“Solstice Contemplation” with Jane this Sunday at Minneapolis Insight

Dear Community,

Sunday 10am Community Practice & Discussion

Friday, June 20th, is the Summer Solstice.  Although the Solstice is not traditionally celebrated in Theravada Buddhism, there is much in common in the various celebrations of the Solstice and the teachings and practices of our tradition.  Both encourage an appreciation of our connection to the natural world and to our fellow human beings. Both recognize impermanence and the everchanging nature of life, and both honor the importance of contemplation, as a tool in guiding us in living a life that is connected to ourselves, others and the world around us with compassion, intention and integrity.

Vanessa Zuisei Goddard in an article in Tricycle magazine entitled “The gift of Contemplation” describes contemplation like this:  

The practice of contemplation creates a space in which to work with our resistance so that we can choose what actually is. And more, it gives us the opportunity to fall in love with it. Because we don’t have to like all aspects of reality. Like or dislike have nothing to do with contemplation. Yet we can learn to love reality’s isness, which means honoring ourselves and others and things and beings as we and they are. From this perspective, contemplation is the profound practice of loving what is, of resting in and into what is, of not distancing ourselves from ourselves and the world.

Contemplation offers us time to pause and reflect, not so much in an effort to “find the answers," but rather to create space in which we may sustain our presence, opening to our life as it is and aspiring to remain compassionate and loving in the middle of life’s uncertainty.

We hope that you can join this Sunday to pause for contemplation and practice together.  All are welcome.  Registration and Zoom information available here.

With mettā,
Minneapolis Insight