AYUR YOGA ECO ASHRAM IN MYSORE
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Welcome Noble Friends, our theme for the New Year is a playful Get Your Sit Together: Establish or renew your commitment to your practice. We want you to know RMI is here to support your practice, with regular sittings, classes and retreats. Strengthen your meditations and grow your Dharma wisdom with Rocky Mountain Insight.
Why Should I Meditate?
In Buddhism, meditation is taught as a tool to generate mindfulness. (See The Basics of Buddhism by clicking here to learn more about mindfulness in the scope of Buddhism) Through mindfulness, we start to become aware of our actions – how we speak with others, how we act with others, what we put effort into, and what we should avoid. Meditation is a practice that helps cultivate this awareness, this mindfulness. And it’s enjoyable!
In the recent decades, science has developed enough to finally have a basic grasp on the chemistry that occurs in the brain. They’ve found that meditation is overall a positive practice that benefits you psychologically, emotionally, and physically. There are many studies that show meditation eases pain and anxiety, contributes to longer attention spans, memory retention, and a longer life; it also contributes to less stress, a more compassionate lifestyle, and overall a happy life.
If you are new to meditation or to Rocky Mountain Insight, we offer a weekly orientation session every Wednesday from 5:15 to 6:00pm before our regular Wednesday program. Meet one of our compassionate Practice Leaders or Dharma Teachers who will give you basic meditation instructions for both walking and sitting practice, as well as help familiarize you with the environment and traditions of RMI. This is also an opportunity to ask any questions you may have about Buddhism or meditation. After orientation we invite you to stay for our weekly Sangha practice which includes meditation and a Dharma talk by one of our Dharma Teachers.
Sangha Night: Meditation, Dharma, and CommunityOur main weekly event, Sangha Night, is open to all. We begin our evening with a short walking meditation to settle the body and mind followed by 20 – 30 minutes of sitting practice. Then, our usual program follows with a Dharma talk on one of the many aspects of the Buddhist path by our Associate Spiritual Director Ben Mikolaj or one of our other highly qualified and experienced Dharma Teachers. We also celebrate special programs and events on Wednesday nights, for example: meditations on the 4 Divine Abidings every 1st Wednesday (see below), Refuge Vow ceremonies, recitation of the 5 Precepts on Wednesdays nearest the full-moon, and holiday celebrations such as Wesak. Please see our schedule for upcoming special events. We invite you to join us at Sangha Night for meditation, Dharma, and spiritual friendship.
Divine Abidings: Guided Loving-Kindness MeditationsThe Buddha taught that we should love all beings the way a mother loves her only child. In order to help his students cultivate this boundless love and compassion he taught methods for meditating on the Four Divine Abidings: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. On the first Wednesday of each month we devote our practice to cultivating these truly divine states of consciousness through guided meditations on the Four Divine Abidings. Join us with one of our other Dharma Teachers or Meditation Instructors as we aspire to hold all beings in the light of loving-kindness.
Sunday Morning Vipassana Meditation PracticeWe invite you to join us Sunday mornings to calm your mind and open your heart through Buddhist Vipassana meditation practice. Vipassana means “clear-seeing†or “insight†and was taught by the Buddha to help cut the root of suffering and lead practitioners towards full awakening. We begin Sunday mornings with a short walking meditation followed by a reading from one of our Dharma Teachers or Practice Leaders. We then sit for roughly 40 minutes in silent meditation. If this is your first time meditating, please arrive 10-15 minutes early for instruction or consider attending our weekly Sangha Orientation on Wednesday nights from 515 – 6pm.
