Author: TCVC Volunteer

News about Steve

Many of you may have already heard, but for those that have not… In the last days of February, while installing some prayer flags at the sanctuary on Maui, Steve noticed that he had trouble speaking to his friend Roger. He immediately went to the emergency room and has since had brain tumor surgery. He has a rare, aggressive, fast growing cancer (GBM: glioblastoma multiforme) that cannot be cured but is treated with a standard protocol of radiology and chemo which he is undergoing now.

You can visit his Caring Bridge Site for what is truly an inspiring and heart-connecting chronicle of his journey. The site name is stevenkarmstrong.  Here’s the link: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/stevenkarmstrong

Common Ground Meditation Center will be having an event on Tuesday, May 15th at 7 PM to help support Steve’s medical expenses.  You can also make a donation directly to Vipassana Metta Foundation here: http://vipassanametta.org/wp/donations/

Summer Retreat with Kamala Masters, June 15-24

There is still space for the June 15-24 retreat with Kamala Masters at Koinonia Retreat Center.  Click here to register. You can register online or use the registration form within the newsletter to mail along with a check. The focus of the retreat will be “Deepening Awareness of Life with Equanimity.”

TCVC offers scholarships for up to half the cost of a shared room at the retreat. If you wish, you may request to share a room with another person attending the retreat and we will make every effort to accommodate your request. Beginning meditators and people of all races, ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities, religions and abilities are welcome. If you have any questions or concerns about attending the retreat, please talk to the registrar. Email her at retreats@tcvc.info.

Wishing you well,
TCVC Board

Yellow Springs Dharma Center (not affiliated with TCVC) has now opened registration for their retreat in May 2018 with Rebecca Bradshaw. Please read the below information from Yellow Springs, take a look at their Vipassana Retreat Reg Form 2018, contact vipassana@ysdharma.org, or visit http://www.ysdharma.org/ for any questions:

Registration is now open for the Yellow Springs Dharma Center’s seven day Vipassana retreat with Rebecca Bradshaw from the Insight Meditation Society. Retreat dates are May 4-11, 2018. Rebecca will be assisted by Candace Cassin and Jessica Morey, both experienced practitioners and teachers. The retreat will take place at the Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford, Ohio (just north of Cincinnati). We will also be offering a two day weekend option from May 4-6…This retreat is suitable for both beginners and experienced meditators.

For any questions or additional information, please contact us at vipassana@ysdharma.org. Also, please visit us at http://www.ysdharma.org/.

Best wishes,
Yellow Springs Dharma Center Vipassana Retreat Committee
Yellow Springs Ohio

June Retreat News

Summer is almost ending and we wanted to give a quick update and a heads up for some local retreats happening soon. The TCVC summer retreat with Kamala Masters and Bonnie Duran was wonderful – the summer trees, animals, storms, and lake (as well as the awesome Koinonia staff!) supported our retreat as we were skillfully guided through the dhamma by Kamala and Bonnie. At the end of the retreat, Kamala presented TCVC with a gift of the recently published Manual of Insight written by one of her teachers, Mahasi Sayadaw. As said on the Widsom Publications website,  “Manual of Insight is the magnum opus of Mahasi Sayadaw, one of the originators of the Vipassana movement that has swept through the Buddhist world over the last century. The manual presents a comprehensive overview of the practice of insight meditation, including the foundational aspects of ethical self-discipline, understanding the philosophical framework for the practice, and developing basic concentration and mindfulness. It culminates with an in-depth exploration of the various types of insight and spiritual fruits that the practice yields.”

We were filled with joy at this gracious gift (accepted here by board member Naomi Baer) as well as the teachings Kamala and Bonnie offered to us throughout the week, and we already are looking forward to our winter retreat with Rebecca Bradshaw and Chas DiCapua!

Other (non-TCVC) Retreats in the Midwest

Chicago

Acceptance and Compassion
Practicing with Life’s Milestones & Challenges

Fall Retreat: October 13th, 2016 to October 16th, 2016
With Santikaro Upasaka
Sponsored by Insight Chicago Meditation Community

Dates:
11:00AM Thursday, October 13th 2016 – 12:00PM Sunday, October 16th 2016

http://insightchicago.org/insight-chicago-fall-retreat-2016/

Ohio

Seven Day Vipassana Retreat (with 2-day Option)

Spring Retreat: May 5th, 2017 to May 12, 2017
Two day option from May 5th to May 7th
With Rebecca Bradshaw and Candace Cassin
Sponsored by Yellow Springs Dharma Center

For any questions, or additional information, please read the 2017 Yellow Springs vipassana retreat flyer here or contact the Yellow Springs Dharma Center Retreat Committee at ysdharma.org@gmail.com

Retreat Updates

We’ve still got plenty of space available for the June 17–26 retreat: “The Deepening of Love, Awareness and Wisdom” with our teacher Kamala Masters assisted by Bonnie Duran. We’re sorry to inform you that Vance Pryor won’t be assisting on this retreat, but hopefully he’ll come again another time.

We have a wait list for singles, but on May 20 (the registration due date) we’ll be confirming singles on the wait list if we don’t fill with doubles. We expect there to be single rooms available for people who have not yet registered also.

Click here to view the Grassroots Dhamma newsletter with the registration form. TCVC offers scholarships for up to half the cost of the retreat. If there are any questions you have or concerns about attending the retreat, we encourage you to talk to Matthew Buzzard, the registrar. Matthew can be reached at 612-810-7703 or retreats@tcvc.info.

The spirit of this retreat aims to strengthen our ability to maintain a continuous quality of awareness, not only on retreat but also in our daily life. We’ll explore the Four Foundations of Mindfulness with an emphasis on awareness of the qualities of mind. Sayadaw U Tejaniya’s teaching of Mindfulness of Mind will be offered along with one of his books, which participants may read during the retreat as a support for their practice.

Article by Bonnie Duran

Whether or not you’re interested in the retreat, check out this article by Bonnie Duran Mistaking a Stick for a Snake Bonnie talks about how she came to practice meditation and also gives a very interesting explanation of the causes of racism–how our perceptions may lead us to a distorted view–and how mindfulness can help us avoid putting these distorted conceptual overlays over what’s really happening.

Other retreat opportunities in the Upper Midwest

After the retreat this June, TCVC won’t have another retreat until next February when Chas DiCapua and Rebecca Bradshaw will teach at Koinonia Retreat Center. So we thought we’d share some other excellent retreat opportunities available in the Upper Midwest.

Common Ground Meditation Center offers half-day and day-long non-residential retreats at their center in Minneapolis, four residential meditation retreats per year at Holy Spirit Retreat Center in southern Minnesota, and ongoing opportunities for independent retreat practice at Praire Farm in western Wisconsin. Most retreats are led by Mark Nunberg, the guiding teacher. http://commongroundmeditation.org/

Madison Vipassana offers residential retreats with Theravada teachers, including Ajahn Succito, Sharon Salzberg and James Baraz this year, at various locations in eastern Wisconsin. http://madisonmeditation.org/

Insight Chicago Meditation Community offers non-residential day-long retreats along with residential retreats in the greater Chicago area. http://insightchicago.org/

Liberation Park provides facilities for practitioners undertaking personal retreats guided by Santikaro in the Thai Forest tradition near Norwalk, Wisconsin. http://www.liberationpark.org/

Arrow River Forest Hermitage is a monastery and meditation center in northern Ontario, Canada. Short and long term retreats are guided by resident bhikku Ajahn Punnadhammo. http://www.arrowriver.ca/

Mid America Dharma offers non-residential and residential retreats in Kansas City and other locations in Missouri and Illinois. http://www.midamericadharma.org

Yellow Springs Dharma Center hosts an annual Vipassana Retreat led by Rebecca Bradshaw in Milford, Ohio. http://www.ysdharma.org/our-traditions/vipassana/

Wishing you well,
TCVC