Common Ground Meditation Center

All programs are offered free of charge in the spirit of generosity. The Center, however, is completely dependent on your gifts.  Your contributions pay for all the Center's expenses as well as the  livelihood of the teachers. You may leave donations in the bowl in the entranceway. All contributions to Common Ground are tax deductible.

Winter 2009 Newsletter

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Note: The Center will be closed beginning the evening of December 27th

through noon on December 31st due to the year-end retreat.

Ongoing Programs

Courses

Quarterly Community Gathering

Workshops

Monthly Evening Dharma

Retreats

Community Practice Groups

Yoga and Qigong

Mindfulness in the Twelve-Steps

 

ONGOING PROGRAMS

Weekly Practice Groups
Common Ground offers drop-in practice groups three times a week: Wednesday and Sunday evenings and Sunday morning. These weekly groups are designed to be a cornerstone for one’s practice by providing ongoing instruction and teachings that help illuminate the simple but challenging practice of mindfulness. The Buddha taught that mindfulness is the way to go beyond habits of distraction and grasping. To walk this path of wisdom and compassion, we need the support of a community that shares this intention. Each session includes a guided meditation, dharma talk, and discussion. Both experienced and beginning meditators are welcome. Led by Mark Nunberg.
Wednesdays, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Sundays, 10:30 – 11:35 a.m.

Sundays, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Sunday Morning Children’s Practice
10:30 – 11:35 a.m.

Please join us for this weekly drop-in opportunity for families, led by community volunteers. The practice for children ages 1 through 8 years is held in the community room during Sunday Morning Weekly Practice Group. Parents should plan on staying with their child until she or he has settled in. In addition, one parent should assist the teacher every second visit. When not assisting, parents are expected to join other community members in the meditation hall. Please contact Kate Needleman at okneedleman@gmail.com, for more information. For older children, please contact Linda Breitag (LBreitag@gmail.com) for children 9 to 13 and Paul Sackaroff (paulsackaroff @hotmail.com) for teenagers 14 through 19.

 

Open Meditation Sessions
Open meditation is available on a drop-in basis for anyone wishing to practice silent sitting or walking meditation. Stay for as many 30-minute periods as you would like. Please arrive and depart with the bells, which are rung every half hour.
Monday – Saturday Mornings 7:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Sunday Mornings 8:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Tuesday Evenings 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Metta Practice Group
This practice group is for people interested in developing the heart by training in the four beautiful emotions of lovingkindness (metta), compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity. Each session includes instruction, a guided meditation, a short dharma talk, and time for questions and discussion. This monthly drop-in group meets on the first Friday of each month. Led by Mark Nunberg and Gail Iverson.

Fridays, December 4, January 8, February 5; 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Practice Meetings
People interested in meeting with Mark Nunberg to discuss their practice can call to set up an appointment. These practice meetings are usually scheduled for 30 minutes and are available to people with specific questions about their meditation practice or for people who are interested in deepening their practice through regular meetings with a spiritual friend.

COURSES

Please contact the center to register.

Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation: The Way of Awareness
Mindfulness meditation leads to insight into the nature of our hearts and minds, revealing an inherent clarity, openness, and ease. This course includes an introduction to the intention behind practice, an introduction to insight (vipassana) meditation techniques, instructions for working with common obstacles, an overview of the practices of lovingkindness, and a discussion of how mindfulness can be part of one’s daily life. Please register by contacting the center.
Intro Class with Mark Nunberg, Six Tuesdays, January 12 – February 16 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.

or

Intro Workshop with Gail Iverson, Sunday, December 6 or February 14, 1:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Buddhist Studies Program: Mindfulness of the Body

The Buddhist Studies Program is designed for people who have attended three or more mindfulness meditation retreats and have a commitment to daily meditation practice. This class will examine the Buddha’s teachings on mindfulness of the body as a primary strategy for calming the mind and developing insight. A direct, moment-to-moment knowing of sensations is often obscured by the mind’s habitual conceptualizing. In this class we will explore several techniques designed to transform the mind’s understanding of experience, resulting in less reactivity and suffering. Participants will be expected to use the teachings as a focus of their meditation and daily practice. Led by

Mark Nunberg.

Eight Mondays, January 11 – March 1,

7:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Optional sitting period, 7:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Healing in the Present Moment:

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

This eight-week program is an introduction to mindfulness meditation practice. Participants will learn and practice mindfulness meditation techniques, including body scan, sitting and walking meditation, gentle yoga, and qigong. Sessions will include formal meditation practice and large and small group discussions. The course is appropriate for people seeking to use mindfulness meditation techniques to improve their general health and well-being. It is open to those willing to commit to the eight-week course and a daily practice.

Debbie Norgaard has over 25 years experience in the healthcare field as an RN/Nurse Practitioner and is certified as a Healing Touch and Shiatsu Practitioner. Her formal meditation practice began 11 years ago. In addition to formal retreat practice, she has completed the seven-day MBSR professional training program with Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli.

Eight Thursdays, January 14 - March 4,

6:30– 9:00 p.m.

Day long retreat: Saturday, February 27,

9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

 

Quarterly Community Gathering

 

Please join us for this wonderful opportunity to meet the community that practices at Common Ground and recommit to living a life dedicated to kindness, generosity, and the awakening of wisdom and compassion. Mark Nunberg will give a dharma talk, then the community will recite the Refuges and Precepts. A potluck will begin at 11:45 am. Feel free to bring along family and friends. If you plan to come to the sit or talk, you can store food in the refrigerator until the potluck begins. No registration necessary.

 

The quarterly gathering replaces the regular weekly practice group on this Sunday. The Sunday Morning children’s program will be held as regularly scheduled, as will the open sitting time from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.

Sunday, December 20, 10:30 – 11:40 a.m.

 

WORKSHOPS

Please contact the center to register.

Living the Practice:The Art of Calm and Contentedness in Daily Life

In this workshop we will explore the real possibility of calm and freedom from craving in the midst of our busy lives. We will discuss a shift in values that acknowledges the wholesomeness and joy of a quiet and simple mind and the violence of always having too much to do. We will practice simple techniques that can be used in our daily lives to support the releasing of craving and agitation. This workshop will include talks and discussions, time for guided reflection, small group sharing, and meditation periods. The lunch break will allow for informal discussions and social time.

Led by Mark Nunberg.

Saturday, December 19, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

A Fresh Beginning:New Year’s Day Yoga and Meditation

Please join Nancy and Debbie for a rejuvenating experience of movement, stillness, and everything in-between. This program will include various yoga practices, guided meditation, and chanting. No experience required. Please bring a yoga mat if you have one.

Led by Nancy Boler and Debbie Norgaard.

Friday, January 1, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Mindfulness and Physical Pain

Mindfulness meditation can help practitioners understand the complex nature of pain and provide tools to reduce the suffering associated with it. This half-day workshop will include guided meditation, lectures, and group discussions. It is open to everyone, but may be especially useful for people experiencing physical pain and those (professional and otherwise) who help people in pain.

Led by

Gail Iverson and Ramesh Sairam.

Saturday, February 13, 1:00 –5:00 p.m.

 

MONTHLY EVENING DHARMA

Please join us for these special evenings of dharma (spiritual teachings) and connection with the Common Ground community. This monthly drop-in program is an opportunity to hear guest teachers and experienced community members speak about their practice. The evening begins with a 30-minute meditation period followed by a talk and discussion. The evening concludes with informal social time, tea, and treats.

Ajahn Punnadhammo

Ajahn Punnadhammo began practicing and studying Buddhism under the direction of Kema Ananda at the Arrow River Forest Hermitage near Thunder Bay. In 1990, he went to Thailand to seek ordination, taking the higher ordination in February 1992 at Wat Pah Nanachat, in the tradition of Ajahn Chah. He took over direction of the Hermitage when Kema Ananda passed away in 1996. He frequently leads meditation retreats at Insight Meditation Society

(IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts.

Friday, December 11, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

 

Shoshana Alexander:

Be Happy: Following the Buddha’s Injunction in the Face of Challenge and Suffering

Shoshana has been a student of Buddhist meditation and philosophy since 1970, and studied with various Tibetan and Zen teachers before settling into vipassana in the mid-seventies. Her primary teachers were Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, and S.N. Goenka. She has co-taught daylong retreats at Spirit Rock with James Baraz, and worked in and directed the Family Program there for two years. She is co-author with James Baraz of the book Awakening Joy: 10 Steps on the Path to Real Happiness, which will be published in January, 2010.

Wednesday, December 23, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m

 

Myoshin Kelly:

Honoring the Fire of Truth

Each of us has an inner yearning to know true happiness and to live in alignment with what is true. This often gets lost in confusion, apathy, and despair. We will explore aspects of the Buddha's teachings that help us to clarify truth and work with factors that undermine our heart's deepest longing. Myoshin Kelley attended her first meditation retreat in 1975. Through the ensuing years, she practiced intensively with several renowned Buddhist meditation masters in the Theravada, Zen, and Vajrayana traditions. She lived at the Insight Meditation Society for 15 years where she trained as a teacher. From 2003 to 2009 she was the teacher in-residence-at the Forest Refuge, the long-term practice center at IMS. She is in the process of moving to Minneapolis to assist Mingyur Rinpoche in carrying forth his worldwide vision.

Saturday, January 16, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

 

Ajahn Punnadhammo

See bio above .

Friday, February 19, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

 

James Baraz: Awakening Joy

James Baraz has been teaching meditation since 1978 and the Awakening Joy course (www.awakeningjoy.info) since 2003. He is a founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California and leads retreats, workshops, and classes. James is a co-author with Shoshana Alexander of Awakening Joy, a new book based on the course. In addition, James is on the International Advisory Board of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. He lives with his wife in the Bay Area, has two sons and three grandchildren.

Wednesday, March 3, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.

 

MEDITATION RETREATS

For Common Ground retreats, call or email the Center:

(612) 722-8260, info@commongroundmeditation.org.

Or drop in and sign up.

 

The Practice of Tranquility and Insight

Retreating from the distractions of daily life is an essential part of the path of awakening. Please join us for these important opportunities to deepen mindfulness. Those who are new to meditation should attend the intro class or several weekly practice groups before their first retreat. Please contact the center to register for retreats, unless otherwise noted.

Half-Day Retreats with Mark Nunberg:

Saturday, December 5, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 9, 9 a.m – 1:00 p.m.

Saturday, February 6, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Daylong Retreats (please bring a lunch)

with Ajahn Punnadhammo:

Saturday, December 12, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

(see bio under Workshops)

with Mark Nunberg:

Saturday, January 30, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

 

Annual Year-End Retreat at the Center

Begins Sunday, December 27 at 7 p.m.

and ends Thursday, December 31 at noon.

Registration begins November 16.

Residential Retreat at Holy Spirit Retreat Center with Mark Nunberg

Thursday, February 11 at 5 p.m. to Monday,

February 15 at noon; for info or to register:

commongroundretreats@gmail.com.

Registration begins December 11.

 

TCVC Residential Retreat with Ajahn Punnadhammo

February 12 – 15 (or 19).Visit www.tcvc.info for more information.

 

COMMUNITY PRACTICE GROUPS

Full Moon Peace Walks
Please join us for our monthly Full Moon Peace Walk, which includes chanting, a mindful outdoor walk, and sitting meditation. Weather permitting, the walking and sitting take place outdoors, so dress appropriately and bring a flashlight and an old blanket to put on the ground if you would like. No registration necessary.

Thursday December 3, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Friday January 29, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Friday February 26, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Dharma Friends

Dharma Friends is a drop-in, practice/social group for young adult practitioners ("20-30 somethings") in the Common Ground community. We typically discuss an article or essay at each meeting, which is emailed to the group beforehand.

Third Saturday of the month,

2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

For more information, contact dharmafriendstc@gmail.com.

Chant and Song: An Evening of Sound and Silence
Come join voices as we create the space for opening to joy, compassion, lovingkindness, and equanimity. This guided session of chanting and singing is open to all - no musical experience required. Tea and social time follows. Led by Scott Jensen and Robin Blake.

Last Saturday of the month (except December): January 30, February 27,

7:00 – 8:15 p.m.

Mindfulness for Educators

The group is for anyone who is committed to mindfulness practice and is currently teaching in a public or private school or educational organization, or providing one-on-one private instruction. The group’s goal is to cultivate a sense of peace, clarity, and wisdom as teachers.

Second Saturday of the month at 3:30 p.m. (usually).

Contact Paul Sackaroff at paulsackaroff@hotmail.com or

Robb Reed at 2bRobb@gmail.com

 

YOGA AND QIGONG

Mindful Yoga Weekly Drop-In Practice

Mindful Yoga is the practice of extending awareness into the physical experience of hatha yoga. This series is open to adults of all ages, including those with little or no background in yoga. This class will introduce a basic sequence of yoga poses, emphasizing mindfulness of breathing and sensation.

Led by Nancy Boler.

Wednesdays, 5:30 – 6:45 p.m. and Fridays, 9:30 – 10:45 a.m.

No need to register, just come.

Yoga Nidra Workshops

Yoga Nidra is the state where the mind and body are awake and alert but relaxed to the level of deep sleep. These workshops include instruction and explanation of Yoga Nidra, a short practice of yoga poses, then 45 minutes of lying on the floor and being guided into deep relaxation and Yoga Nidra. Please bring 3 blankets and a yoga mat.

Sundays: December 20, January 3, January 17, February 7, February 21,

3:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Attend one or all:  please contact the center to register.

Yoga Asana Workshops

In these workshops, we learn the asanas practiced during our weekly Mindful Yoga class through discussion and some partner work. We will learn and practice pranayama (breathing) techniques and end with a long relaxation.

Sundays: January 31, February 28, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Attend one or both: please contact the center to register

Nancy Boler was introduced to yoga in 1994 while in the Peace Corps in Nepal. She began her formal practice in 1997 and was certified in 2000 at the Kripalu Center for Yoga in Lenox, Massachusetts. She continues training at Kripalu and also studies Iyengar yoga in Minneapolis.
 
Drop-in Qigong
Qigong is a deeply satisfying healing practice that integrates mindful awareness, breath, and movement. This practice develops relaxation, concentration, and vitality. Please join us. Led by Mark Nunberg and Merra Young.
Wednesdays, 9:05 – 10:05 a.m., ongoing

 

MINDFULNESS IN THE TWELVE STEPS

Weekly Practice Group
This ongoing program is for those seeking spiritual development by practicing the principles of the Twelve Steps and the Buddha’s teachings in everyday life. This program supplements recovery and is designed to reveal to us that consistent mindfulness practice is vital to spiritual progress. This ongoing practice group meets the second, third, and fourth Friday of each month and is open to all who have an interest in mindfulness and the Twelve Steps. Led by Craig V.
Fridays, 7:00 – 8:15 p.m. except the first Friday of each month.

No meeting Dec. 25.

Twelve-Step Recovery and Mindfulness Meditation Retreat
This retreat is an opportunity for Twelve-Step people to come together and experience half a day of quiet meditation. These four hours without distractions provide a unique opportunity for self-discovery. We will have periods of sitting meditation, walking meditation, group discussion, a short talk, and a mid-afternoon break for tea and walking outdoors. The environment will be informal and the instructions simple. No previous meditation retreat experience necessary. Led by Craig V.

Saturday, January 16, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.