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.
Category Archives: Lineage
MindSpace Begins New Book Study
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.
Time to Connect
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?
Vance Pryor visits MindSpace
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.
Vance Pryor BIC Guest Speaker
Help BIC welcome Vance Pryor, our visiting guest teacher from IMS and Spirit Rock meditation centers. Vance will introduce himself to our community by sharing some stories of his journey in the dharma and taking questions of all sorts. He will give some short instructions for practice and lead a sit, followed by discussion.
All are welcome. In person or join by the regular, drop-in zoom channel.
No prior experience or registration necessary.
Newcomer Orientation
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!
Awareness, Kindness, & Community
Join us for this daylong retreat led by visiting teacher, Vance Pryor on Saturday April 8. Cultivate qualities of awareness and metta and explore how they work together to deepen feelings of belonging and community. Learn more here. As physical space is limited, please try to register soon!
Creating Calm Within Chaos
Vance Pryor gives a Dharma talk on Friday, April 7 from 7-9 PM. Discover mindfulness meditation and how it helps us develop greater resilience in the face of adversity, equanimity and ease in the face of change, and calm in the midst of chaos.
Learn more here. As physical space is limited, please register soon!
Zen Half-Day Moved to ONLINE Only
Due to the snow and extreme driving conditions, the Bozeman Zen Group has moved the half-day sit for tomorrow, March 26 to online only. Please use the regular BDC Zoom link to participate from 9 AM – 1 PM.
From Karen: Let’s sit together in our homes and bring forth the dharma. You may arrange yourself so that you can practice with your whole life. It’s great if you can keep your camera on, but you don’t need to face forward toward the camera. Do your best to sit each scheduled period fully, AND take breaks as you need either in between or for a full period (meaning, try not to move or decide to stop meditating in the middle of a period).
Half-Day Schedule:
9:00 Welcome, robe chant + zazen
9:30 kinhin
9:40 zazen
10:10 Break/stretch and have tea
10:25 Dharma talk
Open lecture chant
Bodhisatttva vows at end
10:50 zazen
11:20 kinhin or stretch
11:30 zazen
12:00 break
12:15 zazen
12:45 Gather, questions, reflections
12:55 Recite the Metta Sutta and dedicate merit
1:00 End
Please contact info@bozemanzengroup.org for questions or copies of the chants.
Vance Pryor comes to Bozeman!
We are excited to welcome Vance Pryor to Bozeman in April! Vance will offer several opportunities for practice. First, save the date for Thursday, April 6 when Vance will be the guest speaker at the Bozeman Insight Community.
Get to know Vance as he introduces himself to our community, sharing some stories of his journey in the dharma and taking questions of all sorts.
All are welcome! No prior experience or registration necessary. This will be a hybrid event offered in-person and via Zoom.