“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing
and rightdoing there is a field.
I’ll meet you there.”
— Rumi
Beyond Our Differences:
A Day for Practice
with Dharma Teacher Emeritus Anna Douglas, Ph.D.,
and IMT Dharma Leader David Bornstein
Rumi, a 13th-century Persian poet and mystic, invites us to recognize that there exists a space beyond the limitations of our ideas of right or wrong, good or bad, better than or worse than. This dualistic framing of reality gives us a feeling of security, of knowing where we stand, and what “the rules” are. But the conceptual mind has limitations. You cannot think your way to enlightenment. It is a spiritual imperative to go beyond all of our ideas (misperceptions) about things, and open to another world - a space of awakened intuitive intelligence, imbued with qualities of wisdom and compassion. It is sometimes called “Buddha Nature” or “True Nature.”
Rumi’s words act as an invitation – to go beyond our knee-jerk habit of passing judgment or condemnation on those we view as “wrong” or “bad” or “misguided.” The evocative image of a field where we can lie down in the grass and find peace, and safety, and belonging reminds us that the value of human interaction is not about who is right, or about dominating those who think differently. The true value of human interaction is to connect with compassion and tolerance for our differences, and mutual respect for everyone’s belonging and value in this world.
The field that Rumi speaks of encourages us to suspend judgment and engage in open-minded conversations, fostering empathy and true connection. By meeting each other in this way, we can transcend the limitations imposed by our concepts of right and wrong, inspiring a less divisive and more compassionate world.
This daylong will consist of dharma teachings, sitting and walking meditation, and time for questions. It is offered on a danā basis, which means there is no fee. Donations in support of teachers’ livelihood is greatly appreciated.
Dharma Teacher Emeritus 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 ofe 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!
IMT Dharma Leader David Bornstein (he/him)
began a dedicated Buddhist meditation practice in 1997. He has practiced mostly in the Theravada tradition at Spirit Rock Meditation Center (SRMC) and Insight Meditation Society (IMS), and also attended several Zen sesshins at the San Diego Zen Center. He has sat dozens of silent retreats, ranging in length from several days to two months. David became a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher when he completed the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (2019) led by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. He also completed Spirit Rock’s Dedicated Practitioner’s Program (2016), and will soon begin their Community Dharma Leader (CDL) Program. For over 20 years, CDL has trained the next generation of dharma leaders with the capacity, resilience and needed skills to carry the dharma forward. CDL7 runs from January 2025-January 2027.
David has an easy, welcoming teaching style. Students find him authentic and trustworthy, and appreciate the way he shares from his own life to illustrate Buddhist teachings. David lives in Tucson with his wife and daughter.