Vipassana, or mindfulness meditation, was first taught by the Buddha 2,500 years ago. In this style of meditation, widespread today in Southeast Asia and increasingly popular in the West, one learns to watch what arises without judgment or reaction. In so doing, the mind can become clear and steady, and we begin to see things as they really are, without the distortion of our hopes, fears and confusion. Some apply mindfulness to reduce stress and control pain, and many find the practice a help with daily life, but the Buddha's purpose was clear: this way of seeing leads to freedom from suffering.

We gather on Wednesdays, and welcome others ... the merely curious, the earnest beginner, the dedicated practitioner ... to join us. We generally begin with 30 minutes of silent meditation with enough guidance to introduce visitors to the basics. Afterwards we hear a dhamma talk from a visiting teacher (most, but not all of whom, are primarily grounded in the Theravada tradition of Buddhist practice). There is usually time for Q&A at the end of the evening, or for another short sitting. There is no charge for the teachings, but we welcome donations to support the teachers and our hosts at the hostel.

Teachers and Topics -- Sometimes we know the topic of a dhamma talk ... such as when we have arranged a series of talks on a specific topic ... but often a visiting teacher will talk on whatever is foremost in their life and practice at the moment.

• Sep 3: Carla Brennan — Carla has been practicing mindfulness meditation for over 30 years in the Vipassana, Zen and Tibetan traditions. In addition to Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein and other Vipassana teachers, she has practiced with Zen Master Seung Sahn, Lama Surya Das and Tsoknyi Rinpoche. She teaches weekly with Vipassana Santa Cruz. Carla also trained with Jon Kabat-Zinn and teaches Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz. Carla leads wilderness retreats and is a visual artist and former psychotherapist.
• Sep 10: Future of the Sangha Workshop — After we sit, we'll have a working session to discuss the jobs that need to be done to keep the group going, and to find owners for each tack.
• Sep 17: Tea & Cookie Night — Looking Forward We'll sit as we normally do and then talk together (over tea and cookies) about what we want and what we need for the near future. .
• Sep 24: Tony Bernhard — Tony is a graduate of the Spirit Rock Meditation Center's Community Dharma Leaders Program. He sits on the planning committee for the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies, leads sitting groups and teaches dharma in Davis, CA.

• Oct 1: Beth Goldring, Founder of the Brahama Vihara Cambodian AIDS Project, Phnom Pen, Cambodia. Beth founded and directs this chapliancy program providing services to destitute AIDS paitents and their families in the capital of Cambodia. For this and other work, she was one of 20 women recognized with the Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award for 2008. She currently studies TIbetan Lojong with Allan Wallace, VIpassana meditation with Gil Fronsdal, and Reiki with Glynn DeBrocky.
  
  Please note that Beth will have a brief slide-show of her project ... independently of her Dhamma talk in the main portion of the evening's program ... to be shown twice: at 6:30 and just after we end at 8:30. This should be very intersting if you can come early or stay late.

• Oct 8: Darlene Cohen M.A., LMT, is a Zen priest trained at the San Francisco Zen Center. Currently she gives dharma talks and seminars emphasizing mindfulness at healthcare facilities and meditation centers throughout the continental U.S. She also leads 5 regular meditation groups, 2 for people in chronic pain. Her book ARTHRITIS: Stop Suffering, Start Moving offers instruction in using the tasks of everyday life to ease pain and reduce restriction in the body. Her second book, Turning Suffering Inside Out, is a manual for dealing with chronic pain and despair. Her most recent book, The One Who Is Not Busy, offers a holistic approach to time management. Check her out at www.darlenecohen.net
• Oct 15: To Be Announced

• Oct 22: Jennifer Block — Loving Kindness & Compassion Jennifer is a longtime practitioner and Buddhist chaplain who teaches the Zen Hospice model of end of life care to the general public as their Public Education Director (www.ZenHospice.org) . Her involvement with Zen Hospice began in 1998 as a volunteer caregiver, when she was seeking a way to study the Buddha¹s teachings off the meditation cushion. In 2004, Jennifer joined the Zen Hospice staff to create curriculum, teach workshops, offer spiritual care, and provide communiy outreach on the topics of death, dying and bereavement. Jennifer also teaches the Buddhist Chaplaincy Training program with Paul Haller and Gil Fronsdal at the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies (www.sati.org) in Redwood City.
• Oct 29 : Jim Bronson — Joy for Others & Equanimity Jim volunteers much of his time as a counselor to the dying and berieved with Kara where he is the Director of Community Outreach and Education. He began working with the inner life and spiritual traditions as a student of Krishnamurti through a meditation course in 1968. After years of reflective meditation and Krishnamurti's "pathless" approach, Jim's concentration on Vipassana Meditation practice began in 1990.
  

• Nov 5 : Berget Jelane Berget has been practicing meditation since 1986 and is a student of Gil Fronsdal.  She is a graduate of Spirit Rock's Community Dharma Leader program and the Sati Center's Chaplaincy Training. Berget teaches meditation weekly at the Elmwood Women's Correctional Center in Milpitas and is a therapist in private practice.
• Nov 12: Robert Cusick — Reflections on a Long Retreat Robert has been practising Buddhist meditation since 1997 and has just returned from an intensive four-month retreat with Pa Auk Sayadwa of Burma, with whom he was a monk.
  
  Robert is a student of Gil Fronsdal and was trained as a Buddhist monk at Pa Auk Forest Monastery in Burma. He also trained in the Soto Zen tradition at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in 2001. He has worked with Hameed Ali in the Diamond Approach (Diamond Heart Six) and is a certified Kripalu Yoga teacher. Robert participated in the 2nd Buddhist Chaplaincy training offered through the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies and completed the first Dedicated Practitioners Program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in 2003. He subsequently served there in the role of Retreats Program Manager. 
• Nov 19 : Chris Clifford — Q&A, Discussion Bring your questions, share and learn.
  
  Chris has been a Vipassana student at IMC since 1995. In recent years, she has attended several long retreats at IMS with teachers including Sayadaw U Pandita and Joseph Goldstein. She has worked as a software engineer for many years and is currently taking time off to explore other options.
• Nov 26: Happy Thanksgiving! We won't meet tonight, but will resume our regular schedule next week.
  

• Dec 3: Tony Bernhard Tony is a graduate of the Spirit Rock Meditation Center's Community Dharma Leaders Program. He sits on the planning committee for the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies, leads sitting groups and teaches dharma in Davis, CA.
• Dec 10: Jim Bronson See Jim's bio above (Oct 29)
• Dec 17: Tea & Cookie Night We'll sit and then talk among ourselves as we near year's end.
• Dec 24 & 31: Happy Holidays! We won't meet on these two evenings, but we'll resume our regular schedule on Jan 7.

	Lighthouse, fog-signal building and Montara Mountain in the distance.

Pt. Montara Hostel is located on Highway 1 at 16th Street in Montara. We'll meet in the fog signal building next to the lighthouse. (The building is heated by a wood fire, but can still be a bit chilly on cold, foggy days; dress appropriately. The floor is carpeted, but you might want a pad or folded blanket if you plan to sit on a cushion. There are also plenty of chairs available.)

Please see these directions for getting here safely!

The hostel is run by a non-profit organization with the intent of "helping all, especially the young, gain a greater understanding of the world and its people through hosteling." Guests of all ages stay at Pt. Montara and at hostels world-wide. We are grateful to the hostel staff for their support.