I think the tricky part would be finding a cluster of interested people who are able to convene at the same place—especially given that they’d need both the ability to take ten days off normal life, and presumably money for the location, food, etc. (It’s pretty easy to have free time or money, but tough to have both.)
Personally, I’m interested, not at all experienced, not able to travel far from the east SF bay (barring a carpool with someone local), and can’t contribute funds, although I am willing and able to cook and do other work to help out, and it’s not too hard for me to have ten days available.
there at least used to be regular vipassana meditation sessions led by monks from Abhayagiri and hosted at the Berkeley Zen Center (I think that’s what it’s called) on MLK near the Ashby BART station. Abhayagiri is a monastery in the Thai Forest tradition led, I believe, by a former student of the late Ajahn Chah; in my experience that’s usually a pretty good indicator of a very result-oriented approach to meditation that eschews the supernatural talk in favor of the pursuit of practical goals (though in their case the ‘practical goal’ is enlightenment, so take that as you will).
Do you mean the Thai Temple, on Russell? (That’d be a block north of Ashby, and just off MLK behind the tool lending library.) Very distinctively temple-looking? If so, I know the place, but I haven’t been there. Thanks for the heads up. :)
I believe it’s actually right down the street from the Thai Temple. Much less official looking. I haven’t actually been though (always intended to go, and then ended up moving away before I did).
I support this.
I think the tricky part would be finding a cluster of interested people who are able to convene at the same place—especially given that they’d need both the ability to take ten days off normal life, and presumably money for the location, food, etc. (It’s pretty easy to have free time or money, but tough to have both.)
Personally, I’m interested, not at all experienced, not able to travel far from the east SF bay (barring a carpool with someone local), and can’t contribute funds, although I am willing and able to cook and do other work to help out, and it’s not too hard for me to have ten days available.
Not entirely relevant to this conversation, but:
there at least used to be regular vipassana meditation sessions led by monks from Abhayagiri and hosted at the Berkeley Zen Center (I think that’s what it’s called) on MLK near the Ashby BART station. Abhayagiri is a monastery in the Thai Forest tradition led, I believe, by a former student of the late Ajahn Chah; in my experience that’s usually a pretty good indicator of a very result-oriented approach to meditation that eschews the supernatural talk in favor of the pursuit of practical goals (though in their case the ‘practical goal’ is enlightenment, so take that as you will).
Do you mean the Thai Temple, on Russell? (That’d be a block north of Ashby, and just off MLK behind the tool lending library.) Very distinctively temple-looking? If so, I know the place, but I haven’t been there. Thanks for the heads up. :)
I believe it’s actually right down the street from the Thai Temple. Much less official looking. I haven’t actually been though (always intended to go, and then ended up moving away before I did).
Oh okay. I’ll look around. Thank you.
Edit: Found it—you’re right, it is just up from the temple.