Napa Valley Insight Meditation

Meditation and Discussion: Barbara Dondero
2017-12-26 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Napa Valley Unitarian Universalists, 1625 Salvador Ave, Napa, CA, 94559
Come to our after the holidays meditation unwinding hosted by our own Barbara Dondero.
NVIM meets at Napa Valley Unitarian Universalists (1625 Salvador Ave, Napa CA). All levels of experience are welcomed.
Each meeting will generally follow the following structure:
– 7:00 pm Meditation sitting begins
– Sitting meditation: 30 minutes
– Short break for tea and greetings: 15 minutes
– Dharma talk and discussion: 45 minutes
– 8:30 pm Meeting ends

Meditation and Discussion: Mike Coughlin
2018-01-02 11:00 - 12:30, 2018-02-20 11:00 - 12:30, 2018-03-13 12:00 - 13:30, 2018-04-17 12:00 - 13:30, 2018-05-08 12:00 - 13:30, 2018-06-12 12:00 - 13:30, 2018-07-03 12:00 - 13:30
Mike Coughlin will facilitate this evening’s meditation and discussion. Mike has been practicing mindfulness in the vipassana tradition for over a decade. He has received training in Buddhism and mindfulness through Spirit Rock Meditation Center and Mindful Schools and is currently enrolled in UCLA’s Certification in Mindfulness Facilitation program.

Our evening sittings generally begin with a 30 minute meditation, followed by a short break for tea and greetings. The Facilitator will then give a short talk on relevant themes and lead a group discussion. All levels of experience are welcome.

Special Guest: Carley Hauck
2018-01-09 11:00 - 12:30
On Tuesday Jan 9th, Napa Valley Insight Meditation will host a talk by mindfulness speaker, writer, coach and consultant Carley Hauck.
Carley is the founder and Chief Wisdom Seeker of Living Well Awake. Carley works as an executive coach, well being consultant, teacher, and author.
Carley has designed and delivered comprehensive evidence based trainings and programs in the areas of mindfulness, resilience, and conscious leadership for worksite organizations such as LinkedIn, Pixar, and Bank of the West.
Carley has had a meditation practice for the last twenty years. The foundation of all her work, writing, and programs begins with mindfulness as the catalyst for change.
Since 2012 Carley has been teaching at Stanford University. She also works as an instructor at Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, and Spirit Rock Meditation Center.
Carley was voted as one of the best life coaches in San Francisco in 2016 by Expertise.
Additionally, Carley is a regular contributing author at Mindful magazine and Conscious Company. Carley is writing her first book on conscious leadership. Sign up for a FREE Mindful Living workbook at www.mindfullivingbook.com and receive bi-weekly inspirational goodies in your inbox from Carley. You can also read more about Carley and her offerings at www.livingwellawake.com

Meditation and Discussion: Forrest Hill
2018-01-16 11:00 - 12:30, 2018-02-27 11:00 - 12:30, 2018-04-03 12:00 - 13:30, 2018-05-01 12:00 - 13:30
Forrest Hill will facilitate this evening’s meditation and discussion. Forrest has been practicing Insight Meditation since 2004 and is a founding member of Napa Valley Insight Meditation. He is a graduate of the Community Dharma Leaders Program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and has been teaching classes on mindfulness meditation and Buddhist philosophy since 2011.

Our evening sittings generally begin with a 30 minute meditation, followed by a short break for tea and greetings. The Facilitator will then give a short talk on relevant themes and lead a group discussion. All levels of experience are welcome.

Meditation and Discussion: Lori Stelling
2018-01-23 11:00 - 12:30, 2018-03-06 11:00 - 12:30, 2018-03-27 12:00 - 13:30, 2018-05-22 12:00 - 13:30
Lori Stelling will facilitate this evening’s meditation and discussion. Lori has practiced Insight Meditation since 2002. She has completed Insight Meditation Center’s 9-Month Eightfold Path Program and is currently engaged in year-long Buddhist studies through Dharmagiri and Dr. Rick Hanson’s Foundations of Well-Being Program.

Our evening sittings generally begin with a 30 minute meditation, followed by a short break for tea and greetings. The Facilitator will then give a short talk on relevant themes and lead a group discussion. All levels of experience are welcome.

Special Guest: Erin Selover
2018-01-30 11:00 - 12:30
On Tuesday Jan 30th, Napa Valley Insight Meditation will host a talk by mindfulness teacher speaker, somatic healer and psychotherapist Erin Selover.
Erin’s practice is informed by over 15 years of personal inquiry, meditation and yoga, as well as thousands of hours of training in the field of mental health. Her clinical training includes a post-graduate internship in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) at Clearwater Counseling and Assessment Services in Oakland, Neurobioloigcally-Informed Stabilization Treatment with Janina Fisher, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction with Bob Stahl and clinical work at Family Paths in Oakland and Project SAGE in San Francisco. In addition to clinical training Erin has also trained in somatic approaches to healing. She is a Biodynamic Cranial Touch Practitioner, under the guidance and mentorship of Giorgia Milne. She also trained in Somatic Experiencing with Steve Hoskinson. In addition to a being a psychotherapist, Erin is also a Rites of Passage Guide and Buddhist Meditation Teacher. She is a graduated from the Spirt Rock and Insight Meditation Society Teacher Training Program. She teaches meditation at Spirit Rock, Inward Bound Mindfulness Education and in the East Bay at Ashtanga Yoga Berkeley.

Special Guest: Rik Center
2018-02-06 11:00 - 12:30
On Tuesday February 6th, at 7:00 the Napa Valley Insight Meditation will host a talk by mindful meditation instructor Rik Center. He will lead a mindfulness meditation session and give a Dharma talk on aspects of the Buddha’s teachings.
Rik is the co-founder of the Mindfulness Care Center in San Francisco, where he serves as a Somatic Stress and Trauma Counselor/Practitioner, Mindfulness Meditation Teacher and Buddhist/Interfaith Chaplain. He has trained in the Martial Art of Kyudo “The Way of The Bow” for over 19 years. Rik has been meditating since the late 1980’s and is a member of the Spirit Rock Community Sangha.

Special Guest: Pam Walton
2018-02-13 11:00 - 12:30
On Tuesday February 13th, Napa Valley Insight Meditation will host a talk by mindfulness teacher and Marriage & Family Therapist Pam Walton.
Pam has a master’s degrees in both Physiology and Clinical Psychology. In addition to standard psychotherapeutic techniques, she uses mindfulness and neuroscience research to help people understand how the brain/mind works and how to achieve a greater sense of well-being and mastery in life.
Pam is a certified mindfulness teacher and has been practicing mindfulness for over 30 years. She has been a clinical supervisor for mental health interns for over 8 years and runs a school-based mental health training program that integrates mindfulness and psychotherapy.

Special Guest: Kevin Griffin
2018-03-20 12:00 - 13:30
On Tuesday March 20th, Napa Valley Insight Meditation will host a talk by Kevin Griffin, author Buddhist teacher and innovator in the field of addiction treatment.
Kevin is a longtime Buddhist practitioner who trained as a Community Dharma Leader at Spirit Rock. He is the author of One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps and the forthcoming God, Buddha, and the Path of Recovery. A co-founder of the Buddhist Recovery Network, he teaches regularly at Spirit Rock, as well as at treatment centers, Buddhist centers, professional conferences, and colleges across the U.S. Kevin has been a member of the Spirit Rock Family Program for ten years.

Special Guest: Fresh! White
2018-04-10 12:00 - 13:30
On Tuesday April 10th, Napa Valley Insight Meditation will host a talk by meditation and dharma teacher Fresh! White.
Fresh! White from Oakland. He is a Certified Life and Mindfulness Coach, writer, speaker, and facilitator, as well as a Meditation and Dharma leader. He is a coach for several organizations including; LeaderSpring’s Executive Capacity Building Program; theBrown Boi Project, a gender justice project focused on masculine identified individuals; and CompassPoint. Fresh! is a contributing author to, Trans Bodies Trans Selves, a health, legal and cultural resource guide for service providers and members of the trans community.

Daylong Retreat: The End of Craving with Cheryl Slean
2018-04-21 03:00 - 09:00
The End of Craving:
A Practical Workshop-Retreat
April 21 2018, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
The Buddha taught that freedom from suffering can be realized simply by letting go of craving. Sounds good, but simple doesn’t necessarily mean easy! In practice we find that “letting go of craving” is a multifaceted learning process that involves recognizing craving in its many forms (what’s the difference between craving and wholesome desire?), viewing it correctly (not as a failing but as a natural human process), and learning to work with it skillfully. Ultimately, it’s compassion that lets go of craving: the wisdom of learning to see, and to meet, the authentic human needs at the core of craving’s pull.
This daylong meditation workshop will offer reflections, meditation skills and some group process presenting a clear practice path to understand and release craving. This work goes beyond personal development to improve our relationships and transform how we live in the world. Anyone who’s had an introduction to mindfulness meditation is welcome to join us for this day of skill-building and insight. Please bring writing materials and a bag lunch.
What to bring: Please bring a lunch, beverage and appropriate clothing for outside walking meditation
Suggested Donation: $25 – $75
No one turned away for lack of funds
All levels of experience welcomed!
For More Information Contact
Barbara Dondero at barbdondero@gmail.com
Cheryl Slean has been practicing Buddhist meditation intensively since 1995, including hundreds of days of silent retreat. She was authorized to teach in 2007 and currently serves on the Teachers’ Councils at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Center and Insight Community of the Desert. She teaches classes and residential retreats at spiritual, secular, health and business venues worldwide including Seattle Insight, Mindful Schools, Foundations Recovery Network, Vallecitos Mountain Retreat Center, Santa Monica Hospital, Google LAX, New Life Foundation (Thailand) and many others. Cheryl is also a writer, filmmaker and educator working in the arts and sustainability, and is co-executive producer of VisionLA Climate Action Arts.

Blessings For the Earth: Standing Together on Sacred Ground: Lori Stelling + Kit Long
2018-04-24 12:00 - 13:30
You are warmly welcomed to gather together this Tuesday, April 24th, from 7:00pm – 8:30pm, for an evening of practice focused upon our relationship with the Earth. This special night will include gently guided sitting meditation, optional walking meditation (over the tea break), inquiry into our individual and collective sense of connection and/or disconnection with this living planet, and metta practice for the Earth.
As we experience the impact of global warming, pollution, water shortages, droughts, floods, wildfires, and other extreme conditions, how do we refrain from going numb? How do we stand together, on this sacred ground we call “Earth”, with access to a clear mind and an open heart? What inspires the inner determination to include the Earth in our practice of non-harming? In what ways can we connect as spiritual friends to support one another in facing the challenges of our times and in caring for the natural world that is our home?

Special Guest: Syra Smith
2018-05-15 12:00 - 13:30
On Tuesday May 15th, at 7:00 Napa Valley Insight Meditation will host a presentation by Syra Smith.
Syra is Founder and Curator for Oakland’s Dana Cafe, a monthly gathering offering transformational teachings at no cost to participants. She co-leads and organizes East Bay Meditation Center’s weekly Teen Sangha and is a mindfulness and meditation instructor with the Mind Body Awareness Project. Syra graduated East Bay Meditation Center’s yearlong Commit to Dharma program in 2011 and is a current participant in Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s 2 year Community Dharma Leaders training program.
Our evening sittings generally begin with a 30 minute meditation, followed by a short break for tea and greetings. The Facilitator will then give a short talk on relevant themes and lead a group discussion. All levels of experience are welcome.
NVIM meets at Napa Valley Unitarian Universalists (1625 Salvador Ave, Napa CA). All levels of experience are welcomed.

Meditation and Discussion: Forrest Hill
2018-05-29 12:00 - 13:30, 2018-06-26 12:00 - 13:30
Forrest Hill will facilitate this evening’s meditation and discussion. Forrest has been practicing Insight Meditation since 2004 and is a founding member of Napa Valley Insight Meditation. He is currently enrolled in the Community Dharma Leaders Program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center.
Our evening sittings generally begin with a 30 minute meditation, followed by a short break for tea and greetings. The Facilitator will then give a short talk on relevant themes and lead a group discussion. All levels of experience are welcome.

Special Guest: Shahara Godfrey
2018-06-05 12:00 - 13:30
Napa Valley Insight Meditation hosts a talk by Buddhist teacher, humanitarian, artist and meditation instructor Shahara Godfrey.
Trained in the Theravada Buddhist tradition for over 20 years, Dr. Godfrey has also been influenced by spiritual teachers from various cultures and traditions as well as the creative arts. She is a graduate of Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leadership Program, the Path of Engagement Program and holds a PhD in humanities with a focus on transformative learning and change from the California Institute of Integral Studies. A self-taught mixed-media artist, she has exhibited in the Bay Area, Oregon, Washington, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

Meditation and Discussion: Lori Stelling
2018-06-19 12:00 - 13:30
Lori Stelling will facilitate this evening’s meditation and discussion. Lori has practiced Insight Meditation since 2002. She has completed Insight Meditation Center’s 9-Month Eightfold Path Program and is currently engaged in year-long Buddhist studies through Dharmagiri and Dr. Rick Hanson’s Foundations of Well-Being Program.

Our evening sittings generally begin with a 30 minute meditation, followed by a short break for tea and greetings. The Facilitator will then give a short talk on relevant themes and lead a group discussion. All levels of experience are welcome

Special Guest: Bruce Pardoe
2018-07-10 12:00 - 13:30
On Tuesday July 24th, Napa Valley Insight Meditation will host a presentation by Bruce Perdoe.
Bruce has practiced Vipassana meditation for over ten years including numerous 1, 2 & 3 month retreats at Insight Meditation Society and Spirit Rock. He has been on pilgrimage and practiced in Asia and has sat numerous extended solo retreats. All combined he has spent more than one and a half years in silence.
Bruce is a graduate of the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leaders Program. Bruce expresses his wonder for awakening and dharma in direct, joyous and experiential teachings. His focus on sensory feeling to convey wisdom derives from his years of Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement and Hakomi Body-Centered Psychotherapy experience. He also draws extensively upon his deep experience with both Advaita and the path of devotion to complement and enrich his offerings.
