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Monday In-Person—Shaila Catherine

an evening of meditation and teaching

with Shaila Catherine

Join us to celebrate the launch of Shaila Catherine’s new book!
Beyond Distraction: Five Practical Ways to Focus the Mind

Learn how to overcome distraction in meditation practice and develop clarity in your relationships, work, and daily life.

We create habits by repeating a thought or action over and over again. In her latest book, Shaila Catherine offers an accessible strategy for training the mind that is guided by the Buddha’s pragmatic instructions on removing distracting thoughts. Following the Buddha’s approach, she guides you through five steps for overcoming distraction and focusing the mind: replacing, examining, ignoring, investigating, and resolving.

This book will help you unlock the incredible capacities of your mind to think clearly, reflect deeply, discern what is real, and pay attention to what is actually happening in your life. By working with this training, you can develop skills to recognize the nature of your own mind and free yourself from habitual thought patterns.

The five step training boils down to one key realization: In the moment you recognize that a thought is just a thought, you will find yourself on the path to a life of remarkable freedom.

Whether you’re a beginner who struggles to tame a restless mind or an advanced meditator who strives to deepen concentration and insight, the techniques to remove distracting thoughts can help you cultivate clarity and stability in your meditation practice and beyond.

Buy the Book

Signed copies will be available for purchase (with cash or check) at the event. Or you may buy a copy from bookshop.org/bodhi, or your favorite bookseller.

What Advance Readers Say…

With clarity and heart, Shaila Catherine shows us many effective ways to be free of stressful, anxious, hurt, and resentful thoughts. Her book is deep and vast, grounded in science and illuminated by Buddhist wisdom, and useful for both specific issues and a lifetime of practice.

— Rick Hanson, author of Neurodharma: New Science, Ancient Wisdom, and Seven Practices of the Highest Happiness

Beyond Distraction offers a bounty of illustrations and practical exercises to help people recognize what distracts them in life, and work skillfully with their own minds. I highly recommend this book!

— Phil Jones, Dharma Teacher at Mid-America Dharma

Deeply rooted in the dharma but easy to follow, this very practical book will transform your ability to meditate, so you can transform your mind.

— Kristin Neff, author of Fierce Self-Compassion

I felt that she was speaking directly to me and my own experience, saying just the right thing to bring a smile and a nod and show me a way forward in my own practice. Very highly recommended!

Ed H., California

Shaila offers readers a treasure trove of practices to live a fulfilled life. She offers skillful means to dissolve the notion of distraction and to engage fully with our priorities. Readable, clear and down-to-earth, Beyond Distraction deserves a wide readership.

Christopher Titmuss, author of The Buddha of Love

The many practical exercises have helped me transform the way I relate to my thoughts. I will come back to these exercises again and again.

— Robin B., New Jersey

Join us In-Person!

IMSB is resuming public meetings in person. We will start slowly by offering a monthly meeting at St Timothy’s in Mountain View. Seating will be limited due to COVID-19 restrictions. Reservations are required. This event is open only to individuals who have been fully vaccinated.

Reserve your spot!

Choose a ticket below to reserve your seat. The ticketing process will allow you to make a donation online to avoid cash handling at the event. You will be required to agree to follow COVID-19 precautions and to provide location information for contact tracing purposes. 

If attendees arrive without a reservation, they may be admitted as space permits. We will gather contact tracing information and COVID precaution agreement on site. 

Schedule:

  • 6:45 pm — Doors Open — arrive early to check-in
  • 7:00 pm — Meditation
  • 7:40 pm — Teachings
  • 8:30 pm — Closing and Informal Connections
  • 8:45 pm — Prepare Room for Departure

Location:

St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church
Edwards Hall
2094 Grant Rd.
Mountain View, CA 94040

Experience Level:

This event is appropriate for newcomers as well as experienced practitioners. The evening includes silent or guided meditation and teachings.

COVID-19 Protocols:

  • Face masks are required for attendance. We will seat the speaker at least 12 feet from the attendees in case the speaker is unable to wear a mask and be heard while teaching. The speakers have been fully vaccinated.
  • By taking a ticket below you are stating that you are fully vaccinated and that you agree to:
    1. wear a face mask at all times on the church property, in all indoor spaces including bathrooms, and in the courtyard area outside;
    2. only attend if you feel healthy and have no symptoms of illness;
    3. maintain a social distance of 6 feet between individuals and pods or family groups;
    4. contact IMSB at sit if you become sick within three weeks of attending an in-person gathering
    5. Please note: IMSB will maintain information for possible contact tracing. We will use the billing address entered during the ticketing process for that purpose. We will include this contact information on IMSB’s mailing list; you may unsubscribe from our list at any time.

 


 

TEACHERS: Please visit our Teachers Page for biographies and photos of our speakers.

OUR SCHEDULE: IMSB is gradually resuming in-person meetings. We will meet in person at St Tim’s in Mountain View on one Monday each month, and online on one Tuesday each month.

DANA/DONATIONS: IMSB relies upon the generosity of participants to support our teachers and to cover organizational expenses that continue whether we are meeting in-person or online. Dana is a word in the ancient Pali language that describes donations, offerings, and generosity. We encourage you to give joyfully and generously, according to your resources and means. IMSB is a 501(c) (3) organization. Donations are tax-deductible as permitted by law.

Tickets

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