Humans are relational beings -- pack animals, born and raised in families, working and living together. Much of our suffering is people-suffering. We meditate to be free from suffering, yet sometimes a gap arises when interpersonal suffering is being addressed in intrapersonal meditation. We perpetuate the "island universe" of the individual self even as we seek freedom. Insight Dialogue is a fully relational meditation practice based on Buddhist Vipassana Insight meditation and a relational understanding of the Dhamma. The mind is invited to stillness and keen mindfulness even as we remain in dialogue with others. Here we meet the shared human experience that transcends our very real differences in genetics, background, and worldly circumstances.

at the Sacramento Buddhist Meditation Group, Sacramento CA

at the Sacramento Buddhist Meditation Group, Sacramento CA

at the Sacramento Buddhist Meditation Group, Sacramento CA

Humans are relational beings -- pack animals, born and raised in families, working and living together. Much of our suffering is people-suffering. We meditate to be free from suffering, yet sometimes a gap arises when interpersonal suffering is being addressed in intrapersonal meditation. We perpetuate the "island universe" of the individual self even as we seek freedom. Insight Dialogue is a fully relational meditation practice based on Buddhist Vipassana Insight meditation and a relational understanding of the Dhamma. The mind is invited to stillness and keen mindfulness even as we remain in dialogue with others. Here we meet the shared human experience that transcends our very real differences in genetics, background, and worldly circumstances.

Humans are relational beings -- pack animals, born and raised in families, working and living together. Much of our suffering is people-suffering. We meditate to be free from suffering, yet sometimes a gap arises when interpersonal suffering is being addressed in intrapersonal meditation. We perpetuate the "island universe" of the individual self even as we seek freedom. Insight Dialogue is a fully relational meditation practice based on Buddhist Vipassana Insight meditation and a relational understanding of the Dhamma. The mind is invited to stillness and keen mindfulness even as we remain in dialogue with others. Here we meet the shared human experience that transcends our very real differences in genetics, background, and worldly circumstances.

Guided Meditation

Extending Metta beyond the individuals to all beings, everywhere - brief introduction and guided meditation

One of the more common emotional responses to practice is that at times we feel like we are failing in meditation. Nothing seems to be going according to the instructions. We try diligently and then hear that striving will not get us anywhere. We want to like ourselves but are full of self-contempt. We would like to wish everyone lovingkindness, but we do not feel that in our hearts. All of this has us feeling like a spiritual failure. One way to sidestep the thought that our practice is not going well is to remember that our practice is about self-knowledge, and self-knowledge is always working. Like a mirror that always reflects what it sees, it may not be showing us what we want to see, but it is always reflecting back what it sees. The practice is to accommodate what we see, no matter what is reflected back. Just let the reflection show us the state of affairs. Now comes the hard part. Do not attempt to change, judge, or get over what we see. If we want to do something, relax with what we see. Let the built up tension be dispelled. If we try to get over a problem before we understand what the nature of the problem is, we will further complicate our struggle. Much of our struggle is arising from the sense of being a personal failure. In a culture built upon evaluations and comparisons, many of us feel like we are defeated before we begin. We lead with self-uncertainty and for a Dharma practitioner that is the worst possible assumption. Awakening needs everything from us, and self-uncertainty holds us back in timidity. We have to address this assumption head on to end its tyrannical rule.

Walking Practice and Other Postures, Hand Movement Meditation