For the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, all groups are meeting online using Zoom (details below).
Community Meditation is non-profit network of meditation groups. We bring mindfulness and wellness into people’s lives through courses, meditation sittings and group discussions, both in-person and online. By sharing the benefits of meditation and mindfulness, we support the evolution of a wise, caring, and healthy world.
Our network has existed for over a decade and we have groups in several cities including Mississauga, Oshawa, and Owen Sound.
Our roots are Buddhist, but we draw on many wisdom traditions as well as contemporary wellness, psychology, and neuroscience. Community Meditation is completely volunteer-based and guided by a council of experienced teachers.
Community Meditation is a Canada Revenue Agency Registered Charity No. 73107 5719 RR0001.
Zoom session begins at 7:00 PM EST. Meditation starts at 7:15, with informal talk and discussion from 7:35 to 8:30.
Join Jim, Sharon, Brenda, and Gordon as we continue our discussion of Pema Chödrön's *When Things Fall Apart*. This week we'll be discussing how we may step off the wheel of Samsara. Everyone is welcome--no need to have the book.
In the Buddhist teachings, there is a lot of instruction for turning reality around...This kind of instruction is something we can apply to our lives, and it can bring about revolutionary changes in how we perceive things.
― Pema Chödrön
Zoom session begins at 7:00 PM EST. Meditation starts at 7:15, with informal talk and discussion from 7:35 to 8:30.
This week, Bob Hollett takes up Koshin Paley Ellison's book, Wholehearted: Slow Down, Help Out, Wake Up. Join him for silent meditation followed by a reading and discussion of this insightful book
...sometimes when we think we’re being really helpful, we’re actually approaching an interaction trying to knock people over the head about how special and wonderful we are.
– Koshin Paley Ellison
Zoom session begins at 7:00 PM EST. Meditation starts at 7:15 PM, with informal talk and discussion from 7:35 to 8:30.
Join Adam Wilkinson this Wednesday to carry on exploring The Wakeful Body, a book by Willa Blythe Baker on practices for accessing the body's inherent mindfulness.
Somatic mindfulness is informed by one very simple observation: the mind is distracted but the body is not.
– Willa Blythe Baker
Zoom session begins at 7:00 PM EST. Meditation starts at 7:15 PM, with informal talk and discussion from 7:35 to 8:30.
Debbie McCubbin draws on an article titled "The Science of Wanting", and considers what it means be in touch with the reality of life, as it is. Join her for sitting meditation followed by a group discussion.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that helps motivate us to fulfill our basic needs, but in our modern age of plenty, it can also lead to overindulgence and addiction. So how can we find balance and contentment in an age of instant gratification?
– Katherine Ellison
Zoom session begins at 10:15 AM EST. Meditation starts at 10:30, with informal talk and discussion from 10:50 to 11:45.
Join Debbie McCubbin on Sunday for sitting meditation followed by a reading and discussion of wisdom and clarity based on Sylvia Boorstein's book, Pay Attention For Goodness' Sake. this week.
Here is the instruction: Only connect. Wherever you are, right now, pay attention. Forever.
– Sylvia Boorstein
I came across an inspiring turn of events in the form of Elizabeth Gilbert's short article, Agent of Illumination:
There are times when everything seems cloaked in darkness. You long for the light but don’t know where to find it.
But what if you are the light? What if you are the very agent of illumination that a dark situation begs for? That’s what this bus driver taught me, that anyone can be the light, at any moment.
Read the short piece (it's only 654 words and you've already read 104 of them :-) to discover what the bus driver did. If you prefer, you can listen to the audio.
🙏
Ken & the Community Meditation Team
Our hearts go out to everyone — all of us are experiencing disruption of our normal lives and various levels of increased anxiety and sadness. It is an important time to pause, be present, and open our hearts.
We at Community Meditation will have completely transitioned to online sitting, discussion, and programs. These new online sessions are available to everyone, not just the local group, creating more opportunities for you to participate. Discussions are led by local teachers, including Debbie McCubbin, Ken Dow, Bob Hollett, Tammy Russell, Stephanie Stewart, Erin Vanderstelt and Adam Wilkinson.
For those of us working from home or self-isolating, these sessions provide a much-needed chance to connect with others in a heartfelt way. We have four sittings a week at this point and will keep you informed as new sessions and programs are launched. All are welcome!
Our future discussion topics will include ways to work with with anxiety and the current situation, along with our usual offerings about meditation, Buddhism, awareness and emotions.
We invite everyone to come together as a community to support each other in working towards a wise, caring, and healthy world.
Sincerely,
The leaders and teachers of Community Meditation
if you’re new to Zoom, check out The Art of Zoom page we put together.
Good to go with Zoom already? You can join a Community Meditation session using the button below.
We started this meditation network to help you bring more clarity, balance, caring and joy to your life and your community.
Don't expect anything. Just sit back and see what happens. Treat the whole thing as an experiment.
- Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
