Friends,
Rejoicing in the beginning of fall and winter darkness, a time to turn inward in contemplation, apart from the distractions of summer.
(OK, sun is also great, but here’s the upside of winter murk. J )
For November we’re going to be exploring the wholesome and unwholesome mental qualities, and what we can do to cultivate the wholesome, and reduce the unwholesome. This is an important doorway onto the path, because our states of mind dictate how we understand the world, ourselves and each other.
Here’s one link with some perspectives on these teachings.
For this upcoming Thursday, Nov. 3 sit, we’ll be starting with exploring reducing the unwholesome, a core consideration in our progress on the path.
On Nov. 17 we’ll explore cultivating the wholesome.
We’ll be sitting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3, finishing at 9 p.m.
If you wish to attend by Zoom, the URL will be https://tinyurl.com/Eastside-Insight-9-1-2021
If you’ll be attending in person, we’ll be sitting in the Northlake Unitarian Universalist Church chapel, in Kirkland. The address is 315 3rd Ave S., Kirkland, WA 98033.
At a fun discussion after the last session, several people said they would volunteer to set up tea for the break at the in-person gathering. As many of you know, for many years pre-covid we gathered for tea in the middle of the evening, a warm time to get to know each other better, and it seems time to do this again.
We’ll bring over a toter with cups, tea and water heater…we just need a team to make it happen.
Please sign up on the link below, and my current thinking is I’ll only bring over the tea if at least one person steps forward. Otherwise it’s too much to set up the hybrid gear and the tea.
This is an opportunity for one or two of you to support the sangha, generate merit, and have some fall fun…all at once! : )
https://docs.google.com/document/d/18OKEUO7ubunOG_q9r8MaBFWXqmWScOm4LIsv8MdnBU8/edit
Looking ahead, here are two things for your calendars:
1 - On Sunday, Nov. 6, a program on the Bahai tradition will be offered by the Eastside Interfaith group Fostering Interfaith Relations on the Eastside, or FIRE. This is a great group with a lot of warmth and mutual support. The 6:30 p.m. event will be in-person and online, and their Bellevue facility is quite nifty. Hope to see you there!
2 - Starting 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4, I’ll be teaching a six-week series on insight practice, the same as mindfulness meditation. This is a beautiful six weeks, as a community of people forms while learning how to do this practice, while supporting one another on the path.
This time the series will be hybrid, thus in-person and online, from the familiar chapel at Northlake Unitarian church. It will include people from the Eastside and from farther away, and will conclude with a day of mindfulness Saturday, Feb. 11.
One thing that we need for these January intro classes, which we’ve offered on the Eastside for many years, is at least a pair of volunteers. It’s a wonderful opportunity to help others on the path, and to get to know each other better as we create a positive environment together.
If you think you might be able to volunteer please email me, and let’s talk about it. Thank you in advance. – stevellen95@comcast.net
If you wish to make a dana offering to the teacher, or to Northlake, that would be welcomed, helpful and appropriate.
https://tinyurl.com/NorthlakeUU-Paypal2022
Steve Wilhelm
7510 117th Ave. NE
Kirkland, WA 98033
May you be well, and see you on Thursday!
With bows and appreciation,
Steve