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The Engaged Buddhist

Surviving and thriving in an anxious world

A Tuesday evening speaker series

February 5 – 26, 2019

7:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Meditation instructions are sometimes misinterpreted to imply that one should disengage from activity and suspend all judgment. Buddhist advice on “letting go” can be misunderstood to suggest that problems in the world can or should be ignored. Yet the Pali canon shows that the Buddha taught practical social and economic remedies, and urged monks to travel so they could benefit the largest number of people.

Thích Nhất Hạnh coined the term “engaged Buddhism” to describe efforts to respond to the suffering in his country during the Vietnam war, work he saw as part of meditation and mindfulness practice rather than something apart from it. In this series, some local “engaged Buddhists” will share how they personally apply Buddhist wisdom to engage with the suffering around us, in areas such as social action, prison ministry, and environmentalism.

  • February 5 – Ayya Santussika – Engaged Brahmaviharas
  • February 12 – Oren Jay Sofer – Making Peace with Words: Where Mindfulness and Nonviolent Communication Meet
  • February 19 – Bill Kostura and Phil Goodwin – Generosity and Compassion Inside: Teaching Buddhist Meditation in a California State Prison
  • February 26 – Jennifer Dungan – Non-clinging to Outcomes

This series is appropriate for newcomers as well as experienced practitioners. Each evening includes silent or guided meditation, a break, and teachings.


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

Insight Meditation South Bay offers two weekly meditation programs. On Tuesdays, we meet in Mountain View for our drop-in weekly program of meditation and teachings.  On Thursdays, we meet in Saratoga for our Dhamma Classroom, which offer a series of structured courses with registration, and periodic drop-in practice events.

Our Tuesday evening program usually includes a sitting meditation and Dhamma talk. The principal teacher is Shaila Catherine and guest speakers are featured regularly. Thematic series are periodically presented, but whether or not a topic has been advertised in advance, Shaila or a guest teacher will lead the sitting and offer teachings. See also weekly sitting.

Newcomers are always welcome. To help newcomers get acquainted with mindfulness meditation and IMSB, a senior member or teacher offers a beginner’s orientation beginning at 6:30 on the first Tuesday of each month.

IMSB relies upon the generosity of participants to support our teachers and cover organizational expenses. Dana is a word in the ancient Pali language that describes donations, offerings and generosity. Two bowls will be available at an event to practice dana for the teacher and IMSB. We encourage you to give joyfully and generously, according to your resources and means. IMSB is a 501(c) (3) organization. All donations are tax deductible as permitted by law.


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