Sunday, July 3, 8:30–9:45 am. Please join us either via Zoom or in person in the Meditation Room (Room 208) Zoom Meeting ID: 813 7503 7090

How can we develop an inner sense of calm, peace, and strength when dealing with the emotional stresses of racial and other social injustices? Can meditation help us to better understand other people who are in different social locations than our own? In particular, how can we use RAIN (recognize/allow/introspect/nonidentify) practice to awaken from the trance of the “Unreal Other”?

This Sunday, we will continue our conversation about more mindful approaches to racism in our society. First, we will listen to the fourth and final Dharma talk by Valerie Brown, and then Tara Brach will recount an experience of when she and a Black friend used the RAIN practice to better understand and appreciate each other and their life experiences and needs.

Valerie Brown, who is of Afro-Cuban descent, an ordained Dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, as well as a Quaker. She is also a former lawyer-lobbyist and lives in New Hope, Pennsylvania.

Tara Brach is a leading meditation teacher, a psychologist, and the author of several books on emotional healing and spiritual awakening. She is the founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, DC, and, with Jack Kornfield, she leads the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program. She was raised Unitarian.

Our program will begin with a brief centering and introductions followed by the talk, discussion, and a longer silent meditation. All are welcome. Terry Dixon will facilitate.