Weekly Email 3/8/2021
Dear Common Ground Friends,
Jury selection for the trial of Derek Chauvin who is being charged with murder in the death of George Floyd, is set to begin today. This trial is likely to take weeks if not months and be covered extensively by local and national media. In fact, much of the world will have their eyes and ears on Minneapolis, not just the trial but our response to the trial…you and me… all of us…Our response will spark new and continued conversations and engagements about race, racism, justice, democracy, and more. The trial will also be a source of continued trauma for many, especially our BIPOC siblings. As we navigate the weeks and months ahead, may we remember to plant seeds of well-being in the myriad ways available to us. As a support for us all, Common Ground will provide a variety of ways to lean into what is moving in our hearts and bodies as well as what is moving in the collective. In addition to the breadth of ongoing program offerings at Common Ground, below you’ll find a snapshot of some of the opportunities to explore directly, race, justice, and engagement as practice. As always, please stay tuned into this weekly newsletter for the most current upcoming opportunities.
- Truth and Justice Vigil, curated by Stacy McClendon and in collaboration with Ayo Yetunde and Buddhist Justice Reporter – The George Floyd Trials will include African descended teachers from across the nation beginning on Monday, March 29th, 6:00 – 7:15 p.m., with subsequent weekly offerings on Tuesday evenings, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
- BIPOC Practice Group, 1st and 3rd Thursdays, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
- Community Practice Check In with Shelly Graf, Thursdays 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.; Every other Thursday the session is devoted to an inquiry into whiteness and domination.
Warmest Wishes,
Upcoming Program Highlights
The next 7-week Buddhist Studies course on Mindfulness of Feeling Tone with MARK NUNBERG begins tonight! 7:30-9:00pm. More info and registration here. (Please register before 5pm.)TUESDAY, MARCH 9TH
- STACY MCCLENDON & MARK NUNBERG lead the weekly Community Practice Check-In. 12:00-1:00pm. Zoom link here.
- STACY MCCLENDON will lead Dharma Among Us this week on the topic of what it means to “hold space” for each other during moments of difficulty and celebration. 7:00-8:30pm. Zoom link here.
- Registration is open for the next 6-week Introduction to Mindfulness Meditationcourse with MARK NUNBERG. 7:30-9:00pm. More info and registration here.
SHELLY GRAF will lead the Weekly Practice Group. 7:30-9:00pm. Zoom link here.THURSDAY, MARCH 11TH
- SPRUCE KRAUSE will lead Interplay from 7:00-8:30pm. More info here. Zoom link here.
- SHELLY GRAF leads the weekly Community Practice Check-In, this week with a focus on racism through an inquiry into whiteness and domination. 9:00-10:00am. Zoom link here.
- MERRA YOUNG will start a book club on the book No Self, No Problem by Anam Thubten. It will meet the 2nd Friday of the month 11:15am-12:30pm from March to June. You can register here.
- SARAH WILSON will lead the weekly Lovingkindness Practice Group, 7:00-8:30pm. Zoom link here.
RAMESH SAIRAM will lead Dharma Practice Reflections from 10:30am-12:00pm. This biweekly meeting includes a guided meditation, a brief talk on a specific topic, and ample time for reflections, comments and Q&A. Zoom link here.SUNDAY, MARCH 14TH
- MARK NUNBERG will lead the Weekly Practice Group. 10:30-11:45am. Zoom link here.
- WYNN FRICKE & MARK NUNBERG lead the weekly Community Practice Check-In. 4:30-5:30pm. Zoom link here.
Please note that all times listed are in Central time. For complete, up-to-date program information, visit the online calendar. We recommend you bookmark it for easy access during the week. You might also want to bookmark our Youtube channel.
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.
Community News
Community Groups Meeting this Week
- Be Queer Now, Wed., Mar. 10th, 7:30-9:00pm. Zoom link here.
- Community Group for Organizers & Activists. Thurs. Mar 11th, 6:00-7:30pm. Zoom link here.
- Dharma Friends Sit & Discussion, Sun., Mar. 14th, 7:00-8:00pm. Zoom link here.
See the calendar for more info about these community groups.
Antiracism Study & Dialogue Circle Beginning March 25th
ASDIC is a local organization Common Ground has partnered with in the past. We recommend anyone interested to join in for their upcoming 10-week circle. More info here.
New Book for CG Book Club
The CG Book Club reads books on the topics of race and racism and is facilitated by April Hanson. The next book they will be reading is The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart by Alicia Garza. The first meeting to discuss the new book will be this Sunday, March 14th from 8:45-10:15am. To get on their mailing list you can email April at apriljoyhanson@gmail.com. Zoom link here.
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.
Weekly Tejaniya
Never try to force an issue. Just
acknowledge, accept, and keep observ-
ing until things unfold naturally.
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photo of Prairie Farm Retreat by Ari Lindquist
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