Individual Practice Meetings
SIMS Guiding Teachers and local dharma leaders (LDLs) offer the opportunity for individual practice meetings to SIMS sangha members. Even though there is usually ample time for questions in the classes and sits offered by SIMS, some people have difficulty asking a question, or even framing it, in a large group.Others feel that something may be too personal to bring up in a group setting. A one-to-one connection with an experienced practitioner is a way to nourish one’s practice.
Meeting Guidelines
How to prepare
- Frame your question(s) in your own mind as clearly as possible.
- The meeting setting is part of practice, and should be treated with relaxed care and respect. It isnt the place to chat, or to get to know someone socially.
- Remember, a Dharma meeting is not the same as therapy. Although psychological issues can be part of a Dharma meeting, generally no effort is made to explore a story or to solve problems. What and how things happen are the focus, rather than why.
- Some examples of appropriate questions might include understanding a Dharma talk, how to practice, an experience that you had during practice, a daily life experience and how it relates to practice and so forth.
Meeting etiquette
- Be on time. We try to keep to our schedule as best we can.
- If appropriate, take your shoes off outside the door of the interview room.
- Come in and take your seat mindfully. Theres no need to bow or do anything formal.
- Turn cell phones and other electronics off.
- There will probably be a clock in the room. Try to follow the middle way: there is no need to look at the clock every 30 seconds, but try to end your interview on time. The person conducting the interview will help you with this if needed.
Dana
Individual practice meetings are freely offered and, when part of the Day of Mindfulness, there is no need to offer any extra Dana. If you request an interview outside of a retreat setting, a Dana offering is appropriate.
Schedule a meeting
If you would like to schedule a an individual practice meeting with a Guiding Teacher or Local Dharma Leader, please send an email to one of the individuals below noting their preferred times and location. Your interview will occur at a mutually arranged location for up to 30 minutes.
All meetings will be held on Zoom.
Teachers
Tuere is teaching many retreats these days and no longer meets with individual practitioners.
