Intensive Study Groups Starting Soon

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. 

LifeArt Meditation with Lezlie Laws

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:

  1. 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.
  2. A 20-minute guided meditation designed to help you put into play the ideas addressed in the talk.
  3. 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.

Wednesday Night Meetings

Sangha meetings are held every Wednesday evening from 7pm to 9pm and can be attended in person or via zoom. 

The in person meetings are held at Peter Carlson’s home at 1818 Carrigan Ave., Winter Park, FL 32789. For those who haven’t been to the site, the house is the only one on the block with a sheet metal roof.  Park on the street or in the driveway—please be considerate of the neighbor’s property.  Walk to the left of the garage and through the gate in the chain link fence; the cottage in the back yard is where we meet.

We will meditate in silence from 7 to 7:45, then, after a break, the Dharma talk will begin.

There will be a small box near the front door for dana, the practice of donating to the teacher out of gratitude for the teaching.  The contribution is not required, and the money will be used to maintain the building and pay for the Zoom subscription.  There is a lending library of Dharma related books in the cottage that operates on a trust basis.

To attend meetings via zoom, use the information below:

Click here to join Zoom Meeting.

Meeting ID: 847 1472 3882
Passcode: 620329

Click here to add the zoom meeting information to your calendar: