Ann Marvin returns to our SoundGate program on Friday, March 1, with her glowing Tibetan crystal bowls to treat us to a healing vibrational soundscape. SoundGate meets from 7-8 PM. No registration necessary; donations welcome. Any funds collected will be split evenly with the guest artist.
Join the Bozeman Zen Group for this half-day sit focusing on the Foundations of Mindfulness. Bozeman Zen Group offers half-day sittings appropriate for beginners who wish to try a retreat practice opportunity as well as for experienced practitioners to deepen their practice. Regular retreat practice is a cornerstone of Zen practice. Join us for periods of sitting and walking meditation as well as a dharma talk with Zen priest, Karen DeCotis. Register here.
Buddhism Basics offers some of the core fundamental teachings in the Buddhist tradition. Great for those new to meditation and Buddhist practice. Join us for one class or the whole series! Register here.
Week 1: Buddha’s story, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path
Week 2: What are these different lineages? The three poisons, three refuges, and three marks of existence
Week 3: Precepts, Brahmaviharas
This month’s Mindful Creativity class is Visual Haiku. We will use color and mark making to capture the essence of our present moment experiences. Just as traditional Japanese haiku evokes a moment in time using just a few words, we will practice bringing forth feelings and sense impressions onto paper. You don’t need to know how to draw or consider yourself an artist to participate. Paper and art materials will be provided. There will be crayons, colored pencils and watercolor pencils to play with. Bring an open mind and your good practice! Register here.
On Saturday, February 3, Suzanne Colón will lead a 3 hour workshop featuring a guided exercise that uses imagery and inquiry to work with difficult parts of ourselves or our experience. Developed by Lama Tsultrim Allione (Tibetan nun, author and teacher), this exploratory practice of self-compassion has been shared with practitioners across Buddhist lineages, to powerful effect. In this morning workshop, Suzanne will offer the practice, along with guidance for how to use it safely and beneficially. Register here.
February’s SoundGate meditation features Brian Sparks offering a healing symphony of Tibetan bowl harmonics. Brian has received his spiritual teaching from several masters in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. His teachers blessed his bowl work by giving him the specific “Prayer of Aspiration” and granted him many Buddhist empowerments. He has toured with notable Tibetan musicians, actors, and at the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas in Arlee.
He offers his practice of playing bowls in service of healing, compassion and awakening. No registration necessary! Donations gratefully accepted. Any funds collected will be split evenly with Brian.
Sit with the Bozeman Zen Group on Saturday, January 20 from 9am-1pm. Bozeman Zen Group offers these half-day sittings monthly which are appropriate for beginners who wish to try a retreat practice opportunity as well as for experienced practitioners to deepen their practice. Regular retreat practice is a cornerstone of Zen practice. Join us for periods of sitting and walking meditation as well as a dharma talk with Zen priest, Karen DeCotis. Register here.
There will be 5 periods of meditation and breaks for stretching and tea.
Join MindSpace co-leader, Kerry Neal, for the reboot of our Mindful Creativity program on Sunday, January 14. Poetry from Emptiness is a technique from the Daoist literary tradition of China. It promotes creative friendship through shared verbal images and the pleasure of just quietly sitting in tranquility.
You do not have to think of yourself as a poet to enjoy Poetry from Emptiness. You only need to be open, curious, contemplative and spontaneous. Poetry from Emptiness is not based on a philosophy or religion. It only requires a mind empty of preconceptions.
Come learn the essentials of a meditation practice. (It’s more than just mindfulness).
During three Wednesday evenings (Jan 10-24), Suzanne Colón will introduce three basic styles of meditation that make up the meditator’s toolkit:
Whether you’re just starting out or honing your skills, this class will clarify and motivate your practice. Register here.
Explore the BDC, meet board members, group leaders, volunteers, staff and other like-minded people on Tuesday, January 9 from 5-7 PM. A great time to get your questions answered, receive basic meditation instruction and get accustomed to the space! Enjoy some snacks and socialize! No registration necessary. In person only. Bring a friend!
Note: Normally our Newcomer Orientations are on the first Tuesday, but this one is the Second Tuesday of the month.
