Mini-Retreat, Sunday, April 6, 9am - 1 pm, in-person offering of the Art and Soul of Insight Dialogue, Peace House, Cambridge, MA 

Equanimity - Brahma Vihara 

All are welcome, some meditation experience is helpful

Marsha Lawson, Yenkuei Chuang, and Annie Hoffman 

(Registration details at end) 

"One should speak only that word by which one would not torment oneself nor harm others. ‘It is spoken at the right time. It is spoken in truth. It is spoken affectionately. It is spoken beneficially. It is spoken with a mind of good-will.’  That word is indeed well spoken.” Thag 21, AN 5.198 

This year, the Northeast Insight Dialogue Sangha has been offering mini retreats on the Brahmaviharas or the four abiding qualities of the heart: metta - friendliness, karuna - compassion, mudita - joy, and upekkhā - equanimity. 

For this Sunday, we will practice to understand equanimity by using the Insight Dialogue guidelines of Pause, Relax and Open. We will explore the ways in which equanimity and non-equanimity are sensed and felt. 

Equanimity is a balanced, open heart that meets life’s challenges and changes with steadiness and ease. The Buddha uses two words to describe this heart quality: upekkhā (“to look over”) and tatramajihattata (“to stand in the middle of all this”). Instead of getting ensnared by the winds of losses and gains, we learn to stand firmly in their midst without pushing them away or grasping after them. We rest back to see what’s happening with curiosity, trust, and friendliness. Peace arises with the release of unnecessary mental strivings and fabrications that may arise to control what’s happening. 

The framework of this investigation is the practice of Insight Dialogue, a relational practice developed by Gregory Kramer and the Insight Dialogue Community. We will practice together to explore the teachings based in the Pali Canon, the collection of suttas in the Theravada Buddhist tradition.

Please use the following link for more information about Insight Dialogue:  https://insightdialogue.org/relational-practices/insight-dialogue/. 

Registration: Please email Marsha Lawson at mjlawson118@gmail.com for registration - stating that you wish to attend. The program is limited to twenty people. We encourage you to register early to help us with planning. 

When: Sunday April 6, 2024. 9 am to 1pm. Doors open for check-in at 8:30am. 

Where: Peace House, 362 Broadway, Cambridge 02139. A note from the Director of Peace House: "Peace House has a two-fold mission. We provide a sacred place that is first and foremost a monastic residence: a supportive place for monks to further their spiritual development. Second, through various offerings, we invite visitors to engage in spiritual discovery, meaningful community, and practice. We aim to create conditions where individual and collective peace, connection, and discovery can flourish." 

Cost/Dana: There is a suggested donation of $20, more or less, to go towards the maintenance of Peace House. Please bring cash, check, or donate directly to Peace House at their payment/donation page: https://www.cambridgepeacehouse.org/donations. 

Yenkuei Chuang and Marsha Lawson will offer the teachings, and Annie Hoffman movement practice, on a dana basis. Dana is the system of generosity in giving and receiving that the Buddha initiated some 2500 years ago where teachers freely offered the teachings, and students gave what they could to support the teachers and the continuation of the teachings. To learn more about the practice of dana, please see https://insightdialogue.org/giving/.  You can give a financial donation to Yenkuei by donation to 

paypal.me/yenkuei or venmo yenkuei-chuang and/or Marsha at venmo @marshajeanne or paypal paypal.me/marshalawson1935. 

Parking: Sunday parking on the streets is free. 

Questions: Please email Marsha Lawson at mjlawson118@gmail.com or call her at 207-233-8714. 

Health safety: Please do not come to this program if you have any symptoms of illness of any kind. Thank you for your consideration for the health of our group. Masks are optional. 

Peace House Community Programs

We make our first floor available to organizations engaged in work or practice consistent with our mission on a limited basis. If you are interested in exploring the use of our space for a retreat or other occasional gathering, please reach out to us at cambridgepeacehouse@gmail.com