Spirit Rock Meditation Center Schedule & News | May - Aug 2017

Spirit Rock news

&

schedule | may ¡ aug 2017

spiritrock.org

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Spirit Rock Statement of Values:

SPIRITUAL REFUGE “As long as a society holds regular and frequent assemblies, meeting in harmony and mutual respect, can they be expected to prosper and not decline. As long as a society follows the long held traditions of wisdom, and honors its elders, can they be expected to prosper and not decline. As long as a society protects the vulnerable among them, can they be expected to prosper and not decline. As long as a society cares for the shrines and sacred places of the natural world, can they be expected to prosper and not decline.” —mahaparinirvana sutta (a text of buddha’s last teachings)

Amidst the political and social challenges of our times and in light of our commitment to liberation, Spirit Rock declares itself to be a spiritual sanctuary and a refuge for all. We will honor and protect those who come here seeking the teachings of liberation.

We are stewards of the Dharma; we build bridges, not walls. A climate of divisiveness and fear cannot alter our innate human goodness, and it will never change our values as an organization.

Spirit Rock proclaims our continued commitment to the Buddha’s teachings of wisdom, compassion in action, interdependence and loving-kindness, excluding none.

We reaffirm these teachings: “Hatred never ceases by hatred but by love alone is healed. This is the ancient and eternal law.”

We reaffirm these 2,600 year-old Buddhist values in the face of cultures of violence and harm that threaten life on this planet and that differentially impact oppressed, exploited and marginalized people, people of color, immigrants and refugees, poor people, women, disabled and differently abled people, Indigenous and LGBTQI peoples.

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We denounce racism, misogyny, xenophobia, trans- and homophobia and all forms of oppression and the valuation of certain lives over others. We value and celebrate diversity, inclusivity and respect for all beings and the inherent dignity of all peoples.

The Buddhist Path teaches that meditation and inner freedom must develop together with a foundation of generosity, ethical behavior and loving-kindness.

We affirm that human happiness requires intentions that are free from greed, hatred and cruelty; speech that is true and helpful, not harsh, not vain, slanderous nor abusive; and actions that are free from causing harm, killing, stealing and sexual exploitation.

We affirm the interdependent nature of reality. When one being suffers, we all suffer. Thus, our own well-being and liberation is bound in the well-being and liberation of others. The only basis for Dharma life is virtue, respect and mutual care.

Knowing this truth, we will resist the destructive forces of hatred, discrimination and recklessness and offer the powerful alternatives of fierce love and compassion.

With the Earth as a witness, the Buddha proclaimed his right to liberation and taught that all beings have the right to liberation, to be free from the oppressive forces of greed, hate and ignorance.

With the Earth as our witness, we offer a sanctuary for all to awaken together.

Spirit Rock will continue to be a light in our society, to respond to constantly changing conditions, and to offer practices, teachings, and refuge that nurture the internal life in support of external service.

We practice not for ourselves but for the welfare, happiness and safety of all life everywhere.

May all beings be free, and may our actions contribute wholeheartedly to that freedom.

SPIRIT ROCK NEWS | MAY – AUG 2017

FOSTERING ETHICAL LEADERSHIP

A Message from Michelle Latvala EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

As I write this note to you all in mid-winter, the national landscape continues to be dynamic, challenging and an incredible opportunity for waking up. The Dharma teaches us that every action we take matters: We can counter greed, hatred and delusion through clear seeing and direct acts of generosity, compassion and ethical behavior, both individually and collectively.

As you can see in our Statement of Values on the preceding page, Spirit Rock has taken this opportunity to reaffirm our role as a spiritual sanctuary for all people during these uncertain times. We are constantly asking how we can best serve, as one organization that is a piece of a larger puzzle of all organizations focused on non-harming. Our core competency and mission is to offer programs to support the direct experience of the Buddhist teachings, so we will continue to evolve new programming like the Dharma of Now (see page 9) to provide more engaged community forums, while of course maintaining our range of classes, daylongs and retreats that support core teachings and refuge for waking up in all realms.

Our leadership training programs are more important than ever to provide models of leadership that are rooted in sila, the ethical life. Our Community Dharma Leaders (CDL) will graduate in April, our next Dedicated Practitioners Program (DPP) starts in April, and our next Spirit Rock Teacher Training Program (SRTT) begins in July. These programs — the fifth iteration of CDL, the sixth of DPP, the fifth of SRTT — build heavily upon the foundation established by our founding teachers and have matured, evolved and responded to the needs of the Dharma taking root in contemporary society. The range of sanghas we are serving and who we are empowering as leaders has also diversified to better reflect our nation. For instance, CDL and DPP now have 40% practitioners of color, and our ground-breaking next SRTT, starting in July with Larry Yang, Gina Sharpe and Lila Kate Wheeler as core faculty, is 85% teachers of color. We are so fortunate to be fostering this next generation of teachers while we still have our first generation of teachers to provide mentoring and to create the strongest foundation possible to support the teachings taking root.

And in the meantime, we continue to serve all of you as a refuge. By the time you read this, I will have had the blessing of sitting the March month-long retreat, as I continue to deepen my own practice to best serve as a leader to support the Dharma as it unfolds at Spirit Rock. May all beings experience freedom, and may my actions directly contribute.

Michelle Latvala

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FREEDOM IN CHALLENGING TIMES

Jack Kornfield Every generation or so, modern society is rocked by upheavals, whether by assassinations, war, political turmoil, or powerful economic and environmental challenges. In uncertain times the political climate can worsen these fears. Early twentieth-century journalist and social critic H.L. Mencken explained: “The whole aim of politics is to keep the populace alarmed, and hence clamorous to be led to safety, by an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary.” We are being encouraged to be afraid. When upheavals happen, we can naturally feel angry or frightened. We worry for our future or for the fate of the vulnerable around us. We may see a rise in inequality, racism, environmental destruction, homophobia, sexism, or myriad other injustices.

But these challenges are the opportunities humanity has to face to grow. As Ralph Waldo Emerson noted, “Only to the degree that people are unsettled is there any hope for them.”

To find freedom amid challenging times, we have to start where we are. How do we manage our own bodies? If our limbic system is activated into fight, flight, or freeze mode, we lose ourselves in survival consciousness. The reptilian brain takes charge, and the neocortex is limited to rehashing the past. Tidal waves of worries swamp our thoughts about what lies ahead. In difficult times, these tides of angst and fear can flow back and forth between one group and another. We wonder, are things getting worse or are they simply getting uncovered? And how can we respond?

Start just here. Tune into your heart. That is where love, wisdom, grace, and compassion reside. With loving attention, feel into what matters most to you. Yes, there are anxious thoughts, and there is grief and trauma, but don’t let your heart be colonized by fear.

Take time to quiet the mind and tend to the heart. Go out and look at the sky. Breathe in and open yourself to the vastness of space.

Sense the seasons turning, the rise and fall of dynasties and eras.

Breathe out and dwell in loving awareness. Practice equanimity and steadiness. Learn from the trees. Become the still point in the center of it all.

Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us that in uncertain times, our own steadiness can become a sanctuary for others. “When the crowded Vietnamese refugee boats met with storms or pirates, if everyone

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panicked, all would be lost. But if even one person on the boat remained calm and centered, it was enough. It showed the way for everyone to survive.”

Two thousand years ago, Rabbi Tarfon said, “Don’t be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Live justly, love mercy, and walk humbly now. You are not expected to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” Clarissa Pinkola Estes writes, “Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching to mend the part that is within our reach.”

Together, let us tie our shoes and walk in the direction of truth.

Strategic and Strong.

We are in the midst of something vaster than any of our social and political dynamics. We are in the midst of the evolution of humanity. And we each have a role to play in this.

An ancient understanding says that human beings are the

SPIRIT ROCK NEWS | MAY – AUG 2017

“Makeweights” of the world. In traditional times, goods were weighed by a balance scale with two pans. On one pan the object to be weighed was placed. On the other a series of metal weights was placed. The most beautiful sets of weights were in the shape of animals like turtles and rabbits. The world is like this balance scale holding birth and death, joy and sorrow, good and evil.

And in our time we humans are the Makeweights, the last small weights placed on the scale. Depending on which side we place our actions, we will tip the scales.

Like the Tao, let yourself be still until the moment for right action.

Be strategic. Make yourself a zone of peace. With the courage to be true to your heart, then you can act.

Remember, change always starts with a small number of people.

In 1787, Thomas Clarkson and eleven other men started a thirtyyear campaign that finally forced the English parliament to outlaw slavery. In 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and four other women met in upstate New York to begin the seventy-year suffrage movement that led to women’s right to vote. When you are strong in yourself, you can act with courage, dedication, and directness.

When you become strategic, you join with others, choose the most important problems, and bring the most creative solution.

You know what is needed. The most powerful nation on Earth must foster a vision of peace and cooperation, not spread weapons of war. The richest nation on Earth must provide health care for its children, its families. The most productive nation on Earth must combine trade with justice, sustainable development, and protection for the environment.

You can contribute. You have your heart, your voice, and your spirit. Be strategic and strong. Remember how Barbara Widener started Grandmothers for Peace. Sometimes it takes only a little loving awareness at the right moment. You can do it.

You know the right direction.

“Others will be cruel,” said the Buddha. “We will not be cruel.

Thus we will incline our hearts.

“Others will kill or harm living beings. We will not harm living beings. Thus we will incline our hearts.

“Others will be greedy. We will be generous. Thus we will incline our hearts.

“Others will speak falsely or maliciously. We will speak truthfully and kindly. Thus we will incline our hearts.

“Others will be envious. We will not be envious. Thus we will incline our hearts.

“Others will be arrogant. We will be humble. Thus we incline in our hearts.

“Others will be unmindful. We will establish mindful presence.

Thus we will incline our hearts.

“Others will lack wisdom and kindness. We will cultivate wisdom and kindness. Thus we will incline our hearts.”

become a bodhisattva — a being dedicated to compassion no matter what. You can stand up for the environment, for immigrants, for whatever is in front of you that needs your care and attention. People are hungry, you feed them. Someone is hurt, you bring whatever healing you can. You stand with the poor and the vulnerable.

You do this not because you’re supposed to, or because you are a special person, but because, as the Dalai Lama says, “The only thing that brings joy in this life is service.”

Do not just shake your head and frown when you read the news.

Do not be fooled into believing that you cannot change things. As Thomas Jefferson says, “One person with courage is a majority.”

You can make a difference.

Together, let us tie our shoes and walk in the direction of truth.

Strategic and Strong.

And remember, a person with courage never needs weapons, but he or she may need bail.

My beloved wife, Trudy Goodman, who has been working in the Darfur refugee camps on the border inside Chad, told me that the greeting they use in the camps is, “How is your family?”

Your family is all of humanity, all the animals, all beings on earth.

Your family includes Greens, Libertarians, Democrats, Republicans, and all the in-betweens. Include them all in your heart.

Live with gratitude. The times ask for a change of consciousness — a shift from the fearful, separate consciousness, the consciousness of us versus them, to the consciousness of connection and interdependence. You are already part of this shift. Now each of you, in your way, is invited to find a freedom of spirit no matter what happens, and to carry what’s beautiful into the troubled world.

Keep your heart strong. Carry what’s beautiful within you out into the world.

This article was adapted from Jack Kornfield’s new book, No Time Like the Present: Finding Freedom and Joy Right Where You Are. Published May 16, 2017. Copyright © 2017 by Jack Kornfield, PhD. Reprinted by permission of Atria books, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. For Jack’s bio, see page 45.

Your presence is an expression of the wisdom you carry.

Through your steadiness, compassion, and deep values, you

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SPIRIT ROCK NEWS | MAY – AUG 2017

EMPTINESS

by Guy Armstrong

“When emptiness is possible, everything is possible.

Were emptiness impossible, nothing would be possible.”

—Nāgārjuna

Emptiness is an odd term for the central philosophy of a world

religion. It certainly lacks the emotional appeal of Hinduism’s bliss and devotion, for instance, or Christianity’s love and charity. It is not a word designed to attract newcomers. More than just austere, it sounds a little off-putting. Who would gravitate to a way of life based on what sounds like nothingness?

In fact, the insights pointed to by emptiness are deeply liberating and bring great happiness. They transform how we understand ourselves and life in profound ways. Many of those who have practiced the Buddha’s teaching on emptiness regard it as the greatest gift he offered the world. Nonetheless, it is not an easy subject to approach.

When I first became interested in the concept of emptiness in Buddhism, I read a hefty volume with a respectable pedigree that defined emptiness as “the lack of inherent self-existence.” I didn’t doubt the author, but that definition didn’t mean much to me at the time. Other works couch emptiness in terms of dependent origination, which is also intellectually challenging. The fact that so many books have been written about emptiness points to both the richness and the complexity of the subject.

Over many years the word emptiness has taken on a number of meanings in Buddhism. The quality of something being empty is perhaps the simplest meaning. It is helpful to remember that when a noun is derived from an adjective, as emptiness is derived from empty, it doesn’t mean that the noun refers to something that exists independently as an object on its own. It only means the noun is denoting the quality pointed to by that adjective. Just as it is not possible to find wetness apart from something that is wet, we don’t expect to find emptiness as a thing that exists on its own. Emptiness here just means the quality of something being

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empty, like a jar, a desert, or the sky. With this meaning, emptiness functions, in a certain way, more like an adjective.

What might be understood as empty and what is it empty of? Let us begin by asking what it means to be a human being. Most people imagine that individual human experience revolves around a self, a notion that appears in our language through the terms I, me, my, and mine. Prior to careful investigation, we assume that the term I refers to an entity that can be found. The Buddha, however, discerned that our human experience is empty of a self. This is the liberating teaching of not-self. In this example, emptiness is more or less synonymous with the absence of a “self.” This was one of the early meanings of emptiness in Buddhism.

Later Buddhist schools used the term emptiness to emphasize the lack of substance in the world. Just as twentieth-century quantum physicists exposed the lack of solidity in matter, the Buddha and his followers perceived this directly through meditation nearly 2,600 years earlier. This lack of substance is pointed to in the earliest Buddhist teachings and was explored more fully in succeeding centuries.

Another early usage of the word emptiness refers to a refined meditative state in which perception is greatly simplified. In a usual moment of experience, the many objects we perceive — sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, and images — lead to thoughts and feelings about them. We hear a person’s voice and imagine she is talking about us. We see a treasured possession and dwell on how it came to us. When perception is simplified so that we simply notice, for example, sound or sight, we are able to be present in a balanced and peaceful way. The full development of this approach was described by the Buddha as “abiding in emptiness.”

A more colloquial use of the word emptiness evolved that points to

the quality of mind when we are in touch with the present moment and not preoccupied with wants, needs, or issues of past or future.

This mind is said to be empty in that it is not filled with extraneous thinking. Such a mind is attuned to the present with openness and receptivity. An empty mind moves easily to joy and contentment and moves slowly to reactive emotions like fear and anger. We might understand this as a less refined, everyday example of “abiding in emptiness.”

There is a common misunderstanding about emptiness that I would like to dispel. Emptiness does not mean vacancy, nothingness, or the absence of conscious experience. Emptiness is a property or characteristic of things that appear in the world. It is found within our human, conscious experience. There is a subtle meditative state called “the base of nothingness,” which denotes an absence of sense contact. It is a significant achievement in concentration, but it does not bear in a central way on the meaning of emptiness as presented here. Emptiness is primarily understood as a property of things that appear in our world. Understanding emptiness brings freedom to our experience as we live consciously in the world.

We hold on tightly to things in an attempt to find security, but because the world is always in flux, this effort is ultimately unsuccessful.

Notwithstanding these definitions of emptiness, we might say, simply, that emptiness means that the things of this world, including me, are not truly solid or substantial. In the beginning we are mostly unaware of the solidity we attribute to our self and the rest of the world, so even this description requires investigation.

In fact, all the definitions of emptiness have broad implications, because they go against fundamental assumptions we have of ourselves and the world, assumptions so pervasive and unexamined that we hardly know they are assumptions at all. Here is a brief summation of some of these implications.

We hold on tightly to things in an attempt to find security, but because the world is always in flux, this effort is ultimately unsuccessful. The thing we’ve clung to changes, and the clinging to what no longer is becomes a source of frustration and insecurity.

Clearly seeing the fact of impermanence undermines our tendency to hold on, because we recognize that things will inevitably change.

As we get older, for example, if we continue to wish that our bodies would stay as they were when we were twenty, we will suffer with every new wrinkle and pound. When we understand that change is inherent in the nature of the physical body, we can be much more graceful in accepting the aging process.

Seeing emptiness acknowledges this and takes it a step further.

We also see that there was nothing solid to hold on to in the first place. It is not actually possible to cling to reality, because change

is so rapid and universal that a graspable thing cannot be found anywhere. All that we can cling to is the memory of something fleeting. We understand, for example, that aging is going on in our bodies even at the cellular level. If cells are constantly dying and being recreated, how can our skin be expected to be constant for even one year? Moreover, within most cells, rapid chemical interactions are constant, as mitochondria burn the nutrients delivered to them. These bodily processes cannot be stopped or frozen even for a second.

When we see that this is true in every facet of life, it changes us deeply. We become less bound to the past and able to live more in the present. The heart can let go of what it has tried to store up.

This shift comes as a great relief. We feel lighter, freer, and happier.

We explore emptiness not to construct another ideology but to bring greater freedom and contentment into our lives. The aim of all the Buddha’s teachings is to convey a path out of suffering in all its many forms and into the greatest possible freedom, which he called nibbãna. The Buddhist path is different for each person, but there is a common trajectory for most of us, a series of steps in the seeing of emptiness and an accompanying series of releases.

This article has been adapted with permission from Guy Armstrong’s forthcoming book, Emptiness: A Practical Guide for Meditators (Wisdom Publications), which will be released May 2017. Guy Armstrong has been leading Insight Meditation retreats since 1984 in the US, Europe and Australia.

His training included living as a monk for a year in the Thai Forest lineage. Guy is a member of the Spirit Rock Teachers Council and a guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Society. He will be teaching a daylong based on his book May 6 at Spirit Rock (see page 15 for details).

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SPIRIT ROCK NEWS | MAY – AUG 2017

Volunteering at Spirit Rock has given me much joy and purpose.

This manifests in sharing the welcoming presence of the new community hall and helping others discover the great texts available to sustain and strengthen our practice, thereby enhancing my personal practice of generosity. Being a part of this historic period at Spirit Rock is exciting, rewarding and deeply meaningful.

SPIRIT ROCK RELIES ON THE GENEROSITY of our many volunteers. We offer a range of opportunities from one-time projects to ongoing service. Check our website to find out more about our volunteer program or contact our Volunteer & Community Coordinator at volunteering@spiritrock.org or (415) 488-0164 x224.

Volunteer Profile—

JOAN DEHOVITZ I first heard about Spirit Rock 16 years ago from a close friend.

I would venture out on Monday nights to hear Jack Kornfield, but the pull of four small children at home made my visits infrequent.

After a significant life event in 2010, I yearned for stability and inner peace. I read Jack’s book A Lamp in the Darkness and returned to Spirit Rock on a regular basis. My visits increased from Monday nights to daylongs to classes with James Baraz and eventually to multiple residential retreats. Spirit Rock, the teachers and the teachings became a refuge for me and my thoughts, and the impact was significant in helping me gain perspective on life’s challenges. Today, through an introduction at Spirit Rock, I am embarking on Mind Body Stress Reduction (MBSR) training, as well as participating with my husband in a “Couples on the Path” class series led by George Taylor and Debra Chamberlain-Taylor.

After my second residential retreat, I knew it was time to bring home a Buddha. I walked into the bookstore in the former Community Meditation Hall to purchase my Buddha, and that precious store captivated me. The vast selection of books supporting our practice, the contemplative Buddhas, the majestic Kwan Yins, the colorful shawls, and the glistening bowls were inviting the moment I walked in. I was trying to find my place in the volunteer community, so I asked Sally Segerstrom, Spirit Rock’s Volunteer Coordinator, if the bookstore could use my help.

What I have learned is that Spirit Rock’s bookstore provides such joy for visitors, yogis and teachers. It has become the “go to” place at the new Community Meditation Center, filled with books, Buddhas, bells and spiritual goodies. Mary Ann Clark, the Bookstore Manager, has created a beautiful sanctuary for us to peruse and enjoy.

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SPIRIT ROCK NEWS | MAY – AUG 2017

DHARMA OF NOW: THURSDAY NIGHT SITTING & DISCUSSION GROUP 7:15 – 9:15 pm, Thursdays Join us as we come together as a community to hold our experiences around current national and world events with compassion and to support one another during this moment of extraordinary change and uncertainty.

Each weekly gathering is led by a dharma teacher and focuses

Inauguration Day

on an issue of particular concern to the community and the

COMMUNITY GATHERING & SIT

the wisdom of the Dharma.

On January 20th, following the presidential inauguration, more than 300 practitioners gathered at Spirit Rock to hear dharma teachings about compassion in action and to dialogue about what we’re called upon to do in response to these uncertain times. James Baraz, Kate Munding, Wes Nisker, Roger Housden, Mark Coleman and Betsy Rose offered teachings, guided meditations and inquiry, poetry and music.

Major themes that emerged from the discussions were the importance of finding our allies and the power of the Dharma to nurture our internal life in support of external service. To continue the momentum that was created at this gathering, Spirit Rock is offering a new Thursday night sitting and discussion group, Dharma of Now, that will explore issues of concern to the community and the world through the lens of the Dharma.

world, with the intention of understanding how to respond from Cost: $0-30 sliding scale.

Visit spiritrock.org/programs/dharma-of-now for a schedule of teachers and topics.

NEW! COMMUNITY WELCOME Meets once a month, 6:30 – 7:15 pm, before the Monday Night Dharma Talk and Meditation At Spirit Rock we recognize that someone trying meditation for the first time can feel apprehensive, even if they are highly motivated. Therefore, we are committed to supporting newcomers to feel at ease as they begin to experience present moment awareness. We’re now offering a Community Welcome program once a month before our Monday Night Dharma Talk

“ When people get together to share

their concern and uncertainty it transmutes the anxiety into positive action, a lived experience of refuge in sangha. As we head into the uncharted waters that lie ahead, this will be the key to making a difference.”

—james baraz

and Meditation Group that provides an introduction to the practices of mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation and an orientation to the teachings of the Buddha. It’s an opportunity to learn more about mindfulness and ask questions about our program offerings in a supportive setting with other folks who are also just beginning their exploration of mindfulness meditation.

The program includes basic meditation instruction, a short, guided sit, and a question-and-answer period. There’s no charge to attend the Community Welcome and participants receive a voucher to attend the Monday Night Dharma Talk & Meditation afterward at no charge.

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SPIRIT ROCK NEWS | MAY – AUG 2017

YOUR SUPPORT IS VITAL TO EVERYTHING WE DO...

OPERATING FUND FOR SPIRIT ROCK — SUPPORT WHERE IT’S NEEDED MOST Please consider making a gift in support of our operating fund for Spirit Rock. We use these gifts where they’re needed most, and they are absolutely essential to all we do here! Thank you so very much! To make a gift, visit our website or call Rachel Uris, at (415) 488-0164 x286 or email srmc@spiritrock.org.

PLAN FOR THE FUTURE WITH SPIRIT ROCK IN MIND Leaving a gift in your estate is a powerful way to demonstrate the love you have for the people and organizations you care about most. At Spirit Rock, we invite you to consider naming us as a beneficiary in your will. To learn more please contact Rachel Uris, Director of Development and Communications, at (415) 488-0164 x286 or rachelu@spiritrock.org

Express Your Generosity Giving to Spirit Rock is a clear act of conviction— supporting refuge, compassion, clarity and kindness.

Dana, or generosity, is one of the heart qualities that the Buddha tells us leads to freedom. For many of us, our time at Spirit Rock illuminates opportunities to practice dana (or generosity) in our daily lives. In whatever form you choose, giving to Spirit Rock is a way to perfect this beautiful parami while sustaining our community, this land, and everything it takes to tend this precious refuge.

online Visit “Giving” on our website, spiritrock.org.

stewardship circle As a Stewardship Circle member, you put your deepest values into action while supporting everything we do here. To show our gratitude, we offer members Dharma talks, livestreaming, articles and more. To join, please contact Rebecca Cariati, rebeccac@spiritrock.org or online at www.spiritrock.org/donor-circles.

matching gifts Ask your employer to match your gift to Spirit Rock.

in honor or memory Make a gift in honor or in memory of a loved one.

leave a legacy Including Spirit Rock in your will is a beautiful way to support us and to pass on your values.

gifts of stock/ira distributions A simple way of offering gifts to Spirit Rock is through appreciated stock and IRA distributions/ beneficiary designations.

volunteering To volunteer, contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Sally Segerstrom at (415) 488-0164 x224 or volunteering@spiritrock.org.

If you have any questions about giving, or even the worldly dharma of money, please call Rachel Uris, Director of Development, at (415) 488-0164 x286 or email rachelu@spiritrock.org.

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SPIRIT ROCK NEWS | MAY – AUG 2017

spirit rock teacher training update

Empowering Future Dharma Teachers Spirit Rock is thrilled to announce that our next cohort of Teacher Trainees, who are majority people of color, will begin their fouryear Spirit Rock Teacher Training program this July. We offer our deepest gratitude to all of you who offered support and input to Spirit Rock leadership during the process leading up to the final Spirit Rock Board decision to engage Larry Yang, Gina Sharpe and Lila Kate Wheeler to offer this exciting new program.

Teacher trainees include: Alisa Dennis, Amana Brembry Johnson, Cara Lai Fitzgibbon, Carol Cano, Dawn Mauricio, Gulwinder Singh, James Lowe, JD Doyle, Jeff Haozous, Kaira Jewel Lingo, Kate Johnson, Katy Wiss, Konda Mason, Leslie Booker, Louije Kim, Noliwe Alexander, Pawan Bareja, Rachel Lewis, Solwazi Johnson and Teresa Abdala-Romano.

This training profoundly enhances our service to the Dharma nationally and marks an important turning point for our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts in empowering this next generation of teachers who reflect the wisdom and diversity in our dharma

AUG 13 SUN

Real Love: The Art of Mindful Connection SHARON SALZBERG 9:30 am – 4:30 pm Book signing 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm LIVE WEBCAST AVAILABLE

communities. We are deeply grateful to the core faculty — Gina Sharpe, Larry Yang, and Lila Kate Wheeler — for their commitment to creating this beautiful offering to the Dharma. This training marks the fifth Teacher Training program in Spirit Rock’s history, with the first started in 1984 by founding teacher Jack Kornfield.

The following statement from Gina, Lila Kate and Larry expresses why this teacher training is so important now, more than ever: “We, as the core faculty of the Spirit Rock Teacher Training, deeply appreciate, honor, and respect the support that Spirit Rock and many communities have given to cultivate a new generation of retreat teachers and to sustain more diverse spiritual leadership for our world. With this support, we have been able to complete the admissions process, specify details of program components, design the curriculum, initiate a container of generative learning, and work on multiple scheduling and logistics for the next four years. It is exciting and inspiring. Especially in these times, we feel that diversity in the preparation of future Dharma teachers for leadership is even more relevant and indispensable to our collective awakening from suffering and delusion.”

You are a person worthy of love. You don’t have to do anything to deserve all the love in the world. Real Love is a creative tool kit of mindfulness exercises and meditation techniques that help you truly engage with your present experience and create deeper love relationships with yourself, your partner, friends and family, and with life itself.

Sharon Salzberg has taught loving-kindness meditation all over the world, and in her newest book she encourages us to strip away layers of negative habits and obstacles, helping us to experience authentic, love-based, direct experience, rather than preconceptions. Sharon will guide us in dispelling cultural and emotional habits and directing focused care and attention so we can recapture the essence of what it is to love and be loved. With positive reflections and practices, Sharon teaches us how to shift the responsibilities of the love that we give and receive to rekindle the powerful healing force of true connection.

This daylong will include a combination of talks, guided meditation and direction for practice to carry forth the lessons of the day into our daily lives. This daylong is appropriate for all audiences. A book signing will follow the event.

Cost: $75 - 200 sliding scale. Code: SS1D17.

Livestream cost: $30 - 108 sliding scale. Code: SS1L17.

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NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS

Spirit Rock offers a breadth of trainings, including multi-day, non-residential retreats, drop-in and daylong programs, special events, weekly and monthly class series and online courses that open gateways to the Dharma and deepen understanding of the Buddha's teachings. We invite you to review our offerings on the following pages. Details are subject to change; visit spiritrock.org for up-to-date information.

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NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

WEEKLY & MONTHLY DROP-IN PROGRAMS AT SPIRIT ROCK Mon. Night Dharma Talk & Meditation Group 7:15 – 9:15 pm | LIVE WEBCAST AVAILABLE JACK KORNFIELD, MARK COLEMAN & OTHERS Our Monday night drop-in program serves as an introduction to the practices of awareness and compassion that are the heart of our community and offers support and ongoing teachings to committed students. Cost: $15 - 30 sliding scale.

Spirit Rock Community Welcome | 6:30 – 7:15 pm Meets once a month before the Monday Night Dharma Talk & Meditation Group. This free program is for those who are coming to Spirit Rock for the first time, are new to meditation, or who may have questions about retreats and other Spirit Rock Programs.

Wed. Morning Meditation Group | 10 am – 12 pm SYLVIA BOORSTEIN, DONALD ROTHBERG & OTHERS A sitting and practice-oriented discussion group, suitable for new and experienced practitioners.

Cost: $15 - 30 sliding scale.

Thursday Women's Group | 10 am – 12 pm GRACE FISHER & OTHERS A place for women a place to come together to share wisdom and to strengthen a sense of belonging in the world.

Cost: $15 - 30 sliding scale.

Dharma of Now | 7:15 - 9:15 pm, Thursday Night SPIRIT ROCK TEACHERS & FRIENDS A community gathering that explores how we can respond to changing political conditions worldwide from the wisdom of the Dharma. Cost: $0 - 30 sliding scale.

Friday Meditation & Yoga | 10 am – 12:15 pm ASHLEY SHARP & OTHERS Each class includes an hour of mindful yoga, guided meditation, a dharma talk, inquiry and discussion. Beginning May 4, Meditation and Yoga will switch to Thursday mornings.

Cost: $15 - 30 sliding scale.

Dharma & Recovery Group | 7:15 – 9:15 pm KEVIN GRIFFIN & OTHERS - 2nd Friday of every month This group explores the intersection of recovery with Buddhist teachings and practices. All who identify with any of the full range of addictions including: substances, behaviors, habitual thought and emotional patterns. Cost: $15 - 30 sliding scale.

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NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

MAY

01

MON

Releasing Trauma’s Hold on Our Meditation: Review & Deepening SAKTI ROSE | 5 Mondays, 10 am – 12 pm

5-WEEK CLASS SERIES | 8 CE CREDITS In this class series, you will learn skills of Somatic Experiencing (SE) to explore traumatic experiences that give rise to stuck patterns of fight, flight and freeze. Traumatic events leave physiological and emotional scars that alter neurological structures and functions.

With the tools taught in this class, individuals can recognize and reduce the painful effects of trauma and thereby free up energy for mindfulness meditation. This is a continuation of the Releasing Trauma’s Hold winter class series. Cost: $125 – 200 sliding scale.

Code: SR2C17.

SAKTI ROSE is a senior Somatic Experiencing™ Practitioner and teaches mindfulness meditation in hospitals and meditation centers.

MAY

05 FRI

3-DAY NON-RESIDENTIAL RETREAT

Bringing Practice to Life: Everyday Opportunities for Love, Wisdom and Connection SUSIE HARRINGTON | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm Friday, May 5 - Sunday, May 7

This retreat will explore how our practice is challenged and comes alive in the crucible of our daily interactions. “Relational dharma” is the invitation to make each interaction of our day a place of intensive and rewarding dharma practice – an opportunity for connection, understanding and insight. With practice and intention, we can bring interest and connection to intimate, friend, family and work relationships, while not losing contact with ourselves. Cost: $225 – 600 sliding scale. Code: SH1M17.

SUSIE HARRINGTON is the guiding teacher for Desert Dharma, which serves many communities in the Southwest near her home in Moab, UT. She often offers retreats outdoors, believing nature to be a profound teacher and a gateway to our true nature.

MAY

05 FRI

Awake in the Wild - Meditation in Nature MARK COLEMAN | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

Nowhere is the power of contemplative meditation more profound than in the serenity of nature. Like the Buddha, mystics for millennia have sought refuge in the silence of the natural world. In this tranquil and rejuvenating day, we will explore how meditation is supported by the stillness of nature as we spend the day in sitting and walking meditation in the hills and meadows of Spirit Rock. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: MC6D17 MARK COLEMAN - See page 44 for bio.

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NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS INFORMATION Spirit Rock deeply welcomes anyone with an interest in studying the Dharma and practicing Insight Meditation. We are committed to ensuring that these teachings are available to all and that no one is turned away for lack of funds. We regularly hold events that don't have fees, called "Dana Days." And all Spirit Rock retreats and programs (except Benefits) offer scholarships, sliding-scale fees and work exchange opportunities so that money isn't a barrier to practice. Please join us!

REGISTRATION Registration is available on our website spiritrock.org. You can also mail a check to Spirit Rock, PO Box 169, Woodacre, CA, 94973. Please include your daytime phone number and email address and write the program code on the outside of the envelope and on your check. Pre-registration closes at noon Friday for weekend programs. For class series and other nonweekend programs, pre-registration closes at noon one business day before the program. In order to receive the pre-registration price, you must pay in full at the time you register. There is an additional $5 fee for registering at the door. To register by phone, call (415) 488-0164 x219 or x266, Monday to Friday.

VOLUNTEERING Volunteering is a meaningful way to participate in the Spirit Rock community. Volunteers help in every department and support every program. We hope you’ll consider offering us your time and energy helping with events, in housekeeping, on the land, in an office or in the kitchen. In gratitude for your service, volunteers receive free or reduced price attendance at programs. Contact our Volunteer & Community Coordinator, Sally Segerstrom, at volunteering@spiritrock.org or (415) 488-0164 x224.

YOUNG ADULT/SENIOR RATES Young Adults (18-26) and Seniors (65+ with limited and fixed income) are invited to attend regular daylongs for $45-$55, class series for half price (with some exceptions) and nonresidential retreats for $45 per day.

CANCELLATIONS We do not offer refunds, but you can request a credit up to 4:00 pm two business days before an event, or Thursday for weekend programs. We will credit your registration fee towards another non-residential program. Credits are not transferrable to residential retreats and must be used within one year of their date of issue. If you do not contact us prior to this deadline, no credit will be issued. Credits cannot be accessed online; to request or use a credit, contact EventsRegistrar@spiritrock.org or call (415) 488-0164 x219 or x266, 8 am - 4 pm, Monday to Friday.

Benefit for Spirit Rock and the Metta Institute MAY

What Death Teaches about Life

SUN

FRANK OSTASESKI, RACHEL NAOMI REMEN 9:30 am – 4:00 pm

07

Dying is inevitable and intimate. We can’t be truly alive without maintaining an awareness of death. Death illuminates what matters most and reminds us not to squander this life. The good news is we don’t have to wait until the end of our life to realize the wisdom that death has to teach. This program is an invitation to reclaim the meaning and mystery in life and discover how the lessons learned at the time of dying have relevance for all of us in leading a whole-hearted life. Cost: $110 – 275 sliding scale.

Code: FO1B17

MAY

06 SAT

Emptiness: A Practical Introduction for Meditators GUY ARMSTRONG | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm New Book! Signing to Follow

Emptiness, one of the most important concepts in Buddhism, refers to fundamental understandings of our human condition, deep spiritual insight, and the radical experience of liberation.

In this daylong we will explore the teachings on emptiness and their application in our lives. We will look into emptiness as it relates to the notion of not-self, investigate emptiness as a liberating insight into the insubstantial nature of sense phenomena, and explore the empty nature of awareness itself and its relationship to a unique style of meditation practice.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: GA1D17 GUY ARMSTRONG see page 44 for bio.

MAY

12 FRI

Mindfulness and Technology ANUSHKA FERNANDOPULLE 9:30 am – 4:00 pm

Technology is an essential part of modern communication, but it is easy to feel overwhelmed by it. Mindfulness can help us deal with this area of our life in a more balanced and helpful way. Join us for this day of exploring dharma teachings that can help us deal with modern technology. We will learn practices that can help manage technology better, which include learning to manage our own heart and mind with more grace and ease. We will discuss changing our relationship to inputs like email and texts, to the concepts of inner and outer worlds, and to our idea of self.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: AF2D17.

FRANK OSTASESKI co-founded the Zen Hospice Project, the first Buddhist hospice in America. In 2004, he created the Metta Institute to provide broadbased education on mindful and compassionate end-of-life care. He is the author of Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully.

RACHEL NAOMI REMEN, MD, is Clinical Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine, a co-Founder of the Commonweal Cancer Help Program, and the Founder and Director of The Remen Institute for the Study of Health and Illness at Wright State Boonshoft School of Medicine.

MAY

12 FRI

3-DAY NON-RESIDENTIAL RETREAT

Exploring the Source Teachings RICHARD SHANKMAN | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm Friday, May 12 - Sunday, May 14

Having an understanding of Buddhist teachings helps support and strengthen our meditation practice; provides a contextual basis within which to understand what is happening and where we are going; aids us in making wise and informed choices; and helps us assess what is skillful action. In this non-residential retreat, we will explore the Pali Suttas, beginning with an overview of the origin, evolution and organization of the suttas. We will then delve into the teachings on enlightenment and examine suttas that lay out various ways the path of meditation and spiritual progress are presented. Cost: $225 – 600 sliding scale. Code: RS1M17.

RICHARD SHANKMAN teaches at dharma centers and groups nationally, including Spirit Rock and IMS. He has been a meditator since 1970 and is the guiding teacher of the Metta Dharma Foundation in Berkeley, CA.

Visit spiritrock.org for schedule updates and full teacher bios.

ANUSHKA FERNANDOPULLE - See page 44 for bio.

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NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE) CREDITS Continuing Education programs are co-sponsored by Spirit Rock, the Spiritual Competency Resource Center, and the Institute of Noetic Sciences. Most programs offering CE credit are applicable to psychologists and persons holding a California MFT, LCSW, LEP, LPCC or Nursing license. Events offering CE credit are appropriate for the general public as well as health care professionals.

The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE credits for license renewal for programs sponsored by American Psychological Association approved providers.

The Spiritual Competency Resource Center is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Spiritual Competency Resource Center maintains responsibility for these programs and their content.

The Institute of Noetic Sciences is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP 10318.

CE credit awarded for instruction time only. For more information, including number of credits offered per event and learning objectives, please see the event descriptions on our website.

For more information see spiritrock.org/continuing-education-credit.

CE CREDIT OFFERINGS 2017 5/1

5/13 5/14 5/20 5/21 5/29 5/30 6/2 6/3 6/9

6/11 6/18 7/1 7/8 7/14 7/15 7/16 7/22 7/23 7/23 7/29 8/13 8/18

8/20 8/27

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Releasing Trauma’s Hold on our Meditation Equanimity in the Dharma and in Your Brain Psychotherapy and the Art of Deep Listening Courage: A Daylong Workshop for Men Return to Wholeness: Releasing Trauma Using Loving-Kindness and Compassion Transforming the Judgmental Mind - Residential Retreat Awakening Joy - Residential Retreat Finding Refuge and the Wise Heart in Challenging Times Sustaining Yourself As a Care Provider Shift Happens: Learning to Bounce Back from Difficulties Relationship As Spiritual Practice The Philosopher’s Stone: Key to the Secrets of Liberation Blue Mind: How Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier and More Connected Mindful Parenting on the Frontier of Technology and Youth Opening the Heart, Freeing the Mind No-Self in the Brain: Insights from Neuroscience The Joy of Samadhi Introduction to Insight Meditation The Joy of Letting Go Cultivating a Compassionate Heart during Troubling Times Transforming Emotions with Qigong Sound Healing and Meditation Passionate Awakening: Embodying Emotional Wisdom Cultivating Compassion The Buddha’s Path of Well-Being and Happiness Being Present in the Body: Using Mindfulness to Work with Trauma

MAY

Natural Wisdom and Compassion: The Cultivation of Awareness

SAT

ALEXIS SANTOS | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

13

Wisdom and compassion are natural qualities of mind that develop when we learn to attend skillfully to our experience with awareness. They arise when the mind is not obscured by confusion, fear or desire. Through our practice we develop that which is skillful, and gradually let go of that which is not. Over time as we cultivate awareness, it becomes a natural part of our life. During this day together, we’ll explore the effortless nature of awareness, which in turn leads to a more mindful life. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: LX1D17.

ALEXIS SANTOS - has practiced Insight Meditation in India, Burma and the US since 2001. He is a graduate of the Spirit Rock/IMS/IRC Teacher Training Program and assists at retreats throughout the US.

MAY

13

SAT

Equanimity in the Dharma and in Your Brain RICK HANSON | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS Equanimity means not reacting to your reactions. It breaks the chain of suffering by helping you to not react to the pleasant or unpleasant feeling tone of experience with craving and clinging.

Your equanimity, which is a state of mind, is based on underlying states of your brain. In this experiential workshop, we will explore how modern neuroscience is revealing new ways to cultivate those brain states using a potent combination with time-tested Buddhist practices. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: RH2D17.

RICK HANSON, PHD, is a psychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley and New York Times best-selling author. His books include Hardwiring Happiness and Buddha’s Brain.

MAY

14

SUN

Psychotherapy and the Art of Deep Listening GRACE FISHER | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS As therapists, we listen to people talk about their lives, their struggles, their joys, their triumphs and their sorrows. But how do we listen? This daylong explores how to cultivate a deep listening presence for our clients and ourselves. We’ll examine how the threads of intention, directed and free-floating attention, body awareness, and emotional resonance weave a tapestry of a deephealing presence. By offering this presence to ourselves, we can quiet the mind and allow our deepest wisdom to guide us with our clients. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: GF2D17.

GRACE FISHER is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a private practice in San Anselmo, CA. She is a former lawyer who holds Masters degrees in Education and Counseling Psychology.

NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

HALF-DAY BENEFIT FOR SPIRIT ROCK MAY

20 SAT

MAY

14

SUN

The Tao and the Dharma WES NISKER, FRANZ MOECKL (QIGONG) 9:30 am – 4:00 pm

Join Franz and Wes for an inspirational day of practicing Mindfulness Meditation and qigong. Through these elegant, ancient practices, we will explore our existence as part of nature and enter into the flow of life itself. Traditional Buddhist views of self and reality will be presented, as well as some of the latest information from evolutionary biology and psychology to support and guide the practices. As we come to feel ourselves to be part of the movement of creation, our lives gain new meaning, and we find relief from the suffering of a separate, disconnected self.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: WN2D17.

WES NISKER - See page 45 for bio.

ALLAN BADINER is a contributing editor for Tricycle magazine and has edited numerous books, including Dharma Gaia: A Harvest in Buddhism and Ecology and Mindfulness in the Marketplace. He has a masters degree from the College of Buddhist Studies in LA and serves on the boards of Rainforest Action Network, Threshold Foundation and Project CBD. ALEX AND ALLYSON GREY are artists whose works cover a diverse variety of art forms including painting, sculpture, visionary art, performance art, and installation art. Alex’s works explore the physical, metaphysical and spiritual anatomy of the human life experiences in a blend of visionary and postmodern art. Allyson Grey has long been an art educator, arts organizer and muse to artists worldwide. The Grey’s co-founded the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, a spiritual retreat center for artists outside of New York City.

MAY

20

MAY

16

TUE

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness SALLY ARMSTRONG | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm Tuesday, May 16 - Friday, May 19

The Buddha taught that there is a direct way for alleviating suffering and discovering peace, wisdom and happiness, and that is through cultivating the Four Foundations of Mindfulness or Satipatthana. In this non-residential retreat, we will explore these liberating teachings that form the basis for Insight Meditation practice. Participants will develop mindfulness of these foundations in their meditation practice and learn how to integrate this awareness into all aspects of their lives. This is an excellent retreat for those with some experience in meditation and for those wanting to deepen their understanding of these essential Buddhist teachings. Cost: $300 – 800 sliding scale. Code: SA1M17.

SALLY ARMSTRONG - See page 44 for bio.

ALLAN BADINER, ALEX GREY, ALLYSON GREY & SPECIAL GUESTS 1:30 - 4:30 pm; Book signing, 4:30 – 5:30 pm

This event is a celebration of the new edition of Zig Zag Zen: Buddhism and Psychedelics, edited by Allan Badiner and Alex Grey.

Jack Kornfield will welcome guests and provide a prologue to the program before introducing the afternoon’s speakers who will lead us on an exploration of the intersection of psychedelics and the Buddhist path and address such topics as psychedelic medicine, philosophical and existential exploration, current findings of the scientific community, as well as a more nuanced and slightly critical view of the place of psychedelics in healing the mind. Special guests will include: Rick Doblin, Ralph Metzner, Rick Strassman, Michael Stone and others.

Cost: $75 – 200, sliding scale. Code: ZZ1B17.

FRANZ MOECKL has practiced taiji and qigong for more than 30 years and has taught at Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Stress Reduction Clinic in Worcester, MA.

4-DAY NON-RESIDENTIAL RETREAT

Psychedelics and the Buddhist Path

SAT

Courage: A Daylong Workshop for Men JAMES BARAZ, DANIEL ELLENBERG 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS Courage isn’t just about running into burning buildings or climbing steep mountains. More often it emerges in daily life. Courage helps us close the gap between our present experience and our unmet wants or needs. In this daylong, we will explore practicing courage more consciously, deliberately and consistently and distinguishing between a lack of courage and wise non-action. We will examine common obstacles to more courageous action, the relationship between courage and decision making, and the connection between courage, compassion and mindfulness.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: JB2D17.

JAMES BARAZ - See page 44 for bio.

DANIEL ELLENBERG, PHD, is the president of Relationships That Work and a principal at Rewire Leadership Institute. He is also the founder and director of Strength with Heart men’s groups and workshops and a founding member of the Men’s Counseling Guild.

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NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

MAY

21

SUN

Return to Wholeness: Releasing Trauma Using Loving-Kindness and Compassion PAWAN BAREJA | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS In this daylong, we will be working with the traumatic responses in your body, which can inhibit your daily life through stress and anxiety. We will explore holding your trauma responses using somatic (body-based) skills and mindfulness meditation tools.

Specifically, the mindfulness practices of Loving-kindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy and Equanimity will be used to help you free up your energy so you feel more settled, grounded and calm in your everyday life. You may begin to heal the trauma by discharging the traumatic energy that gets bound in the nervous system as body constriction and emotional reactivity.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: PB2D17.

PAWAN BAREJA, PHD, has a body-oriented counseling practice based on Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing™ (SE) work for coping with trauma and life changes, and is also an assistant in SE Trainings.

MAY

20 SAT

Cultivating Clarity through Living the Questions LISA ERNST | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

Unanswered questions and intractable situations often appear to stand in the way of living from our deepest intentions. At times we might feel blocked even from knowing what our true priorities are. During this day of sitting and walking meditation, we will have the opportunity to practice opening our hearts to our unresolved inner dilemmas, rather than trying to solve them. These questions contain a rich source of insight; learning to live with them brings about a radical shift that opens our hearts to clarity and equanimity. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: LE1D17.

LISA ERNST has been meditating since the late ‘80s, training extensively in both the Zen and Vipassana traditions. She received teaching authorization in the Thai Forest lineage of Ajahn Chah, Jack Kornfield and Trudy Goodman Kornfield, her primary mentor. Lisa is the founder of One Dharma Nashville.

MAY

21

SUN

Heart Practices As We Age ANNA DOUGLAS | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

By the time we have lived 60+ years, our hearts have been broken, perhaps more than once. We may have recovered and healed, or we may still feel the effects of being hurt, disappointed, betrayed, abandoned or otherwise wounded. Part of our task as elders is to heal the wounds of the past and to come to peace with our unresolved feelings. The Dharma gives us many tools for healing and releasing the wounds of the past. This day will offer a sampler of practices and teachings to help you in your healing journey. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: AD3D17.

ANNA DOUGLAS - See page 44 for bio.

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MAY

27

SAT

A MONASTIC DAY

Entering the Heart of Practice AYYA ANANDABODHI, AYYA SANTACITTA, ISABELITA PAPA (QIGONG) | 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

DANA DAY (BY DONATION) At the heart of Buddhist practice is the union of wisdom and compassion, cultivated through mindfulness and a skillful response to life. Through developing the qualities of the heart and seeing clearly, we can transform deeply ingrained habits that limit our experience and open hearts and minds to greater freedom. During this daylong we come together as a community to support each other by keeping Noble Silence. There will be a shared vegetarian meal; you’re invited to bring almsfood to share with the nuns. Code: NU1G17.

AYYA ANANDABODHI - See page 44 for bio.

AYYA SANTACITTA is co-founder of Aloka Vihara, a training monastery for women in Placerville, CA. She has trained as a nun in both the East and West since 1993, primarily in the lineage of Ajahn Chah, and she also integrates Dzogchen teachings into her practice and teachings. In 2011 she received full bhikkhuni ordination.

ISABELITA PAPA, a certified Wild Goose Qigong teacher, has practiced and taught qigong for 15 years. She is a respected teacher and healer in the San Francisco Bay Area and Hawaii, with expertise in spiritual curing modalities and qigong.

Visit spiritrock.org for schedule updates and full teacher bios.

NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

MAY

28

SUN

Radical Integrity SYLVIA BOORSTEIN with GRACE FISHER 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

We live in a climate polluted by aggression and stress and in which greed and hatred often seem to be rewarded. In these times it is a radical act to be guided by a sense of integrity. In this daylong we’ll explore how the traditional teachings of the Dharma on ethics and wise living can enable us to move in the world from a place of greater congruence with the heart.

Through mindfulness and metta practices, we’ll identify the impulses or habits of the mind that tip us into reactivity and prevent us from acting wisely.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: SB2D17.

SYLVIA BOORSTEIN - See page 44 for bio.

MAY

8-MONTH INTENSIVE OR 3-DAY NON-RESIDENTIAL RETREAT

SAT

Bodhisattva Leadership Training

27

PAMELA WEISS 8 MONTH INTENSIVE TRAINING INCLUDES: · Opening non-residential retreat: Sat, May 27 – Mon, May 29, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm · 5 Half-day retreats on Sundays: June 25, July 23, August 20, September 17, and November 12, 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm · Video conference calls with Pamela Weiss · Closing non-residential retreat: Sat and Sun, Dec 16-17, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm Code: PW1M17. Cost: $790 – 1190 sliding scale.

OPENING NON-RESIDENTIAL RETREAT ONLY:

GRACE FISHER - See page 16 for bio.

Code: PW2M17. Cost: $350 - 750 sliding scale.

JUN

02 FRI

Finding Refuge and the Wise Heart in Challenging Times MARK COLEMAN | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS In every era of human history, people have encountered social upheaval and struggles. Today is no different, yet the social and ecological crises we are facing currently present unprecedented challenges. From the perspective of the Dharma, what is our response? How do we stay centered and not drown in reactivity or hopelessness? Buddhist teachings provide a variety of practices and tools that provide a sense of refuge amidst any circumstance.

The jewel of awareness, the compassionate heart, the refuge of community, the stability of equanimity, and the capacity for wise speech and wise action are key resources on the path.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: MC4D17.

MARK COLEMAN - See page 44 for bio.

This program is being offered in a long form and a short form.

Participants may choose to attend either the 8-month intensive, or the 3-day opening non-residential retreat, or both.

The training will introduce the ancient Buddhist archetype of the Bodhisattva as a new leadership model for our time. Bodhisattva leadership is grounded in a radical re-orientation from living by karma that is based in our habitual, reactive impulses to one of living by vow that is based in our clear, heartfelt intentions. A bodhisattva is a wise or awakened person who is dedicated to helping alleviate suffering for themselves, others and the world.

Together we will explore the Bodhisattva precepts as the ethical backbone for our engagement in the world. Our training will include the cultivation of personal and social vows and will put these teachings into action through the cultivation of wise responses to some of the critical issues of our time, such as climate change, gross economic disparity, and entrenched systems of divisiveness, racism and oppression.

The program is open to dharma students who have practiced for at least two years and have sat multiple overnight retreats.

Having a formal leadership role (at work or within one’s community) is preferred, but not required.

“ Whatever has the nature of arising, has the nature of ceasing.”

—buddha

The extended version of the program will begin and end with non-residential retreats and will include monthly half-day retreats and conference calls. Participants in the 8-month program will be asked to be part of small group cohorts working together to address a specific issue in a project format.

PAMELA WEISS has been practicing Buddhism since 1987, including several years of Zen monastic training and teacher training with Jack Kornfield through Spirit Rock. Pamela leads a weekly sitting group at SF Insight and offers retreats and workshops internationally. She is also an executive coach and Founder of Appropriate Response, a company that has brought the power of mindful awareness to hundreds of leaders inside organizations such as Genentech, Salesforce.com and Pixar.

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NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

JUN

09 FRI

3-DAY NON-RESIDENTIAL RETREAT

Shift Happens: Learning to Bounce Back from Disappointments, Difficulties, Even Disasters LINDA GRAHAM | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm Friday, June 9 - Sunday, June 11

JUN

03 SAT

The Dharma of Decisions OREN J. SOFER | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

Every day we are faced with decisions, from seemingly small, inconsequential choices to larger ones that can affect the course of our whole life. What does the Dharma have to teach us about how to make wiser choices in our lives? In this daylong program, we’ll explore a range of concrete, practical tools for making decisions that incorporate meditation, reflection, intuition and inquiry. You’ll learn how to navigate the choices in your life with more confidence, clarity and ease, as well as how to find more balance with the results of the decisions you make.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: OS1D17.

OREN J. SOFER has practiced meditation in the Theravada Buddhist tradition since 1997, and is a long-time student of Joseph Goldstein, Michele McDonald, and Ven. Ajahn Sucitto. He is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner for healing trauma and a graduate of the Spirit Rock/IMS/IRC Teacher Training Program.

JUN

03 SAT

Renew and Revitalize: Sustaining Yourself As a Care Provider PHILLIP MOFFITT | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

DANA (BY DONATION) DAY | 6 CE CREDITS Care providing has obvious challenges — stress, energy demands, tension and excess workload. And it has hidden costs — self-criticism, sacrificing your own self-care, and falling into despair. In this daylong, we will focus on renewal and look at both the apparent and hidden demands that care providers experience through the lens of the Buddha’s psychology of mindfulness and intentional cultivation of attitude. We will explore how to apply mindfulness to meet the particular needs of the care provider and discuss some of the other skillful means the Buddha taught that can mitigate the stress of care providing. Code: PM1G17.

CE Credits $60.

PHILLIP MOFFITT - See page 45 for bio.

20

18 CE CREDITS Developing flexible and adaptive strategies for coping with everyday disappointments and extraordinary disasters is the heart of any transformative process. A wise use of Buddhist contemplative practices and tools from modern relational psychology can help practitioners let go of unwholesome coping strategies and cultivate new, more wholesome ones. This leads to more clarity, response flexibility and resilience, and less greed, hatred, delusion and suffering. In this 3-day non-residential retreat, participants will learn to reverse the impact of stress and trauma and come out of anxiety, depression, addiction, grief, loneliness, guilt and shame.

Cost: $225 – 600 sliding scale. Code: LG1M17.

LINDA GRAHAM, MFT, is an experienced psychotherapist and meditation teacher who integrates modern neuroscience, mindfulness practices and relational psychology in her nationwide trainings. She is the author of Bouncing Back.

JUN

10

SAT

About Nothing: Buddhist and Jewish Conceptions of Ultimate Truth NORMAN FISCHER, DANIEL MATT 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

In Buddhism it’s Shunyata (Emptiness); in Judaism it’s Ayin (Nothingness). In both spiritual traditions, this ineffable sense of the non-thingness of ultimate reality manifests in material existence in myriad ways. Once we see through the dream of self, we can learn to live in, with, and for it. In this daylong we’ll explore the wisdom of both traditions to understand what each might contribute to a life deeply lived. Cost: $90 – 250 sliding scale.

Code: NF1S17.

NORMAN FISCHER is a poet and Zen Buddhist Priest. He is senior dharma teacher at the San Francisco Zen Center and is the founder and spiritual director of the Everyday Zen Foundation.

DANIEL MATT is a leading authority on Kabbalah and is a professor at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. He is the author of several books, including The Essential Kabbalah and Zohar: Annotated & Explained.

NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

“ True mindfulness will lead to seeing clearly the nature of reality, to lessening suffering, letting go and dis-identification.”

—sally armstrong

JUN

11

SUN

Relationship As Spiritual Practice DEBRA CHAMBERLIN-TAYLOR, GEORGE TAYLOR 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS Relationships can be a source of great joy and awakening in which the most difficult challenges are used for growth and for opening the heart. This may sound like a fantasy, yet experience in our own marriage, as well as experience working with hundreds of couples, shows us that conscious, loving relations are possible. In this workshop we’ll share essential principles and skills that can transform relationships into spiritual practice. Appropriate for those with or without partners. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale.

Code: DG2D17.

JUN

18

SUN

LIVE WEBCAST AVAILABLE

The Philosopher’s Stone: Key to the Secrets of Liberation HAMEED ALI | 10:00 am – 4:00 pm New Book! Signing to Follow

4 CE CREDITS In this two-session program, A. H. Almaas will present an understanding of the relationship between awakening/realization and transformation/maturation. While insights and realizations can be instantaneous, the process of transformation takes time because it is a process of development and maturing. In the morning presentation, “The Philosopher’s Stone: Key to the Secrets of Liberation,” Almaas will borrow from the idea of alchemy and the metaphor of the philosopher’s stone to help us understand the mysterious source of both realization and transformation.

In the afternoon session, “The Dialectic of Transformation and Awakening,” he will explore why transformation is not exactly the same thing as awakening, illumination, enlightenment or realization. Transformation is a process of fundamental change of the individual consciousness itself. Through the philosopher’s stone, real transformation can happen, our consciousness can become free, and we can open to all the possibilities of reality.

Cost: $90 – 250 sliding scale. Code: HA1S17.

Livestream cost: $30 - 108 sliding scale. Code: HA1L17.

HAMEED ALI is creator of the Diamond Approach to Self-Realization and founder of the Ridhwan School for spiritual development. He is the author of numerous books, including The Alchemy of Freedom: The Philosophers’ Stone and the Secrets of Existence.

DEBRA CHAMBERLIN-TAYLOR - See page 44 for bio.

GEORGE TAYLOR is a national leader in the men’s movement and author of Talking with Our Brothers. He is a licensed marriage and family counselor and co-facilitator of the Courage to Love relationship work with Debra Chamberlin-Taylor.

JUN JUN

17

Mindfulness Meditation JACK KORNFIELD | 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

19

MON

Life Beyond 60 ANNA DOUGLAS | 9:30 am – 12:30 pm Monday, June 19 – Monday, July 31; no class July 3

In this traditional Insight Meditation (Vipassana) daylong, the emphasis is on quieting the mind and opening the heart. By cultivating a calm mind and a kind heart towards ourselves and others, we learn to live with loving awareness. And we develop a more easeful relationship with life, regardless of our circumstances. Instructions will be given for both sitting and walking meditation. Lively discourse on the Dharma will be provided throughout the day, with time for questions and discussion. Cost: $90 – 250 sliding scale. Code: JK2D17

6-WEEK CLASS SERIES | Anyone over the age of 55 welcome Life after 60 brings with it new challenges, as well as new perspectives. The teachings of the Dharma and the practice of mindfulness meditation can help us discover what this new stage of life is about. A key revelation is that the very things that challenge us can also bring us greater wisdom and deeper compassion for ourselves and others. As we consciously engage with our experience of aging, we may find that our priorities change, with less compulsion to achieve, and we may feel a keener awareness of the preciousness of life.

Cost: $150 – 240 sliding scale. Code: AD2C17.

JACK KORNFIELD - See page 45 for bio.

ANNA DOUGLAS - See page 44 for bio.

SAT

21

NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

JUN

23 FRI

3-DAY TRAINING

Changes and Transitions in Your 50s & 60s

JUN

25

SUN

PHILLIP MOFFITT Friday, June 23, and Saturday, June 24, 9:30 am – 5:00 pm Sunday, June 25, 9:30 am – 1:00 pm Every stage of life brings change. Sometimes we choose it; sometimes it arrives unexpectedly. Either way, all change is accompanied by anxiety and questions, such as: How do I know if making this change will make me happy? How do I stay balanced in the face of uncertainty? In this weekend workshop, you will be offered tools, practices and principles that can help you answer these questions. This will be an opportunity to assess the areas of greatest importance in your life and determine whether change is needed, develop options, clarify conflicts, and begin to identify priorities and tasks. This training will focus on looking within, versus dwelling on external circumstances, and emphasize making wise choices through clarification of your values. Each day will include presentations by the teacher, self-assessments, small group discussions, personal inquiry and participatory exercises, as well as guided meditations and mindful movement practices. Participants will be offered tools and learn mindfulness techniques that will empower them to navigate their changes and transitions more skillfully.

Cost: $395 – 795 sliding scale. Code: PM1M17.

PHILLIP MOFFITT - See page 45 for bio.

JUN

24 SAT

Who Am I Now? Life Beyond 55 ANNA DOUGLAS | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

Anyone over the age of 55 welcome Researchers have recognized a new developmental stage appearing after 60 that is as distinct from active adulthood as adolescence is from childhood. It is distinguished by the recognition of our potential for lifelong learning and growth, as well as the possibility of inner transformation, even as our body ages. It is a time for letting go of outworn roles and self-images.

This re-focusing on new priorities requires engaging with a freer sense of self-identity. In this daylong, we will explore the liberating question, “Who am I now?”, through the awareness practices of mindfulness, inquiry and group discussion. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: AD4D17.

ANNA DOUGLAS - See page 44 for bio.

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Dharma and Money: Cultivating Our Inner and Outer Sense of Worth GRACE FISHER, BJ WASSERMAN 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

Regardless of our current economic situation, whether we are barely making ends meet or we have a free flowing supply of disposable income, what we tell ourselves about money profoundly impacts our happiness, health, and our ability to manifest our gifts in the world. In this daylong we will lean into the Buddhist teachings about clear seeing, equanimity, letting go and generosity to gain more ease in our relationship to money.

Together we will explore our conditioning and beliefs about money and our sense of worth. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: GF3D17.

BJ WASSERMAN is an executive business coach and Executive Director of The Inside Circle Foundation, where he spearheads transformational healing through mindfulness-based weekly groups and intensives inside San Quentin and Folsom Prisons. He has been facilitating groups with the Mankind Project for over 12 years.

GRACE FISHER - See page 16 for bio.

JUN

30 FRI

3-DAY NON-RESIDENTIAL RETREAT

Buddhist Goddess: Embodying the Divine Feminine Within ERIN SELOVER | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm Friday, June 30 - Sunday, July 2

We all embody a unique configuration of enlightened qualities that are waiting to emerge with the right conditions. The natural beauty and intelligence that emerges through us when we feel safe and connected to life is longing to express itself fully. This retreat is an opportunity to somatically identify, explore and empower your unique awakened energy through the exploration of Buddhist goddesses, especially the Buddhist goddess of non-dual wisdom, Prajnaparamita. Come prepared for an honest exploration of the deepest part of your being and to be inspired by a compassionate group of fellow explorers of this pathless path.

Cost: $225 – 600 sliding scale. Code: ES2M17.

ERIN SELOVER teaches mindfulness-based classes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area in schools, mental health settings and the private sector.

She is a psychotherapist and a graduate of the Spirit Rock/IMS/IRC Teacher Training Program.

NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

JUL

01

SAT

Blue Mind: How Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier and More Connected WALLACE J. NICHOLS, GRACE FISHER 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS In his research, biologist Wallace J. Nichols has uncovered evidence for the many ways in which water positively impacts our minds. In his work he combines findings from neuroscience and psychology, nature and conservation, art and science, poetry and practice in profound and important new ways. The result is an exciting new field called “neuro-conservation.” Join us for a day of discussion and practice as Wallace J. Nichols and Grace Fisher explore the ways that our relationship to water impacts our minds.

Learn how you can build a stronger relationship to this natural wonder that will deepen your practice and your relationship to the water of the planet and to your own mind.

Cost: $90 – 250 sliding scale. Code: GF1S17.

DR. WALLACE J. NICHOLS is a scientist, activist, community organizer, author and dad. He is a Research Associate at California Academy of Sciences. His work has been broadcast on NPR, BBC, PBS, National Geographic and Animal Planet and featured in Time, Newsweek and other publications. His most recent work has been on BLUEMIND: The Mind + Ocean Initiative, merging the fields of cognitive science and ocean exploration.

GRACE FISHER - See page 16 for bio.

JUL

08 SAT

SHAUNA SHAPIRO, PhD, is a professor, licensed clinical psychologist, and internationally recognized expert in mindfulness. She has published over 100 articles and book chapters, and is co-author of The Art and Science of Mindfulness.

DOM SAGOLLA is an author, blogger, software engineer and educator. Sagolla was the build engineer and community manager for President Obama’s iPhone App team in 2008. He is founder and executive director of iOS Developer Camp, the annual idea contest that has led to the founding of companies such as Square, TestFlight and Getaround.

09 SUN

JUL

SUN

A MONASTIC DAY

Mindfulness of the Body: Grounding in Bodily Awareness AJAHN KARUNADHAMMO | 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

DANA DAY (BY DONATION)

The first of the Four Establishings of Mindfulness — Mindfulness of the Body — is taught extensively in the Pali Canon. We often forget that there is “life below the head,” since we spend so much of our time and energy lost in mental proliferation. With various contemplations, the Buddha taught us to use the physical body and breathing as a vehicle for samatha (tranquillity) and vipassana (insight), all the way to complete liberation. This day will include sitting and walking meditation, Dhamma reflections, and time for discussion and questions. Please bring lunch and, if you wish, food to offer the monks. Code: AK1G17.

SHAUNA SHAPIRO, DOM SAGOLLA 9:30 am – 4:00 pm

5 CE CREDITS How to engage mindfully with technology is one of the dilemmas of our modern world, and we as parents need to respond proactively with presence, clarity and wisdom. This interdisciplinary workshop combines ancient mindfulness practices, modern neursoscience, and lessons learned from the tech world to help us mindfully parent on the frontier of technology. We will deepen our own inner wisdom and compassion, as well as learn specific practices that help us raise emotionally intelligent children. Additionally, we will learn how to develop strong boundaries and guidelines for our children, especially around the conscious use of technology and devices. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: SO1D17.

JUL

02

Mindful Parenting on the Frontier of Technology and Youth

Well Nourished: Mindful Practices for Heart, Mind and Body ANDREA LIEBERSTEIN | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm New Book! Signing to Follow

Through mindfulness, mindful eating and heart-based practices, we can cultivate the clear seeing, joy and ease that can help bring our eating and lives back into balance. When we eat mindfully, we involve all the senses by engaging the mind and body in a particular way. We can experience food as pleasure and nourishment while finding our right relationship to amount and quality in each moment. In this daylong you will explore what true nourishment is for you, how to discern what you are truly hungry for, and learn practices to nourish your whole self in everyday living.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: AL2D17.

ANDREA LIEBERSTEIN, MPH, RD, RYT, is a mindful eating expert, mindfulnessbased stress reduction instructor, registered dietitian, nutritionist, mindfulnessbased coach, and registered yoga instructor. She has been teaching mindfulness meditation since 1993.

VEN. AJAHN KARUNADHAMMO took full bhikku ordination in May 1998 and became the first American-born bhikku at the first American branch monastery of the Thai lineage of Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho.

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NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

JUL

14 FRI

Opening the Heart, Freeing the Mind MARK COLEMAN | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

JUL

16

SUN

The Joy of Samadhi NIKKI MIRGHAFORI | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS Mindful awareness and love are beautiful qualities of an awakened life. Awareness leads to clarity, insight and freedom. A loving heart responds with care to our own struggles and to the pain in the world.

In this creative day of practice, we will cultivate heartful qualities and learn how to free ourselves from the restless, reactive mind so we can live with greater kindness and peace. Participants will learn to cultivate mindful awareness through various sitting and walking mindfulness meditations and to develop the quality of love and compassion through heart opening practices. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: MC5D17.

6 CE CREDITS The practice of samatha leads to the state of samadhi, where the mind is stable, bright, undistracted and spacious. A dedicated practice of samatha can culminate in profound stillness, known as jhana, where the mind becomes fully immersed and absorbed in the chosen object of attention. A stable mind is better capable of having a fresh perspective on our psychological processes and, more significantly, inclined to the arising of liberating insights and seeing things as they really are. Developing samadhi, to any extent available, serves as a doorway to freedom of our minds and hearts.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: NM1D17.

MARK COLEMAN- See page 44 for bio.

NIKKI MIRGHAFORI is a Stanford-trained compassion cultivation instructor and a UCLA-trained mindfulness facilitator. She is a graduate of the SRMC/IMS/ IRC Teacher Training Program and a Spirit Rock Board Member.

JUL

15

SAT

No-Self in the Brain: Insights from Neuroscience RICK HANSON | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS We all experience having a particular identity that helps us navigate the world, but that sense of self is also a source of great suffering, as we cling to its wants and react to how others treat it. The Buddha taught that “not-self” was one of the three fundamental characteristics of existence, alongside impermanence and suffering. In this workshop, we will examine “self” and its release in light of Buddhism and modern brain science. These perspectives inform each other, and together they offer powerful and practical tools for deconstructing the apparent self.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: RH3D17.

RICK HANSON, PHD - See page 16 for bio.

JUL

16

SUN

Exploring the Dharma through Poetry: 17th Annual Poetry Day at Spirit Rock PHILLIP MOFFITT | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

Each moment of life, both the ordinary and the extraordinary, is imbued with presence. Being awake to this presence gives us an immediate sense of life’s meaning. This feeling is what poets try to capture in verse. Using poetry as our inspiration and our guide, we will explore how it can deepen our understanding of the Dharma and help us meet each moment of life with awareness, intention and surrender. This daylong will consist of sitting and walking meditation practice interspersed with dharma discussions based on a selection of poems.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: PM2D17.

PHILLIP MOFFITT - See page 45 for bio.

JUL

17

MON

5-DAY NON-RESIDENTIAL RETREAT

Writing As a Path to Awakening ALBERT FLYNN DESILVER | 9:30 am – 4:00 pm Monday, July 17 - Friday, July 21

The practice of writing is an exploration of consciousness, a process of moving toward deeper self-awareness, and leads us along the path of awakening to our true nature. Join us for this extraordinary week of mindful creativity and awakening to your true nature through the practice of writing. The week will include dynamic writing prompts and exercises, periods of sitting meditation, movement practices that will lead into the writings, readings and discussion. Cost: $375 – 1000 sliding scale.

Code: AS1M17.

ALBERT FLYNN DESILVER is a poet, author, teacher and speaker. He has taught at Omega Institute, Esalen Institute, and many writing conferences nationally, as well as in the Teen and Family Program at Spirit Rock since 2005.

JUL

22 SAT

Introduction to Insight Meditation HOWARD COHN | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS Imagine feeling that your life is so complete that you do not wish to be anywhere else. Your mind and body feel calm and content. Imagine feeling this way even when your to-do list is overflowing. You are unrushed and free of anxiety. You are able to act intelligently, skillfully and swiftly with clarity and ease. You feel inexhaustibly alive and aware. Imagine feeling this way when you are alone. Your senses are wide awake. You are not bothered by your thoughts and feelings. This day will provide the tools to experience this meditative presence wherever you are.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: HC3D17.

HOWARD COHN - See page 44 for bio.

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NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

JUL

22 SAT

Concentration Meditation & the Jhanas TINA RASMUSSEN, STEPHEN SNYDER 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

In concentration (samatha) meditation, we return our awareness to one object of meditation to the exclusion of everything else, thereby collecting and unifying the mindstream. Samatha practice reveals with heightened clarity our habitual patterns that cause us to suffer. As we build the capacity to turn away from these patterns, a laser-like awareness can develop, leading to the possibility of the arising of deep meditative absorptions known as the jhanas. The word “jhana” can be translated as the “burning up” of our habitual patterns of greed, hatred and delusion, which purifies our awareness and can deepen our vipassana practice.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: TR2D17.

TINA RASMUSSEN, PHD, has meditated for over 30 years and was ordained as a Theravada Buddhist nun by Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw of Burma, who authorized her to teach. She is the co-author with Stephen Snyder of Practicing the Jhanas.

STEPHEN SNYDER began practicing Buddhist meditation in 1976 and has practiced for 20 years with several Western Zen masters.

JUL

23

SUN

Cultivating a Compassionate Heart during Troubling Times SHARDA ROGELL, SAKTI ROSE 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS One of the potent effects of the Buddha’s teachings is helping us build the courage needed to embrace the pain of our distress, whether caused by personal or external events. We are encouraged to not turn away, but rather to train in opening the doors of our heart to ourselves, others and the world. In this way, the sense of separateness between “self” and “other” begins to dissolve into feeling a deep connection with all things. Mindful awareness and compassion practices can help us build inner resources and take steps towards healing the wounds prevalent in our world today. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: SR1D17.

JUL

23

SUN

The Joy of Letting Go PAWAN BAREJA, ART JOLLY | 9:30 am – 4:00 pm

5 CE CREDITS Over the course of his 45 years of teaching, the Buddha taught many lay people. Before teaching them meditation, he generally started with three other topics: generosity, ethical conduct and renunciation. These practices are central to the development of wisdom and happiness and form a true foundation for further development and insight. In addition, they’re the ultimate “no assembly required” practices: No matter your level of experience, you can start to integrate these practices immediately. They are ideal for settling and deepening the mind and heart, leading to stronger concentration and insight. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale.

Code: PB3D17.

PAWAN BAREJA - See page 18 for bio.

ART JOLLY has been practicing meditation since 1995 and has completed Spirit Rock’s Dedicated Practitioners, Community Dharma Leaders, and Advanced Practitioners Programs. He has taught at Marin Sangha, East Bay Meditation Center and elsewhere around the Bay Area and sits on the Board of Marin Sangha.

JUL

28 FRI

3-DAY NON-RESIDENTIAL RETREAT

Seven Treasures of Our Practice ANNA DOUGLAS | 9:30 am – 4:00 pm Friday, July 28 - Sunday, July 30

SHARDA ROGELL - See page 45 for bio.

At the beginning of our practice of mindfulness, we don’t know what to expect. Over time, we discover, sometimes unexpectedly, hidden qualities of heart and mind that mindfulness calls forth. These hidden qualities are precious treasures; once discovered, they bring confidence and stability to our meditation practice. In this way, our inner exploration is similar to a treasure hunt. As we shine the light of awareness on our experience, the treasures reveal themselves. We see that there is actually a treasure map, which was documented for us by the Buddha and travelled by countless practitioners over thousands of years. Cost: $225 – 600 sliding scale. Code: AD2M17.

SAKTI ROSE - See page 14 for bio.

ANNA DOUGLAS - See page 44 for bio.

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NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

JUL

29 SAT

Transforming Emotions with Qigong Sound Healing and Meditation MINGTONG GU, DEBRA CHAMBERLIN-TAYLOR 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS Qigong sound healing, movement and meditation can help us awaken, heal emotional and physical challenges, and return us to a deep sense of joy and wholeness. In this daylong, Master Mingtong Gu will guide us in the ancient practice of sound healing to fully awaken our energy centers and emotional body. We will learn how to transform the unprocessed energy of previous emotional pain into more vibrant healing resources. This energy practice transforms consciousness, supports healing, and helps us access the abundant energy of life. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale.

Code: MT2D17.

MINGTONG GU is an internationally recognized teacher and healer who received his training from grandmasters of China and Tibet and at the world’s largest qigong hospital. He is the founder of the Chi Healing Center in Petaluma, CA. DEBRA CHAMBERLIN-TAYLOR - See page 44 for bio.

JUL

30

SUN

Love is the Answer SPRING WASHAM | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

Our most challenging task on the spiritual path is to learn to love and accept ourselves in every moment. Self-hatred, inner aggression and self-criticism are rooted in a mind that is confused and suffering. In this daylong we will focus on metta practice, self-compassion and forgiveness in order to let go of the past and move forward. Metta practice protects the mind from falling into habitual patterns of reactivity that undermine our sincerest intentions to be happy. It can also awaken powerful healing energies that brighten and lift the mind to increasing levels of joy and clarity. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: SW1D17.

AUG

12

SAT

Compassion and Emptiness: The Basis for a Free and Loving Relationship to Life WILLA THANIYA REID, JITINDRIYA 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

Compassion and emptiness are complementary ways to understand how we can relate lovingly and skillfully to our experience of the world. Compassion provides both a pathway and a response to help us come out of contention with the realities of existence. The transcendent wisdom of emptiness frees us from fear, distorted perceptions and suffering. When we recognize that everything is empty of separate self-nature, we are freed from boundary making. In this openness where there is no division between self and other, the heart’s natural expression is love and compassion. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: WR1D17.

WILLA THANIYA REID has been practicing formal Buddhist meditation since the 1980s. Her primary training has been in the Thai Forest Tradition of Luang Por Chah. For eight years she was the senior nun of Cittaviveka, a monastic community in England.

JITINDRIYA has been practicing Buddhist meditation and spiritual inquiry for over 30 years, 17 of which was as a Buddhist nun in the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah. She has a Master’s degree in Buddhist Psychotherapy Practice.

SPRING WASHAM - See page 45 for bio.

AUG

12

SAT

Introduction to Insight Meditation SALLY ARMSTRONG | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

AUG

13

SUN

Passionate Awakening: Embodying Emotional Wisdom ERIN SELOVER | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS

26

DANA DAY (BY DONATION) In this daylong, the emphasis is on deepening into the silence that allows for the awakening of the heart. Grounded in the foundational practice of mindfulness, Insight Meditation enables you to see clearly the truth of your inner and outer experience. It helps provide insight into the ways you create your own suffering and the means by which you can be free of pain and discontent. Attending closely to your present-moment experience brings a deepening connection to the reality of what is and allows the heart and mind to steady and open to deeper truths about ourselves and the world. Code: SA1G17.

When we believe that meditation means only attaining a calm mind without thoughts or emotions, we undermine the transformative power of meditation in our lives. Emotions often contain both the wisdom and the energy to transform reactive patterns into intelligent action. They also reveal radical insight into who we really are, the gifts we have to offer the world and what it truly means to be human. In this daylong we will explore emotions as a gateway to freedom and practice listening deeply to the wisdom they reveal about our deepest longings and the nature of reality itself.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: ES1D17.

SALLY ARMSTRONG - See page 44 for bio.

ERIN SELOVER See page 22 for bio.

NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

AUG

18 FRI

3-DAY NON-RESIDENTIAL RETREAT

Cultivating Compassion NIKKI MIRGHAFORI | 9:30am – 4:30pm Friday, August 18 – Sunday, August 20

12 CE CREDITS A heart imbued with compassion is happier, kinder, and more spacious and content. It is also more resilient in times of stress and difficulty. Although all humans have an innate capacity for compassion, through practice it can be more easily accessed, cultivated and expressed. This non-residential retreat combines traditional contemplative practices with contemporary psychology and scientific research to help us lead a more compassionate life and is inspired by the Compassion Cultivation Training developed by the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Cost: $225 – 600 sliding scale. Code: NM1M17.

AUG

BENEFIT FOR THE SPIRIT ROCK SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND THE WORK

SAT

Loving What Is

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BYRON KATIE | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm LIVE WEBCAST AVAILABLE Byron Katie has one job — to teach people how to end their own suffering. As she guides people through her simple yet powerful process of inquiry, called The Work, they find again and again that their stressful beliefs about the world, other people, or themselves can no longer run their lives. Join Katie in a workshop designed to take you on a journey of self-discovery and show you how to identify and question the stressful thoughts that cause all the suffering and violence in the world. Cost: $110 - 275 sliding scale. Code: BK1B17.

Livestream cost: $60 - 108. Code: BK1L17.

BYRON KATIE is the author of Loving What Is and A Thousand Names for Joy and creator of a method of inquiry called the Work.

NIKKI MIRGHAFORI - See page 24 for bio.

AUG

19

SAT

Mindfulness and Crazy Wisdom WES NISKER | 9:30 am – 4:00 pm

Treat yourself to a relaxing day of sitting and walking mindfulness meditation interspersed with the poetry and humor of the ages.

The day will include guided meditations on the evolutionary origin of our body and emotions, reflections on death and dying, and an exploration of the tricky delusions of mind and the mystery of consciousness itself. Throughout the day we will hear from poets and crazy wisdom masters, from Lao Tzu to Lily Tomlin, giving us some perspective on this strange, impossible life we are leading.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: WN3D17.

WES NISKER - See page 45 for bio.

AUG

27

SUN

Being Present in the Body: Using Mindfulness to Work with Trauma PAWAN BAREJA | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS | All Self-Identified People of Color Welcome In this daylong you will start to work with the traumatic responses in your body, which can inhibit your daily life through stress and anxiety. You will be empowered to hold your trauma responses using somatic (body-based) skills and mindfulness meditation tools. Specifically, the mindfulness practices of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity will be used to help you free up your energy so you feel more settled, grounded, and calm in everyday life. With the somatic tools offered in this class, your nervous system can begin to regain its innate capacity to self-regulate. Cost: $40 – 100 sliding scale. Code: PB4D17.

PAWAN BAREJA- See page 18 for bio.

AUG

20

SUN

The Buddha’s Path of Well-Being and Happiness HOWARD COHN | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

6 CE CREDITS The Buddha was called “the Happy One.” His teachings and path provide a clear and inspiring vision of our capacity to use our life to fulfill our goal of happiness. They dispel many of our culture’s promises of what will bring happiness but that actually block our way to the real source of joy. This day of Insight Meditation will follow the Buddha’s Way of mindfulness, concentration and love, illustrating how each of us, through a gradual process of applying loving awareness to our moment-to-moment experience, can move from clinging and attachment to freedom.

Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: HC4D17.

HOWARD COHN - See page 44 for bio.

AUG

27

SUN

The Pathless Path: The Paradox of Awakening in the Body ASHLEY SHARP | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

The path we walk towards awakening guides us to an integration of mind, body and heart in each moment. Paradoxically, there is nowhere to go on this path. We are already here. Much suffering in this world comes from the attempt to dominate and control nature.

Likewise, many of us are trained to dominate and control our bodies and hearts. In this daylong integrating yoga movement and meditation, we will explore different ways of practice that include effortless effort — “being-ness” — and practice with no idea of gaining. Cost: $75 – 200 sliding scale. Code: SP1D17.

ASHLEY SHARP has studied yoga with Swami Dayananda, Erich Schiffmann, Patricia Sullivan and Sat Santokh Sing and completed an 18-month Mindfulness and Yoga Training at Spirit Rock.

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online & livestream programs online programs

live webcasts

Our Newest Online Program!

Spirit Rock Live: Monday Nights with Jack Kornfield & Friends

Make Peace with Your Mind — Free Yourself from Your Inner Critic MARK COLEMAN – A Self-Paced Online Class Explore how to cultivate more inner freedom and a flourishing

Monday, 7:15 – 9:15 pm PST; also available on demand Cost: $10 – 108 sliding scale

story of your mind to set yourself on a path to a more peaceful

The Philosopher’s Stone: Key to the Secrets of Liberation Live Event & Webcast

and happier life. Cost: $99. Code: MC3N17.

HAMEED ALI, Founder of the Diamond Approach

life through easy-to-implement mindfulness and selfcompassion techniques. Develop constructive insights into what can create, drive and disarm your inner critic. Change the

Course Includes: · 2 hours of video instruction in eight 15-minute segments

Sunday, June 18, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm PST See program description on page 21.

Live webcast cost: $30 - 108. Code: HA1L17

· A copy of Mark’s new book, Make Peace with Your Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free · 8 reflections/at-home exercises

Real Love: The Art of Mindful Connection - Live Event & Webcast

· Downloadable audio talks

SHARON SALZBERG, Co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society

You from Your Inner Critic

Sunday, August 13, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm PST

Everyday Life As Mindfulness Practice with Sylvia Boorstein

See program description on page 11.

Register online at spiritrock.org/online-classes and deepen your practice with Sylvia!

Loving What Is Live Event & Webcast

Class includes: · 11 video teaching segments · Live group teleconferences with Sylvia · A downloadable course manual · A moderated discussion board to connect with online class sangha Please visit our website for a full list of our online programs.

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Live webcast cost: $30 - 108. Code: SS1L17

BYRON KATIE, Founder of The Work Saturday, August 26, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm PST See program description on page 27.

Live webcast cost: $60 – 108 sliding scale.

Code: BK1L17

family and youth programs at Spirit Rock

The Spirit Rock Family Program supports families in planting the seeds of the Dharma in their daily lives. Through classes, daylongs and retreats, families, youth and parents learn to slow down, savor the present moment and re-connect with the wholesome qualities of heart and mind.

MAY

03

WED

Spring Path of Parenting GRACE FISHER | 5 Wednesdays, May 3 - May 31, 6:00 - 8:00 pm

5-WEEK CLASS SERIES | All parents and caregivers are welcome.

Parenting has the potential to be a profound spiritual practice in which we cultivate our capacity for boundless love and wise action. In this class, we’ll apply the practice and teachings of mindful awareness and loving-kindness to the joys and challenges of daily life with kids. This class is for anyone who is engaged with children, including parents, grandparents, foster and stepparents, teachers and caregivers. Open to new and experienced meditators. Cost: $100 – 200 sliding scale. Code: FA2C17.

GRACE FISHER - See page 16 for bio.

MAY

03

WED

Spring Middle School Meditation Series JEREMY JENSEN, LEYNA ROGET BRABANT 5 Wednesdays, May 3 - May 31, 6:00 - 8:00 pm

5-WEEK CLASS SERIES Learn meditation, relax deeply, speak your truth and develop your mind — all while hanging out with other great people your age. Through the practices of mindfulness and Insight Meditation, we take the time to reconnect with ourselves in order to experience more peace, wisdom and compassion.

Classes will include movement, community-building games, meditation instruction and council, a practice of witnessing and contributing to the group’s collective wisdom. During the class, parents might consider taking the Path of Parenting 5-week class series, which coincides with this program.

Cost: $100 – 200 sliding scale. Code: TE4C17.

JEREMY JENSEN, PsyD, combines 15 years of mindfulness practice with over a decade of working therapeutically with children in public and private schools in Marin County, CA. His private practice and research focus on the neuro-developmental and age appropriateness of various meditation techniques with school age children and adolescents.

LEYNA ROGET BRABANT is trained in Integral Parenting, MBSR , Intuition Medicine, and kids yoga. She is the founder of Calm Mind, Happy Heart in Berkeley, CA.

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FAMILY PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

MAY

07

SUN

Meeting Our Global Family: A Travel Pilgrimage in Story and Song BETSY ROSE | 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

Families with children in grades 1-5 welcome.

Join in a morning of multi-media storytelling with Betsy. Come hear stories she gathered during her musical journey through Asia and Africa, singing with children, women, human rights workers, villagers, teachers, friends. Let’s sing together, play, explore and begin creating a bridge of discovery and friendship between our local family sangha and some of Betsy’s new young friends in Asia and Africa. Bring your curiosity about the big world we live in. Cost: $50 – 150 sliding scale. Code: ER1H17.

MAY

07

SUN

Meeting Our Global Family: A Travel Pilgrimage in Story and Song BETSY ROSE | 1:30 – 4:30 pm

Families with children in grades 6-12 welcome.

See program description above.

Cost: $50 - 150 sliding scale. Code: ER2H17.

BETSY ROSE is a singer, writer, recording artist and mother. She is a renowned children’s artist, teaching them the power of their own voices and creativity through singing and song-making workshops.

Family Program Financial Assistance Information Limited scholarships and work exchanges may be available for Family Programs. Volunteers are needed to assist with the Family Days and attend free of charge; children are welcome to volunteer alongside an adult.

If interested, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator for more information at: volunteering@spiritrock.org or call (415) 488-0164, x224.

FOR COMPLETE BIOS, SEE SPIRITROCK.ORG

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FAMILY PROGRAMS | MAY – AUG 2017

JUN

04 SUN

Summer Family Day KATE MUNDING, EVE DECKER 10:30 am – 3:00 pm

Family Days are a wonderful opportunity to spend the day connecting with your children, yourself and a community of supportive peers. Come play, share, learn and open your heart!

We start our morning with a program for everyone, weaving the theme of the day into songs, skits and family activities. We have plenty for your children to do, with mindfulness activities geared toward youth ages 4-10, and we have added a program for older youth ages 11-14. During the second half of the day, youth ages 4-14 will attend age-appropriate groups with our experienced Spirit Rock mindfulness leaders. They will play, make art, sing songs, and practice mindfulness together.

Parents of children ages 4 and older will have an opportunity to meditate, hear a talk related to parenting as practice, and connect with one another through group discussions.

Cost: $65 – 200 sliding scale. Code: FA3D17.

KATE MUNDING has been practicing and studying mindfulness meditation since 2004. She completed the Dedicated Practitioners Program at Spirit Rock and is a graduate of the Spirit Rock/IMS/IRC Teacher Training Program.

EVE DECKER is a graduate of Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leader program. An accomplished musician, she teaches music and mindfulness to children and adults at East Bay Meditation Center, Spirit Rock, Aurora School in Oakland and elsewhere.

JUN

26

MON

AUG

AUG

WED

SUN

02 06

Family Retreat (Lottery) AYYA ANANDABODHI, GIL FRONSDAL, KATE MUNDING, OFOSU JONES-QUARTEY (MUSICIAN) 4 nights, Wednesday – Sunday

This popular retreat will include family activities, young people’s groups, a parent program and free time. Dharma activities include songs, stories, skits, games, art, time on the land, a campfire, council practice, parent discussions, meditation for all and dharma talks. The Family Retreat is a true retreat experience that brings us face-to-face with our own experience and may bring up deep emotions. At least one parent/caregiver in each family needs to have sat one or more silent retreats or the equivalent. We also include admission of Spirit Rock Family Program Council members to the family retreat in honor of their service and to enhance the retreat experience for others. Cost: Adults $1255-570 sliding scale; Children $790- 360 sliding scale, plus dana to teachers and staff; Code: 286R17.

AYYA ANANDABODHI – See page 44 for bio.

GIL FRONSDAL – See page 44 for bio.

KATE MUNDING – See bio at left.

OFOSU JONES-QUARTEY has been teaching the Insight Meditation Community of Washington’s Family Meditation Class since 2008. He also works with Minds, Inc., bringing mindfulness practice to schools since 2014.

Summer Monday Night Children’s Program LEYNA ROGET BRABANT 5 Mondays, June 26 – July 24, 7:15 - 9:15 pm

Love coming to our Monday Night Dharma Talk & Meditation Group? Make it a family affair! The Monday Night Children’s Class is back — with games, movement, meditation, sharing circles, snack, story and more led by experienced, fantastic and fun teachers. All children who have completed kindergarten through fifth grade are welcome.

Cost: $15 per child; $5 for each additional family member - each Monday night. Code: MNCP17 LEYNA ROGET BRABANT - See page 29 for bio.

JUL

08 SAT

Mindful Parenting on the Frontier of Technology and Youth SHAUNA SHAPIRO, DOM SAGOLLA 9:30 am - 4:00 pm

5 CE CREDITS See page 23 for event description and teacher bios.

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RESIDENTIAL RETREATS | MAY – AUG 2017

RESIDENTIAL RETREATS

For 2,600 years, meditation retreats have been a central part of the Buddhist Path of Awakening. Time in retreat allows us to step out of the complexity of our lives to listen deeply to our bodies, hearts and minds. Spirit Rock retreats combine the fertile atmosphere of silence with time for meditation and walks in nature, supported by systematic Buddhist teachings. Careful guidance and training is offered in meditation. Most retreats are suitable for both new and more experienced students of meditation. Retreats last from a few days to a full two-month retreat. Find inspiration for planning your next retreat on the following pages. For complete details of specific retreats, visit spiritrock.org/calendar/retreats. If you are able to attend a retreat, at short notice, please join a waitlist as spaces regularly open up. For more information, contact Retreats@spiritrock.org or (415) 488-0164 x296.

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RESIDENTIAL RETREATS | MAY – AUG 2017

General information: Registration Retreats open for registration four months before the start date (longer if a lottery retreat). Check our website for specific open dates. We encourage you to register online; however, you may also download application forms to submit via fax or mail. In addition to the registration fees, which only cover a portion of the retreat costs, you are invited to support the teachings and the retreat through the spiritual practice of generous giving or "dana." Participants will be invited to offer dana (donations) for the teachers, managers and cooks through which they are compensated for their work.

Financial Assistance, Work Exchange and Young Adult Rates Financial assistance is available for all residential retreats through our scholarship funds; there are limited scholarship funds available, please apply early. For all residential retreats, we offer a limited number of Young Adult special rate accommodations available on a first-come, first-served basis. We do not have a Senior rate for residential retreats; however, we strongly encourage you to apply for a scholarship, if you require financial assistance. For most retreats, we have two work retreatant roles — one in the kitchen and one in housekeeping. To apply as a work retreatant, you must meet the criteria outlined on our website spiritrock.org.

Cancellation Fees In general, the cancellation fee schedule is as follows: $100 for cancellation 8 weeks or more before a retreat; $175 for cancellation 4-8 weeks before a retreat; $225 for cancellation 1-4 weeks before a retreat; $300 for cancellation 1 week before a retreat. No refunds as of 3:00 pm on the last business day prior to the retreat start day. To cancel a retreat reservation, contact Retreats@spiritrock.org or (415) 488-0164, x296.

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RESIDENTIAL RETREATS | MAY – AUG 2017

MAY

MAY

WED

WED

10 17

Awareness, Insight and Liberation STEVE ARMSTRONG, KAMALA MASTERS, DEBORAH RATNER HELZER, FRANZ MOECKL (QIGONG) 7 nights, Wednesday – Wednesday

Suitable for both new and experienced meditators, this retreat will integrate the precise meditation instructions of Mahasi Sayadaw with the practical awareness-oriented guidance of Sayadaw U Tejaniya, both skilled Burmese monastic teachers. The course teachers will offer a clear path for developing clarity of awareness with each arising moment. This leads to stability of mind and the insightful knowledge of liberation. Relaxed, persevering continuity of mindfulness leads to insightful understanding of the natural order of all things. Such knowledge weakens deeply conditioned habits of mind that cause unhappiness and strengthens conditions for an enduring sense of well-being. Cost: $1725 - 785 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 258R17.

STEVE ARMSTRONG has studied the Dhamma and practiced Insight Meditation since 1975. Steve is co-founding teacher of the Vipassana Metta Foundation’s dharma sancturary on Maui. He has led meditation retreats internationally since 1990.

KAMALA MASTERS is co-founder and guiding teacher of the Vipassana Metta Foundation and is currently developing a dhamma sanctuary on Maui.

DEBORAH RATNER HELZER first began meditating while working on her engineering degree and spent a year as a nun in Burma. She currently teaches near Washington, DC. FRANZ MOECKL has practiced taiji and qigong for more than 30 years and has taught at Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Stress Reduction Clinic in Worcester, MA.

MAY

MAY

MON

SUN

15

21

Living Awareness through Embodiment and Heart MARY GRACE ORR, JOHN TRAVIS, HEATHER SUNDBERG, REBECCA KRONLAGE (YOGA) 6 nights, Monday – Sunday

Join us at the beautiful Angela Center in Santa Rosa for this 6-night retreat exploring awareness through the vehicle of the body and in the spirit of heart of friendliness, compassion, joyfulness and nonreactive balance. In community, we will practice sitting and walking meditation in silence, enjoy optional mindful movement yoga practice, and explore the teachings through direct experience, meditation instructions, and dharma talks. We will ground in the body, explore the many flavors of the heart, and open into increased capacity to be mindfully aware at many levels.

We will learn more about what leads to reactivity and how to settle and release it through the body, heart, and awareness itself.

To better support your practice, there will be group and individual check-ins with the teachers offered. Suitable for beginning and experienced practitioners. This retreat will take place at Angela Center, Santa Rosa, CA. Cost: $1475 - 670 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 260R17.

MARY GRACE ORR – See page 45 for bio.

JOHN TRAVIS – See page 45 for bio.

HEATHER SUNDBERG is a graduate of the Spirit Rock/IMS Teacher Training and was the Spirit Rock Family Program Teacher and Manager for a decade.

She teaches at Mountain Stream Meditation Center in the Sierra Foothills.

REBECCA KRONLAGE is a Senior Kripalu Yoga Teacher and has been a yoga practitioner, meditator and holistic educator for more than 25 years.

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JULY

at a glance

Jun 26 –Jul 2

RESIDENTIAL RETREATS 2017

Spring Washam, Bhante Buddharakkhita, Ruth King Rolf Gates (yoga) —registration opens 2/28/17 Jul 5–14 Jul 14–23 Jul 24–30

MAY May 10–17

Awareness, Insight and Liberation

May 15–21

Living Awareness through Embodiment & Heart (Angela Center)

Steve Armstrong, Kamala Masters, Deborah Ratner Helzer, Franz Moeckl (qigong) —registration opens 1/10/17

Mary Grace Orr, John Travis, Heather Sundberg, Rebecca Kronlage (yoga) —registration opens 1/11/17 May 19–21

Special Benefit Weekend Retreat Essential Teachings on the Path of Awakening (Parallel)

May 22–29

Examining Reality As a Path to Freedom: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students (Parallel) *UWH — Sayadaw U Jagara, Nikki Mirghafori

Matthew Brensilver, Brian Lesage registration opens 1/24/17

May 29 –June 4

Transforming the Judgmental Mind (Angela Center)

May 30 –Jun 4

Awakening Joy Retreat

Donald Rothberg and others —registration opens 1/25/17

Jun 5–11

Aging, Dying and Awakening (ages 55+) (Parallel)

Jun 5–11

Natural Liberation: A Buddhist Meditation Insight Retreat (Parallel) *UWH

Anna Douglas, Kamala Masters, Eugene Cash registration opens 2/1/17

Wes Nisker, Grove Burnett —registration opens 2/1/17 Jun 12–18

Monastic Retreat: The Middle Way—Finding Our Natural Resting Place Ayya Santacitta, Ayya Santussika, Marci Moberg (yoga) registration opens 2/8/17

Jun 19–25

Foundations of Mindfulness Diana Winston, Nikki Mirghafori, Alex Haley, Melvin Escobar (yoga) —registration opens 2/15/17

Retreats in purple type = offsite

*UWH = Upper Walking Hall

Insight Meditation As a Path to Freedom Mark Coleman, Bonnie Duran, Howard Cohn registration opens 3/22/17

Aug 7–13

Insight Meditation for Young Adults

Ayya Anandabodhi, Gil Fronsdal, Kate Munding, Ofosu Jones-Quartey—Lottery opens 3/1/17 Tempel Smith, Dori Langevin, Sara Schedler, La Sarmiento, Teja Bell (qigong) —registration opens 4/5/17

Aug 14–24

Concentration Retreat

Aug 25–29

Lawyering & Social Change: A Mindfulness Retreat for Law Professionals (Parallel)

Phillip Moffitt, Sally Armstrong, Eugene Cash, Adrianne Ross —registration opens 4/12/17

Wes Nisker, Norman Fischer, Charles Halpern, Rhonda Magee, Dan Carlin, Judi Cohen, Doug Chermak (movement) —registration opens 4/25/17 Aug 25–29 Aug 30 –Sept 4

James Baraz, Howard Cohn, Jane Baraz, Evelyn Larsen (movement) —registration opens 1/31/17

JUNE

July Insight Meditation Retreat (Lottery) Joseph Goldstein, Kamala Masters, Greg Scharf, Anushka Fernandopulle —Lottery opens 2/14/17

Family Retreat (Lottery)

The Power of Sangha: A Women’s Retreat (Angela Center) Joanna Macy, Debra Chamberlin-Taylor, Erin Treat, Sebene Selassie, Jennifer Berezan (music) —registration opens 1/25/17

Tempel Smith, Spring Washam, Bonnie Duran, John Martin, Teja Bell (qigong) —registration opens 2/14/17

Aug 2–6

registration opens 1/24/17 May 22–28

July Metta Retreat

AUGUST

Jack Kornfield, Sylvia Boorstein —registration now open

May 22–29

Still I Rise: An Insight Meditation Retreat for People of Color

Embodied Heart, Embodied Wisdom (Parallel) *UWH Susie Harrington, Anne Cushman registration opens 4/25/17

Labor Day Insight Meditation Retreat James Baraz, Sharda Rogell, Howard Cohn, Terry Vandiver (yoga) —registration opens 4/26/17

SEPTEMBER Sept 1–3

Abhayagiri Teen Meditation Retreat Ajahn Pasanno and Abhayagiri Monastics registration opens 5/10/17

Sept 14–17

Insight Meditation for the Curious

Sept 18–24

Finding Freedom in the Body (Parallel)

Mark Coleman, Diana Winston registration opens 5/10/17 Bob Stahl, Anushka Fernandopulle, Christiane Wolf, Marcy Reynolds (qigong) —registration opens 5/17/17

The Dharma and the Drama (Parallel) *UWH

Sept 18–24

Wes Nisker, Nina Wise —registration opens 5/17/17

Sept 25 –Oct 1

Embodied, Empowered and Awake: A Women’s Meditation and Movement Retreat Anne Cushman, Debra Chamberlin-Taylor, Spring Washam, Erin Selover, Kate Johnson (yoga) registration opens 5/24/17

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OCTOBER Oct 2–9

Maranasati: Contemplating Death/Awakening to Life (Parallel) Eugene Cash, Nikki Mirghafori, Bhikkhu Analayo (via

videocast), Janice Clarfield (yoga) —registration opens 5/31/17 Oct 2–9

Settling, Seeing and Spacious Awareness (Parallel) *UWH Donald Rothberg, Susie Harrington registration opens 5/31/17

Oct 10–15

Embodying Awakening: Yoga and Meditation (Parallel)

Oct 10–15

Empty Mind, Full Heart: Awakening to Equanimity and Compassion (Parallel) *UWH

Anne Cushman, Pascal Auclair, Leslie Booker (yoga) registration opens 6/7/17

Sharda Rogell —registration opens 6/7/17 Oct 16–26

Fall Insight Meditation Retreat (Lottery)

Oct 27–31

Awakening Strength, Courage and Tenderness: A Retreat for the LGBTQI Gender-Fluid Community

Jack Kornfield, Trudy Goodman Kornfield, Gina Sharpe, Spring Washam, Christiane Wolf, Alexis Santos, Teja Bell (qigong) Lottery opens 5/16/17

Arinna Weisman, Larry Yang, Melvin Escobar (yoga) registration opens 6/27/17

NOVEMBER Nov 1–8

Waking Up Together

Nov 9–16

Dedicated Practitioners Programs Retreat 2

Nov 17–26 Nov 27 –Dec 2

James Baraz, Sharda Rogell, Frank Ostaseski, Ange Stephens, Pam Dunn, Vinny Ferraro —registration opens 7/5/17 Sally Armstrong, Ruth King, Bonnie Duran, Tempel Smith —program participants only

Thanksgiving Insight Meditation Retreat Thanissara, Kittisaro, Jaya Rudgard & others registration opens 7/12/17

The Magic of Awareness Anam Thubten, James Baraz —registration opens 7/26/17

DECEMBER Dec 3–10

The Courage to Live: The Practice of Forgiveness (Lottery)

Dec 11–17

In the Presence of Love: Metta and Qigong

Dec 18–23

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Larry Yang, Gina Sharpe, Noliwe Alexander, Devin Berry, Konda Mason, Amana Bremby Johnson (yoga) Lottery opens 8/3/17 Spring Washam, Tempel Smith, Teja Bell (qigong) registration opens 8/9/17

Solstice Insight Meditation Retreat Donald Rothberg, John Travis, Heather Sundberg registration opens 8/16/17

Dec 27 –Jan 3

New Year’s Insight Meditation Retreat (Lottery)

Dec 27 –Jan 1

New Year’s Teen Retreat (Walden West)

Eugene Cash, Pamela Weiss, Spring Washam, Alexis Santos, DaRa Williams, Janice Clarfield (yoga) Lottery opens 7/27/17 Matthew Brensilver, Marvin Belzer, Erin Selover registration opens 8/31/17

RESIDENTIAL RETREATS | MAY – AUG 2017

MAY

19 FRI

MAY

21

SUN

Benefit Weekend Retreat JACK KORNFIELD, SYLVIA BOORSTEIN 2 nights, Friday – Sunday

In this intimate, 3-day retreat, a small group of Spirit Rock supporters will gather to ask provocative questions about how wisdom and compassion can arise right now, right here in this troubled world. This is a special opportunity to engage with Spirit Rock Founders Jack Kornfield and Sylvia Boorstein. Attendance will be limited. The proceeds will support our scholarships and all we do here at Spirit Rock. We will connect with our values and intentions and reaffirm our practice, guided by Jack, Sylvia and next generation teachers. The retreat will include: small group conversation and connection with Jack, Sylvia and other Spirit Rock teachers; a reception and dinner with members of the Spirit Rock Teachers Council; guaranteed single rooms; special meals; two dynamic movement sessions each day; and opportunities to deepen your Spirit Rock connections. The base donation for this retreat is $5,000; $4,500 of this base donation is a tax deductible charitable contribution. Code: 262R17. Registration now open, email RachelU@spiritrock.org for details.

JACK KORNFIELD - See page 45 for bio.

SYLVIA BOORSTEIN - See page 44 for bio.

MAY

MAY

22 29

MON MON

Examining Reality as a Path to Freedom: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students SAYADAW U JAGARA, NIKKI MIRGHAFORI 7 nights, Monday – Monday, Upper Walking Hall

Prerequisite: Two 7-night or three 5-night insight meditation retreats, or a single insight retreat of 14 or more days.

Buddhist practice allows us to gain first-hand insights into the true nature of our constructed, illusive reality. As we dive into a fine-grained investigation of our experience, we begin to see how different interpretations of reality are constructed by our mind. This inquiry can break the seeming solidity, permanence and continuity of our unexamined experience. As this process unfolds, we open to unexpected perspectives, and ultimately, freedom. On this retreat, the teachers will offer instructions for traditional Buddhist concentration and insight practices and draw on complementary disciplines to provide a broader context for our investigations. Cost: $1725 - 785 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 267R17.

SAYADAW U JAGARA has 35 years of experience as a Buddhist monk, living in Sri Lanka and Myanmar, and is dedicated to the practice, study and teaching of dhamma. He has trained and taught in the U Ba Khin and Pa Auk traditions of Myanmar.

NIKKI MIRGHAFORI – See page 24 for bio.

MAY

MAY

22 29

MON MON

Essential Teachings on the Path of Awakening MATTHEW BRENSILVER, BRIAN LESAGE 7 nights, Monday – Monday

Nobody tells us this when we’re growing up, but being human is kind of a big deal. It feels great, it hurts, it’s intense. We know it won’t go on forever. Given this, what kind of happiness is possible for us? The Buddha suggested that we have underestimated the capacity of our heart. Retreat helps us to remember. In mindfulness meditation, we practice resting, looking deeply, knowing moment-by-moment what it’s like to be human. Initially, some of us are hesitant to look because we’re concerned about what we’ll find. But our practice shows us that the more deeply we look, the more reason we have to love. Together, we’ll sit in the refuge provided by a 2,600-year legacy of wisdom and kindness.

In the silence, we come to know the preciousness of our life and the poignancy of the human condition. From this openness, so much goodness unfolds. Cost: $1725 - 785 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 266R17.

MATTHEW BRENSILVER, PHD, is a graduate of the SRMC/IMS/IRC Teacher Training Program. He began teaching in the Tibetan tradition and has studied with Shinzen Young since 2003. He teaches at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center and at Against the Stream, San Francisco.

BRIAN LESAGE has taught meditation since 2000. He has studied in the Zen, Theravada and Tibetan schools of Buddhism. He was ordained in the Rinzai Zen tradition in 1996.

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RESIDENTIAL RETREATS | MAY – AUG 2017

MAY

MAY

MON

SUN

22 28

The Power of Sangha: Unleashing Our Love into Action for the Earth— Women’s Retreat JOANNA MACY, DEBRA CHAMBERLINTAYLOR, ERIN TREAT, SEBENE SELASSIE, JENNIFER BEREZAN (MUSICIAN) 6 nights, Monday – Sunday

Self-identified women of all ages and backgrounds welcome.

Many women care deeply about environmental destruction and social injustice but feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of world problems. We cannot and need not face all of this alone. At this retreat women will experience the empowering movement from the separate self to interconnection and from overwhelm into action for the sake of life on Earth. Using teachings and exercises developed by Joanna Macy, as well as meditation, we will discover the power of facing our feelings for the Earth together. Sharing our grief, anger and fear reveals our mutual belonging in the web of life and frees our power to respond. This is a workshop-style retreat that will include some periods of silence and some periods of speaking. During the afternoon sessions Joanna Macy will guide interactive exercises. The diverse gathering of women at this retreat will be supported to form regional sanghas and encouraged to continue meeting long after the retreat ends. This retreat will take place at Angela Center, Santa Rosa, CA. Cost: $1475 - 670 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff.

Code: 264R17. Additional scholarship funds available for women of color and for women 18-32 years old.

JOANNA MACY, PHD, is a scholar of Buddhism, systems theory and deep ecology. As the root teacher of the Work That Reconnects, she has created a ground-breaking theoretical framework for personal and social change.

Her books include World as Lover, World as Self and Coming Back to Life: Practices to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World.

DEBRA CHAMBERLIN-TAYLOR – See page 44 for bio.

ERIN TREAT teaches at the Durango Dharma Center and is the Guiding Teacher of Vallecitos Mountain Retreat Center, NM. SEBENE SELASSIE is a meditation teacher and certified Integral Coach®. For over 20 years she worked with children, youth and families nationally and internationally for small and large not-for-profits. Her work has taken her everywhere from the Tenderloin in San Francisco to refugee camps in Guinea, West Africa.

JENNIFER BEREZAN is a singer/songwriter, teacher, ritualist and activist. Her work is deeply imbued with Buddhist and Earth-based themes.

MAY

JUN

MON

SUN

29 04

Transforming the Judgmental Mind DONALD ROTHBERG 6 nights, Monday – Sunday

19 CE CREDITS Prerequisite: One weekend residential or non-residential retreat in mindfulness practice or permission of the coordinating teacher.

Judgments of a reactive nature are very strong in most of our lives. They can distort our perceptions, make relationships with others difficult, and undermine our work in the world. In this retreat, we will explore the nature of such judgments (and their difference from non-reactive discernment) and how to transform them. We will cultivate mindfulness of judgments; inquiry into the deep roots of judgments; and heart practices such as lovingkindness, forgiveness, gratitude, joy, and compassion. We will also explore the somatic and social dimensions of judgments, the role of cultivating awakened qualities in transforming judgments, and how to cultivate skill in speech and interaction in the midst of situations involving judgments. This retreat will take place at Angela Center, Santa Rosa, CA. Cost: $1475 - 670 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teacher and retreat staff. Code: 268R17.

DONALD ROTHBERG – See page 45 for bio.

MAY

JUN

TUE

SUN

30 04

Awakening Joy Retreat JAMES BARAZ, HOWARD COHN, JANE BARAZ, EVELYN LARSEN (MOVEMENT) 5 nights, Tuesday – Sunday

16 CE CREDITS The Buddha was known as “The Happy One.” However, the teachings often seem to emphasize working with suffering. Joy can seem frivolous or unspiritual even though it is one of the Seven Factors of Awakening. In this retreat we will practice cultivating wholesome states to develop our natural capacity for well-being and joy, which then becomes our gift to a troubled world. Practices will include: inclining the mind toward wholesome states; appreciation practice; embracing suffering as a path to joy; metta (loving-kindness); mudita (sympathetic joy); karuna (compassion); and the joy of simply being. Cost: $1230 - 560 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 270R17.

JAMES BARAZ – See page 44 for bio.

HOWARD COHN – See page 44 for bio.

JANE BARAZ, MA, teaches Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at UCSF’s Osher Center for Integrative Medicine. She is also a trained teacher in Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC).

Visit spiritrock.org for schedule updates and full teacher bios.

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EVELYN LARSEN, MA, offers movement and dance classes that open the door to exploration, enjoyment and embodiment. Evelyn lives in Berkeley, CA, teaches daily at the Berkeley YMCA, and has a private practice in movement therapy.

RESIDENTIAL RETREATS | MAY – AUG 2017

JUN

JUN

MON

SUN

05 11

Aging, Dying and Awakening ANNA DOUGLAS, KAMALA MASTERS, EUGENE CASH 6 nights, Monday – Sunday

Anyone over the age of 55 is welcome.

Aging and dying are natural processes ripe with spiritual possibilities. Aging brings loss; what we once assumed to be “ours” slips away, revealing the truth of impermanence. But even as our memory slips, our cognitive speed slows down, and our bodies become more fragile, qualities of the heart reveal themselves. We see that the potential for wisdom and compassion does not depend on the state of the body or on our age, but rather on the training of the mind to abide in timeless awareness. It is best to begin this training before you are ill or dying. Then, like a treasured friend, your own mind can accompany you through the challenges of aging, loss, illness and dying. Through engaging in a variety of contemplations on death in the communal space of retreat, our confidence in our capacity to meet death peacefully increases. Cost: $1475 - 670 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 272R17.

JUN

JUN

ANNA DOUGLAS – See page 44 for bio.

MON

SUN

KAMALA MASTERS – See page 34 for bio.

EUGENE CASH – See page 44 for bio.

JUN

JUN

MON

SUN

05 11

Natural Liberation: A Buddhist Meditation Retreat WES NISKER, GROVE BURNETT 6 nights, Monday – Sunday

Weather permitting, parts of this retreat will be held outdoors.

During this traditional Insight Meditation retreat, we will follow the advice of the Buddha and hold many of our sessions in the beautiful natural setting of Spirit Rock. People who have done meditation practice in nature are profoundly moved by the experience and often report a new sense of enchantment and connection with the world. This retreat will be held in silence and follow a traditional schedule of sitting and walking meditation.

The dharma talks and discussions will present both traditional Buddhist views of self and reality, as well as some of the latest information from evolutionary biology, deep-ecology and psychology to support and guide the meditations.

Cost: $1475 - $670 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 273R17.

WES NISKER – See page 45 for bio.

GROVE BURNETT is a nationally acclaimed meditation teacher and professional mindfulness trainer. He has practiced meditation for over 25 years and is founder and guiding teacher of the Vallecitos Mountain Ranch in Taos, NM.

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The Middle Way - Finding Our Natural Resting Place (A Monastic Retreat) AYYA SANTACITTA, AYYA SANTUSSIKA, MARCI MOBERG (YOGA) 5 nights, Monday – Sunday

DANA (BY DONATION) RETREAT Prerequisite: Participants must have attended at least one 5-day residential retreat in Vipassana prior to this retreat.

Come home to the natural luminosity of the mind, to true peace and equanimity, not to be found in the mid-region between life’s extremes. On and off the cushion, our natural resting place is accessed through living the Middle Way, beyond stress, beyond turbulence, beyond boredom. Explore how the Middle Way emerges in real contexts as the path to freedom and contentment with the way things are. The framework of the Precepts, Noble Silence, chanting and simple ceremonies will provide a monastic container to hold and inspire us during this retreat. Retreatants are required to keep 8 Precepts, or 7 Precepts, if not taking the 6th Precept for the entire length of this retreat. Although there is no retreat fee, a $150 deposit is required to register for the retreat.

Cost: $150 (deposit), plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff.

Code: 274R17.

AYYA SANTACITTA BHIKKHUNI has practiced meditation since 1988. She is the co-founder of Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery in Placerville, CA. AYYA SANTUSSIKA BHIKKHUNI is co-founder of Karuna Buddhist Vihara located in Mountain View, CA, a neighborhood monastery dedicated to the study and practice of the Dharma in all aspects of life. She is a director for Buddhist Global Relief and founder of the Buddhist Climate Action Network.

MARCI MOBERG is an intuitive life coach, energy healer and 500-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher. She is a Senior Teacher in the Teacher Training Program at Yoga District in Washington, DC, where she also leads weekly public classes.

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RESIDENTIAL RETREATS | MAY – AUG 2017

JUN

JUN

MON

SUN

19 25

Foundations of Mindfulness DIANA WINSTON, NIKKI MIRGHAFORI, ALEX HALEY, MELVIN ESCOBAR (YOGA) 6 nights, Monday – Sunday

Mindfulness can be defined as paying attention to our present moment experiences with openness, curiosity and a willingness to be with what is. Through the practice of mindfulness, we learn tools to regulate emotions, develop attention and cultivate states of compassion, even-mindedness and greater wellbeing. In this weeklong retreat we will practice mindfulness meditation through sitting and walking meditation as well as lectures and opportunities to meet with teachers. While rooted in Buddhist practice of mindfulness, this retreat will focus on the practical applications of mindfulness and is open to people of all backgrounds and experience, especially those interested in secular mindfulness. Co-sponsored by UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center. Cost: $1475 - 670 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 276R17.

DIANA WINSTON – See page 45 for bio.

NIKKI MIRGHAFORI – See page 24 for bio.

ALEX HALEY completed Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leader program and graduated from the SRMC/IMS/IRC four-year teacher training. He teaches residential retreats around the country, leads a weekly meditation group at Yoga Sol in Minneapolis, MN, and is Director of Mindfulness Programs at the University of Minnesota.

MELVIN L. ESCOBAR, LCSW, RYT, is a registered yoga teacher and licensed psychotherapist. He received his yoga teacher training through the Integral Health Fellowship at Niroga Institute and is a graduate of EBMC’s Commit2Dharma program.

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JUN

JUL

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SUN

26 02

Still I Rise: An Insight Meditation Retreat for People of Color SPRING WASHAM, BHANTE BUDDHARAKKHITA, RUTH KING, ROLF GATES (YOGA) 6 nights, Monday – Sunday

All self-identified people of color welcome.

Dharma practice offers us a way to develop a deep and abiding freedom beyond external conditions and changing circumstances.

In this intensive meditation retreat held in Noble Silence, we will be practicing sitting and walking meditation as well as cultivating mindfulness in our daily activities. Our practice will be supported by dharma talks, yoga practice, group meetings and Q & A with teachers. We will have a special focus on the theme of self-love, healing and liberation. Cost: $330 - $150 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 278R17.

SPRING WASHAM – See page 45 for bio.

VEN. BHIKKHU BUDDHARAKKHITA was born and raised in Uganda, Africa.

He began practicing meditation in 1993 and in 2002 received higher ordination under the late Ven. U Silananda at the Tathagata Meditation Center in California. He is the founder of the Uganda Buddhist Center in Uganda and Bodhi Education Foundation, Inc., in Maryland.

RUTH KING has practiced Vipassana since 1992. She is a guiding teacher at Insight Meditation Community of Washington and a core teacher in Spirit Rock‘s Dedicated Practitioners Program. She holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology.

ROLF GATES conducts yoga workshops, retreats, teacher training, coaching and mentorship programs throughout the US and abroad. He is the author of Meditations from the Mat and Meditations on Intention and Being.

RESIDENTIAL RETREATS | MAY – AUG 2017

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JUL

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14 23

July Insight Meditation Retreat (Lottery) JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN, KAMALA MASTERS, GREG SCHARF, ANUSHKA FERNANDOPULLE 9 nights, Friday – Sunday

The emphasis during this retreat will be on the continuity of awareness in all activities, which stabilizes and balances the mind. Relaxed acceptance of our moment-to-moment experience becomes the platform for investigation and wisdom. Particular attention will be paid to the attitudes in the mind that condition our understanding. This retreat is suitable for both new and experienced meditators. We welcome people from all life experiences, backgrounds and diverse communities.

Cost: $2715 - 1235 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 282R17.

JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN is a co-founder and guiding teacher of Inisght Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, MA. He is the author of several dharma books, including A Heart Full of Peace.

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JUL

05 14

WED

FRI

July Metta Retreat TEMPEL SMITH, SPRING WASHAM, BONNIE DURAN, JOHN MARTIN, TEJA BELL (QIGONG) 9 nights, Wednesday – Friday

This silent retreat will focus on cultivating the quality of lovingkindness (metta), infusing our hearts, minds and bodies with a strong, caring wisdom. Mindful presence and loving-kindness are essential to living a spiritual life. Awareness as developed through mindfulness practice leads to clarity, insight and understanding.

Loving-kindness practices open the heart, allow a kind embrace of ourselves, and connect us intimately with all of life. The fusion of these qualities helps us to respond more compassionately to the challenges we encounter in ourselves and in the world. Qigong, the practice of aligning breath, movement and awareness, perfectly complements traditional sitting meditation practice. Cost: $2520 1145 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff.

Code: 280R17.

TEMPEL SMITH – See page 45 for bio.

SPRING WASHAM – See page 45 for bio.

BONNIE DURAN has been practicing Mindfulness Meditation since 1982. She is one of the founders of The People of Color Sangha in Albuquerque, NM, and in Seattle, WA. She is a graduate of the SRMC/IMS/IRC Teacher Training Program.

JOHN MARTIN is a graduate of the SRMC/IMS/IRC Teacher Training Program. He teaches Vipassana, metta and LGBTQI themed meditation retreats and leads a Monday night meditation group in San Francisco’s Duboce Triangle neighborhood.

KAMALA MASTERS – See page 34 for bio.

GREG SCHARF trained as a Buddhist monk in Burma and has been teaching residential retreats since 2007. His teaching emphasizes the natural unfolding of love and wisdom through the cultivation of mindful awareness.

ANUSHKA FERNANDOPULLE - See page 44 for bio.

JUL

JUL

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24 30

Insight Meditation As a Path to Freedom MARK COLEMAN, BONNIE DURAN, HOWARD COHN 6 nights, Monday – Sunday

In this silent mindfulness meditation retreat, we will explore the innate quality of awareness as the foundation for cultivating clarity, understanding and insight into our human experience.

We will investigate how through mindfulness practice we can develop insight into the causes of stress and the causes of genuine happiness. We will examine what it means to abide with kindness and awareness in the midst of life, so we can live with a genuine non-reactive freedom wherever we are. As well as sitting and walking insight meditation practice, we will emphasize integrating loving-kindness and compassion into all moments of the retreat.

This allows a kind embrace of ourselves and connects us intimately with each other and the world. Cost: $1475 - 670 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 284R17.

MARK COLEMAN – See page 44 for bio.

BONNIE DURAN – See bio at left.

HOWARD COHN – See page 44 for bio.

TEJA BELL teaches qigong, martial arts, healing energy practices, Aikido and the Chinese Internal Arts. He is a fully ordained Rinzai Zen priest.

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RESIDENTIAL RETREATS | MAY – AUG 2017

AUG

AUG

MON

SUN

07 13

Insight Meditation Retreat for Young Adults (ages 18-32) TEMPEL SMITH, DORI LANGEVIN, LA SARMIENTO, SARA SCHEDLER, TEJA BELL (QIGONG) 6 nights, Monday – Sunday

Young adults ages 18-32 welcome.

In this retreat we will quiet our minds and open our hearts through the practices of mindfulness, insight and loving-kindness meditations. Together we will come to see that freedom is possible through meeting ourselves, our relationships and our world more fully with deepening wisdom, compassion and acceptance. This retreat will include silent and guided meditations, periods of sitting and walking meditation, qigong, practice meetings with the teachers, dharma talks and a chance to build community.

Cost: $1475 - $670 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 288R17.

TEMPEL SMITH – See page 45 for bio.

DORI LANGEVIN, PSYD, has studied and practiced meditation since 1997.

She is a graduate of the SRMC/IMS Teacher Training program and currently teaches in Spokane, WA. She has a special interest in the interface between Dharma, addiction recovery and emotional healing.

SARA SCHEDLER has practiced Insight Meditation for over 15 years and has trained in both Asia and the West. She teaches at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center and assists on retreats at Insight Meditation Society.

LA SARMIENTO is a Guiding Teacher and Senior Retreat Manager for the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, DC, guiding teacher of the IMCW LGBTQ and People of Color Sanghas, Lead Retreat Teacher and DC Coordinator for Inward Bound Mindfulness Education, and a graduate of the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leaders program.

TEJA BELL- See page 41 for bio.

“ Understanding how quickly a human lifetime passes and how rare it is inspires the energy for using every moment of it well.”

–sylvia boorstein

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AUG

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THU

14 24

Concentration Retreat PHILLIP MOFFITT, SALLY ARMSTRONG, EUGENE CASH, ADRIANNE ROSS 10 nights, Monday – Thursday

Prerequisite: Two 7-night or three 5-night insight retreats.

Concentration (samadhi), the collection and unification of the mind, was emphasized by the Buddha as one of the aspects of the Eightfold Path. It can bring joy to your practice and lead to the skillful use of pleasure in the meditative process. Whatever your level of practice, you can improve your Insight Meditation by strengthening your concentration. Your ability to concentrate will develop in response to the attention you give it. This retreat offers a series of techniques for staying on the meditation object for extended periods of time. We will explore the factors of concentration that lead to the deep absorption states known as jhanas. Cost: $2795 - $1270 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 290R17.

PHILLIP MOFFITT – See page 45 for bio.

SALLY ARMSTRONG – See page 44 for bio.

EUGENE CASH – See page 44 for bio.

ADRIANNE ROSS, MD, has been involved with meditation and healing since 1978. She teaches Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction to people with chronic pain and illness.

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RESIDENTIAL RETREATS | MAY – AUG 2017

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AUG

FRI

TUE

25 29

Lawyering & Social Change: A Mindfulness Retreat for Law Professionals and Students WES NISKER, NORMAN FISCHER, CHARLES HALPERN, RHONDA MAGEE, DAN CARLIN, JUDI COHEN, DOUG CHERMAK (MOVEMENT) 4 nights, Friday – Tuesday

3 MCLE CREDITS Mindfulness has been gaining acceptance within the legal profession as a technique for developing concentration, improving emotional resilience, and mitigating the stress of law work. And as our society faces the need for deep change, mindfulness has also become a valuable resource for lawyers, to meet those challenges; as a way to develop introspection, wisdom and compassion; and to reduce unconscious bias. In this retreat law professionals and students will have an opportunity to deepen their meditation practice, build community with fellow lawyer-meditators, and explore the particular importance of mindfulness to lawyers in a time of social change. The retreat will include talks and CLE presentations by lawyers and meditation teachers on principles of mindfulness; applying mindfulness to strengthen lawyering skills, enhance well-being and build resilience; and the ways that mindfulness can foster individual and institutional change.

Cost: $1035 - 470 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 292R17.

WES NISKER – See page 45 for bio.

NORMAN FISCHER – See page 20 for bio.

CHARLES HALPERN, JD, is currently a lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, where he teaches a course on law and meditation. He was the founding dean of the City University of New York (CUNY) Law School and the founding board chair of the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society.

RHONDA MAGEE is Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco where she teaches a course called Contemplative Lawyering. A former practicing lawyer, she is vice-chair and chair-elect of the board of the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society.

DAN CARLIN has taught mindfulness to attorneys and law students since 2011. He is Executive Director of Transforming Justice, an organization based in Northern California working with prosecutors, public defenders and judges to shift the criminal justice system through mindfulness-based practices and principles.

JUDI COHEN is a lawyer and meditation teacher who has been offering mindfulness training to lawyers since 2010 through Warrior One, a company dedicated to cultivating wisdom and compassion in the law. Judi has practiced meditation since 1993.

DOUG CHERMAK has served as the Law Program Director for the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society since 2004. He has practiced environmental law since 2007, with a focus on water quality and the Clean Water Act.

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AUG

FRI

TUE

25 29

Embodied Heart, Embodied Wisdom SUSIE HARRINGTON, ANNE CUSHMAN 4 nights, Friday – Tuesday (upper walking hall)

We live our lives and we wake up in this physical body. Through increased embodiment, we have the opportunity to experience more joy, heartfulness and wisdom. Everything happens right here in our bodies! With deepening understanding and respect, the vast amount of information and responsiveness that comes through our physical form can be accessed and integrated. The practice of meditation gives us the opportunity to connect deeply with our bodies and our present moment experience. As we deepen, the places of clinging, of separation from ourselves and from the world, become more evident. The embodied heart is naturally wise and responsive. By seeing and knowing our experience through the body, we release the obstacles to happiness, ease and freedom.

Cost: $1035 - 470 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 293R17.

SUSIE HARRINGTON - See page 14 for bio.

ANNE CUSHMAN is a graduate of the SRMC/IMS/IRC Teacher Training program. She is the author of Moving into Meditation and the novel, Enlightenment for Idiots.

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SEP

30 04

WED MON

Labor Day Insight Meditation Retreat JAMES BARAZ, SHARDA ROGELL, HOWARD COHN, TERRY VANDIVER (YOGA) 5 nights, Wednesday – Monday

This retreat emphasizes quieting the mind, opening the heart, and developing clarity and depth of practice. Traditional instructions will be combined with a spirit of loving-kindness and silent sitting, walking, dharma talks and meetings with the teachers. This is a good retreat for both new and experienced students.

Cost: $1230 - 560 sliding scale, plus a donation to the teachers and retreat staff. Code: 294R17.

JAMES BARAZ – See page 44 for bio.

SHARDA ROGELL – See page 45 for bio.

HOWARD COHN – See page 44 for bio.

TERRY VANDIVER is a registered nurse and yoga teacher and has practiced Vipassana Meditation for 20 years. She studied Iyengar Yoga in India, is a certified yoga instructor, and teaches classes in both traditions in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Visit spiritrock.org for schedule updates and full teacher bios.

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SPIRIT ROCK TE ACH E R S COU NCIL (In order of left to right, top to bottom.)

AYYA ANANDABODHI has practiced meditation since 1989 and lived in Amaravati and Chithurst monasteries in the UK for 18 years. In 2009, she moved to the US to help establish Aloka Vihara, a training monastery for women, where she now resides.

GUY ARMSTRONG has been practicing Insight Meditation for more than 30 years and began teaching in 1984. He spent a year as a Buddhist monk in Thailand. Guy is a Guiding Teacher of Insight Meditation Society (IMS). He is author of Emptiness: A Practical Guide for Meditators.

SALLY ARMSTRONG began practicing Insight Meditation in 1981 and teaching in 1996. She has served at Spirit Rock in a number of roles and is co-founder and co-teacher of the Dedicated Practitioners Program. She is a Co-Guiding Teacher at Spirit Rock.

DANA DEPALMA has practiced Insight Meditation since 1993.

She holds a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She teaches daylongs, classes and retreats at Spirit Rock and is the Spirit Rock Staff Dharma Teacher.

ANNA DOUGLAS has a background in psychology and art, in addition to more than 25 years of vipassana practice.

She has also studied with teachers in the Zen, Advaita and Dzogchen traditions.

JAMES BARAZ has practiced Insight Meditation since 1974 and has been teaching since 1980. James leads ongoing meditation and Awakening Joy classes in Berkeley. He is the co-author of Awakening Joy and Awakening Joy for Kids.

ANDREA FELLA has practiced Insight Meditation since 1996 and began teaching in 2003. She teaches at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA, and around the US.

SYLVIA BOORSTEIN has been teaching since 1985 and teaches both Vipassana and Metta Meditation. Her many books include That’s Funny, You Don’t Look Buddhist and Happiness Is an Inside Job.

ANUSHKA FERNANDOPULLE has trained for more than 20 years in the Theravada tradition in the US, India and Sri Lanka.

She is on the teaching team at San Francisco Insight and the Leadership Sangha at East Bay Meditation Center, and is lead teacher of the San Francisco LGBT sangha.

EUGENE CASH is a founding teacher of San Francisco Insight.

He is also the co-founder and co-teacher of the Dedicated Practitioners Program. In addition, he teaches the Diamond Approach® in San Francisco and Holland.

DEBRA CHAMBERLIN-TAYLOR has been leading retreats since 1978. In addition to practicing Vipassana, she has been influenced

by Dzogchen and Diamond Heart®. She also leads workshops on embodiment of awareness and conscious relationships.

HOWARD COHN has led vipassana retreats since 1985 and leads a weekly sitting group in San Francisco. He has studied with teachers of several traditions, including Theravada, Zen and Dzogchen, and has been strongly influenced by H.W.L. Poonja.

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MARK COLEMAN has been teaching Insight Meditation retreats since 1997. He also leads wilderness meditation retreats, integrating mindfulness meditation with nature, and is the author of Awake in the Wild and Make Peace with Your Mind.

GIL FRONSDAL has practiced Zen and Vipassana since 1975 and holds a PhD in Buddhist Studies from Stanford. He is founding teacher of the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA, and author of a translation of The Dhammapada.

WILL KABAT-ZINN has practiced Insight Meditation for more than 15 years and has been teaching since 2007. He lives in the East Bay with his wife and two children and leads a weekly sitting group on Sunday evenings in Berkeley.

(left to right, top to bottom.)

JACK KORNFIELD trained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, India and Burma and holds a PhD in clinical psychology. He has taught meditation since 1974 and is a founding teacher of IMS and Spirit Rock. His books include A Path with Heart, The Wise Heart and No Time Like the Present.

SPRING WASHAM has practiced meditation since 1997. She is a founding teacher of the East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland, CA. Spring is considered a pioneer in bringing mindfulness-based meditation practices to inner city communities.

PHILLIP MOFFITT has practiced Vipassana since 1983. He is founder and president of the Life Balance Institute. He is a Co-Guiding Teacher at Spirit Rock and the author of Dancing with Life and Emotional Chaos to Clarity.

DIANA WINSTON is the Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center. She has practiced Vipassana since 1989, including a year as a Buddhist nun in Burma, and is the author of Fully Present and Wide Awake: A Buddhist Guide for Teens.

WES "SCOOP" NISKER is a meditation teacher, author, radio commentator and performer. His books include Essential Crazy Wisdom and You Are Not Your Fault.

MARY GRACE ORR is a vipassana teacher and former Guiding Teacher of Santa Cruz Insight. She has practiced many spiritual disciplines for the past 25 years and has trained in the Diamond Approach®.

SHARDA ROGELL began teaching Insight Meditation in 1985.

She brings a strong emphasis to awakening heartfulness and has been influenced by non-dual teachings, Dzogchen and the Diamond Approach®.

DONALD ROTHBERG has practiced meditation since 1976. He is the guiding teacher for the Path of Engagement program. He is the author of The Engaged Spiritual Life and co-teaches the Wednesday morning class at Spirit Rock.

TEMPEL SMITH has been practicing Metta and Insight Meditation since 1989, including a year as a fully ordained monk in Burma. He graduated from the Teacher Training program led by Jack Kornfield at Spirit Rock and has been leading retreats for more than ten years.

JOHN TRAVIS founded Mountain Stream Meditation in 1993 and opened a center in Nevada City, CA, in 2013. He has practiced meditation for almost 50 years and spent a decade living in Asia.

JULIE WESTER has been a teacher of Insight Meditation since 1985 and is a senior meditation teacher at Spirit Rock. A student of sacred feminine wisdom traditions, her primary teachers have included Ruth Denison, Joanna Macy, Lama Tsultrim Allione and the women of her own family lineage.

LARRY YANG is a longtime meditator trained as a psychotherapist. He is interested in creating access to the Dharma for communities who have felt the experience of exclusion or difference. Larry is a teacher at the East Bay Meditation Center.

Teachers Emeritus AJAHN AMARO trained in Thailand with Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho. He is the former co-abbot of Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery near Ukiah, CA. He is now abbot of Amaravati Monastery in the UK. ROBERT HALL, MD, is a physician of the body/mind, a psychiatrist, poet and meditation teacher. He is a pioneer of the integration of bodywork, psychotherapy and spiritual practice.

He lives and teaches at El Dharma in Todos Santos, Mexico.

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bay area and beyond: ongoing classes with spirit rock teachers Berkeley – James Baraz · Thursdays, 7:30-9:30 pm Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, 2304 McKinley Ave. www.insightberkeley.org/aboutus Berkeley – Will Kabat-Zinn · Sundays, 7-9 pm Ashtanga Yoga Berkeley, 933 Parker St., #38, Bay 5 www.ashtangayogaberkeley.com Berkeley – Wes Nisker · Wednesdays, 7:30-9 pm Yoga Kula Berkeley, 1700 Shattuck Ave. · www.yogakula.com Marin Sangha – Phillip Moffitt · Sundays, 6-8 pm St. Luke Presbyterian Church, 10 Bayview Dr., San Rafael www.marinsangha.org Oakland - Larry Yang · (Alphabet Sangha of Oakland) Tuesdays, 7-8:30 pm · East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th St. For LGBTIQ-SGL (Alphabet) communities www.eastbaymeditation.org/alphabet alphabetsangha@eastbaymeditation.org Palm Springs – Larry Yang · Sundays, 4:30-7:30 pm 1111 E. Tahguitz Canyon Way, Bldg. C, 2nd Floor www.desertinsight.org Placerville – Anandabodhi Bhikkhuni, Santacitta Bhikkhuni 2409 Tolowa Trail · Aloka Vihara · www.saranaloka.org Redwood City - Gil Fronsdal, Andrea Fella Insight Meditation Center, 108 Birch at Hopkins www.insightmeditationcenter.org insightmeditationcenter@gmail.com or (650) 599-3456 San Francisco – Anushka Fernandopulle · Mondays, 7-9 pm CIIS, 1453 Mission St., Rm. 216 · www.anushkaf.org San Francisco – Eugene Cash · Sundays, 7-9 pm First Unitarian Church, 1187 Franklin St. at Geary www.sfinsight.org or (415) 994-5951 San Francisco – Howard Cohn · Tuesdays, 7:30-9 pm St. John’s Episcopal Church, 1661 15th St. at Julian www.missiondharma.org or (415) 447-7761 Sierra Foothills – John Travis · Mondays, 7-8:30 pm

Spirit Rock News

710 Zion St., Nevada City · www.mtstream.org

© 2017 Spirit Rock Meditation Center | May - Aug 2017 Published three times a year by Spirit Rock Meditation Center

Todos Santos, Baja, Mexico – Robert Hall

P.O. Box 169, Woodacre, CA 94973 | (415) 488-0164

www. roberthalldharmatalks.wordpress.com

Design | Stacy Evett-Miller Photography | TwoIrises.com

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Spirit Rock

An Insight Meditation Center

5000 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard P.O. Box 169, Woodacre, CA 94973

spiritrock.org

NEW! MULTI-DAY, NON-RESIDENTIAL RETREATS AT SPIRIT ROCK MAY 5 - 7

JUNE 23 - 25

Bringing Practice to Life: Everyday Opportunities for Love, Wisdom and Connection

Changes & Transitions in Your 50s & 60s

Susie Harrington | 3 days, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm

25, 9:30 am - 1:00 pm

MAY 12 - 14

JUNE 30 - JULY 2

Exploring the Source Teachings

Buddhist Goddess: Embodying the Divine Feminine Within

Richard Shankman | 3 days, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm MAY 16 - 19

Phillip Moffitt | 3 days, 23 & 24, 9:30 am - 5:00 pm;

Erin Selover | 3 days, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness

JULY 17 - 21

Sally Armstrong | 4 days, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm

Writing As a Path to Awakening

MAY 27 - 29

Albert Flynn DeSilver | 5 days, 9:30 am - 4:00 pm

Bodhisattva Leadership Training

JULY 28 - 30

Pamela Weiss | 3 days, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm

Seven Treasures of Our Practice

JUNE 9 - 11

Anna Douglas | 3 days, 9:30 am - 4:00 pm

Shift Happens: Learning to Bounce Back from Disappointments, Difficulties, Even Disasters

AUG 18 - 20

Linda Graham | 3 days, 9:30 am - 5:00 pm

Nikki Mirghafori | 3 days, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm

Cultivating Compassion