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.

• Aug 6: Andrea Fella -- Q&A/Discussion Andrea will lead a Q&A and discussion session this evening. Bring your questions, specific or general, about "formal" sitting meditation and daily life.
  
  Andrea ordained as a nun in Burma, and has done intensive long-term practice under Asian and Western teachers, including U Pandita, U Tejaniya, Gil Fronsdal and Joseph Goldstein. Andrea teaches meditation at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City.
• Aug 13: Jennifer Block — "Engaged Practice, Part II " Service provides an opportunity ... or perhaps a requirement ... to bring our practice into daily life and the workplace. Jennifer will discuss her own experience with engaged practice in the particularly difficult circumstances of bringing support and compassion to those suffering with death and grief. (This is a companion to a talk given by Jim Bronson at the end of July, but will be complete in itself.)
  
  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.

• Aug 27: Misha Shungen Merrill — "The Practice of Birth and Death in Every Moment " Misha writes: "To me, the whole reason to talk and think about death and dying is to wake up to the joy of living. It's not just the 'big death' at the end of our lives, but every birth and death in between that informs our daily life."
  
  Misha was ordained a Zen priest in 1988 by Les Kaye Roshi in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki-Roshi of the San Francisco Zen Center. She received Dharma Transmission from him in 1998 and has been leading a meditation group in Redwood City since 1993. She also teaches young children at the Peninsula School of Menlo Park. She lives in the hills above Stanford with her husband and joyfully cultivates a large garden.

	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.