Welcome To
Benicia Insight Meditation
The Benicia Insight Meditation Community
We offer opportunities for participants to learn about Insight Meditation and the traditional texts from which it originated, and to strengthen and deepen their own spiritual practices. New as well as experienced meditators are welcome. See About Us page for more information about meditation and the Sangha.
People of all cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, racial identities, socio-economic class, sexual orientation, gender, age, education, and abilities are welcome.
We request that you refrain from coming to any of our sangha meetings if you are experiencing cold symptoms. There are elderly and immuno-compromised members for which a cold poses a greater risk for serious infection. Also see our Covid-19 Policies page for up-to-date information.
Save the Date: Upcoming Events
Fall Daylong with Dennis Warren: Register now for our upcoming Daylong Event With Dennis Warren: “Working with Memory, Repetitive Thinking and Suffering,” on Saturday, October 12th, 9:30 am – 4 pm. To register and for further details, click the link below: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/working-with-memory-repetitive-thinking-and-suffering-with-dennis-warren-tickets-1007045689767
Special Peer-Led Meeting: “Insight Dialogue” with Christine King, Sunday, November 10th, 4 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Holiday Potluck: Our annual holiday potluck is scheduled for Sunday, December 8, 4-6 p.m. More details and location coming soon!
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INSIGHT MEDITATION
Insight meditation, also known as Vipassana or Mindfulness meditation, is a practice that can relieve the difficulties we experience as human beings. We are usually in a flow of liking and disliking – desire and aversion – of most if not all of our day-to-day experiences.
Insight Meditation began as a practice taught by Siddhartha Gautama (better known as the Buddha, c. 563 – c. 483 BCE). He taught this and other practices to relieve us of the difficulties of human existence in the whole range of existence – not getting what we want, getting what we don’t want, the impermanence and eventual loss of everything we love. Insight
Meditation helps us gain important experiential insights into those aspects of living that are the basis for all our suffering and dissatisfaction. It usually begins with learning to place and hold attention on the sensations of breathing. With practice, this leads to physical and mental relaxation, increased concentration, inner peace and equanimity. But in the early attempts, a new meditator may be most aware of how busy and shifting their mind is and having trouble relaxing. But, having good instruction and support, and with a desire to reap some of the benefits of meditation, the fruits of practice will come!
For more information and instruction about meditation, feel free to attend one of our regular meetings which feature a visiting teacher’s Dharma talk and guided meditation.
May you be healthy, happy, and at peace.
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REGULAR MEETINGS
We invite you to join us for our next meeting in-person or online on Sunday, October 6, 4-6 pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 120 East J Street, Benicia. We have a hybrid format. This week, our teacher, Tony Bernhard, will be speaking to us online. Tony will explore “Investigating the Refuges,” the heart of the Buddha’s path. It includes the teachings and our practice. The issues of Dukkha (suffering/dissatisfaction) and its cessation will be discussed as broadly as possible.
For more about Tony, please visit:
https://beniciainsightmeditation.com/teachers
If you choose not to attend in person, a link is provided for a Zoom Option:
https://zoom.us/j/6548537775?pwd=dHpINHJCdlR4b1hjSVlrdlExbUV4Zz09
Room will open at 3:45 p.m. No password is required to enter. However, in case you have any trouble, the Meeting ID number is 654-853-7775 and the passcode is 862945.
Note Regarding Online Donations: We are seeing a number of wonderful offerings of financial support that do not specify what amounts go to Sangha and/or to a specific teacher. To allow us to honor your wishes, we kindly request that you enter this info during the donation process if possible.
Dana: Dana, or contributions, go toward supporting our teachers’ lives, as well as meeting overhead, including room rent, insurance, and website hosting. If you are able to make a financial donation, please click on this link:
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Additional Information
Peer-Led Discussion Group: Our Peer Led Discussion Group is normally held on the 2nd Sunday of the month. Peer Led Meetings have been canceled for both October and December (Holiday Party on that date). A Special Peer-Led Meeting is scheduled for November 10th from 4-6 pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Parish Hall, 120 E. J St. This is an opportunity to gather free from Zoom, to meditate, study, read, and discuss Dharma teachings and practices, led by a member of our Benicia Insight Meditation group.
Interested in receiving a reminder bulletin? A bulletin is emailed 1-2 Wednesdays per month prior to the Sunday meditation/ dharma talks, to announce both the date and the speaker for that Sunday. Our once monthly Peer Led Sunday meetings are also announced in the bulletin along with Special Events and Classes. Please contact beniciasangha@gmail.com to request your name be added to the mailing list.
Our Facebook page: This page is for people interested in Buddhist meditation to post photos, comments, thoughts and topics for discussion. We invite you to join us at this link:
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