Weekly Email 6-19-23

Dear Common Ground Friends,

Today is Juneteenth, a Federal Holiday celebrating the emancipation of Black Americans from slavery at the end of the Civil War. For those of you who live in our neighborhood here in South Minneapolis, you might be interested in joining this local celebration: https://soulofthesouthside.com.

Perhaps some of us will also find it valuable to use this day to renew our investigation into any entrenched, subtle and often unseen habits of racial hate, fear or ignorance that still reverberate in our hearts and in the institutions we are part of. I have found this part of my dharma practice to be both challenging and liberating. I now really want to better sense the grooves or biases of my mind conditioned by culture. And, at the same time, I want to become more sensitive to all the good that is moving in me and around me. It seems that we are all a mixture of wholesome and unwholesome tendencies. Ultimately, none of these tendencies that shape our thoughts and actions are personal. But, for our own well being and the well being of all, we must find ways to take responsibility for this mind’s conditioned habits. How else are we going to learn how to engage with wisdom and compassion if we can’t clearly see what we are setting in motion. The Buddha taught that it is this intimate ongoing discernment of the implications of our thoughts, words and deeds on our own heart and in the hearts of those around us that is the cause for deep liberating change in our lives. Let’s remember that Buddhist awareness practice is not about escaping difficulties, it is meant to be a direct way of uncovering and abandoning our habits of ignorance, greed and hate that are currently animating our actions and our world.

May we all undertake this difficult and deeply healing work of better understanding the nature of our hearts & minds.

Mark Nunberg
Co-Guiding Teacher

The Practice of Generosity

Programs with our Co-Guiding Teachers
Visiting our online calendar is the best way to find the correct times and Zoom links. 

Labor Day Retreat with Mark Nunberg and Shelly Graf, assisted by Gabe Keller Flores and Stacy McClendon
In-person at the city center, In-person at the retreat center and on Zoom
Saturday evening, August 26th – midday Monday, September 4th
More info and registration here

With Mark Nunberg

Weekly Practice Groups with Mark:
Sundays, 10:30 – 11:45am,  In-person, on Zoom, and live-streamed to YouTube

• Sunday, June 25th with Deborah Ratner Helzer

Sundays, 7:00 – 8:30pm, In-person only

Lovingkindness Practice Group
First Fridays, 7:00-8:30 PM, with Mark Nunberg and Stacy McClendon, on Zoom

Community Practice Check-ins
Sundays, 4:30-5:30 PM, on Zoom with Mark Nunberg and Wynn Fricke, on Zoom
Tuesdays, 12:00-1:00 PM, on Zoom with Stacy McClendon, on Zoom, joined by Mark Nunberg on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month.

Buddhist Studies with Mark Nunberg: The Five Spiritual Faculties
Eight Classes: Mondays, June 12th – July 31st, 7:30 – 9:00pm
In-person and on Zoom
More info and registration here

Daylong Retreats with Mark Nunberg
Saturday, June 24th | In-person and on Zoom
More info and registration here

Saturday, July 29th | In-person and on Zoom
More info and registration here

With Shelly Graf

Weekly Practice Group with Shelly
Wednesday evenings, 7:30-9:00 PM now in-person and on Zoom with Shelly Graf

• June 28th with Mark Nunberg

Community Practice Check-ins
Wednesdays, 8:30-9:30 AM, in-person with Shelly Graf, assisted by Robin Major
Fridays, 9:00-10:00 AM, on Zoom with Shelly Graf and every other Friday with Shelly and Jen Racho

Half-Day Retreat with Shelly Graf
Saturday, July 1st | 1:00 pm – 5:00 PM
In-person and on Zoom
Register here

Visiting Teacher Programs

Weekly Practice Group with Guest Teacher Deborah Ratner Helzer
Sunday, June 25, 10:30 – 11:45 AM
In-person and on Zoom
No registration needed

Maneuvering the Simple Complexity and Complex Simplicity of Dhamma Practice with Nils Heymann
Sunday, June 29, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
In-person only 
No registration needed

Ongoing and Upcoming Programs
As always, our online calendar is the best way to find the correct times and Zoom links. 

Open Meditation
Check our online calendar for times and details. There are many opportunities for silent meditation, 7 days a week, in-person and on Zoom.

Current Volunteer Needs 

Please contact our Office Manager, Robin Major, at robin@commongroundmeditation.org if you are interested in any of these volunteer opportunities:

• Office Volunteers: We are looking for one or more people with 1-2 years of experience at the center and with prior office experience to help us with office tasks and bulletin board maintenance. Experience with G-Suite and general comfort with computer technology would be helpful.
• Wishlists: If you would like to donate a specific item, check out the Retreat Center Wishlist and the City Center Wishlist.

Community News 

Upcoming Community Group Meetings
To view a complete list of our regular program offerings, visit our upcoming programs page on our website. As always, our online calendar is the best way to find the correct times and Zoom links. 

Love As Much As You Can, Without Attachment
What emotions come up
when you think about someone you love?
If there is only love, there is only happiness.
But love can get mixed up with attachment,
and that’s followed by fear.
So, love as much as you can,
but do not get attached.

 Thanks to The Daily Tejaniya for this quote