by Sharon Wright | Dec 14, 2024 | Classes
TOPIC for the January 2025 Intensive Study Groups Led by Peter Carlson:
I have often commented on the historically unprecedented changes that are occurring these days, all over the world. Regardless for our political views, cultural norms, or economic circumstances, we will be confronted with significant challenges in an ongoing way, for an unforeseeable period of time. For this reason, “Real Change–Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World,” by Sharon Salzburg, seems appropriate as the topic for our study group at the beginning of 2025.
Here is an excerpt from the introduction, on page 3:
We all struggle with what to change and what to let be, what we can affect and what we can’t, the effort it takes to foster change, and how it’s all too possible to burn out or shut down. I’ve learned that meditation can provide tools to help courage grow out of rage and resilience out of grief. I’ve learned that if your own life has been shattered by the actions of others, the perspective meditation offers can help you become whole. And even though it runs counter to what many of us have been taught, I’ve learned that deep acceptance is not inertness.
The Orlando Insight Meditation Group’s teacher, Peter Carlson, has been facilitating Intensive Study Groups for several years with the following format:
- Eight weekly meetings, 90 minutes each
- Seminar format-Peter has individual interview with each member followed by a brief question and answer as time permits
- The groups will begin when there are at least seven committed participants. Target start date is the weekend of January 11, 2025. If you are committed to participating, please respond promptly so we can begin on time and be completed by the start of the one-week Deerhaven Retreat. Peter will be on retreat from December 15-December 29, but please email him and he will respond asap when he returns.
- Participants commit to meditate for 45 minutes daily (or working toward it). There will be no meditation during the meetings in order to maximize the opportunities to talk about the topics.
- Meetings are held via Zoom
- Two groups-Saturday from 3pm-4:30pm and Sunday from 3pm-4:30pm (If number of participants warrants two groups. Please designate which day or days you can participate. Please understand the group you are assigned may be designated based on numbers between the groups. It is helpful if you can accept either day. If there are not enough participants, one day will be designated.)
- Voluntary donation of $160 to the Orlando Insight Meditation Group via check or PayPal; the funds are used to support scholarships and to keep costs low for annual one-week residential retreats.The teacher takes no fee. If this amount is not workable for your budget, a lesser amount is acceptable. Donations should be made using the donate button to the right. Checks can be made out to Orlando Insight Meditation Group and sent to Peter Carlson at 1818 Carrigan Avenue, Winter Park, FL, 32789.
This is not group therapy, but because it is intended to be about how one lives, not philosophy, it is requested that what is discussed in the meetings remain confidential.
For more information and/or to sign up, please email Peter. Please indicate your phone number so that Peter can contact you in case a meeting has to be cancelled. Also indicate your preferred day.
Please respond as soon as possible. It is understood that there may be times when your schedule requires you to miss a meeting, so don’t let that prevent you from committing. Once the start dates are finalized, an email will be provided describing the sequence of readings in the book recommended during the eight weeks.
by Sharon Wright | Dec 4, 2024 | Retreats
Riding the Waves of Change
Led by Peter Carlson
This retreat is suitable for beginning and more advanced meditators. The practice will progress from cultivating mental tranquility with mindfulness of breathing meditation to developing vipassana, the Buddhist term for ongoing awareness of the changing nature of mind states, with the goal of reducing distress and developing a more joyful engagement with life, no matter what the circumstances might be. The retreat will be held in noble silence.
The teacher has been actively practicing vipassana since 1982, and brings a rich mixture of Eastern and Western psychology to his teaching. Click here for more information about the teacher.
WHERE:
Deerhaven Retreat and Conference Center located at the southern end of the beautiful Ocala National Forest. All rooms are private with private bath.
Deerhaven website and directions
WHEN:
The retreat begins with dinner at 5pm on Saturday, March 15, 2025, and ends with lunch on Saturday, March 22, 2025.
FEE:
- All rooms are Private Rooms & Meals are Vegetarian. The breakeven cost that OIMG pays for the retreat is $1130. We are offering the choice of $1330, $1130, and $930. You may choose the payment according to your current financial means. Higher payments provide scholarship money for those who need it. OIMG and Deerhaven makes every effort to keep costs as low as possible and in comparison to similar retreats in other locations.
- $200 non-refundable deposit due upon registration, non-refundable after February 1, 2025.
- Some further partial scholarships may be available. Please email Sharon.
Email Sharon for more information.
REGISTRATION
Please complete the registration and payment below. You will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours. If you do not, please email Sharon.
by Sharon Wright | Nov 26, 2024 | Retreats
Joyful Living: Finding Our Home in Our Body
Overview: We would love to have you share in meditation teachings and the beauty of the Warren Willis Camp and Conference Center near Fruitland Park, Florida. Centered on a peninsula of Lake Griffin in Lake County, this setting is ideal for calming our mind, reducing our suffering, and gaining in love and wisdom. Participants can expect instruction and guided meditations, Q & A, and time for self discovery. Beginners are welcome.
Costs: $300 for a single occupancy room and food. Financial assistance is available. Options are available for your diet. Please consider donating to the teacher or to Lakeland Insight Meditation Group.
Andy Quin, from the Lakeland Insight Meditation Group, will lead this retreat. Andy has been practicing Vipassana Meditation since 1993. Andy was taught and is currently guided by the founder of Orlando Insight Meditation Group, Peter Carlson.
For more information and to register
Click here
by Sharon Wright | Jul 24, 2023 | Classes
In addition to our weekly Sangha, we invite you to join the monthly LifeArt Meditation Group, offered on the second Tuesday of every month from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.
In these sessions we explore the habits of the mind and the structures of living that allow us to live with more presence, more clarity about what matters, and more capacity for being of benefit.
Meeting format:
- A short talk on developing skillful means for maintaining a satisfying meditation practice. The emphasis here is on how to address all manner of hindrances that damage our motivation or hobble our mental capacities to remain concentrated and focused.
- A 20-minute guided meditation designed to help you put into play the ideas addressed in the talk.
- A Q&A session to gain clarity and insight about the practice.
When: Second Tuesday of the month from 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Location: Zoom Meeting ID 867 2496 7080; Passcode:622152
Click here to join the zoom meeting.
Teacher: Lezlie Laws. Click here to contact Lezlie.
by Sharon Wright | Nov 25, 2012 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Listen in as Bob Allen shares insightful and humorous thoughts on Gratitude on the eve of Thanksgiving
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (0.0KB)
