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.

Bodhisattva, Kyoto, Japan 

An excellent resource for learning more about the

practice is the new website for Insight Dialogue: www.insightdialogue.org 

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.

Come to our first hybrid social event

TEA & Discussion for Sangha and TI Board

NOVEMBER 19

10:30am –11:30am

Episcopal Center Great Room

505 Alexander Ave. Durham NC 27705

Zoom access available, TBA

You are invited to a Tea & Discussion on Saturday, November 19 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.  A regular end-of-term change is due soon for three Board members, and we need new members to carry on the business of our sangha. Let's socialize with a Tea, try out the hybrid format, and talk about sangha opportunities for TIMC. Current board members will be on hand to answer questions about working on the board, and welcome interest in joining as a new member. Please mark your calendars!

To note: the November TI Open Board Meeting will take place on Nov. 19 at the Episcopal Center, from 12pm—2pm. It will also be accessible on Zoom, with Zoom info emailed prior to the date.

Questions? contact us at board@triangleinsight.org

PEACE HILL at AVILA

November events of interest

OPEN HOUSE

• On Saturday, 11/5, Peace Hill at Avila is holding its Opening Celebration that will feature tours of the property, music, socializing and community, light snacks, and brief remarks from Martin Eakes (Self Help Credit Union) and others. For more information and to register for this event you may click on this link.

MEET PEACE HILL ORGANIZERS at the next TI Board Meeting

• On Saturday, 11/19, two board members of Peace Hill at Avila, Mel Williams and Terry Allebaugh, will attend our November open board meeting. They are currently scheduled on the agenda between 12:30 and 1:00 pm. We will be exploring how our TIMC community might engage with Peace Hill so as to support the ongoing vision and mission of both Peace Hill at Avila and Triangle Insight. An email with further details about the meeting will be sent within the week prior to the board meeting that will include the agenda and meeting link.  

EcoSattva Training

A LOCAL 8-week Course in Response to Ecological Challenges

Carolyn Bruckner is the Triangle Insight facilitator

Triangle Insight is a local host for this 8-part series of deeply interactive learning and sharing sessions, designed to hone skills for effective activism and inner wisdom.

November update:

You can still join as a participant . "Materials are available now. Start when you like and move at your own pace."

• Come gather with other Triangle Insight sangha participants online to discover insights from multiple Dharma traditions and the growing field of climate psychology, explore our edges, meet what arises in us, and discover our authentic paths forward. Co-facilitators may emerge from the group, if desired.

• Developed by One Earth Sangha, a sister Insight community, we will challenge views and patterns that contribute to suffering, individually and collectively. This includes inquiring into intersections and common roots of ecological harm and other forms of objectification and exploitation, especially in regard to race. Finally, we will explore the diverse forms of response available to us as we move forward. 

Registration is for EIGHT 90-minute online sessions, pre-scheduled as Triangle Insight EcoSattva Group.  START: Tuesday, October 25 at 7:00 pm, then weekly through December 20. Note: access to Session 1 materials begins October 9th.

In addition, participants have access to live donation-based monthly gatherings with leaders from across Western Dharma traditions (held second Sunday of each month). RSVP separately. The first of these meetings is Weathering the Storms, an EcoDharma Exploration and Ecosattva Training kickoff gathering. Sunday, October 16, 11am –1:00pm EST.



For a detailed description of the curriculum, see the website HERE. 

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One Earth Sangha offers sliding scale discounts and a 25% group discount.  Be sure to use this link to register for the program.

Plus TIMC's scholarship fund welcomes individual applicants. Send your request email to board@triangleinsight.org.

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For more information about the local group, contact Carolyn: mojobuckner@hotmail.com or 919-448-8049.

Student Research Project on Insight Meditation (PDF DOCUMENT)

Perry Sweitzer, Department of Religion, Duke University

Project Overview

Perry Sweitzer is a Ph.D. candidate in the Graduate Program in Religion at Duke University, and he will be working with Triangle Insight Meditation Community for his dissertation research. Perry’s project is focused on understanding the lived experience of American Buddhism in general and Insight meditation in particular.

Research questions include:

• How do practitioners come to the practice?
• What has their experience of progress or growth along the path been like?
• What difficulties or challenges do they encounter?
• What difference does the practice make “off the cushion” in everyday life?
• How is Insight meditation, and the broader Buddhist teachings of which it is a part, taught and learned?
• What difference do small groups, like racial affinity or spiritual friends' groups, make for those involved?

To answer these, Perry will attend and participate in sangha events like the Wednesday evening meetings and conduct individual interviews so that he can better understand individual stories and experiences.

Participation in the research project is voluntary. TIMC participants who indicate that they are willing to be interviewed will receive additional information about the research project, types of interview questions they may be asked, and measures to protect their privacy during the informed consent process. Perry will also be learning to practice Insight meditation and hopes that this first-hand participation will lead to a richer understanding of meditators’ experiences.

Research Liaison Team and Safeguards

Cornelia Kip Lee, Cynthia Hughey, and Karen Kingsolver will serve as the liaison team between Perry and the Triangle Insight Meditation Community. In addition to being a resource to Perry as he starts his project, they are available to the community to respond to questions or concerns about the research as well as to ensure specific safeguards are in place to make this project the best experience for all involved.

Four safeguards are especially important:

1.  Perry has been given permission to attend and take notes during the Wednesday evening sangha meeting. He will never record any identifying information without explicit permission. In other words, participation in the project is anonymous.
2. If someone does not want to participate in the project in any form, even anonymously, they can contact the liaison, who will then notify Perry.
3. To make sure that the Wednesday night gathering is a space that remains safe and welcoming, someone who feels uncomfortable with Perry’s presence during a particular event can contact the liaison to anonymously request that Perry leave the event. The liaison will then notify Perry.
4. Should Perry wish to participate in other Triangle Insight Meditation Community activities (e.g., morning meditation, study groups/classes, retreats, special events, etc.), he will contact the person in charge and/or the participants to receive permission to attend as well as to ensure that the above safeguards are made known and followed.

Contact information

Cornelia Kip Lee: 919-428-3335 writetocornelia@gmail.com

Cynthia Hughey: 919-358-6232 cshughey@earthlink.net

Karen Kingsolver: 919-619-8344  karenkingsolver@gmail.com

Perry Sweitzer: 407-222-2586 jps74@duke.edu