Celebrate Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment and Parinirvana (his passing) with the Bozeman Zen Group. Please bring a bouquet or two of flowers and some greenery. We will decorate a flower arbor, offer sweet tea, flowers intentions and end with a chant. Guest teacher, Pamela Weiss will join us for zazen and celebration!
In person only at the Bozeman Dharma Center. Offered freely.
On Saturday, May 13, visiting guest teacher, Pamela Weiss, will present a daylong retreat in honor of mothers throughout time. We will explore the story of the Buddha’s step-mother, Pajapati, and the ancient Sumerian myth of Inanna. Through meditation, dharma talks and interactive inquiry, we will reveal ways to balance receptivity and activity, and discover how to become skillful with these different dimensions of power in our practice, relationships and life. All are welcome.
We think of the historical Buddha as a spiritual leader, a calm and meditative figure who valued peace. What we don’t often hear is how he transformed his society by challenging the norms that were in India at the time. Pamela Weiss, a Buddhist teacher trained in both the Zen and Insight lineages will offer an evening of meditation, stories, and reflection of the Buddha as a social revolutionary. A great introduction to Buddhist practice.
Not sure how to begin your practice or what the BDC is about? Join us at 5 PM on the first Thursday of each month for an orientation to the Center and basic meditation instruction!
Join Karen DeCotis and the Bozeman Zen Group this Saturday, April 29, at 9AM. In this half-day retreat we will work with the 7 Factors of Awakening – specifically Energy and Joy! Join us for sitting and walking meditation, dharma talk, and tea/snacks. Great way to get some retreat practice and still have your weekend.
Our Intro to Meditation class will start a few weeks later than we listed in the April newsletter, running on Wednesdays from May 24 – June 7.
Join us to learn practices from the Insight, Zen and Tibetan traditions. Meditation can help to calm the mind, open the heart, and awaken wisdom. It is a means to study ourselves by contacting our inner life. When we know ourselves well, we are better able to relate to others in the world with integrity and confidence. In the Buddhist tradition there are several meditation styles that can aid us in developing the qualities of peacefulness and wisdom. Join us for any or all of this series, if you would like to begin a meditation practice or renew the one you already have.
Brian Lesage will be the guest speaker for the Bozeman Insight Community on Thursday, April 27 at 7 PM. Brian will present (via Zoom) a talk entitled “Living with Integrity: Nurturing the Two Guardians of the World.” Brian Lesage has practiced Buddhist meditation since 1988 and has taught since 2000. He has studied in the Zen, Theravada, and Tibetan schools and was ordained in the Rinzai Zen tradition in 1996. He’s known for his clarity, precision, scholarship and love of poetry. We hope you’ll all tune in for the return of this sangha favorite.
MindSpace, our under-40 meditation group, has just begun studying Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach. You do not need to have read the book beforehand to join; each session is stand-alone with reading and discussion.
This Dharma Thought is brought to you by Steve Allison-Bunnell with the Joining Rivers Sangha which meets every Monday at 7PM.
A friend I’ve known for 35 years, and haven’t seen in 25, still sends me a handwritten letter on actual stationery once a year. And of course I answer her in kind. It’s a sweet form of connection, acknowledging the depth of our first friendship in college, and our continued mutual respect over the arc of adulthood. Writing with a pen, trying to choose my words to avoid cross outs, I’m able to reflect on the essence of my life in the past year in a way that texts or emails don’t invite. Unlike social media, I don’t have to pretend everything is the best ever, or try to measure up to my friend’s experience. What comes out is unvarnished and from the heart — the way we talked when we were housemates so long ago. And as I continue on the Path of Practice, this pause to write to her feels even more like a sacred space. Who do you maintain a long-term connection with? How is it special and precious?
On Tuesday, April 11, Vance Pryor will visit MindSpace, our younger adult group to share practice, take questions and have informal conversation. All (40 and under) are welcome to drop-in.
In person only at the Bozeman Dharma Center. Offered freely.
