For people new to practice or people continuing practice, this day will be an overview of practice techniques and theory. As a text, we'll use the Metta Sutta, the overview of the whole of the Buddha's path. In the spirit of the New Year, we will especially highlight the layperson's precepts for ethical training. We'll link them to the Buddha's teaching, "May these precepts be the cause for happiness." We will learn and practice techniques for clearing and calming the mind and habituating it to kindness - reflecting the middle section of the Metta Sutta, the development of mind discipline - strengthening the habits of mind that lead to contentment. And we will reflect on the final section of the Sutta, the Buddha's promise of liberation from suffering.
There will be didactic instruction, Q&A, and time for reflecting in small group conversations about our intentions for the New Year and the rest of our lives. Participants will be provided with a copy of rhe Metta Sutta and other materials for the day when they arrive. Bring your own lunch so that we can including eating meditation into the noon hour as practice.
Teachings are appropriate for individuals as well as health care professionals. Continuing Education (CE) credit available.
Young Adults (18-26) and Seniors (65+ with limited and fixed income) are invited to attend this day for $25.
Beginning... and Beginning Again: An Overview of the Path to Happiness at Spirit Rock
5000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd
Woodacre CA
94973 See map
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Jessica Mullins (Editor) May 15, 2013 at 12:18 pm
Thanks for the feedback, John. To my knowledge, we don't have a comments stream anywhere. Definitely…Read More submit your comments here (it's the most efficient way to get your thoughts heard at the higher level): http://ow.ly/l4cyg
M. Kathryn Thompson May 21, 2013 at 09:54 am
Dr. Gullion is also lovely with men who get breast cancer as my husband did, he's the best!
Bren April 22, 2013 at 04:13 pm
Is anybody else here getting multiple e-mail notifications of new comments by Jo Tog, and then…Read More clicking the link, only to find that they are actually old comments from Jo Tog, but with today's date on them?
What's the deal? Did all his comments get flagged and deleted, and now he's re-posting them?
Most curious.
Sierra Salin April 22, 2013 at 02:02 pm
Jo Trog, we live in a Corporatocracy, not a republic. We abdicated the Republic after 9/11, if not…Read More before.
Know the difference.
Hiba April 21, 2013 at 06:52 pm
Banning the sale in a free market economy is too strong. I believe people should be able to choose…Read More so long as the product is labeled correctly, and even placed in a section with a big sign that says "GM Food products". Would I buy it if I pass the section at the grocery store: NO.
A May 4, 2013 at 12:55 pm
Many people in Marin are already at 50% or more of their entire income to pay for housing. And we…Read More have no rent control here in Marin which is the only way I've seen that most seniors have been able to stay in San Francisco for several decades.
Regarding your statement: "Market rate housing generates tax revenues, which in turn pay for schools, parks, emergency services, etc."
Low income people pay a lot of sales tax in Marin (which is really high) and that also supports these causes. If they don't have the money to pay property taxes to own property, then the fact is, they just can't pay it. Be thankful that a large group of the population in Marin makes enough money to own property and pay it (and turn around and sell their houses for a handsome profit as well, don't forget about that.) Some folks here are just SPOILED rotten. Perhaps you should lobby that Marin employers just pay people living wages so they can afford to become buyers here and pay property taxes instead of trying to lobby against housing for the poor.
Goodness knows how many taxes child-free low income people have paid to support wealthy folks kids and schools here. We don't get any of that, either, but we still have to pay for it...
A May 4, 2013 at 12:53 pm
I've heard that Marin is already in violation (either state or federal, or both) of not having…Read More enough low income housing in the county for its population. I think the county is under pressure to come into compliance which it has been out of in this area for a long time. This can only serve to better the lives of low income and elderly people in our county and perhaps reduce homelessness as well which is something we sorely need to do. However, what is amazing to me is that what we are calling "low income" housing in Marin still costs $1K+ a month per person from what I can tell. That's not "low income". Someone paying that much needs to be earning about $4K a month to keep housing costs in the 25-30% range that every financial planner recommends for a basic budget. I see a lot of low income people working HARD full-time to earn $1,600 a month here in restaurants, grocery stores, retail, hair salons, gyms, even clinics. They can't afford to live in Marin so many of them commute in from the east bay and further north to work in Marin. That is what is not sustainable. Think about the gas and pollution and the quality of life in the community due to turnover because there is no personal interaction with the staff of a lot of these places anymore because they don't stick around for very long.