Wednesdays 7pm to 9pm
Are you ready to embark on the journey of embracing the groundlessness of life? Are you ready to consider falling in love with the ever-shifting, never-certain reality of our situation? (Pema Chodron)
Commitment is primary, lifestyle secondary. (Sangharakshita)
Our theme for 2023 is Pathways to Awakening, and this month we will look at commitment as a source of courage in the face of uncertainty and freedom. Within the broader framework of the 3-fold path of Ethics, Meditation and Wisdom, we'll explore the meaning and benefits of these 4 commitments or vows:
July 5: Non-harm: allowing the precepts of non-harm and kindness to protect the heart/mind and wake us up
July 12: The bodhisattva ideal: practicing care for all beings - the freedom of interconnection and letting go of the illusion of separateness
July 19: Turning towards reality: letting go of holding on, resting in groundlessness
July 26: Meditation: supporting and deepening our commitment through meditation and mantra chanting.
It's important to remember that these commitments are not rules or things we should do: rather they express our natural awareness of interconnection and our longing to get out of our own way. They're what we do when we are not distracted by the uneasiness that comes from our limited, self-referential perspective and we're able to be with what is.
Mokshasi and Padmatara will lead this series.
To support our commitments we are also offering the following this month:
Morning Meditations - committing to sitting! Join us weekday mornings for a 40 minute sit in person throughout July.
See also Silent Meditation Day - Saturday July 15. More information coming soon.
For in person attendance please make sure you can agree to our safety requirements listed here if you plan to attend in person. (No need to register.)
For online attendance please register to receive zoom link (you only need to do this once).
We suggest donations of $10 to $5 for Sangha Nights, but they are always optional and any amount is welcome and helps cover our costs. Enter the amount you wish to donate in the box below, and if you don't wish to donate or prefer to pay another way, you can enter 0, but if you do this please make sure to click 'pay later' on the payment page, otherwise the registration won't work. Drop us an email if you have any difficulty.
It may take up to a day or two to receive the zoom link - thank you for your patience.
Please add info@sfbuddhistcenter.org to your address book so we can keep you up-to-date with any changes.*