Many of our in-person events have now been cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak. However we are gradually re-establishing some in-person events as the coronavirus restrictions gradually ease. Please keep an eye on this page on our website for the latest notifications from Bristol Insight. Things are unfolding rapidly and the well-being of our sangha and the wider community are our principle concern. At this time we aspire to act according to the principles of the dharma with non-harming, kindness, compassion and equanimity. Where our regular in-person events are cancelled we will aim to offer online alternatives where possible to maintain our sense of community and mutual support.
Tuesday Sitting Group
We are offering an online Tuesday sitting group using Zoom.
If you wish to participate in these online sessions then please email bristolinsightmeditation@gmail.com for the Zoom link.
The session will open at 7:00pm for a social and the meditation starts at 7:30pm.
We have a meditation session of about 40 minutes followed by a short break. Then in the second half we will have our Cultivation of Practice sessions. This part of the Tuesday evening sitting group invites us to engage in a variety of activities that aim to deepen our practice in the company of others. These activities may include movement, reflection, discussion, mindful sharing in pairs or in small groups. You can find our present activities by clicking on the link below.
Cultivating our Practice Jan- Mar 2021
All are welcome.
16th January 2021: A Day with Suvaco
Suvaco trained in the Thai forest tradition of Ajahn Chah for 17 years as a Buddhist monk and currently teaches meditation as part of the teaching staff at Gaia House, Devon. He is also a registered UKCP Core Process psychotherapist and cranio-sacral practitioner who holds an MA in Mindfulness Psychotherapy Practice from Middlesex University. He incorporates aspects of psychodynamic, relational and dialectical behaviour therapy into his approach to psychotherapy, primarily focused around treating trauma with empathic attunement. He works with people in a range of settings, including activists committed to making social or environmental changes.
Venue:
Via Zoom. Link will be emailed to you once you purchase a ticket.
The day is run by Bristol Insight Meditation group from 10 – 3.30 . You can arrive as from 9.45 to have a bit of time to settle in before we start at 10am.
So please have the following items with you on the day:
- a yoga mat
- cushions and blankets so you can be comfortable for the day.
Booking
Booking is £10 waged and £5.00 unwaged (plus booking fee). This covers the admin fees and the Zoom fees. We ask for dana (donation) to be given to the teacher on the day. We will give details for this once you have booked. You can book through Eventbrite here.
We do hope you can attend this day
The Teacher-Led Retreat Team
Nature Meditation: SUNDAY 17th January 2021 1-4pm
Would you like to meditate round the fire with others? Interested in practising in a beautiful outdoor setting? Despite the winter weather, a keen group of Bristol Insight Meditation practitioners are meeting monthly in nearby woods – and loving it!
We carry out sitting, walking and nature-based practices for about 3 hours in some really special woods about 6 miles from Bristol. There is sufficient space to keep 2 metres apart at all times. Even better, the woods have several large covered areas, so the event will go ahead regardless of the weather. The facilities also include easy car parking and even a compost loo! You will need to bring water, whatever you need to practice (e.g. stool, blanket), something comfortable to sit on and wear appropriate clothing and shoes.
Places will be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost per person is £7 to cover the woods hire and firewood. For further information and directions to the site, please contact Lesley Wye on lesleywye2@gmail.com.
Bristol Insight Virtual Self-led Retreat Saturday 6th February 10.00am-17.00pm
Up until now, we have run the virtual self-led retreat in the same format as the in-person retreats. We’re aware that this doesn’t work for everyone and that it can be difficult to devote most of a day to meditation when there are others in your home. From November, we are going to offer the option of a full day or half day (morning or afternoon) retreat with a check-in and out at either end. Here’s how it will work:
10 – 10.30 am – Introduction to the day
10.30 – 12 – sitting and walking practice
12 – 1pm – listen to the recorded talk (see details below)
1pm – brief goodbyes and review of the morning for anyone leaving at this point
Lunch
1.45pm – check-in and welcome to anyone joining for the afternoon
2pm – 4.15pm – sitting and walking practice
4.15 – 5pm – end of day sharing
People are, of course, free to spend the practice parts of the day any way they choose, e.g. going for a walk.
David and Caroline, who run the Zoom link, are happy to break the silence to say goodbye to people who leave at the end of the morning and welcome people joining in the afternoon. People would need to let us know in advance if they are planning to join in the afternoon.
There is also a suggestion of changing the virtual retreat from Saturday to Sunday, as this may suit more people. We plan to run a poll about this.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Kind Regards
Caroline
Here is the link to our Dharma talk for February 2021
Tara Brach 2020-03-18 Facing Pandemic Fears with an Awake Heart 59:14
While it’s natural to feel fear during times of great collective crisis, our challenge is that fear easily takes over our lives. This talk explores how the mindfulness and compassion of the RAIN meditation can help us find an inner refuge in the face of fear and deepen our loving connection with each other.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
David says:
“The global pandemic continues to remain a threat in 2021. How can our meditation practice help us work with the fear and disruption? Tara guides us towards trusting our direct experience of breath and body. The talk includes a short, guided meditation. A great way to move towards Spring.”
With loving kindness from the Bristol Insight Self-led Retreat Team.
Chris Cullen’s retreat (21/3/20)
We had our first on-line retreat with Chris Cullen with over 30 participants online. We much appreciate Chris’s heartfelt response to the present unfolding situation and his offerings for practice at this time. You can listen to an audio recording of this online retreat with Chris Cullen here:
Bristol Insight WhatsApp group
We also have set up a WhatsApp group to help us keep in touch. If you wish to join this group then click on this link Join group
Dharma resources to help us navigate these turbulent times
Zohar and Nathan have recorded some talks and meditations “to help us all respond to coronavirus and it’s effects.”
Coronavirus and the support of the Dharma – Part 1 by Zohar Lavie
Guided meditation: “Coronavirus and the support of the Dharma – Part 2” by Zohar Lavie
Guided metta meditation from Nathan
There’s a good online talk relating to responding to the virus from Jack Kornfield
https://mailchi.mp/jackkornfield/welcome-930478?e=46ffb10a31
Gaia House online practice opportunities
While we cannot gather in person, Gaia House will be creatively exploring how we can support and nourish each other. In the coming days and weeks, we will let you know what online practice opportunities we are helping to coordinate.
Online Sitting Group
Our Online Sitting Group meets every Monday, 8-9pm (UK BST).
The schedule for the next few weeks is:
4 January — Gavin Milne
11 January — there will be sitting group this evening
18 Janaury — Gavin Milne
25 January — Laura Bridgman
This group meets every Monday at 8-9pm, facilitated by Yahel Avigur and guest teachers.
Further details and how to join a meeting can be found here
The group is suitable for all levels of experience, although some familiarity with Buddhist teachings and prior experience of either an evening course or a retreat will be assumed.
You are welcome to join on any dates that suit you, although we ask you to attend for the whole of each meeting.
Click here to find out more and join a meeting.
Gaia House Online Dharma Hall
Gaia House is opening an online Dharma hall: a new space for connection, reflection, and refuge. A place where we can share the Dharma and practice together, supporting us to meet our lives and our world in these times.
Week commencing 4 January 2021
Tuesday, 5 January 7.30 pm— Laura Bridgman
Wednesday, 6 January 11.00 am — Jiva Masheder (CDL)
Thursday, 7 January 11.00 am— Walter Young (CDL)
Saturday, 9 January 5.00 pm — Nathan Glyde
Sunday, 10 January 9.30 am — Yanai Postelnik
Week commencing 11 January
Tuesday, 12 January 7.30 pm — Ella Titman Tamari (CDL)
Wednesday, 13 January 11.00 am — Jiva Masheder (CDL)
Thursday, 14 January 11.00 am — Bernat Font (CDL)
Saturday, 16 January 5.00 pm — Zohar Lavie
Sunday, 17 January 9.30 am — Nathan Glyde
Week commencing 18 January
Tuesday, 19 January 7.30 pm — Walter Young (CDL)
Wednesday, 20 January 11.00 am — Gary Born (CDL)
Thursday, 21 January 11.00 am — Laura Bridgman
Saturday, 23 January 5.00 pm — James Blake (CDL)
Sunday, 24 January 9.30 am — Kirsten Kratz
May our practice together support the welfare of all beings.
The sessions will be held by Gaia House teachers and Community Dharma Leaders. Each online meeting will include some meditation, an exploration on a theme that connects Dharma practice with the current situation, and some time for interactive sharing with the community online.
We hope this can be a space that supports us all to turn towards what is difficult, and find ways to respond to ourselves, others and the world with compassion and wisdom.
The meetings will be held via the easy to use Zoom platform. To join any of the meetings click here.
Dana is invited both for Gaia House (the ‘General Fund’) and for the teacher running the session. To offer Dana related to this offering, please click here to visit the Gaia House website where you can make a one off donation. Please note that you will need to click on the ‘Add to basket’ button for both the teacher and for Gaia House. To ensure that Teacher Dana reaches the teacher, please specify in the notes section on the checkout page the name of the teacher you are offering to. Thank you for your generosity.
May our practice together support the welfare of all beings.
Retreats this month and at Gaia House
For a list of retreats at Gaia house in January please click here
Bodhi College
Bodhi college are offering an ongoing series of online talks and practices entitled “Thinking Out Loud: Conversations on Early Buddhism”.
Sangha Live
Sitting Together, Staying Home
These are unique times. Now more than ever people are seeing the value in connection and building communities online. It’s perfectly natural to feel fear and anxiety. Yet, we have a supportive antidote to self-isolation. Every weekday until the COVID-19 lockdown ends we are going to be running live online meditation sessions.
Online offering from Bhante Bodhidhamma
Bhante Bodhidhamma is offering a Lockdown Evening Meditation every evening from 8-9.30pm (BST).
To connect click here
Spreading the Karuna virus
“In the beautiful Karaniya Metta Sutta (on loving kindness), the quality of protecting others from harm (even as a mother would protect her only child) is greatly emphasised. I would therefore gently encourage everyone to keep well informed and take as many value-aligned precautions as personal conditions allow. Let’s learn from other nations and each other, and do our best to collectively spread the Karuna (Compassion) Virus to all beings, instead!” – Venerable Canda