Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche group changes schedule, focus

We are moving the date to the third Sunday of each month regularly, as holidays tend to fall on the first of the month throughout the year.

Our next meeting will be Sunday, January 20th from 10:30 - noon at our house.

We are moving the shrine room upstairs to eliminate the concern with the stairs. We will expand the range of articles or readings shared, encourage asking questions about the various lineages represented in the group and perhaps share the various meditation instructions from the different traditions. 

I have not decided on a reading or topic for this next meeting in January yet, so if you have something you would like to suggest, please let me know. Sharon (champa_c@hotmail.com)

Family Mindfulness at FSC

Living Calm in the Chaos: A Family Series Developing Mindfulness and Presence

Monday, Jan 7, 2019 5:00pm - 7:30pm

Trish Johnson and Sensei Paul Kisho Stern

Nine-week series for families, meeting on Monday evenings. How do we function and even thrive when life is hectic, unpredictable and chaotic? As parents, how do we help nurture and cultivate a family culture that embraces life in all its busyness and stress while remaining open to the joy and presence of everyday living?

This new program meets on Monday evenings for nine weeks and is designed to bring families closer together, reduce stress and develop self-awareness, resiliency and gratitude. Using age-appropriate curriculum, adults and children will learn through experiential practices based in mindfulness; for example, mindful breathing, qi gong, yoga, walking the labyrinth and body scanning.

We will discuss various ways of expressing ourselves, managing our personal and family lives, and being present to each other. This program is designed for youths ages 7-12 and their families. Child care will be provided for those who do not meet the age requirement for the program. Scholarships are available if cost is a barrier.

Click for more info and registration

Basic Buddhist Principles retreat

Daniel will be holding Thursday evening mindfulness meeting from 6-8 pm. The group will be using The reading will be from Meditation 2 by Ajahn Thanissaro.

https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/Meditations2_180203.pdf

 Please let Daniel know by replying to him on this email. dwiduch@uwlax.edu 

He will print out the chapter if you let him know you are coming.

It will be Thursday evenings 6-8 pm. Conference room 2A. Gundersen in Onalaska, WI 

December meditation opportunities

Onalaska Mindfulness Group: Sunday, December 9 at Gundersen Clinic in Onalaska from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. We are using “Meditation” by Ajahn Thanissaro. We will start with The Interactive Present page 21. RSVP vsongsir@aol.com if you are planning to join us. Please go to www.mindfulnesslacrossewisconsin.offeringtree.com 
and register if you can. Please come in through the Urgent care door which opens at 9 a.m. Go all the way across to the other side of the lobby. Go through the E-F hallway to F. Conference room 1F is at the very end of the hallway. You can call the leader at 608.461.1464 if you can't find the room.

Kevala Retreat (was Liberation Park): Wednesday, December 12 at 6:30 pm at Bridges (Wesley United Methodist) Church, corner of 8th and King.

Bhikkhu Buddhadasa on Nature and Ecology

At Cathy's suggestion, seconded by Ralph and myself, we will discuss this article  by Tavivat Puntarigvivat:

https://www.suanmokkh.org/articles/19

Tavivat is a Thai scholar who did his PhD at Temple on "Ajahn Buddhadasa and Liberation Theology." He continues to write about social issues from perspectives of Buddhist ethics and teachings.

How can a grounding in Buddhist social ethics and healthy living teachings help us find our voices to uphold what is worthwhile and skillfully, peacefully oppose what is destructive and evil in our society, politics, and economics? 

For location  and related information, please go here.

Dāna (donations, gifts, free-will offerings) to sustain Liberation Park and support our work are most welcome. Santikaro and Liberation Park depend on donations as sole means of support. Liberation Park in turn makes donations to Wesley UMC for kindly hosting us. 

A sampler of Santikaro's talks from La Crosse and elsewhere are posted at http://liberationpark.org/audio/index.htm

Next sessions:  January 9 & 23, 2019. We won't meet the day after Christmas.

Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche Sangha: Sunday, December 16: our monthly meditation group meet on Sunday, December 16th instead. We will meet as usual from 10:30 - noon.

Here's the article by Pema Chodron that we will read together (you can read ahead too!) and discuss.