1. religion and spirituality
2. buddhism

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SITTINGS
Sittings are appropriate for all levels. There is no set fee, but an
opportunity to contribute to the center and practice leaders.
Guiding Teacher: Rebecca Bradshaw
Administrative Director: Joyce Genet
Mondays, 5:30 – 6:15 pm, discussion until 6:45 pm
Wednesdays, 7:15 – 8:00 pm, discussion until 8:30 pm
Fridays, 5:45 – 6:30 pm, unguided, for experienced students
Sit with other sangha members in a relaxed atmosphere. A 45-minute
silent meditation period is followed by an optional facilitated discussion
time to share about practice issues. Once a month, the dharma discussion
is replaced by the newcomer orientation. See “Orientations” below.
is a non-residential community center. We are dedicated to
offering the Buddha’s teachings of liberation to all who are
interested, and to cultivating compassion and wisdom in our
daily lives.
Monthly on Saturday mornings, 8:30 am - noon
Feb 14, Mar 28, Apr 11, May 30, June 27, August 1
Insight PV welcomes all people regardless of cultural or
religious background, race, socioeconomic class, sexual
orientation, gender identity, age, education, or disability.
Insight PV continues its policy of welcoming all, no
matter their financial situation.
Registration Pre-registration is required for all courses
and retreats unless otherwise indicated. Pre-registration
will be evaluated one week prior to the start date of the
course or retreat. If there are too few pre-registrants, the
offering may be cancelled at the discretion of the
teacher. Cancellations will be posted on the website by
3 days before the event. We will notify pre-registrants via
email and refund donations for any offerings that are
cancelled. The suggested contributions for courses and
retreats help pay the rent, phone, and administrative
expenses, however no one will be excluded for inability
to pay. If the suggested contribution is beyond your
means, please pre-register anyway or send an email
expressing your interest to [email protected].
For more information and to register, go to
www.insightpv.org.
Teacher Donation (Dana): Teachers and community
dharma leaders at our center are not paid for leading
courses and retreats; we encourage you to make a
contribution to the teacher equal to or greater than the
suggested contribution fee to the Center. In this way,
you support the teacher’s livelihood and the Buddhist
tradition of offering the teachings freely.
For more information and details on our offerings
and teachers, please visit our website at:
www.insightpv.org
Led by practice leaders, drop-in sittings provide more intensive practice
without committing to a whole day. Sittings may include meditation
instructions and a taped talk. No set fee; opportunity for Dana.
Wednesdays: Jan 7, Mar 4, May 6, July 1 – 8:00 pm
Mondays: Feb 2, Apr 6, June 1, Aug 3 – 6:15 pm
Newcomer orientations will give you an overview of Insight PV history,
mission, and guiding principles, as well as the basics of insight meditation
and sitting posture. The orientation takes place after the open sitting. GROUPS
No set fee unless otherwise
noted, but always an opportunity to contribute to the center.
Rebecca Bradshaw
Third Thursdays (unless otherwise noted), 7:15 – 9:00 pm
Suggested contribution: $5-10 registration + teacher donation
Join IPV’s Guiding Teacher for meditation and inquiry:
Freeing Ourselves from Self Judgment
Trauma and Meditation (Part 2)
Mindful Awareness of Thoughts and Thinking
Meeting Loss and Grief with Kind Awareness
Courses ò Sittings ò Retreats
Study Groups ò Evening Talks
Eastworks Building
116 Pleasant Street, Suite 242
Easthampton, MA 01027
(413) 527-0388
www.insightpv.org
[email protected]
Sundays 6:00 – 7:15 pm
If you are a parent, guardian, or grandparent, join us for a meditation
followed by a peer-facilitated discussion about parenting and your
practice. For more information contact Sarah Bankert at
[email protected].
Fridays 7:00 – 8:00 pm, beginning January 9
We are pleased and proud to offer new ongoing weekly meetings open
to anyone interested in Recovery and Buddhism. Refuge Recovery is a
community of people who are using the practices of Mindfulness,
Compassion, Forgiveness and Generosity to heal the pain and suffering
that addiction has caused in their lives and the lives of loved ones.
Appropriate for anyone in, or interested in, recovery. Prior experience
with meditation is not required. (No group on March 20.)
2nd & 4th Sundays, 4:30 – 5:45 pm
Jan 11 & 25, Feb 8 & 22, Mar 8 & 22, Apr 12 & 26,
May 10 & 24, June 14 & 28, July 12 & 26
InsightPV offers a special sitting for people of color. The meditation and
discussion is peer-led. Please join us if you identify as a person of color,
and please spread the word to your POC friends and acquaintances to
help build and diversify our community. For more information, please
contact Trellis Stepter at [email protected].
Second Thursdays, 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Jan 8, Feb 12, Mar 12, Apr 9, May 14, June 11, July 9
We are happy to offer a monthly evening sitting for young adults in their
late teens through mid-30s. Each meeting will include a guided sit led by
an InsightPV teacher or practice leader followed by a group discussion
led by fellow young adults. No experience necessary. A great
opportunity to meet and practice with other young people. For
schedule or questions, contact Mandy at [email protected].
RETREATS
unless otherwise noted. and all retreats held at InsightPV
Jean Esther & Rebecca Bradshaw
March 6 – 8
Fri 7-9pm, Sat 9am-8pm, Sun 9am-2pm
Pioneer Valley Co-Housing Community
Suggested contribution: $60 – $110 reg + teacher donation
Come join the Insight PV Community in our annual non-residential
retreat together. In the silence of winter, we will dedicate ourselves to
developing mindfulness, wisdom, and loving kindness in our hearts and
minds. This retreat will provide a chance to share time with sangha and
support each other on the path. We will engage in sitting and walking
meditation, dharma talks, discussion periods, and small group meetings
with a teacher.
Rebecca Bradshaw
Wednesday, January 1, 2014 2:00 – 6:00 pm
Suggested contribution: $15 –$25 registration + teacher donation
We’ll dedicate the afternoon of New Year’s Day to nurturing our wise
and heartfelt intentions for the coming year. We’ll sit and walk together
(instruction provided) and have time to share our wishes for this world
for the coming year. We’ll end with a potluck dinner together; please
bring a dish to share. Family and friends are welcome.
Mark Hart
January 10, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Suggested contribution: $25-40 registration + teacher donation
The thoughts can be tricky, but the body holds the truth of our state of
mind and provides the grounding that holds our attention in the present
experience as it actually is. This one day retreat will include some gentle
yoga (no experience necessary) and movement in addition to sitting and
walking meditation. Please dress appropriately.
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Adi Bemak
Saturday, January 24, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm (snow date Jan 25)
Suggested contribution: $25-40 registration + teacher donation
Kim Weeber
Saturday, May 9, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Suggested contribution: $15-25 registration + teacher donation
Join our
to share stories of our lives and life itself
unfolding. With the Buddha’s teachings on separation and loss as our
guide, how can we face the unknowns, the fears, the worries, and live
with peace of mind? This day-long retreat for those over 55 will offer
periods of sitting, walking, and talking together in ways that renew,
restore, and inspire our will to live in the face of it all.
We will practice meditations that cultivate our natural capacity for an
open and loving heart. These practices lead to the development of
concentration, happiness, compassion, and a greater ability to accept
ourselves and others. This retreat is suitable for both beginners and
experienced meditators.
Manny Mansbach
Saturday February 7, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Suggested contribution: $25-40 registration + teacher donation
The Buddha highlighted three gateways to freedom (the “Triple Gem”
of Buddha, Dharma & Sangha) upon which we can rest our practice
and lives. These three jewels can also be seen as awareness, truth and
love. We will practice recognizing the difference between true and false
refuge and orient toward taking refuge in that which is truly nourishing
and ennobling.
Jessica Morey
Saturday, March 21, 1:00 – 5:00 pm
Suggested contribution: $15-25 registration + teacher donation
During this introductory mindfulness half-day retreat young adults will
use guided mindfulness meditation, discussion, and fun activities to
learn the basics of how to settle a busy mind, skillfully handle
challenging emotions and thoughts, authentic communication, and
how to cultivate kindness and compassion.
Rebecca Bradshaw
Saturday, April 4, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Suggested contribution: $15-25 registration + teacher donation
In this workshop we will explore different kinds of hunger and what
really nourishes us. We will also get deeply curious about the nature of
craving and how it is transformed by mindfulness. All are welcome.
Candace Cassin
Saturday, April 18, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Suggested contribution: $15-25 registration + teacher donation
The Saturday before Earth Day, we will gather at IPV for an hour of
practice for the earth, and then go out together to put our hands to a
project of caring for the earth. (The exact project is to be determined,
but will be available at www.insightpv.org/retreats by early spring.)
Lila Wheeler
Sunday, May 3, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Suggested contribution: $25-40 registration + teacher donation
This day-long retreat will focus on simplicity in practice, encouraging a
relationship with whatever arises that is kinder and freer. Grounding
attention in the full body, noticing its posture through stillness and
movement, and a gentle focus on breathing can allow ease, gratitude,
and wonder to arise supporting greater clarity and self-awareness.
away, as we learn to ride the waves with more equilibrium and balance.
Includes meditation, discussions, and work at home.
Kim Weeber
Sundays, February 22 – March 29, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Suggested contribution: $48-72 registration + teacher donation
This six-week class will present an overview of the Buddha’s teachings on
meditation and mindfulness in daily life. Suitable for beginners and those
who wish to “begin again.”
different from how they have come to be defined in contemporary
western culture. In this class, we will explore a Buddhist understanding
of faith, hope, and charity, as well as practices to support their
deepening in our life "on the cushion" and in the world.
SPECIAL EVENTS
No pre-registration required. Opportunity for Dana. Special
events held at InsightPV unless otherwise noted.
Winnie Nazarko
Saturday, June 6, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Suggested contribution: $25-40 registration + teacher donation
Rebecca Bradshaw
Mondays, March 2 – April 13 (skip Mar 23), 7:15 – 9:00 pm
Suggested contribution: $48-72 registration + teacher donation
Friday, March 20, 2015, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Facilitated by Jean Esther and Trellis Stepter
Suggested contribution: $5-20
This daylong program is intended to introduce/reintroduce participants
to a natural way to practice mindfulness meditation. An emphasis is on
letting go of ideas of perfection/doing it right, and instead approaching
meditation as a learning experience. The program is suitable for
beginners as well as experienced meditators. The day will include
guided meditations, instructions for seated and walking meditations,
and dharma comments.
An open heart manifests in four flavors: friendliness (metta), compassion,
appreciative joy, and equanimity. This class will provide meditation
instructions to cultivate these four qualities and take-home exercises, talks
and discussions that will broaden and deepen our understanding. This is a
core curriculum class.
Join us at IPV for an evening of compassionate inquiry and exploration
as we view this new film in which acclaimed anti-racism educator Tim
Wise explores the history of racism and white privilege in the US
through interviews and historical footage. Hosted by IPV’s Multicultural Affairs Committee, there will be a post-film discussion led by
dharma teacher Jean Esther and people of color sitting group facilitator
Trellis Stepter who will help participants reflect on the film from a
Buddhist perspective, holding a space where we can dialogue about
issues of race and privilege from an open-hearted place of compassion,
self-inquiry, listening, and friendship. All are welcome to this evening of
engagement and connection!
Joanna Harper
Sunday, June 21, 1:00 – 5:00 pm
Suggested contribution: $15-25 registration + teacher donation
Please join us for a very special day of meditation and community
building. The aim of this time together is to support and address issues
that people of color may struggle with in the American Buddhist
traditions, to cultivate connections independent of external conditions,
and find true freedom in a way that does not ignore difficult social
realities. All who self-identify as a person of color, Buddhist or not, are
welcome at all levels of meditation experience.
Alexis Santos with Susa Talan
Saturday, July 11, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Suggested contribution: $25-40 registration + teacher donation
Awareness is crucial to our practice. It is through awareness that we can
observe our experience and gain liberating insights, yet practice is often
a stop and go affair. Can we practice in a way that is continuous and
sustainable? How much effort does awareness take? In this workshop
we’ll be exploring the possibility of growing the practice with effort
that is effortless. An optional gentle yoga session will be offered as part
of this workshop.
COURSES
and all courses held at
InsightPV from 7:15-9:00 unless otherwise noted.
Peggy Gillespie
Mondays, January 5-26, 7:15 – 9:00 pm
Suggested contribution: $32-48 registration + teacher donation
From the time we are babies, we are constantly moving through our
changing emotional climate. We will explore how the Buddhist
practice and teachings can help us experience our emotional states
without identifying so fully with them, and yet without pushing them
Candace Cassin
Tuesdays, April 7 – May 12 7:00 – 8:45 pm
Suggested contribution: $48-72 registration + teacher donation
This six week class offers an introduction to the Buddha's teachings on
meditation. We will explore both mindfulness and loving kindness
meditation along with other basic teachings. This class is especially
designed for those who are new to practice or perhaps have been
meditating for a while and would like a more focused introduction to, or
renewal of, meditation and its foundations.
Manny Mansbach
Mondays, April 20 – May 18, 7:15 – 9:00 pm
Suggested contribution: $40-60 registration + teacher donation
The Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path begins and ends with Wise View.
Wise View is the understanding that leads us to deeply investigate the way
things are, and commits us to an approach to life that leads to
understanding the causes of and the end of suffering. It is the foundation
of the whole path of meditation and dharma practice, and ultimately
leads to an integrated understanding of the liberating teachings of the
Buddha and the successful development of meditation and wisdom.
Rebecca Bradshaw
Thursdays, May 7-21 & June 11-18, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Wednesday, April 8, 7:15 – 9:00 pm
Come enjoy an evening with Ajahn Jayanto. Born and raised in
Boston, he joined the monastic community at Amaravati Buddhist
Monastery in England in 1989. He trained in monasteries in the UK,
Thailand, & other Asian countries for over 20 years before helping
establish a new monastery in the Thai Forest lineage located in
Temple, New Hampshire (forestmonastery.org).
Sunday, May 3, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Karuna Center for Yoga and Healing Arts, Northampton
Come join us for a memorable evening with Ayya Santacitta. With a
background as diverse as hotel management, cultural anthropology
and avant-garde dance theatre, she has practiced meditation for over
25 years and trained as a nun in both the East and West since 1993.
Ayya Santacitta is co-founder of Aloka Vihara, a training monastery for
women in California, where she has resided since 2009 and received
full bhikkhuni ordination in 2011.
(no class May 28 and June 4)
Suggested contribtution: $40-60 registration + teacher donation
In this Silver Sangha offering, we will explore greater connection with life
and the truth of death. There will be time for meditation, Buddhist
teachings, community discussion and take home practice suggestions.
Designed for those 55 and older.
Candace Cassin
Tuesdays, June 9-30, 7:00 – 8:45 pm
Suggested contribution: $32-48 registration + teacher donation
In some traditions, faith, hope, and charity are counted as cornerstone
spiritual virtues. The Buddha's perspective on these qualities is somewhat
Sunday, June 21, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Karuna Center for Yoga and Healing Arts, Northampton
Suggested contribution: $5-20
JoAnna Harper has been exploring and practicing multiple traditions
since 1999. In 2005, her focus landed on Buddhism and Vipassana
meditation, which is the premise for most of her current teaching. She
leads adult and teen week-long silent retreats, day-long retreats and
weekly classes, and works with youth in institutional and school
settings. She is trained in council facilitation with the Ojai Foundation, is
a graduate of Against the Stream teacher training, and is currently
enrolled in the Spirit Rock/IMS/IMC four-year teacher training.