Mindfulness & Meditation - A Drop-In Class
2019-04-11 19:15 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Westhope Presbyterian Church, 12850 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga, CA, 95070, United States
An Evening for Meditation Practice
Mindfulness Meditation: A drop-in evening for meditation practice.
Led by Janetti Marotta
Drop-in practice evenings are an opportunity for meditators to practice under the guidance of experienced mindfulness instructors. These sessions allow curious newcomers to gain a first-hand experience of mindfulness meditation. Experienced practitioners will enjoy the opportunity to deepen their practice with an evening of sitting and walking meditations. These evening sessions will emphasize guided meditations and experiential mindfulness activities. Each session will include instruction in sitting meditation, walking meditation, or other mindful movement practices, and practical meditative skills. Everyone is welcome.
Visit our Events Calendar for a schedule of programs.
These Mindfulness Meditation evenings are led by Shaila Catherine, Sharon Allen, or a skilled guest teacher. For pictures and biographies of our teachers, visit our Teacher Page.
Newcomers are welcome. Chairs are provided. Bring a mat or cushion if you prefer to sit on the wood floor. Registration is not required.
DANA DONATIONS: 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. A basket will be available at this 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. Donations are tax deductible as permitted by law.

Course: Pain and Freedom
2019-04-11 19:15 - 21:00 | Westhope Presbyterian Church, 12850 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga, CA, 95070, United States
Pain and Freedom
Finding peace in the midst of pain
A six-week course led by Shaila Catherine, Sharon Allen, and Janetti Marotta.
February 28 – April 11, 2019
7:15 pm to 9:00 pm
Silence begins at 7:00 pm
Arrive early (around 7:00) to enjoy the optional pre-class meditation period.
Life is uncertain and our bodies are vulnerable to illness and pain. In this 6-week class, we will develop a meditative approach to working with pain that is based on selections from How to be Sick: A Buddhist-inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers, authored by Toni Bernhard (ISBN: 978-1-61429-478-8). We will clarify the difference between physical pain and a response to pain that produces suffering.
Drawing from Buddhist principles, these pragmatic and straightforward teachings distinguish between the present experience of pain or disability, and our response to those conditions. This course is intended for everyone—those who are healthy and experience only mild discomfort, as well as those who are living with chronic pain and illness. Regardless of your circumstances, you can learn to live with joy, compassion, and purpose. In the face of pain, you can abide free from suffering.

February 28 – The Medicine of Mindfulness with Sharon Allen
March 7 – Accepting the World of Change with Shaila Catherine
March 14 – Insights into Impermanence with Sharon Allen
March 21 – Touching the Heart of Kindness and Compassion with Shaila Catherine
March 28 – Understanding Brings Equanimity with Shaila Catherine
April 4 – Mindfulness and Letting Go with Janetti Marotta
April 11 – Mindfulness Meditation: A drop-in evening for meditation practice with Janetti Marotta

COURSE MATERIALS: The required text book for the course is How To Be Sick, by Toni Bernhard (ISBN: 978-1-61429-478-8). Please purchase a copy from your favorite bookseller or buy one at the table at an IMSB event. If you want us to reserve a copy ($20 includes tax) to pick up at our first class session February 28, please notify the registrar.
WHO SHOULD JOIN: This course is open to all practitioners.
COURSE LEVELS: It is designed as a level 1-2 course. Click this link for a key to course level designations.

Visit our Teacher Page for teacher biographies and photographs.
REGISTRATION: Registration is required for this course. Registration fees are non-refundable. To register, select an option under the Tickets heading at the bottom of this page. (If you are viewing this page more than two months in advance of the course, the Tickets heading might not yet appear, so please check again later.) To register for a course, you purchase one ticket, which registers you for the entire class series. You only need to register once; you do not need to register separately for each class session.
Course Fee: The sliding scale fee range is from $360 to $90 and will be shared between IMSB and the teacher(s). The lower end of the sliding scale is intended for those with limited financial means. The low rate of $90 is estimated to cover the most basic costs such as rent and insurance for the specific class period. This base rate does not factor in compensation for teachers or ongoing administrative expenses for IMSB. If you pay at the mid to high range of the sliding scale, your generosity supports those with limited income in attending our programs and also supports IMSB and the teachers, enabling the dhamma to thrive in the South Bay area. We encourage you to choose the highest level that is appropriate for your economic situation.
Scholarship Assistance: A scholarship rate of $45 is offered for those with very limited financial means. If you need additional assistance, or if you would like to volunteer to help out, please inquire with the registrar by contacting ThursdayClass.
Tax Deductions: The basic registration fee is not tax deductible. Donations above the base rate will be considered voluntary contributions and are deductible for any amount that is over the base rate. Each January, the IMSB treasurer sends donors letters that acknowledge the amount given for the previous year that is above the basic rate; this serves as documentation for tax deduction purposes.
Cancellation Policy: All fees and payments are non-refundable. If it becomes necessary to cancel participation in a course, and the registrar is notified prior to the start of the first class meeting, your registration fee will be converted into a voucher creditable towards the fee for a future IMSB Thursday class. Vouchers must be used within one year of the initial course start date, and may be transferred to only one future course. Cancellations that occur after the start of the first class are not eligible for the voucher credit.

Weekly Meditation CANCELLED for tonight
2019-04-16 19:30 - 21:00 | St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 2094 Grant Road , Mountain View, 94040, United States
Tonight’s meditation group meeting is cancelled.
The church requires use of our usual meeting room for their events. Our regular weekly meditation program will resume next week.

Insight Meditation South Bay offers two weekly meditation groups— a drop in sitting group Tuesdays in Mountain View, and a series of classes Thursdays in Saratoga.

Monthly Sutta Study Group - Digha Nikaya - in Menlo Park
2019-04-17 19:00 - 21:00, 2019-05-22 19:00 - 21:00 | Location in Menlo Park, Menlo Park, CA, United States
Long Discourses of the Buddha
with Shaila Catherine
Our nine month Sutta Study Course on the Digha Nikaya will run for 9 months beginning in March 2019. We meet in three locations to serve the local and online community:

Friday mornings in Palo Alto
Wednesday evenings in Menlo Park
Monday evenings online

Enrollment will remain open for this course until the second monthly meeting, and then closes for the remainder of the year.
Registration details are on our Sutta Study Course 2019 page.
Newcomers are welcome to join each year. General information about the sutta study program can be found on our Sutta Study Courses page.
Scheduled dates for meetings Wednesdays in Menlo Park:

March 6
April 17
May 22
June 12
July 10
August 28
September 18
October 23
November 20

Weekly meditation group CANCELLED for tonight
2019-04-18 19:15 - 21:00 | Westhope Presbyterian Church, 12850 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga, CA, 95070, United States
Tonight’s meditation group meeting is cancelled.
Classes will resume next week.

Insight Meditation South Bay offers two weekly meditation groups— a drop in sitting group Tuesdays in Mountain View, and a series of classes Thursdays in Saratoga.

Monthly Sutta Study Group - Digha Nikaya - in Palo Alto
2019-04-19 10:00 - 12:00 | 3942 Duncan Pl., 3942 Duncan Pl., Palo Alto, CA, 94036
-Long Discourses of the Buddha
with Shaila Catherine
Our nine month Sutta Study Course on the Digha Nikaya will run for 9 months beginning in March 2019. We meet in three locations to serve the local and online community:

Friday mornings in Palo Alto
Wednesday evenings in Menlo Park
Monday evenings online

Enrollment will remain open for this course until the second monthly meeting, and then closes for the remainder of the year.
Registration details are on our Sutta Study Course 2019 page.
Newcomers are welcome to join each year. General information about the sutta study program can be found on our Sutta Study Courses page.
Scheduled dates for meetings Fridays in Palo Alto:

March 15
April 19
May 31
June 28
July 12
August 23
September 13
October 18
November 1

Monthly Sutta Study Group - Digha Nikaya– Online
2019-04-22 17:00 - 19:00, 2019-05-20 17:00 - 19:00 | Online
Long Discourses of the Buddha
with Shaila Catherine
Our nine month Sutta Study Course on the Digha Nikaya will run for 9 months beginning in March 2019. We meet in three locations to serve the local and online community:

Friday mornings in Palo Alto
Wednesday evenings in Menlo Park
Monday evenings online

Enrollment will remain open for this course until the second monthly meeting, and then closes for the remainder of the year.
Registration details are on our Sutta Study Course 2019 page.
Newcomers are welcome to join each year. General information about the sutta study program can be found on our Sutta Study Courses page.
Scheduled dates (subject to change) for meetings Mondays online:

March 18
April 22
May 20
June 3
July 8
August 26
September 16
October 21
December 9

Meditation and Teachings in Mountain View
2019-04-23 19:30 - 21:00, 2019-04-30 19:30 - 21:00, 2019-05-14 19:30 - 21:00, 2019-05-21 19:30 - 21:00 | St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Edwards Hall, 2094 Grant Road , Mountain View , CA, 94040, United States
Due to the coronavirus concerns, we have converted our Tuesday evening meeting to an online format. Insight Meditation South Bay offers two weekly meditation groups—Tuesdays evenings we offer an open drop-in sitting group in Mountain View, and Thursdays we offer structured courses in Saratoga. The Tuesday sitting group meets every Tuesday evening for a meditation and Dhamma talk in Mountain View. 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.

Breathe with Joy
2019-04-23 19:30 - 21:00, 2019-04-30 19:30 - 21:00 | St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Edwards Hall, 2094 Grant Road , Mountain View , CA, 94040, United States
Breathe with Joy
A 6-week series on mindfulness with breathing led by Shaila Catherine
Tuesdays, March 19 – June 4, 2019
7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
The Buddha described mindfulness with breathing as a practice of joy. His instructions to his disciples on this practice were preserved in the Anapanasati Sutta—a discourse that presents sixteen practical instructions that together map a comprehensive, liberating, and joyful approach to mindfulness.
Although this systematic structure is clearly described in the ancient texts, divergent interpretations have developed regarding how to put the instructions into practice. In this series, Shaila Catherine will offer her own interpretations of the 16-step sequence and provide snapshots of perspectives promoted by other widely respected dharma teachers. This in-depth reflection on the Anapanasati Sutta will show how meditation on breathing can deepen both concentration and insight, and lead to awakening.

March 19 – Ever Mindful
March 26 – Breath and Body
April 23 – Breath and Feeling
April 30 – Breath and Mind
May 28 – Breath and Insight
June 4 – Breath, Mindfulness, and the Factors of Awakening

Note: Series dates are not consecutive. They are interspersed with guest speaker events. Visit our Event Calendar for details.
Everyone is welcome—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.

Course: The Development of Happiness
2019-04-25 19:15 - 21:00, 2019-05-02 19:15 - 21:00, 2019-05-09 19:15 - 21:00, 2019-05-16 19:15 - 21:00, 2019-05-23 19:15 - 21:00 | Westhope Presbyterian Church, 12850 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga, CA, 95070, United States
A six-week course led by Kim Allen
A practical approach to training in happiness.
April 25 – May 30, 2019
7:15 pm to 9:00 pm
Silence begins at 7:00.
Arrive early (around 7:00) to enjoy the optional pre-class meditation period.
The Buddhist path can be viewed as the cultivation of deeper and deeper forms of happiness. When suffering is progressively removed from experience, the mind naturally realizes greater ease, joy, happiness, and peace; they are two sides of the same coin. A great depth of happiness is available to the trained mind. This six-week course will explore several levels of happiness through teachings (including sutta readings), meditation instruction, reflections, and small-group discussion. We will nurture practical skills that bolster positive states of mind, and learn to recognize, appreciate, and extend the experience of happiness.

April 25—Happiness and the Three Trainings with Kim Allen
May 2—The Happiness of Ordinary Pleasures with Kim Allen
May 9—The Happiness of Benefit and Service with Kim Allen
May 16—The Happiness of a Calm and Focused Mind with Kim Allen
May 23—The Happiness of Wisdom and Insight with Kim Allen
May 30 —The Happiness of Liberation and Living in Peace with Kim Allen

WHO SHOULD JOIN: This course is open to all practitioners.
COURSE LEVELS: It is designed as a level 2-3 course. Click this link for a key to course level designations.

Visit our Teacher Page for teacher biographies and photographs.
REGISTRATION: Registration is required for this course. Registration fees are non-refundable. To register, select an option under the Ticketsheading at the bottom of this page. (If you are viewing this page more than two months in advance of the course, the Tickets heading might not yet appear, so please check again later.) To register for a course, you purchase one ticket, which registers you for the entire class series. You only need to register once; you do not need to register separately for each class session.
Course Fee: The sliding scale fee range is from $360 to $90 and will be shared between IMSB and the teacher(s). The lower end of the sliding scale is intended for those with limited financial means. The low rate of $90 is estimated to cover the most basic costs such as rent and insurance for the specific class period. This base rate does not factor in compensation for teachers or ongoing administrative expenses for IMSB. If you pay at the mid to high range of the sliding scale, your generosity supports those with limited income in attending our programs and also supports IMSB and the teachers, enabling the dhamma to thrive in the South Bay area. We encourage you to choose the highest level that is appropriate for your economic situation.
Scholarship Assistance: A scholarship rate of $45 is offered for those with very limited financial means. If you need additional assistance, or if you would like to volunteer to help out, please inquire with the registrar by contacting ThursdayClass.
Tax Deductions: The basic registration fee is not tax deductible. Donations above the base rate will be considered voluntary contributions and are deductible for any amount that is over the base rate. Each January, the IMSB treasurer sends donors letters that acknowledge the amount given for the previous year that is above the basic rate; this serves as documentation for tax deduction purposes.
Cancellation Policy: All fees and payments are non-refundable. If it becomes necessary to cancel participation in a course, and the registrar is notified prior to the start of the first class meeting, your registration fee will be converted into a voucher creditable towards the fee for a future IMSB Thursday class. Vouchers must be used within one year of the initial course start date, and may be transferred to only one future course. Cancellations that occur after the start of the first class are not eligible for the voucher credit.

The Development of Happiness – A new Thursday evening course. Register Now!
2019-04-25 19:15 - 21:00 | Westhope Presbyterian Church, 12850 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga, CA, 95070, United States
Register now for The Development of Happiness, a new 6-week course in Saratoga.
Led by Kim Allen.
For more information and online registration: https://www.imsb.org/event/the-development-of-happiniess/2019-04-25/

Course: The Development of Happiness

DEVELOP HAPPINESS! – A new Thursday evening course. Register Now!
2019-04-25 19:15 - 21:00 | Westhope Presbyterian Church, 12850 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga, CA, 95070, United States
Register now for The Development Of Happiness, a new 6-week course in Saratoga.
A practical approach to training in happiness.
Led by Kimberly Allen.
For more information and online registration: https://www.imsb.org/event/the-development-of-happiniess/2019-04-25/

Monthly Day of Meditation led by Shaila Catherine
2019-04-27 09:30 - 17:00 | Westhope Presbyterian Church, 12850 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga, CA, 95070, United States
A day of meditation with Shaila Catherine.
IMSB offers a day of meditation one Saturday each month. These monthly day long programs offer a consistent and easy opportunity for meditators to maintain a steady commitment to meditation, deepen their practice, explore various dhamma themes, and cultivate relationships with the community—and still be home in time for dinner!
The day long programs are usually structured with alternating sitting and walking meditations, augmented by meditation instructions, reflections, and teachings. Shaila Catherine leads most of the day longs, complimented by periodic guest teachers or community events. At most day long events, Shaila is available for individual consultations.
Shaila offers teachings at each event, usually aimed at developing meditative skills. Whether or not a theme is announced in advance, teachings will be offered to deepen understanding of the Buddhist path of practice.
There will be a pot-luck community meal around 12:30; please bring a food dish to share.
Everyone is welcome. There is no registration. Folding chairs are provided. Bring a mat and cushion if you prefer to sit on the floor. Beginner’s to meditation are encouraged to come on time since both sitting and walking meditation instruction are usually offered in the mornings.
These monthly events may take place at any of the churches where we meet—in Los Altos, Saratoga, or Mountain View. Be sure to double check the website event listing to determine the correct location.
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.

Concentration, Jhana, and Breath: 10-day Retreat in Northern California
2019-05-06 - 2019-05-16 | Saratoga Springs Retreat Center, 10243 Saratoga Springs Road, Upper Lake, 95485, United States
Concentration, Jhana, and Breath: a 10-day Meditation Retreat in Northern California
led by Shaila Catherine
Note: This retreat is now full. Registration is closed. Please consider registering for our October retreat in North Carolina, which will be on the same theme. Or see Shaila’s Retreat Schedule for other retreat opportunities.
Monday, May 6, 2019 – Thursday, May 16, 2019.
The retreat begins with registration from 2:00 – 3:30 pm on Monday, May 6. The retreat ends at 11:00 am on Thursday, May 16. Early arrivals can be arranged for Sunday, May 5 anytime after 2pm.
Partial attendance can be arranged, but it must begin on the first day of the retreat, and priority will be given to those registering for the full retreat.
This retreat will utilize the breath as the primary meditation object and will encourage the development of meditative skills that lead to deep concentration (samadhi) and insight (vipassana). Daily group instructions will focus on the sixteen steps in the Anapanasati Sutta as a route to jhana and/or liberating insight. One-to-one guidance will tailor the practices to meet the needs and interests of individual students. Some students may choose to emphasize concentration practice throughout the retreat; others may emphasize vipassana; and some may practice both concentration and insight in-conjunction with mindfulness of breathing.
This retreat offers a special opportunity to train in concentration and jhana practices with personal guidance from Shaila Catherine. It is one of the very few retreats each year in which Shaila systematically guides students to establish jhana by working step-by-step with the Anapanasati Sutta. Students who wish to embark on this training in concentration and jhana should read her book Focused and Fearless prior to the retreat. See our Concentration and Jhana FAQ page for more information about developing concentration and the absorption states of jhana.
This silent retreat is structured with alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation, dhamma teachings, and teacher consultations.
Prior to the retreat, please read Focused and Fearless by Shaila Catherine, and the Ananpanasati Sutta. You may download the sutta at: https://suttacentral.net/mn118/en/bodhi
Register early! Space is limited.
We keep this retreat small (under 40 participants) to enable in-depth guidance from Shaila. We have exclusive use of the retreat center for the duration of our program. Nestled in a quiet valley in Lake County of Northern California, it offers a powerful and intimate environment for deep meditation practice. You will enjoy the benefits of natural beauty, a spacious meditation hall, access to walking trails, and a pool and hot tub that may be used in silence.
TO REGISTER:
Note: This retreat is now full. Registration is closed. Please consider registering for our October retreat in North Carolina, which will be on the same theme. Or see Shaila’s Retreat Schedule for other retreat opportunities.
Download and complete the SS2019 registration and waiver forms, enclose a non-refundable deposit of $250 (payable to Bodhi-Retreats), and return via email and/or postal mail to the address below. We are not currently accepting credit card transactions, so please send your registration deposit and fees via check or money order made payable to Bodhi Retreats. If this is not possible for some of our international guests, please contact the registrar for alternative payment arrangements.
Janet Taylor
626 East Peace Drive
Grand Junction, CO 81504
awake
Please complete either the Standard-Printable or Form-Fillable form, and also the Waiver of Liability.
Important: If you use the form-fillable version, download the form to your computer first. Then fill out the form. After completing the form, select to print it, and in the print options select to save the form as a PDF file. Then mail or email the PDF to the registrar.

SS2019_Registration_Form-Fillable_Form
SS2019_Registration_Standard-Printable_Form
Waiver-of-Liability-SS2019

Requirements: The 10-day retreat is designed for experienced students. Previous retreat experience in the insight meditation tradition is required, with a minimum of at least one week-long silent residential retreat. If you have less than one week-long silent retreat experience, your attendance requires approval from the teacher.
ACCOMMODATIONS: The retreat facility is somewhat handicapped accessible. If you have mobility limitations, please contact the registrar for details.
Please note that this will be a non-smoking retreat.
There are a variety of accommodations in cabins, lodges, and bunk rooms that include single, double, triple, and quad occupancy. RV camping, tenting, and two unheated wooden screened cabins are also available. If you request a single room, please explain why you need it. To increase the number of singles that we can offer we will need to leave beds unoccupied; therefore, if you request single accommodations without a medical need, and if you are financially able, please choose a registration fee amount that is on the upper end of the sliding scale (above $1700).
COST: 10 nights (includes accommodation and meals) is $2250 – $1150 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers at the end of retreat. The estimated actual per-person cost for this retreat (if we used a fixed rate) is $1700. By selecting an amount above $1700, your generosity supports those who need to select a lower rate to attend the retreat. This sliding scale will allow most scholarship needs to be managed by self-selecting an amount lower than $1700.
Partial retreat option registration fees are below. Priority will be given to students who are registering for the full 10-days course.

3 nights (Monday–Thursday) is $900 – $550 sliding scale
4 nights (Monday–Friday) is $1100 – $675 sliding scale
5 nights (Monday–Saturday) is $1300 – $800 sliding scale
6 nights (Monday–Sunday) is $1500 – $950 sliding scale

In addition, two or three people may register for a work-study retreat. These service roles have a registration fee of $700 and involve 3-4 hours of work per day (mostly kitchen work, grocery shopping in advance of the retreat, managing yogi jobs). Work-study arrival should be on Sunday May 5 to help set up the retreat. Inquire with the registrar for more information about these service roles.
DANA: Compensation for the teacher is not included in the registration price. There will be an opportunity to offer donations to the teachers at the end of the retreat.
Co-sponsored by Bodhi-Retreats and Insight Meditation South Bay

Beginner's Orientation
2019-05-07 18:30 - 19:20 | St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Edwards Hall, 2094 Grant Road , Mountain View , CA, 94040, United States
The Beginner’s Orientation session occurs the first Tuesday of every month just prior to our weekly meditation group
6:30 pm – 7:25 pm
Insight Meditation South Bay
St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Edwards Hall
2094 Grant Rd., Mountain View, CA 94040
The Beginner’s Orientation introduces mindfulness meditation instructions, and provides an orientation to Insight Meditation South Bay. This beginner’s session is conducted the first Tuesday of the month immediately before the regular weekly sitting. Come for the introduction, and then stay for the regular weekly program, where you will meet the members of Insight Meditation South Bay and our teachers.
An overview of the practices that we teach can be found on our Vipassana Practice (Insight Meditation) page.
Meditation instruction is offered starting at 6:30. Please arrive on time as a courtesy to others.
You may bring a sitting cushion, but chairs are provided and you need only bring yourself.
For more information, please also see the Beginner’s Orientation.

Speaker: Stephen Fulder on Equanimity
2019-05-07 19:30 - 21:00 | St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Edwards Hall, 2094 Grant Road , Mountain View , CA, 94040, United States
Equanimity: Dancing with the Unexpected
A special event with Stephen Fulder
Equanimity is a key spiritual faculty which allows us to face the known and the unknown, the ecstasies and the despairs, with steadiness and lightness. Equanimity helps us engage with life from an unlimited and interconnected perspective. The Buddhist image is of an island in the stormy seas – remembering that all islands are connected under the ocean.
Equanimity, is a sublime yet powerful fruit of our practice. It is our capacity to be vulnerable and sensitive, yet never knocked down; dancing with the changing and unexpected circumstances of life rather than running away from them to some apparently safe haven. It is a refined quality – the fourth of the Brahma Viharas and the last of the Factors of Awakening and the Perfections (Paramis). Equanimity is not indifference, although sometimes the two are confused. While equanimity is getting wet and riding the waves, indifference is shutting ourselves in the air-conditioned hotel room nearby. Equanimity is letting the world right in. Indifference is keeping it right out.
How can equanimity be practiced? Sitting in meditation for extended periods automatically leads to equanimity as we learn to stay steady and receive whatever comes. ‘Let our meditation be like the earth’ said the Buddha, ‘for then satisfying and unsatisfying contacts with the world through the senses will not invade the mind.’ We may be in the most problematic situation, such as a family crisis, but can see it all from a bigger, more universal, and less personal perspective.
The primary practice is the gradual deconstruction of the belief in me and mine. We cannot be hurt if we are light and free. The doors are open, the windows are open, cold winds do blow in, but they just blow through us.

Insight Meditation South Bay offers two weekly meditation groups—Tuesdays evenings we offer an open drop-in sitting group in Mountain View, and Thursdays we offer structured courses in Saratoga.
The Tuesday sitting group meets every Tuesday evening for a meditation and Dhamma talk in Mountain View. 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.

Young Meditators Group
2019-05-14 18:30 - 19:25 | St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 2094 Grant Road , Mountain View, 94040, United States
Young Meditators Group
Bringing Practice to Modern Daily Life
For Ages 18 to 39
Meets the second Tuesday of each month just prior to the usual IMSB weekly meditation and teaching program.
We’re building a community of young practitioners, ages 18 to 39, around interest in practice as a source of strength and refuge. Gatherings will be used to build sangha and explore pertinent topics of navigating daily life as a young person in the modern world.
This group is facilitated by Aishin Leonard, a passionate Buddhist practitioner, mindfulness facilitator and consultant in the South Bay.
All levels of practice welcome. No registration required.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: meditateyoung

Guest Speaker: Ross Buttner. Problems on the Path
2019-05-14 19:30 - 21:00 | St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 2094 Grant Road , Mountain View, 94040, United States
Problems on the Path
An evening with Ross Buttner
In tonight’s program, Ross Buttner will discuss his research into challenges faced by Western Buddhist practitioners, and how these problems can be overcome. Based on his analysis of 70 in-depth interviews with teachers and practitioners, Ross will focus on four general areas of difficulty: psychological challenges, issues particular to the practices themselves, cultural dynamics, and problematic relationships among teachers and students. Ross will share his findings along with anecdotes and video clips from some interviews with teachers who are broadly known within the community.
Ross Buttner has a Ph.D. from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. His dissertation research which was based on 70 in-depth interviews, revealed psychological, social, practical, and culturally related difficulties that occur on the meditative path, and offers potential solutions. Ross has practiced meditation for over 20 years. He studied Buddhism in Nepal and India, sat in dozens of retreats, and lived for two years at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. He has facilitated mindfulness groups, taught mindfulness in colleges, and incorporated mindfulness into his clinical work with chronic pain clients, domestic violence offenders, and those suffering from addiction.

Insight Meditation South Bay offers two weekly meditation groups—Tuesdays evenings we offer an open drop-in sitting group in Mountain View, and Thursdays we offer structured courses in Saratoga.
The Tuesday sitting group meets every Tuesday evening for a meditation and Dhamma talk in Mountain View. 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.

Monthly Day of Meditation with Shaila Catherine
2019-05-25 09:30 - 17:00 | Foothills Congregational Church – Fellowship Hall, 461 Orange Ave, Los Altos, CA, 94022, United States

Monthly Day of Meditation led by Shaila Catherine
2019-05-25 09:30 - 17:00 | Foothills Congregational Church – Fellowship Hall, 461 Orange Ave, Los Altos, CA, 94022, United States
