Special Events at Vermont Insight Meditation Center

Resting the Mind with Winnie Nazarko on Saturday, May 24th from 10am-4pm

Allowing the mind to rest in awareness supports tranquility and inner calm. This day will alternate focus on the breath with open field/big sky awareness. Consider relaxing the struggle to "do" meditation "right" with simple presence.

Daylongs offered in 2008

Cultivating Mindfulness in the Inner and Outer Gardens with Cheryl Wilfong on Saturday, May 10th, 9:30-12:30

We retreat to the Solar Hill gardens for a morning of mindfulness practice focusing on the body and all of its various gardining positions. The rhythm of the morniing includes two short sitting meditations, working in the garden and a discussion of mindfulness in everyday life. Open to new and experienced students of mindfulness meditation.

Cheryl Wilfong is a co-founder of Vermont Insight Meditation Center. She began meditating in 1977 and has been teaching in communities in Southern Vermont since 2001. She is an avid gardner and has written a book entitled Buddhist in the Garden.

Concentration with Chas DiCapua on Sunday, April 27th from 10am-4pm

Concentration plays an integral part of the Buddhist meditative journey. In addition to exploring what the Buddha's teachings have to say about concentration, and its relation to mindfulness, the formal practice for the day will consist of Anapanasati, or mindfulness of breathing.

Letting Go - Being Free with Claire Stanley and Jack Millett on Saturday, March 29 from 11am - 5pm

Freedom and happiness are right here at any moment. When we let go of habits and stories, we open to the inherent clarity and peacefulness of mind. This one-day retreat helps us develop the ability to connect with letting go and to practice being free in each moment. We take up this ancient yet practical approach while together on retreat and then apply it to our daily lives. Open to beginners and experienced meditators, this retreat day consists of sitting and walking meditation, and includes meditation instructions. There will be talks and discussion about Insight Meditation practice (Vipassana) which comes from the Theravada Buddhist lineage.

Claire Stanley and Jack Millett, the teachers of this retreat, are co-founders of Vermont Insight Meditation Center. They have both practiced this path for over 20 years and have been teaching since 1995

Introduction to Insight Meditation with Cheryl Wilfong on Saturday, February 16th from 10am-3pm

Insight Meditation is a direct and simple form of practice that allows one to move toward a more peaceful and awakened state of mind. This practice helps to free the mind and emotions from reactivity, fear and stress, leading to steadiness, wisdom and compassion in everyday life and relationships. The day focuses on a series of meditations with detailed instructions followed by a time for questions and reflections.

Taught by: Cheryl Wilfong, a co-founder of Vermont Insight who has practiced Insight Meditation since 1977 and has been teaching meditation since 2003.

Fine-tuning our Understanding and Experience of the Meditation Practice with Taraniya on Sunday January 27 from 10am-4pm

It is always a good idea to examine our understanding of the core aspects of meditation practice - that is, effort, mindfulness and concentration. During this one-day retreat, we focus on these three aspects with an eye to refining our practice so that we might better realize its fruits. Participants will practice mindfulness techniques while sitting, walking, eating and moving about throughout the day. If you are a first-time meditator, the retreat will help you start your practice on the right foot. And if you are an experienced practitioner, it will help you to keep your practice going in the right direction.

Gloria Taraniya Ambrosia has been teaching since 1990. She is a student of the western forest sangha, the monks and nuns who are the disciples of Ajahn Chah and is a lay Buddhist Minister in association with Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery in California. She served as Resident Teacher of IMS in Barre, MA from 1996 through 1999.

Daylongs offered in 2007

Mindfulness and Compassion:Path of Liberation with Michele McDonald - Saturday, October 27th from 10am-4pm

The Heart Sutra:Heart of Buddha's Teachings with Mu Soeng - Saturday, September 29th from 10am-4pm

Bearing Witness with Amita Schimdt - Saturday, August 11th from 10am-4pm

Turning Towards the Dharma withChas DiCapua-June 10th from 10am-4pm

Karma: Planting Seeds, Harvesting Fruits - May 12th from 10am - 4pm

The Presence of Happiness with Kate Wylie - April 29th from 10am-4pm

Introduction to Insight Meditation with Jack Millett - March 17th from 10am-3pm

Discovering Inherent Stillness with Amita Schmidt - March 10th from 10am-4pm

Introduction to Insight Meditation" - Saturday, February 17th 10am-3pm
Jack Millett

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"The Seven Factors of Awakening" - Saturday, January 27th - 10am-4pm
Claire Stanley and Jack Millett

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