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Open House and Weekly Practice Events by Category: |
Open House and Weekly Practice
Thursday Open House
If you are just starting to explore meditation or Buddhism, or are looking for a community with which to practice, we invite you to visit the Shambhala Center any Thursday evening for our Open House.
We begin sitting meditation ("shamatha", which means "calm abiding" or "peaceful abiding") at 6:30 pm, followed by an Open House talk at 7:30 and tea around 8:15. The talks vary in subject, but in general, they provide an introduction to the path of meditation and the Shambhala Buddhist lineage. Talks are free and open to the public. You may come only for sitting or just for the talk, as you wish.
Free meditation instruction is offered for new visitors, every Thursday at 6:30 pm. It begins in a separate room so you can ask questions before joining the main group. On the 3rd Thursday of each month (also at 6:30 pm), in addition to offering beginning meditation instruction, follow-up meditation instruction is available. If you have received instruction, and have questions about the technique or meditation in general, this is an opportunity to receive additional practice information from a trained meditation instructor. If you'd like to receive meditation instruction, but are unable to come on a Thursday night, please contact us, and we can arrange another time when you can receive instruction.
We also offer meditation instruction (at 6:30 pm) and public sitting (at 7:15 pm) every Tuesday evening on the Eastside. For more details, please see: Eastside Shambhala Meditation Group.
You're also welcome to visit during other community practice times (such as Monday evening or Sunday morning), but meditation instructors won't be available, and you may wish to learn more about the technique of shamatha meditation, or about the practices of chanting and walking meditation, beforehand.
Dress is casual and normal (nothing special)! We have plenty of different types of cushions for different bodies, and you can also sit in a chair. Over time you'll discover what works best for you.
Sangha (or "community") is a very important aspect for the Buddhist practitioner. If you are new to meditation and/or Buddhism, we recommend visiting different types of meditation centers and learning more about what they teach and how they practice. The first time visiting can feel uncomfortable just because it is a new experience, so you might try each place more than once -- just to get a good sense of it. When choosing a practice center, pay attention to the state of your mind in the practice space or around the teacher. Trust your experience.
If you have any questions about Open House or meditation, please feel free to contact us.
Weekly Practice Schedule
Public sitting meditation occurs on Monday and Thursday evenings, Sunday mornings, and Tuesday evenings (on the Eastside). Note that occasionally, because of holidays or conflicts with another programs, there may be a change in the regular schedule -- so it's always good to check the calendar before you come: www.seattle.shambhala.org/documents/calendar.pdf.
If it is your first visit, we recommend Thursday Open House (or Tuesday's on the Eastside), when meditation instruction is available at 6:30 -- but that isn't required.
If you're late in arriving for a meditation session, or need to leave early, that's fine (especially on Sundays, since it's a long session, it's fine if you wish to come for just part of it).
Sundays
9:00 am - noon: shamatha (calm abiding) meditation, interspersed with periods of walking meditation. The morning begins at 9:00 with opening chants, and ends with closing chants (which begin about 11:50).
Mondays
6:30 - 7:30 pm: shamatha (calm abiding) meditation. The session ends with closing chants (which begin about 7:20).
Tuesdays (in Bellevue)
6:30 - 7:15 pm: free meditation instruction, 7:15 pm: shamatha (calm abiding) meditation. Please see: Eastside Shambhala Meditation Group.
Thursdays
6:30 - 7:30 pm: shamatha (calm abiding) meditation, often with a period of walking meditation in the middle. Free meditation instruction is provided every Thursday evening, beginning at 6:30 pm.
7:30 - 8:15 pm: Open House talk. Topics vary, but these talks often provide a basic introduction to the path of meditation and the Shambhala Buddhist lineage. Talks are free and open to the public.
Sadhana of Mahamudra
Every two or three weeks (it's noted in the calendar), as part of the Sunday morning session, we do a practice called the Sadhana of Mahamudra. This practice is about an hour long, and involves reading aloud (in English) a sadhana or text, which was written by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1968 while on retreat in Bhutan. It is practiced by Shambhala Centers worldwide around the time of the new and full moons (in our case, on the closest Sunday). This practice is a means by which we can rouse our devotion and inspiration to practice, and thereby connect with the power and blessings of the past Kagyü and Nyingma lineage holders. Everyone is welcome to attend. |
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