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Bellingham Insight Meditation Society (BIMS) supports meditation and practice in the Buddhist Theravada tradition. Our activities include but are not limited to
There is a silent morning meditation period Monday –Friday from 6:30 – 7:15 AM at the Red Cedar Dharma Hall. Meditators from all traditions are welcome. The meditation period ends with 2 short chants in English; chant cards are provided. Each Tuesday evening, we meditate silently together from 7-7:45 PM. After that there is a short reading, then introductions and announcements, followed by a short break until 8 p.m. when our program begins. Everyone is welcome to stay for the program, but the short break allows anyone who needs to leave after the meditation period time to do so. There is usually a program following the Tuesday group meditation. The programs run from 8 – 9 PM and explore various aspects of Insight practice. The kinds of programs we sponsor are seen below; details about specific programs and when they are happening can be found on the BIMS website calendar. The social hour is a chance to meet new people and greet old friends. It's a time to talk about the dharma, shared interests or anything else. We usually have social hour on the same evening that we have “orientation to meditation” so that those new to the group will have a chance to meet and talk with others interested in meditation. On the first Tuesday of even numbered months (usually), Ajahn Santi (and/or another monk) from Wat Atam in Woodinville will be with us and will give a dharma talk. Each year we choose a dharma book to read and discuss, chapter by chapter. Details about when we are meeting, what book we are reading and the next chapter(s) we are discussing are found on the calendar. We listen to 20-30 minutes of a dharma talk by a variety of teachers in the Insight tradition. We then discuss the talk, with an emphasis on applying what we’ve heard to our own practice. The discussion is facilitated by Insight sangha members. We also host dharma talks by local sangha leaders and visiting teachers. At tmes during the year, we read and study the Suttas (the teachings of the Buddha). We read the suttas aloud, then discuss, so reading the text ahead of time is helpful but not required. The specific sutta/topic for each discussion can be found on the BIMS website calendar. We offer a variety of programs and meditation periods on Thursday evenings. Check the BIMS Calendar for specifics. BIMS sponsors various programs and retreats on 1 or 2 weekends a month. These programs may include A full morning of meditation held at the Red Cedar Dharma Hall two Saturdays a month. The day includes alternating sitting meditation (45 minutes) and walking meditation (15 minutes), as well as Dharma readings. Details & dates can be found on the BIMS website calendar. Sangha Mamas is a meditation and book club for mothers interested in learning more about parenting mindfully and how this can lead to a greater sense of peace for oneself and for the whole family. Check the calendar for the focus of each meeting. We offer several ways to learn about Insight meditation practice and Theravadan (vipassana) Buddhism. Bellingham Insight Meditation Society welcomes visitors. You can become a member of the Bellingham Insight Meditation Society by completing the Membership form found on the Supporting BIMS page. BIMS maintains a list-serve. You can subscribe by emailing bellinghaminsight@yahoogroups.com or by e-mailing the list-serve moderator Karen Sheldon. May all beings be happy |
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