Greetings Friends,

The events that unfolded over the past 48 hours are layered in both meaning and impact. I won’t do us the disservice of reducing the political dysfunction and systemic racism that we are all swimming in, to simple soundbites. A disservice it would be to rob us of the necessary reckoning with our participation in these matters as well as the consequences of our unexamined human habits, and unrestrained reactions. It is both healthy and necessary for each of us to get curious about how (not if) we contribute to what we see, feel, and hear in the collective. This is the ethical work and training that our Buddhist practice necessitates. Sincere inquiry doesn’t make us weak, but stronger and braver contributors to our collective well being. Now is the perfect moment to find resolve in our hearts, the resolve to watch our minds in every possible moment, so that we may contribute skillfully to our collective well being. Lets be active ethical agents, asking what is the most beneficial thing I can say right now? What is the most beneficial thing I can do right now? When we commit to this inquiry again and again, we CAN be a force of non hatred and contribute to justice.

In Solidarity,

Shelly

“Of two people who practice the Dhamma in line with the Dhamma, having a sense of Dhamma, having a sense of meaning — one who practices for both his own benefit and that of others, and one who practices for his own benefit but not that of others — the one who practices for his own benefit but not that of others is to be criticized for that reason, the one who practices for both his own benefit and that of others is, for that reason, to be praised.”

— AN 7.64

Upcoming Program Highlights

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8TH
MARK NUNBERG will lead the Lovingkindness Practice Group. Zoom link here. 7:00-8:30pm.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9TH
MARK NUNBERG will offer a Half-Day Retreat from 1:00-5:00pm. Zoom link here.

MARK NUNBERG will offer the next Buddhist Studies class on Mindfulness of the Body. Eight Mondays, 7:30-9:00pm. More info and registration here.

JANUARY 12TH-FEBRUARY 16TH
MARK NUNBERG will offer the next Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation course. Six Tuesdays, 7:30-9:00pm. More info and registration here.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12TH
JEAN HALEY will lead Dharma Among Us. The topic will be about cultivating a wise relationship to money. Zoom link here. 7:00-8:30pm.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14TH
SPRUCE KRAUSE will begin offering Interplay monthly on the second Thursday of the month from 7:00-8:30pm. InterPlay helps you explore old habit energy and discover new possibilities through movement, sound, words, stillness and connection. We use simple, easy to do, incremental forms to promote a playful sense of ease, and an authentic sense of connection – both to yourself and others. Zoom link here.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23RD
MARK NUNBERG will lead a Daylong Retreat from 9:30am-4:00pm. More info and registration here.

Please note that all times listed are in Central time. For complete, up-to-date program information, including programs cancelled for holidays, visit the online calendar. We recommend you bookmark it for easy access during the week. You might also want to bookmark our Youtube channel. 

Additional non-CG events Taught by Mark and Shelly:

Friday, January 15 – Monday, January 18 w/ Shelly Graf, Nakawe Cuebas Berrios & Devin Berry

Mindfulness & Insight Meditation: The Mah?si Method

Thursday, February 25 – Sunday, February 28 w/ Mark Nunberg, Kamala Masters, & Steve Armstrong

The Practice of Generosity

Continuing in the tradition of Buddhist monasteries in Southeast Asia, all programs at Common Ground, including these online programs, are offered free of charge in the spirit of generosity. This offering is possible because of the generosity of people like you—from the Buddha on down to all the people in our community—who contribute their practice, time, and financial resources to support the continuation of the center.

To learn how to support the center and our teachers, visit this page. Let us know if you have any questions.

Interested in Snowblowing for CG this winter?
We are still looking for snowblowing volunteers! We have a snowblower and we can train you in. If you’re intimidated by the snowblower, we also need shoveling volunteers. If interested in joining the snow team, please email Rob at rwkohlmeyer@yahoo.com. Thank you!

Community News 

Be Queer Now Meditation Sangha every Wednesday!

Come sit with queers! Join fellow compassionate-minded practitioners from the LGBTQQIA+ community for weekly meditation and Dhamma chats. Whether you’re curious about Buddhism or have been practicing for decades, you’re welcome here. Wednesdays from 7:30 – 9 pm on Zoom, with scottie hall (ze | zir), Brian Young (they | them), and others. Zoom link here. On the last Wednesday of each month, we will join the full community for the Weekly Practice Group, led by Shelly Graf (they | them). 

CG Mutual Support Form

We’ve created a form to gather info from community members interested in offering eachother support in the form of social connection, help with errands, or other forms of support. If you’re interested in participating, you can fill out the form here.

Job Opening at Compassionate Ocean Zen Center

Our fellow Twin Cities Dharma center Compassionate Ocean Zen Center are looking to hire a part-time Administrative Director. This is a new leadership position, taking full responsibility for developing, maintaining, and growing the administrative function of the Center. More info here.

Antiracism Study and Dialogue Circle Beginning January 18th

Our friends at ASDIC will be offering their next 10-week circle January 18th -March 22nd. Mondays. 5:30 PM-8:30 PM. This is an excellent training many CG leaders have done. More info here.

Weekly Tejaniya

The mind’s tendency is to like
new things. It wants variety, it
wants freshness. So one thing to
remember is that no moment is
the same as the old. Every
moment is fresh.