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.
Summer 2009 Newsletter
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BUILDING DEDICATION
The formal dedication for our new building will include traditional Buddhist chanting and ritual led by Ajahn Chandako, a short talk by Kamala Masters, and, most importantly, an opportunity to infuse the center with our wholesome intentions for peace, wisdom, and compassion. Ajahn Punnadhammo also plans to come down from Canada for the dedication. Please join us if you can, no registration necessary. In addition, we will be offering a meal to the monks at 10 a.m. that morning. Please let Mark know if you would like to participate in offering the meal.
Friday, June 26, Noon – 1 p.m.
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, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., or Sundays 10:30 – 11:35 a.m.
Sunday Morning Children’s Practice 10:30 – 11:35 a.m.
Please join us for this new weekly, drop-in opportunity for families, led by community volunteers. The children’s practice is held in the community room during the 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. Parents can bring their children at 10:30 or at 11:00. Currently, the activities are designed for 1 – 7 year olds. Programming for older children is expected to begin this summer. Please contact Kate Needleman at okneedleman@gmail.com, for information on children’s programs.
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 calling or stopping by.
Intro Class with Mark Nunberg,
Six Tuesdays, July 21–August 25, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
or
Intro Workshop with Gail Iverson and Mark Nunberg,
Sunday August 16, 1:30 – 5:00 p.m.
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 June 5, July 3, August 7; 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Buddhist Studies Program: Four Noble Truths
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 ongoing program is designed to deepen our practice through the study and application of the teachings of the Buddha. In this eight-week course, we will explore the Buddha’s foundational teaching on the Four Noble Truths: there is suffering, there is a cause for suffering, there is an ending of suffering and there is a path to this ending of suffering. These teachings support an ongoing contemplation leading to twelve insights into the nature of the mind. Understanding directly in our experience how suffering arises and how it ceases is our most important task. Participants will be expected to use the teachings as a focus of their meditation and daily practice.
Led by Mark Nunberg.
Eight Mondays, June 29 – August 17, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Optional sitting period, 7:00 – 7:30 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.
WORKSHOPS
Buddhist History for Buddhist Practitioners
In the last installment of this workshop, we discussed pre-Buddhist India and the life of the Buddha, including both what was unique in the Buddha’s teaching and what his teachings shared with the common Indian religious thought and practice of his day. In this continuation of the workshop on “Buddhist History for Buddhist Practitioners,” we will discuss the first few centuries of Buddhist experience. We will focus on the legends of the First Council and on monastic and lay life in Buddhism’s early centuries. If time permits, we will also discuss the life and work of Emperor Asoka, including the spread of Buddhism to Sri Lanka and the first commitment of Buddhist scriptures to writing. Finally, if we have enough time, we will discuss the four scriptural canons that developed throughout Buddhist history, including the differing contents of these four canons. Please visit or contact the center for registration.
Teacher Rita Gross is an internationally known feminist scholar-practitioner, a senior teacher in Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche’s meditation center, Lotus Garden, and also a senior teacher of Shambhala Buddhism. She is professor emerita of comparative studies in religion at UW, Eau Claire. Her work on Buddhism and gender has been influential in academic and Buddhist communities. She is the author of Buddhism After Patriarchy, and Soaring and Settling: Buddhist Perspectives on Contemporary Social and Religious Issues. Her newest book, A Garland of Feminine Reflections, will be published soon.
Saturday, May 30, 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Living the Practice: Wise Effort
The entire spiritual path can be understood as a deepening understanding of wise effort. We are often confused about wise effort because so much of our exertion arises from self-centered greed and aversion and leads to painful results. We also know from experience that giving up does not have good results. With patient practice we can recognize a wholesome motivation for action. We can discover a powerful force for change that arises from understanding and compassion. We can tap into the wholesome regret for the mistakes that have been made and the concern that they might be made again without appropriate action. Wise effort is intentional action arising out of seeing clearly the way things are. Please join us for this day reflecting on what wise effort looks like on a spiritual path. 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. Please visit or contact the center for registration.
Led by Mark Nunberg.
Saturday June 20, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 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 Chandako: The Pain and Pleasure of Waking Up
Ajahn Chandako was ordained as a Buddhist monk in 1990 in the Thai Forest Tradition in the lineage of Ajahn Chah. Born in 1962 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, his interest in the teachings of the Buddha grew as he studied towards a BA degree in Religious Studies from Carleton College (1984). After practicing intensive meditation in various monasteries in Thailand and traveling in Tibet, Nepal and India, he settled at Wat Pah Nanachat, The International Forest Monastery, Thailand. Ajahn Chandako is now the abbot of Vimutti Forest Monastery, 40 km south of Auckland, New Zealand. He is the author and translator of several books.
Thursday, June 25, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Ajahn Punnadhammo: Time and Place
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, June 26, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Andrew Olendzki
Andrew Olendzki was trained in Buddhist studies at Lancaster University in England, as well as at Harvard and the University of Sri Lanka. The former executive director of IMS, he is currently the executive director and senior scholar at BCBS, and is editor of the Insight Journal.
Sunday, July 12, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Roger Jackson: Karma, Now You Do It, Now You Don’t
Roger Jackson teaches the religions of South Asia and Tibet at Carleton College in Northfield, MN. He is the author of several books, including Is Enlightenment Possible? and Tantric Treasures, as well as numerous articles and reviews. He is currently the co-editor of the Indian International Journal of Buddhist Studies.
Saturday, August 15, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
MEDITATION RETREATS
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. During retreats, we practice opening to the moment with stillness and non-judging awareness. Retreats include sitting and walking meditation, guided movement, talks on spiritual practice, and time for questions and discussion. Residential retreats include daily dharma talks and instruction, as well as practice interviews with the teacher. 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:
Saturday, June 6 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. with Mary Jo Meadows
Saturdays July 11, August 8: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. with Mark Nunberg
Mary Jo has meditated for more than 45 years in three traditions. A Catholic sister vowed to the Theravadan nuns’ precepts and the mother of eight adult children, she teaches vipassana in the
United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. She is professor emeritus of psychology and religious studies at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She offers spiritual guidance and writes and lectures on spirituality.
Daylong Retreats with Mark Nunberg:
Saturdays, June 27, July 25, August 22
9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (Please bring a bag lunch.)
Residential Camping Retreat with Ajahn Chandako
Please join us for this mindfulness retreat in the north woods of Minnesota. We will be staying on a lake right next to the Chippewa National Forest, about a 4 hour drive north of Minneapolis/St. Paul. This retreat will include daily dharma talks and instruction, practice interviews with the teacher, and opportunities for questions and discussion. Retreatants will be encouraged to sign up for a daily mindful work period. Volunteers will prepare all meals and cleanup, help with trail clearing on the property, clean, and other tasks.
Saturday, July 11 to Sunday, July 19
Residential Retreat at Holy Spirit Retreat Center with Mark Nunberg
Thursday, September 2 to Monday September 7 at noon; contact Amy Searing at commongroundretreats@gmail.com. Registration begins July 3.
TCVC Residential Retreat with Steve Armstrong and Kamala Masters
June 26- July 5. Visit www.tcvc.info for more information.
COMMUNITY PRACTICE GROUPS
Full Moon Peace Walks
Please join us for our monthly Full Moon Peace Walk. The full moon is a traditional time for Buddhists to go to the local temple or monastery to practice walking and sitting meditation through the night. Our monthly Full Moon Peace Walks include 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.
Monday June 8, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Tuesday July 7, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Thursday August 6, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Mindfulness and Physical Pain
This monthly drop-in program is for those seeking to develop a different relationship to pain through the practice of mindfulness. This practice of non-judgment and non-interference is a skill that not only helps with managing pain, but affects all aspects of our lives. Each session will consist of a guided meditation on working with pain and a time for discussion and sharing.
Led by Gail Iverson and Ramesh Sairam.
Second Thursday of the month: June 11, July 9, August 13, 7:00 – 8:15 p.m.
Dharma Friends
Dharma Friends is a general practice/social group for young adult practitioners ("20-30 somethings") in the Common Ground community. This group normally meets at the J&S Coffee shop meeting room (1342 Thomas Ave, St Paul 55014), but occasionally meets elsewhere for additional social activities. This is a drop-in group and there is no requirement for attendance frequency. At our meetings, we take 20 minutes to chat and socialize, followed by a 10-minute meditation, then check-in and group discussion. We choose one book per quarter to read and discuss at our meetings; however, reading the book is not required for participation.
Third Saturday of the month, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
For more information, contact Cole at colekampen@gmail.com or Jimmy at jim@audiorukusrecording.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 Sue Cochrane.
First Saturday of the month: June 6, July 4, August 1, 7:00 – 8:15 p.m.
YOGA AND QIGONG
Mindful Yoga Weekly Drop-In Practice
Mindful Yoga is the practice of extending awareness into the physical experience of hatha yoga. The yoga poses provide an opportunity to consciously cultivate a wholesome, joyful relationship with the body. 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. The poses not only cultivate a compassionate friendship with the body, but also prepare the body and mind for deeper states of meditation. With practice, mindful yoga supports wise attention in all of our daily activities. Led by Nancy Boler.
Wednesdays, 5:30 – 6:45 p.m.
No need to register, just come.
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 years.
Please note that Nancy will be going on maternity leave at some point in May. There will be no classes from then until mid-June, when Wynn Fricke will begin teaching the yoga class (until Nancy returns). We will send out updates via e-mail and post them on the website.
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.
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, June 13, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Transforming Anger Workshop
This half-day workshop is for anyone who is troubled with anger, resentment, and similar habitual reactions. We will use one of Thich Nhat Hanh’s meditation practices to begin healing from anger, and we will discuss shame and fear as causes and conditions of anger. The workshop offers only a form for practice; to experience relief, the participants should continue working the practice. A follow-up session will allow participants to share their practice experiences and questions and to gain clarity to better deepen their practice. All are welcome, whether or not they are in a Twelve-Step program.
Led by Craig V.
Saturday, July 11, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
