Friends,
Love and light to all of you, and let us gather together this Thursday in shared peace and love, despite rocky times in the world.
The Eastside Insight sit will be 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 2, finishing at 9 p.m.
How we speak, what we say to each other, are among the most important choices we make. That’s why of the 10 non-virtues, four are about speech: lying, divisive speech, harsh speech and idle chatter.
For this evening we’ll explore the 10 non-virtues, and in particular focus on the four non-virtues of speech. It’s notable that the 10 include three of body, and three of mind, but four of speech. This suggests how important our speech is, in our connections with other people, the human world around us, and how we impact others, and thus ourselves.
This matter of cultivating virtuous speech, and avoiding non-virtuous speech, is of fundamental importance on the path. Without cultivating virtuous speech, our progress on the path will be paralyzed.
The URL for the evening will be https://tinyurl.com/Eastside-Insight-2023-II, or please come in person to the chapel at Northlake Unitarian Universalist Church, 315 3rd Ave S., Kirkland, WA 98033.
As we said earlier, through the end of the year we’ll be slightly shifting how we look at dana, to help cultivate an understanding that this isn’t a transaction but an offering of generosity.
For starters, please consider offering dana to Northlake Unitarian Universalist Church, which makes this space available on a dana-only basis. If you do, please mention you’re from Eastside Insight Meditation.
https://tinyurl.com/NorthlakeUU-Paypal2022
In terms of offering to the teacher, we’ll be splitting any dana offered between the teacher and Metta In Action. This is an international group that benefits nuns and others in Myanmar.
Some of you may know IMS teacher Carol Wilson, who also is one of the organizers of Metta in Action. When I told her what we were doing she wrote:
“That is so inspiring! I am really happy that you have shared this with me, I will of course share it with the other MIA folks. isn't it amazing to see how generosity inspires further generosity?”
Thus to offer dana split between Metta In Action and the teacher, please use PayPal at
paypal.me/SteveWilhelm48, and I’ll put half in the Metta in Action fund.
Or send through the post:
Steve Wilhelm
17623 184th Ave. NE
Woodinville, WA 98072
Speaking of generosity, also there’s an opportunity to help set up on Thursday, especially by preparing for the tea break. Just generosity purifies the mind, moves us from self-cherishing. Thus setting out cups, with the right attitude, is as much a practice as is time on the cushion. Please sign up below!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/18OKEUO7ubunOG_q9r8MaBFWXqmWScOm4LIsv8MdnBU8/edit
Looking ahead, and speaking of happiness, Lauren Wilson and I will be offering a hybrid daylong at Northlake, on Saturday, Nov. 4. This means you can attend in person, or online.
We’ve entitled it: “How dharma practice brings balance, and even happiness, in perilous times.”
Here’s the link, and please sign up so we can practice together.
https://seattleinsight.org/event/day-of-mindfulness-in-person-online-4/
We now have three volunteers for the day of mindfulness, so thank you very much!
May all of you be well and happy. Looking forward to sitting in community on Thursday!
Bows,
Steve