Triangle Insight Meditation Community | |
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September 2022 Newsletter
triangleinsight.org
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"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."
Lao Tzu
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Our home is the
Episcopal Center at Duke
505 Alexander Ave. | Durham, NC 27705
(when safe to gather in person)
Morning meditation: Monday and Thursday
Wednesday meditation with Dharma Talk, or as Insight Dialogue (below)
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Wednesday Evenings
6:30 - 8:00 pm (Insight Dialogue: 6:30 - 8 pm)
Sept 07 - Ron Vereen
Sept 14 - Scott Bryce
Sept 21 - Jeanne van Gemert
Sept 28 - Phyllis Hicks (Insight Dialogue)
Oct 05 - Scott Bryce
Oct 12 - Ron Vereen
Oct 19 - TBD
Oct 26 - Phyllis Hicks (Insight Dialogue)
Monday and Thursday Morning Meditation
7:00 - 7:45 AM (click here for more info)
Zoom locations to be emailed.
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Ode to a Tree: Oak leaf on wood log | | |
If you would like to know more about our meditation schedule or would like to sign up to receive a Zoom invite for Morning Meditation or Wednesday Evenings, visit the Schedule page on our website OR email us at info@triangleinsight.org, and tell us the Zoom list(s) you would like to join,
To receive this monthly newsletter, please complete the newsletter subscription on our Newsletters webpage, or send your request to the info email above.
If you would like to change any part of your subscription, please email us and we will make this change for you.
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The Practice of Insight Dialogue at Triangle Insight | | |
Insight Dialogue is an interpersonal meditation practice and is offered at Triangle Insight once monthly, usually on the fourth Wednesday of the month. It brings the mindfulness and tranquility of silent meditation directly into our experience with other people.
An excellent resource for learning more about the practice is the new website for Insight Dialogue: www.insightdialogue.org.
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The evening begins with silent meditation practice, followed by gentle mindful movement, and then shifting into dyad practice where interpersonal mindfulness is explored with a partner in response to a contemplation that is offered. The dyad practice is optional so that anyone who chooses to remain in silent practice may do so, rather than shifting into dyad practice. One can investigate the guidance of the contemplation internally, noticing the moment by moment unfolding of internal experience. Note that the ID practice goes from 6:30 to 8:00 pm while meeting on Zoom. When it is possible to resume in-person meetings the time will return to 8:30 pm, to allow for more spaciousness and time for questions. We hope you will be able to join us. | | |
RETREATS and SPECIAL EVENTS | | |
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KORU MINDFULNESS
A 4-week class with Erica Alexander
October 11 – November 1
Tuesdays, 6 - 7:15pm
DURHAM ARTS COUNCIL
$105
To register, visit openwingsflute.com/koru-mindfulness
Masks are currently required in the Durham Arts Council building.
“Great class. Perfect intro to mindfulness meditation."
KORU MINDFULNESS - proven to be effective to help manage stress, improve sleep and bring deeper meaning. Learn skills to calm and focus your mind and explore the practice of meditation. For people of all ages. Folks in their 20s and 30s will find it particularly relevant and accessible.
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Please visit our website for information on these resources |
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Welcome Committee
Sangha means spiritual community, and it is treasured because without it awakening cannot be sustained. –Jack Kornfield, After the Ecstasy, the Laundry
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The Welcome Committee wishes to foster the experience of belonging to a diverse, tolerant community connected through mindfulness practice, where all feel welcome and safe. We seek to link all participants and newcomers to ongoing activities and to ensure the Zoom connection is available. You are welcome to Visit our Webpage!
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New Durham Kalyana Mitta Group
A recently formed Durham KM group is open to new members.
If you’re interested or would like more information,
please visit our "List of KM Groups" web page, or
contact Sarah Tillis, KM Coordinator, at sarah@triangleinsight.org.
Spiritual friendship is friendship with both self and others. Gil Fronsdal explores the deep connection between these in Friendship on the Path and notes that “...the interpersonal teachings and practices of Buddhism create the context and the foundation for the inner, personal practices such as meditation.”
He goes on to say, “Mindfulness, love, and the path of practice can be the channels through which we have meaningful relationships with others. And meaningful relationships, in turn, support us on the path to greater mindfulness, love and awakening.”
Our Kalyana Mitta (KM) groups offer a special opportunity for this relational practice. The trust, intimacy, and care of the group allow us to deepen our connection to both self and others. We see more clearly, our hearts soften, and we can move towards greater understanding and compassion.
A beautiful aspect of this process is that as the heart of the dharma is enriched in our own lives, we are contributing to the spiritual journey of others. This is the gift of the third jewel of sangha, a jewel that illuminates this path we travel together.
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KM Groups
We currently have openings in our Durham, Insight Dialogue, Raleigh, and Sutta Study groups. Our Chapel Hill-Carrboro group has a waiting list. Details about each of our groups are on our "List of KM Groups" web page.
Information about our KM program and links to helpful resources are on our KM web page. If you’d like more information, or you want to join a group, be on a waiting list, or start a new group, please contact Sarah Tillis, KM Coordinator at sarah@triangleinsight.org.
The KM Coordinating Team of Sarah Tillis and Tamara Share expresses deep gratitude for the dedication of our sangha.
May our Kalyana Mitta groups be of great benefit to all.
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We have an opportunity to grow when we share with our TI spiritual friends about how race and “othering” affects us on every level: personal, organizational, and societal. We have Racial Affinity Groups (RAGs) in which you can discuss how racial conditioning affects your life. There are online training sessions to attend, such as the Organizing Against Racism two-day on-line workshop.
- The Organizing Against Racism two-day workshop is scheduled twice each month through the end of the year; one of these dates may work for you.
- To learn about financial aid for one of these workshops, see the Financial Support section below.
Please contact me at kathy@triangleinsight.org if you are interested in exploring or joining a RAG, if you are interested in racial justice training, or simply would like to talk about your sadness and/or rage, now that Buffalo 2022 and Uvalde 2022 have been added to the long list of racially-motivated shootings: at Mother Emanuel AME church in Charleston 2015, the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh 2018, the Walmart in El Paso in 2019, and the spa workers in Atlanta 2021. And, as ever, may our efforts benefit all beings.
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Community Connections Committee
A TIMC Initiative connecting and strengthening the bonds of our shared practice.
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One Wednesday evening per season will be designated as a dana night for a specific local organization. On a dana night, you are invited to make a donation to the recommended organization instead of, or in addition to, TIMC. Your dana is an expression of our heart practice and generosity.
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The next dana night will be November 9th.
- Please come back to this space in the November newsletter for the Community Connections Committee's Winter dana recommendation.
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When we resume meeting together at the Episcopal Center, separate baskets will be available on dana nights, so members have the option of where they want to donate. |
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Financial Support
Available For Training Programs and Workshops in Racial Justice and Diversity
Our goal:
To help individuals and our community deepen the understanding of how unexamined views of race can limit the mind and human systems.
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A Scholarship Fund for this purpose exists through donations from the TIMC General Fund and the generosity of several Triangle Insight participants.
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If Triangle Insight sangha participants would like to receive scholarship support for training with OARNC, White Awake, or other programs addressing racial injustice, please email us at: board@triangleinsight.org.
We invite the community to join this initiative by contributing directly to this scholarship fund.
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For your convenience, you may click below for a dedicated PayPal portal.
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TIMC BOARD | NEWS AND REPORTS | | |
Currently serving on the Board of Directors: Cynthia Hughey, Cornelia "Kip" Lee, Marian Place, Leah Rutchick, Martin Steinmeyer, Ron Vereen.
Note: Given the highly contagious COVID.BA.5 variant currently present in the community, the Board is not anticipating a return to the Episcopal Center until the risk of infection diminishes. We are still in the process of exploring the technology for conducting a hybrid meeting once conditions improve (see below). We thank you for your patience and understanding.
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Board Meetings:
Cornelia "Kip", Cynthia, Leah, Marian, Martin. and Ron convened an Open Meeting of the Board of Directors on August 20, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. on the Zoom platform. Perry Sweitzer was present as an invited guest to answer Board questions about his Insight Meditation Research Project. No other Sangha members were present.
The August Meeting began with a 10 minute meditation session. Board members recited the Communication Guidelines. and approved the minutes from the July 9, 2022 Meeting.
- Perry Sweitzer responded to questions about his operational plans for observing and interviewing the TIMC community, and the board asked how it could best support him in his research. The conversation reached a general description for one or more persons to serve as liaisons between Perry, the board and the community.
- The board also reviewed issues related to the re-design of the website, with the Editorial/web committee to speak further with the web designers about preferred colors, main page topics, and other navigational matters.
- One board member mentioned their coming departure, when their second term completes, and urged the Board to seek a replacement now, to overlap and continue on the Board.
- A decision was made to purchase a system of audio equipment through Custom Light & Sound (Durham, NC) for running zoom and in-person meetings concurrently (also known as a “hybrid” meeting model) when health conditions allow.
The August Meeting adjourned at 2:00 p.m.
Join us for the next open board meeting, on Zoom. The date is Saturday, September 20. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Please note the earlier start time. You can join us at any time during the meeting. A Zoom invite will be sent to newsletter members in the week prior. If you have a presentation you would like to give to the board, please contact us at board@triangleinsight.org and we'll make every effort to include that in the agenda.
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Contact the Board with your Ideas, Visions, Complaints, Questions
We will make every effort to review and respond to your comments.
Welcome Committee members will answer inquiries about subscribing to the TIMC mailing-lists, not receiving ZOOM or other announcements, meditation schedules and other TIMC activities.
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Newsletter Submission Pointers |
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At least two weeks prior to the month in which you wish your announcement to appear, submit new items to info@triangleinsight.org.
- Include in your request a short statement of your relationship to TIMC.
- New requests submitted in the last week of any month may not be accepted if time is a factor in preparing a final copy.
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Changes to existing entries may be incorporated if submitted early in the last week of any month.
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All authors are encouraged to update their newsletter entries and to resubmit, clearly indicating all changes in text and lay-out to minimize error and design time.
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Keep the text crisp and short, but include important details and attachments. Instead of longer texts, refer the reader to websites for additional information.
- Indicate how many months you want your entry to be published, and
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Stay in touch with updates if any specific details change. You are responsible for calling in any changes in time, special dates and/or end dates for ongoing classes, groups or other continuing entries.
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Special circumstances may require adjustment of the deadlines indicated here; early submission is a best practice and helps the newsletter editors determine where, how and if the item submitted shall be published (please see #1 in the Guidelines).
Please contact us through info@triangleinsight.org, and include "Newsletter" on the subject line. We will help you get your item published. Thank you for helping us!
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The Triangle Insight Board is looking for interested sangha participants to help us build a vibrant communications network for our whole practice community | | | |
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Editorial/ Web Redesign Committee
To all interested sangha participants, there is a need for volunteers to help with the Web redesign project. It is underway, but much remains to be done! We want to take a fresh look at the website and other web tools to best support the growing needs of our hybrid community. Discussion is open, and we welcome your contributions. Tell the board if you are interested in volunteering: you can contact us through this address, www.board@triangleinsight.org. noting Editorial Committee in the subject line.
Thank you!
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You are welcome to contact me directly with any comments or suggestions to improve the newsletter and website.
In humor and good intention,
Leah Rutchick, leah@triangleinsight.org
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