Open Community Practice and Dharma Talk
"The Dharma is the Sangha"
with Jean Esther
Wednesday, February 23, 2022; 7:00-8:30pm
Suggested donation: $7-25*
Practice together remotely with other sangha members in a relaxed online atmosphere (7:00) and enjoy a dharma talk (7:35).
The Buddha referred to the Sangha as the ‘whole of the holy life’. The Sangha is also considered one of the 3 Refuges or Jewels of Buddhism.
What do the terms, Sangha, Spiritual Friendship and Beloved Community evoke in you? How are these manifest for you in your spiritual practice? How are you nourished by and how do you nourish these particular aspects of spiritual life that the Buddha deemed essential? How are they sustained and further cultivated?
I would like to dedicate our time this evening after our meditation to explore these questions together in the form of reflection and dialogue.
I look forward to joining together in this endeavor.
Jean
Jean Esther, MSW began formal meditation training in
1975. She has been training in the Theravadan Buddhist tradition since
1982 with senior Western teachers as well as Burmese and Western
Monastics. Since 2008, she has undertaken extensive teacher training in
both Vipassana practice and non-dual awareness. Jean's dharma teaching
is informed by over 36 years of practice as a psychotherapist
integrating spiritual inquiry and somatic awareness with psychological
understanding. For over 20 years, she trained with renowned Jungian
analyst Marion Woodman, exploring the awakening of consciousness through
the body, psyche and the arts. The wellspring and root of her work are
the Buddha's teachings on love and wisdom. Jean is a Guiding Teacher of
True North Insight in Ontario, Canada. A senior teacher at InsightPV,
she also teaches at Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, with IBME
(Inward Bound Mindfulness Education) and across the US and Canada. In
addition, she has a private psychotherapy practice in Northampton, MA.
*If
you have the means, please consider a donation tonight. We operate
entirely on the sangha's acts of generosity. Your donation will help us
meet the minimum payment for the teacher and provide some support to the
ongoing operations of the sangha as well. Everyone is welcome at all of
our events, regardless of ability to donate. Therefore, those who
donate more are helping to make the center accessible to all.
A note about dana for Wednesday night Dharma talks: Our
teachers receive 60% of the dana given for Wednesday night Dharma
talks, as they traditionally have. That said, since the pandemic, dana
given for Dharma talks has decreased. As a result, IWM now provides
teachers with a minimum guaranteed amount. If you wish to give
additional dana solely to the teacher for this Dharma talk, there will
be an opportunity later in the process below.
You
can give online or send checks to Insight Western Mass, 116 Pleasant Street, Suite
242, Easthampton, MA 01027. FYI: we check for mail once per week.
Zoom Link
Password: 242.
Dial in by phone for audio only: Call (646) 558-8656. Meeting ID: 943 156 1684. Password: 242
