Announcements

Dear Beautiful Meditators,

The meditation group at UUBN is celebrating its 10 year anniversary this month in November. No one recalls the exact date that UU minister Marino, who identified as a UU and a Buddhist, gathered us in the Fell room to introduce us to sitting and walking meditation, but we are pretty sure it was in November, 2009.  I recall her telling us that during the hectic holiday season, we would all benefit from some peace and quiet. And she was right!  The first instruction she gave was simply to turn off the radio in the car and just focus on driving. Good advice!  We meditated very briefly—maybe 5 minutes—that first day and it seemed like a really long time.  Some days it still does. But here we are, ten years later. 

This Sunday, we will spend a little time honoring these ten years of meditation.

We meet each Sunday at 6:00 p.m. in the Fell Room.  We sit in silent meditation for 20 minutes, sit or walk for the next 20 minutes, and sit again for another 20 minutes. At 7:00 we read aloud from a book about the dharma or meditation and discuss. We end promptly at 7:30. All are welcome, including beginners or experienced meditators. 
For more information, go to www.bnmeditation.com

You received this email because you are on the BN Meditation email list.  If you’d like to be removed, just email me and I will take you off the list.  

Peace,
Carolyn

Hello Beautiful Meditators,

I had the opportunity last week to visit a sangha in Oak Park, the Mindful Reflection Community at the Unity Temple Unitarian Church.  They were incredibly welcoming and the church is a beautifully restored Frank Lloyd Wright building.  Thank you to Terry, their leader, for including me.  I would love to go again and maybe people from our Bloomington Normal Group would like to go there with me.  It is worth the trip.  Please let me know if that’s something you’re interested in.  They meet each Tuesday at 7:00-9:00 p.m. at Unity Temple, 875 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL.  

I am passing along two meditation opportunities I learned about from their group:

"Sharon Salzberg (one of our favorite teachers) is offering a week long online meditation challenge, "The Heart of Intention" starting Sept. 16 through Sept. 23.  You will take a week to delve into an often-overlooked arena of life: the inner heart space that drives our actions. Through this exploration, you see more clearly what your actions mean and how you can manifest what you genuinely love and care about. The course consists of seven daily lessons of teaching videos, guided meditations, reflections and readings. Suggested dana is: $10.  To register and to see additional information at  Sharon Salzberg Invitation." I’ve signed up for this, although I admit I’ve never actually completed an online class or challenge (so much for my intention!) If you sign up and you want to share this experience with a local, let me know. Maybe we can pair the online experience with some real human interaction to keep us on track.

I think some of you have been to the Kevala Retreat Center in Wisconsin. Their co-founder, Santikaro, will offer an afternoon retreat in Chicago on Saturday Oct. 26th.  Cost is $15. For additional information and to register: https://www.insightchicago.org/events/cyclical-change-with-santikaro

You are receiving this email because you are on the mailing list for the Bloomington Normal Meditation Group. This is not an automated list and we try to keep emails to a minimum.  If you would like to be removed from the list, please email me and I will do so.   

As always, we meet together to meditate each Sunday from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at UUBN, 1613 Emerson, Bloomington IL.
We are currently working our way through the book “It’s Easier Than You Think” by Sylvia Boorstein.  

All are welcome.  

Visit our website at www.bnmeditation.com

Peace,
Carolyn

Beautiful meditators,

Here is an opportunity for a day-long retreat in Madison that some of you might be interested in. 

https://madisonmeditation.org/event/daylong-community-retreat/

And as always, we meet to meditate together each Sunday evening at 6:00-7:30 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington Normal, 1613 Emerson Street, Bloomington, IL. 

Visit our website at www.bnmeditation.com
You are receiving this email because you are on the email list for the Bloomington Normal Meditation Group. I occasionally send out email reminders and meditation opportunities. If you’d like to be removed from the list, please let me know. 

Peace,
Carolyn 

Sent from my iPhone

Hello beautiful meditators,

I’m passing this on to you from the Zen Group because you are on the Bloomington Normal Meditation e-mail list. 
And as always, we meet each Sunday at 6:00-7:30 to meditate together at UUBN.

Our website is www.bnmeditation.com

If you’d like to be removed from the email list, please let me know. 

Hope to see you soon!
Peace,
Carolyn 

Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:

From: BN Zen Group <bnzengroup@gmail.com>Date: June 18, 2019 at 5:26:02 PM CDTTo: BN Zen Group <bnzengroup@gmail.com>Subject: 6/29 and 6/30, Zuiko Redding Potluck, Sitting, and Dharma Talk

Hi Everyone,

We hope this email finds you well. This is a reminder of upcoming events the weekend of June 29 and 30:

The weekend of June 29 and 30, we are pleased to again welcome Zuiko Redding and Myoho Kendall from the Cedar Rapids Zen Center.

On Saturday, June 29, we will have a potluck starting at 5pm at 1303 Belt Ave, in Normal. 

Then Sunday, June 30, we will host an extended morning of zazen and a dharma talk with Zuiko. For this event we will not be meeting at our regular location but will instead be meeting at Bloom Community School, 1100 N Beech St., building #11, Normal (in Normandy Village). The tentative schedule for 6/30 is as follows. If you're only able to make it for part of the morning, or only want to attend Zuiko's talk, that is perfectly fine with us. All are welcome. 

8:00 – 8:20 Arrive and set up
8:20 – 8:30 Opening/instructions from Zuiko
8:30 – 9:10 Zazen (sitting meditation)
9:10 – 9:20 Kinhin (walking meditation)
9:20 – 10:00 Zazen (sitting meditation)
10:00 – 10:10 Service
10:10 -11:00 Dharma talk
11:00 –11:30 Zazen (sitting meditation)
11:30 – 11:40 Read Fukanzazengi together and closing remarks   

Zuiko will also have time during the day on Saturday, the 29th, for one-on-one talks. If you are interested in meeting privately with Zuiko to discuss your practice, please email her directly at  crzc@cedarrapidszencenter.org . 

Please let us know what questions you have or if I have neglected to include relevant information.

in peace,
BN Zen Group 

--

------------------------------------------------------------------------Just bow in the way life becomes life -- Uchiyama Roshi

Hi Beautiful Bloomington Normal Meditators,

Gentle Spring Day of Silence and Meditation, March 9, 10 am to 2 pm, Friends Meeting House, 1904 E. Main St., Urbana

To sign up and for more information, please click here: https://uucuc.breezechms.com/form/dayofsilence (signing up is necessary).

Peace,
Carolyn

---------- Forwarded message ---------From: Marie McEnroe <reezlebee@gmail.com>Date: Mon, Mar 4, 2019, 8:06 AMSubject: [UUCUC-Mindfulness] Fwd: Gentle Day of Silence and MeditationTo: UUCUC Mindfulness <uucuc-mindfulness@googlegroups.com>

Hello Mindfulness Practitioners,

Please see the announcement below of a half-day mindfulness opportunity, this coming Saturday March 9th, led by Rev. Florence Caplow.

(Note - I made one edit to the message below based on a later message from Rev. Caplow, correcting the date to March 9th.)

All the best,
Marie

Countdown to TODAY: 0 days
Seize the day. Make the most of it. Live. 

“Life is short. Therefore, I shall be a crusader in the fight against ignorance and fear, beginning with myself.”
-Dorothy Vickers-Shelley

To sign up and for more information, please click here: https://uucuc.breezechms.com/form/dayofsilence (signing up is necessary).

Hello Beautiful Meditators,

The BN Zen Group is organizing a book drive for the Prison Mindfulness Institute.  We are participating by donating most of our (small) library and any other books you choose to drop off to us at UUBN (find a bin in the Walker room on the Northeast wall) before Saturday, February 16.  Or take your books to the the Zen group on February 17!  They have kindly invited people to stop by their book drive and say hello.  The details are below.  

Peace,
Carolyn 

Begin forwarded message:

From: BN Zen Group <bnzengroup@gmail.com>
Subject: Dharma Book Drive for Prison Mindfulness Institute
Date: January 29, 2019 at 8:45:11 AM CST
To: BN Zen Group <bnzengroup@gmail.com>

Hi All,

Bloomington-Normal Zen Group and Palms Together Yoga are hosting a book drive to collect books and/or money for the Prison Mindfulness Institute -- https://www.prisonmindfulness.org/Bring new and used books on Buddhism, contemplative practices, meditation, mindfulness, yoga, stress reduction, etc. (please no CDs, DVDs, or hardcover books) to donate, OR...Make a monetary donation which will be given directly to the Prison Mindfulness Institute, OR...Donate some money and take a book or two home with you! OR...Just come by and say "hello" to your friendly local zen group and yoga studio! :-) 

This event will be at Palms Together Yoga, 1717 RT Dunn Dr., Bloomington. Sunday, February 17, from 1-3 PM.

FB event page is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/416794139059103/

Please let us know what questions you have.

peace,
BN Zen Group --

------------------------------------------------------------------------Just bow in the way life becomes life -- Uchiyama Roshi

Beautiful meditators,
Just a reminder that we’re opening the floor to new books for a few weeks. You are welcome to bring a favorite and read a chapter or part of a chapter.

As always, we meet each Sunday in the Walker Room at UUBN, 1613 E. Emerson, Bloomington, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. All are welcome.

Visit our website at
www.bnmeditation.com

Peace,
Carolyn
Sent from my iPhone

Beautiful Meditators,
I occasionally forward opportunities to meditate, learn or connect with others in the our area.  Below is one such opportunity.  

As always, we sit in meditation together each Sunday at 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at UUBN at 1613 Emerson Avenue, Bloomington, IL.  All are welcome to attend.  Visit our website at www.bnmeditation.com 

If you’d like to be removed from our list, please let me know.  

From: BN Zen Group <bnzengroup@gmail.com>Date: November 4, 2018 at 11:40:58 AM CSTTo: BN Zen Group <bnzengroup@gmail.com>Subject: Fwd: Zuiko Redding Visit, 11/10 Dharma Talk, 11/11 Extended Zazen

Hi Everyone,

This is a reminder about the events our group is hosting next weekend, November 10th and 11th.

Our group's primary teacher, Zuiko Redding from Cedar Rapids Zen Center, will be in BloNo for a Dharma talk and extended morning zazen with our group on November 10th and 11th. Zuiko will also be available to meet one-on-one with individuals wanting to have a more private discussion, though her available times are now filling up. Here is the schedule for that weekend:

Saturday, Nov. 10
5:00 pm - Potluck at 1303 Belt Ave, Normal
7:30 pm - Dharma talk at Bloom Community School, 1100 N Beech St., Normal

Sunday, Nov. 11
8:00 am to Noon - Extended zazen, service, and Dharma talk at Bloom

Zuiko will potentially be available for private discussions during the day on Saturday, the 10th. If you'd like to set up a time to meet with her, please email Zuiko directly at crzc@cedarrapidszencenter.org.

I have attached the schedule for the Sunday extended morning zazen and a flyer for the talk on the 10th.

Please let us know what questions you have. I hope I haven't forgotten anything.

We hope to see you at the potluck, Dharma talk, and Sunday sitting.

In peace,
BN Zen Group

--

------------------------------------------------------------------------Just bow in the way life becomes life -- Uchiyama Roshi

Beautiful Meditators,

We’re nearing the end of our book (only 2 more chapters of Mindfulness A to Z by Kuzak) and are looking for ideas.  We’ve decided to open the floor, reading a chapter of a different book each week for a while, so feel free to bring a book that you like and read a chapter.  This is a great chance to share a meditation or Buddhism book and learn more about what some others are reading, too.  Some of the books that people mentioned bringing are by Pema Chodron, Tara Brach, and Sharon Salzburg.   

I also wanted to remind everyone of our website: www.bnmeditation.com

As always, we’ll be meditating together at UUBN, 1613 East Emerson, Bloomington, IL, each Sunday from 6:00-7:30.  Hope to see you there.

If you’d like to be removed from the email list, please let me know.  

Peace,
Carolyn

Since we’ve been talking about retreats… FYI.

Hope to see you this Sunday at 6:00-7:30 at UUBN for meditation.  We’ve been meeting in the garden if the weather permits.  

Carolyn

Begin forwarded message:

From: Terry Kinsey <terrykinsey@gmail.com>
Subject: Oct. 6/7, 2018 Second Annual Fall Mindful Reflection Community Retreat
Date: September 20, 2018 at 3:43:45 PM CDT
To: undisclosed-recipients: ;

Hi all,

This is the last chance to register for the Mindful Reflection Community Fall retreat.  We have 29 people registered with all but 4 or 5 spending the night!  We have room for more!  But you have to let me know right away as I have to let the staff at Camp Duncan know our numbers, they say tomorrow, Sept. 21st, but I'm hoping I can get an extension to Monday, Sept. 24th.

So, if you would like to attend, please let me know by email immediately.  

Then complete the attached registration form and get it to me via mail (829 S. Lyman Ave., OP, 60304), email (terrykinsey@gmail.com) or hand it to me at church or during the Mindful Reflection Community on Tuesday!  

Suggested donation is $80 made out to Unity Temple.  Scholarships are available.  You can get the check to me as soon as you can! 

Ride share will be coordinated and additional information on what you should bring and how to get there will be emailed to you toward the end of next week!

Camp Duncan is about an 1hr. 15 minute drive from Oak Park.

If you have any questions please feel free to call me:  312-405-5871. 

Thanks,
Terry