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Recommended Reading 
Beads and Strands:
Recommended Viewing
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When we think of contemplative practices, what usually comes to mind is meditation, yoga, prayer, chanting or perhaps creative practices such as art, writing, dance and music. Creating community and kinship is very rarely considered. It‘s not surprising! Western culture strongly values individuality and independence, neither of which is conducive to building fellowship, especially those that cut across race, gender, sexuality and class. If you want community with people who share a common interest you have to be intentional about it and work hard to make it happen. 
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The meditation practices of loving communion and presence taught in this retreat are adapted from Tibetan Buddhism to make them freshly accessible to people of all backgrounds. These practices can help us become more fully present and connect more deeply with others, so as to evoke their hidden strengths beyond the limiting judgments of society. These practices can help ease us past the dynamics of burnout to abide in a deeper level of awareness, a place of replenishment that is beyond any need of improvement. There we can find the sustaining energy and motivation to work hard to improve others’ lives. Through these practices, wise love and compassion can be rediscovered as powers that not only inspire and uplift persons, but also challenge ourselves and others in the ways that we all tend to hide from our fuller reality and potential. For more information and registration, visit www.contemplativemind.org |
Diversity Matters |
| 12th Annual Meditation Retreat for People of Color July 26-August 1, 2008 Vallecitos Mountain Refuge, New Mexico With Mushim Ikeda-Nash and Ven. Suhita Dharma In many traditions, people journey into the wilderness for contemplation and purification. How often do we have the opportunity to connect to our deepest intentions and to experience spiritual renewal? Taking place at 9,000 feet in pristine meadowland in New Mexico, the Vallecitos 2007 People of Color Retreat is designed to offer and support a practical introduction to insight meditation (vipassana). Meditation embodies the essence and wisdom of the teachings of the Buddha and has been the foundation of Buddhist teachings for 2,500 years. It is a simple and direct practice. Meditation is extraordinary in its simplicity, its lack of dogma and, above all, its results. This path to self-awareness can be successfully applied by anyone to their everyday lives. The ancient and profound teachings of interconnectedness and compassion are the foundations of spiritual awareness. The retreat is based on the intensive training retreats that are traditionally the heart of Buddhist practice. The daily schedule, conducted in silence, is comprised of group sitting periods alternating with walking meditation outdoors. There are group interviews with the teachers and a daily discourse from the teachings of the Buddha. In addition, there will be opportunities for optional group hikes and mindful movement to allow practitioners to fully experience Vallecitos’ beautiful natural setting, and to support physical joy and ease. “Gourmet” vegetarian meals add to the special nature of this retreat. To cultivate the meditation process, please note that complete silence is maintained at all times throughout the retreat, except during meditation practice interviews and the talks by the teachers, which may be followed by a communal conversation. This retreat continues the ground-breaking tradition established at Vallecitos over the past decade. People of color come to the mountains, the forest and the river not to conference, network, analyze or plan, but to practice one of the world’s oldest and wisest contemplative traditions. For some, the retreat may be the first extended period of meditation practice and practicing silence. No previous meditation experience is required to participate and the retreat is suitable for individuals at all levels of practice. Registration & Cost:To ensure that the retreat is accessible to all who wish to participate, we are offering a sliding scale of $100-$450. Scholarships and payment plans are available. Fees include meals, accommodation and tuition. No dana or donations will be offered to the teachers. Click here to register. |
Deep Replenishment and Connection: Meditations of Loving Communion and Presence for Social Justice Activism and Service
Classes and workshops in nonviolent communicationNonviolent communication (NVC) is a process developed by Marshall Rosenberg and others which people use to communicate with greater compassion and clarity. It focuses on two things: empathy — listening with deep compassion, and honest self-expression — exposing what matters to oneself in a way that's likely to inspire compassion in others. The ideal of NVC is to get one's own needs met while also meeting others' needs. Communicating with Compassion Seeds of Connection You can search for many more classes and workshops at http://www.cnvc.org. |
People of Color Meditation/Sitting GroupsIf you know of any additional groups, Shambhala Meditation Center of New York New York Insight Meditation Center Boston POC Meditation Group East Bay Meditation Center Insight Meditation Community of Washington San Francisco Buddhist Center Manzanita Village |
