January Sangha News
12-24-2024
As 2024 comes to a close, we have so much to look forward to in the year to come. We hope you can join us for some of these upcoming offerings:
- We'll begin the new year on January 1st with Rebecca Bradshaw and an evening of meditation exploring her book Down to Earth Dharma.
- January continues with an incredible series of Dharma Talks with nico hase, Zeenat Potia, Bob Stahl, and Jill Shepherd.
- After 20+ years of Rebecca Bradshaw & Jean Esther offering January non-residential retreats generously hosted by Nancy Bair at Cherry Hill Cohousing, IWM is thrilled to hold our first-in-decades residential retreat in VT from Jan 10-13 with Jean Esther, Devin Berry, & Bernadine Mellis. The retreat is full, but you can read more and sign up for the waitlist.
- Michael Grady will offer a 5 week course for meditators with at least 2 years of experience on Tuesdays from January 14 to February 11.
- Affinity Groups, Open Community Practice sessions, and Saturday Sangha continue to meet regularly, and offer a wonderful way to get to know IWM, or to deepen your involvement.
- We gratefully anticipate a bounty of courses and retreats in 2025, please see below for more about these, and all of our upcoming offerings.
Deep Bow to Sangha Stewards
We deeply appreciate all who shared the Dharma with us, and those who volunteered their time and care to the sangha from October to December. Thank you to everyone who showed up in countless ways, including: Cleaning the Center, Green Metta, IWM Library, Zoom/In-Person/Hybrid Hosts and Schleppers, the Teachers Council and Guiding Teachers Council, the Board, Community Dharma Stewards, the Finance and Programming Committees, Day-to-Day Operations, facilitating Kalyana Mitta Groups, Saturday Sangha, Peer-led Practice, and Affinity Groups. Our volunteers keep us going. Heartfelt gratitude for your generosity!
Board: Suzanne A, Lucy B, Holly B, Hal F, Doug K (staffed by Karen C & Mara P).
Cleaning and Organizing: Peggy & Doyne L, Sophie M.
Community Dharma Stewards: Suzanne A, Holly B, Jennifer D, Hal F, Jaya K.
Day-to-Day Operations: Lucy B, Anne F, Adam C, Cathy R.
Facilitators (KM groups, Saturday Sangha): Suzanne A, Holly B, Jennifer D, Lore D, Ruth F, Bernadine M, Sarah M, Melissa T.
Finance Committee: Lucy B, Jen G (staffed by Kara S).
Green Metta: Betsy H, Diana R, Andrea Z.
Library: Candace C.
Peer-led practice: Thanks to all who hold the space on Tuesdays and Fridays and to those who facilitate/lead IWM Affinity Groups.
Programming Committee: Suzanne A, Hal F, Michael G, Brian K (staffed by Karen C & Mara P).
Guiding Teachers Council: Candace Cassin, Jean Esther, Michael Grady, Manny Mansbach.
Teachers Council: Adi Bemak, Devin Berry, Rebecca Bradshaw, Nick Boutros, Peggy Gillespie, Bernadine Mellis, Tara Mulay.
Zoom, In-Person, Hybrid Hosts/Schleppers: Catalina A, Suzanne A, Lucy B, Holly B, Adam C, Karen C, Lore D, Eliana F, Hal F, Doug K, Brian K, Cheryl K, Lesley M, Cathy R, Rachel R, Sarah S, Sue W.
Openings in Kalyana Mitta Group
There are a few spaces available in a newly forming Kalyana Mitta (Spiritual Friends) group, for people interested in bringing the Buddha’s teachings into daily life. We meet the second Thursday of each month from 6-7:30pm ET online. If interested in joining, please complete this brief application form.
We deeply appreciate all who shared the Dharma with us, and those who volunteered their time and care to the sangha from October to December. Thank you to everyone who showed up in countless ways, including: Cleaning the Center, Green Metta, IWM Library, Zoom/In-Person/Hybrid Hosts and Schleppers, the Teachers Council and Guiding Teachers Council, the Board, Community Dharma Stewards, the Finance and Programming Committees, Day-to-Day Operations, facilitating Kalyana Mitta Groups, Saturday Sangha, Peer-led Practice, and Affinity Groups. Our volunteers keep us going. Heartfelt gratitude for your generosity!
Board: Suzanne A, Lucy B, Holly B, Hal F, Doug K (staffed by Karen C & Mara P).
Cleaning and Organizing: Peggy & Doyne L, Sophie M.
Community Dharma Stewards: Suzanne A, Holly B, Jennifer D, Hal F, Jaya K.
Day-to-Day Operations: Lucy B, Anne F, Adam C, Cathy R.
Facilitators (KM groups, Saturday Sangha): Suzanne A, Holly B, Jennifer D, Lore D, Ruth F, Bernadine M, Sarah M, Melissa T.
Finance Committee: Lucy B, Jen G (staffed by Kara S).
Green Metta: Betsy H, Diana R, Andrea Z.
Library: Candace C.
Peer-led practice: Thanks to all who hold the space on Tuesdays and Fridays and to those who facilitate/lead IWM Affinity Groups.
Programming Committee: Suzanne A, Hal F, Michael G, Brian K (staffed by Karen C & Mara P).
Guiding Teachers Council: Candace Cassin, Jean Esther, Michael Grady, Manny Mansbach.
Teachers Council: Adi Bemak, Devin Berry, Rebecca Bradshaw, Nick Boutros, Peggy Gillespie, Bernadine Mellis, Tara Mulay.
Zoom, In-Person, Hybrid Hosts/Schleppers: Catalina A, Suzanne A, Lucy B, Holly B, Adam C, Karen C, Lore D, Eliana F, Hal F, Doug K, Brian K, Cheryl K, Lesley M, Cathy R, Rachel R, Sarah S, Sue W.
Openings in Kalyana Mitta Group
There are a few spaces available in a newly forming Kalyana Mitta (Spiritual Friends) group, for people interested in bringing the Buddha’s teachings into daily life. We meet the second Thursday of each month from 6-7:30pm ET online. If interested in joining, please complete this brief application form.
End of Year Giving
Thank you to our sangha for all of the ways you support and sustain our community! If you missed them, check out the beautiful year-end reflections from sangha members Diane Nasif, Rebeca Torres-Rose, and George Utting.
Thank you to our sangha for all of the ways you support and sustain our community! If you missed them, check out the beautiful year-end reflections from sangha members Diane Nasif, Rebeca Torres-Rose, and George Utting.
Dharma Dialogue: Generosity
From a book by Matthew Kelly: “Generosity is the virtue of giving plentifully. It is first and foremost a disposition of the heart. Any act of generosity is an external manifestation of the invisible internal reality. It isn’t merely something we do; it is an essential characteristic of who we are. Generosity is a way of life.” For me, that paragraph speaks to and from my heart. First, it is “the virtue of giving plentifully.” When I hear that, my heart is full and feels an abundance of love. But a virtue? A behavior showing high moral standards? If I am not careful to look further, I begin to wonder if I am doing my practice “wrong” when low moral standards seem to be present. It seems difficult to look at that without judging myself as a way I should or shouldn’t be. And what I know to be true is that having a perception of myself as a good or bad person, takes away from the essence of what Kelly is pointing at. An external manifestation of the invisible internal reality? To be honest, at first glance, I am not sure what he is referring to. But as I delve further into what I believe is my own essence as a human being, my mind runs through a list of ways I can contribute to myself and others with loving kindness and compassion. It could be money, could be time, could be a kind word, whatever seems the most appropriate, and the best that I can do in the moment.
I was in the doctor’s office waiting room a few weeks ago, and a woman approached me asking if I had any money for Christmas. My first thought was to go up to the check-in window and ask one of the receptionists if it was appropriate that the woman be doing that in the office. But my response to her request was one originating from anger and not compassion. The woman seemed truly distraught, and from that understanding, and projecting where I might be in that situation, I reached into my wallet and gave her a small amount of money. She replied with what I took as a heartfelt thank you.
A lump rose in my throat, and tears filled my eyes, and then I asked myself the same question: was it appropriate to be doing that in the office? Of course it was, and the essence of what I understand about generosity came flowing back in. To end this offering, I continue to consider what Kelly finishes with, “Generosity is a way of life.” Can I be the person I want to be in that regard? For me, staying in the present moment and being available to the opportunities that life has to offer in terms of generosity is the most that I can hope for.
Thank you for listening.
Jennifer D.
Community Dharma Steward
If you would like to offer something to Dharma Dialogue, either in response to this piece, or having to do with anything else in our practice, please email [email protected].
Downloadable Flyers
From a book by Matthew Kelly: “Generosity is the virtue of giving plentifully. It is first and foremost a disposition of the heart. Any act of generosity is an external manifestation of the invisible internal reality. It isn’t merely something we do; it is an essential characteristic of who we are. Generosity is a way of life.” For me, that paragraph speaks to and from my heart. First, it is “the virtue of giving plentifully.” When I hear that, my heart is full and feels an abundance of love. But a virtue? A behavior showing high moral standards? If I am not careful to look further, I begin to wonder if I am doing my practice “wrong” when low moral standards seem to be present. It seems difficult to look at that without judging myself as a way I should or shouldn’t be. And what I know to be true is that having a perception of myself as a good or bad person, takes away from the essence of what Kelly is pointing at. An external manifestation of the invisible internal reality? To be honest, at first glance, I am not sure what he is referring to. But as I delve further into what I believe is my own essence as a human being, my mind runs through a list of ways I can contribute to myself and others with loving kindness and compassion. It could be money, could be time, could be a kind word, whatever seems the most appropriate, and the best that I can do in the moment.
I was in the doctor’s office waiting room a few weeks ago, and a woman approached me asking if I had any money for Christmas. My first thought was to go up to the check-in window and ask one of the receptionists if it was appropriate that the woman be doing that in the office. But my response to her request was one originating from anger and not compassion. The woman seemed truly distraught, and from that understanding, and projecting where I might be in that situation, I reached into my wallet and gave her a small amount of money. She replied with what I took as a heartfelt thank you.
A lump rose in my throat, and tears filled my eyes, and then I asked myself the same question: was it appropriate to be doing that in the office? Of course it was, and the essence of what I understand about generosity came flowing back in. To end this offering, I continue to consider what Kelly finishes with, “Generosity is a way of life.” Can I be the person I want to be in that regard? For me, staying in the present moment and being available to the opportunities that life has to offer in terms of generosity is the most that I can hope for.
Thank you for listening.
Jennifer D.
Community Dharma Steward
If you would like to offer something to Dharma Dialogue, either in response to this piece, or having to do with anything else in our practice, please email [email protected].
Downloadable Flyers