessness in difficult times. Pema Chodron is an American Tibetan Buddhist. She is an ordained nun, former acharya of Shambhala Buddhism and disciple of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Chodron has written several dozen books and is principal teacher at Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Upcoming schedule:
September 29: Wendy Farrow--Pema Chodron's teachings on fearlessness in difficult times (III)
October 6: Amanda Espinoza--WonGong, a teacher in the Won tradition of Buddhism that originated in Korea.
October 13: Marc Farrow--Outdoor Dharma Forest Bathing
Special Announcements
BOOK STUDY GROUP- September 24- October 29, 2020
Announcing a Sangha book study group of The Inner Work of Racial Justice- Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities Through Mindfulness by Rhonda V. Magee.
This book study group will meet for 6 weeks on Thursday evenings 6:30-8pm starting Thursday September 24, continuing on October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29. We meet on Zoom!!
Registration for the book study group ends 9/23
Ann McCarty and Bo Fried just completed a 5 week study of this book in a group that included 4 others from Winston-Salem Dharma Community. The journey was eye-opening and profound, by encouraging each of us to reflect on our personal relationship with "race". Rhonda Magee is very skillful and experienced in working with a wide range of people to support delving into the origins and current experience of "race" in our lives. Bo and Ann both see that this journey is ongoing, and offer this group to bring more people into the conversation.
Participants commit to attending all sessions, and reading the section to be discussed prior to each meeting.
There is no cost associated with registering for the group, although there will be suggested Dana for organization(s) we may identify at the last meeting. Register by contacting Ann McCarty at annmccarty@gmail.com
The book can be purchased through two local bookstores, Bookmarks https://www.bookmarksnc.org/
and Scuppernong https://www.scuppernongbooks.com/, or your favorite online bookstore. The book is also available through Audible.
Hope to see you there.
-Virtual Dharma Meeting- Zoom is the video conferencing program that we will be using to host our weekly virtual meeting.
Check the weekly newsletter for Zoom meeting invite information
Click on the Subscribe link in the menu to sign up for the weekly newsletter.
*Zoom application must be installed on computer or mobile device but account signup is not required.
*Virtual meeting requires a password which is delivered in the weekly newsletter.
*All participants will be muted during the silent 30 minute meditation.
*After the silent 30 minute meditation participants will use the "raise hand" feature to speak during the meeting.
Resources for Buddhist Perspectives on Racism: As you might imagine, Buddhist teachers and those on a Buddhist path have offered their own perspectives on racism and racial inequities that have for too long been ignored or overlooked in our society. We will be posting on our website resources for those who might be interested in reading these perspectives. Here are a few examples:
-10 Things White People Can do to Work for Racial Injustice. By Oren Jay Sofer. Sofer teaches mindfulness, meditation and Nonviolent Communication in both secular and Buddhist contexts. He is a long-time student of Joseph Goldstein, Michele McDonald, and Ajahn Sucitto, and a graduate of the IMS-Spirit Rock Vipasanna Teacher Training, and current member of the Spirit Rock Teachers Council.
-Tricycle: Buddha Buzz Weekly: Buddhists Saying Black Lives Matter
-Statement on Racism from Buddhist Teachers & Leaders in the United States (2015)
-Adeana McNicholl. "Being Buddha, Staying Woke: Racial Formation in Black Buddhist Writing" (academic article in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion). 2018.
-Live Online Dharma- Until gathering restrictions are lifted several communities have taken their meetings online. Click on the websites below to find a meeting that fits your routine.
*Barre Center for Buddhist Studies daily from 10:30-11:15 EDT
*Flagstaff Insight Meditation Community every Monday 6:30pm PDT and Thursday 5:30pm PDT
*Jack Kornfield every Monday night
*David Chernikoff daily 8:00am MDT and every Tuesday 7pm MDT
*Winston-Salem Community of Mindful Living every Tuesday and Thursday 7-7:40am EDT and Thursday evening 6-7pm
*Insight Meditation Center of Pioneer Valley every Wednesday 7:00pm EDT - 8:30pm EDT
*Insight Meditation Center of Redwood City Weekdays with Gil Fronsdal 7:00am PDT. Sunday 9:25am PDT. Monday evening sit 7:30pm PDT. Wednesday morning sit 11:00am PDT.
*Demo Rinpoche Special teachings for the Coronavirus, every Thursday 7pm - 8pm.
*Won Buddhism Meditation Temple weekends 10 am EDT live streaming, additional daily virtual gatherings available for registration.
*Deep River Sangha every Sunday from 4-5:30pm EDT and Wednesday from 7-8:30pm. First time visitors can request permission to attend a Zoom practice by sending an email to info@deepriversangha.org
-Recommended Dharma offerings for troubling times.
*Thay's Poetry- Please Call Me by My True Names (song & poem)
*Self retreat- Creating a Home Retreat: Finding Freedom Wherever You Are by Jack Kornfield.
*Guided Meditation- for Times of Pandemic: "Calling on Your Awakened Heart" by Tara Brach.
*Practicing in a Pandemic article from Tricycle. Six new teachings on how to find compassion and equanimity in a time of great uncertainty.
*Take One Breath with Sharon Salzberg. Sharon leads a brief meditation to help cultivate a sense of protection wherever you are.
*Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg - Shelter for the Heart and Mind April 27 - May 1. 5-day course online and on-demand.
*Teachings on the Nature of Mind and Practice - article from Tricycle Magazine.