Weekly Email 8-31-23

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Dear Common Ground Friends,

One of the heartening aspects of mindful awareness practice is its endless forgiveness. Awareness can meet all that is here, with compassion and wisdom. What would it be like to be present with, and soften into, this experience right now? Each moment brings choice for the intention of renewal. And each moment is an opportunity to deepen our understanding of how suffering arises and how it ceases.

This September, Common Ground’s schedule is full with many opportunities to deepen practice in community, including three programs with visiting teacher and Common Ground leader Dr. Femi Akinnagbe. If you are interested in participating, please check out the programs below.
We also will soon be restarting our children’s, pre-teen, and teen groups. If you are a parent and would like to add your email to one of the youth listservs, or if you would like to volunteer as an assistant for a youth program, please email info@commongroundmeditation.org.

With metta,

Robin Major
Common Ground Office Manager

Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation with Mark Nunberg & Gabe Keller Flores
Six Tuesdays: September 5th – October 10th | In-person and on Zoom
Register here

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. 

Fall Retreat with Mark Nunberg & Shelly Graf, Assisted by Stacy McClendon
Thursday afternoon, October 12th – Sunday midday October 15th
Zoom spots open
More info and registration here

With Mark Nunberg

Weekly Practice Groups with Mark:
Sundays, 10:30 – 11:45 AM,  in-person, on Zoom, and live-streamed to YouTube
Sundays, 7:00 – 8:30 PM, in-person only

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

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

Half-Day and Daylong Retreats with Mark Nunberg

  • Half-Day: Saturday, Sep 9th | In-person and on Zoom | Register here
  • Half-Day: Saturday, Oct 7th  | In-person and on Zoom | Registration coming soon
Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation with Mark Nunberg & Gabe Keller Flores
Six Tuesdays: September 5th – October 10th | In-person and on Zoom
Register hereBuddhist Studies: Mindfulness of Breathing 
Eight Mondays: September 11th- October 30th | In-person and on Zoom
Register here

With Shelly Graf

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

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

Half-Day and Daylong Retreats with Shelly Graf

  • Daylong: Saturday, Oct 21 | In-person and on Zoom | Register here
Skillful Means: Using Buddhist and Western Psychology in the Service of Liberation from Suffering–A Workshop with Shelly Graf and Gabe Keller Flores
Saturday, September 16th | 9:30am – 4:00pm
In-person only
Register here

Upcoming Teacher-Led Programs

Mindfulness Centered Men’s Yoga with Robb Reed
Nine Wednesdays: Sep. 13th – Nov. 8th | 5:30 – 6:45pm
In-person only
Register here

Daylong Retreat for the BIPOC Community with Stacy McClendon & Jen Racho
Saturday, September 23rd | 9:30am – 4:00pm
In-person only
Register here

Talk & Discussion for the BIPOC Community with Dr. Femi Akinnagbe (topic TBD)
Friday, September 29th | 6:30am – 8:30pm
No registration needed

Mindful Yoga Workshop with Dr. Femi Akinnagbe
Saturday, September 30th | 9:30 – 11:00am
In-person only
Register here

Workshop with Dr. Femi Akinnagbe (topic TBD)
Saturday, September 23rd | 1:30am – 4:30pm
In-person and on Zoom
Register here

Our Common Values: a Listening Session with Patrice Koelsch
Sunday, September 24th | 1:00-2:30pm
In-person only
No registration needed

Self Compassion Practices for Trying Times with Jean Haley and Jane Rauenhorst
Six Thursdays: November 2nd – December 14th | 6:30 – 8:00pm
In-person only
Register here

Ongoing Teacher-Led 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.

Monthly Practice Groups
  • First Thursdays, 7:00-8:30 PM, Developing the Art of Spiritual Inquiry with Ramesh Sairam. On Zoom only.
Community Practice Check-Ins
  • Every other Saturday, 10:30 am-12:00 PM, on Zoom with Ramesh Sairam
  • 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.
Yoga & Qigong
We offer Yoga and Qigong several times weekly, both in person and online.
Mindfulness, Recovery, and the Twelve Steps
Meets every Friday, 7:00-8:30 PM.
In-person and on Zoom
MBSR, Mindfulness-Based Practice with Nancy Boros
Mondays, 12:00 – 1:00 PM
On Zoom only
  • Canceled 9/4
Mindfulness Self-Compassion with Jane Rauenhorst & Jean Haley
Friday, September 15th, 7:00-8:30 PM
On Zoom only
Youth Programs
The Children’s Program and Teen Group are on pause for the summer

 

Programs at Our Retreat Center
Common Ground Retreat Center is located in Wisconsin, about an hour-and-fifteen-minute drive from Minneapolis.

CLICK HERE for more info and registration for retreat center programs. We have many upcoming practice periods and retreats. 

Volunteer Needs

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

  • Graphic design: We are looking for one or two graphic designers to support the buildout for a new website. Experience with mobile friendly graphic design preferred.
  • Bell ringing: For a community member who is interested in training to be a practice leader at one of the morning in-person silent sits.
  • Grounds teams at the city center:  Please let us know if you are interested in joining the garden crew, lawnmowing, or snowblowing team.
Wishlists: If you would like to donate a specific item, check out the Retreat Center Wishlist and the City Center Wishlist.

Community News 

Couples Group Opening
A Mindful Couples Groups is open for new members. They will meet monthly on the first Saturday, beginning October 7th. Click here for more info.

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. 

  • Black, Indigenous, People of Color Community Group, First and Third Thursdays, 6:30-8:00 PM
  • Mindfulness & Depression, Sunday, September 3rd, 4:00-5:30 PM
  • Zoom: Buddhism and Other Religions Book Group, Saturday, September 9th, 9:00 – 10:30 AM
  • Learning to Approach Social and Political Conflict with Skill and Kindness, Sunday, September 17th, 1:30-3:00 PM
  • Be Queer Now Sangha is returning for monthly meetings, beginning Wed Oct 4th
  • To see the complete list of community groups, click here.

A Surefire Check for True Relaxation 
If you are aware of your facial sensations
you will be able to know
whether you are relaxed or not.
When you are focusing too much
it will show on your face.
When a person is really relaxed,
The face is very clear, soft and calm.

 Thanks to The Daily Tejaniya for this quote

 
Images from the Labor Day Retreat at Common Ground Retreat Center.
Left: Robb Reed and Pietro Ferrero smiling in the kitchen;
Right: a line of retreatants out for a walk in the woods

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