Practice Support Group
What Changes as We Practice?
We often come to meditation with a desired improvement in mind: a wish for less anxiety or more peace, or a curiosity about how to meditate. We often find these and more. We also find many states of heart and mind which are unfamiliar to us. When I went on my first retreat, calmness wasn’t in my repertoire nor did I particularly seek it. It was simply unknown. So when I began to have long stretches of calm in my sitting practice I thought I was doing something wrong – I interpreted it as “nothing is happening.” My teacher kindly explained that it was actually a sign of progress, and worth cultivating further. The conditions created by mindful moment to moment attention bring about predictable results, often life-changing.
In this 3 class series we will look at two specific ways we change as we practice: 1) our relationship to time changes and 2) our relationship to suffering changes. The very foundation of how we view things is transformed. Sound interesting? Please join us for this 3 class series.
This class is suitable for anyone who has received and practiced basic instructions in mindfulness.
WHEN
PSG - March 31, April 7 and 14
Sundays, 3-week Class Series
10:00-11:45am Pacific Standard Time
Note: Time change from MST to PDT
WHERE
On Zoom.
COST
3 week class: $75-$30
For those of you on a limited budget pay what you can. No one will be turned away.
REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Registration is required. Once you register you will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours. Please click below to register and make your donation.
Sit every day and the teachings come alive!
The Practice Support Group is designed to help you establish a consistent and nourishing daily practice. Whether you sit 10, 20, 30 or 40 or 50 minutes daily this class will help you to find a length and frequency that works for you. When questions or challenges arise there is the opportunity to explore them in the weekly group.
Participating in a Dharma group is one of the most supportive things we can do to help our meditation practice grow.
ABOUT THE TEACHER
Anna Douglas, PhD., is the founder of Insight Meditation Tucson, and one of the founding teachers of Spirit Rock Meditation Center. In 1986 she was one of five Dharma students invited to train in Jack Kornfield's groundbreaking program of practice and study for new teachers. Although Anna's background is in psychology and the arts, she has had the good fortune as well as the deep aspiration to be able to do many long retreats in the vipassana/insight tradition. For many years her focus in teaching was to guide people in long retreats. She also created and taught mindfulness retreats for yoga practitioners and teachers, and for 15 years taught an annual creativity retreat using painting and writing as the mediums of exploration. In more recent years Anna's teaching has included classes and retreats on aging and dying. She is grateful for the many wonderful opportunities for practice and for teaching she continues to enjoy. This includes offering spiritual guidance to those for whom the Dharma is an ongoing wellspring of spiritual nourishment and inspiration. Anna is available for individual mentoring/guidance in the practice of insight meditation. Even as old age and various forms of decrepitude advance, her deepest wish is that the blessings of Dharma continue to be felt and shared for the benefit of all!