Dahlias flower after their amazing capacity to wait through winter months boxed in my garage to again meet with the generous opportunities of soil, water, and sun. So generous. They flower through the summer and in autumn, dahlia tubers and I will again work together to see if we can find the proper conditions to make it happen for another round.  They do it each year, multiplying so I can be generous in sharing them. Abundance for all. There were times in my life when I doubted there would be a season of growth ahead. It seemed like there was the distinct possibility of a long over wintering that found no new expression of growth. Many of us have experienced such times. Yet spring always follows winter, as the wonderful Tina Turner pointed out.  This planet is generous.
 
I have experienced great generosity directed toward me in my life in many forms from a wide variety of people. Some of the generosity that has come my way has been the ripples from the thoughts, words, and acts of others I never encountered. Many were long, long gone from this life when their generosity traveled through time and was given as a gift to me. The greatest gift has been the Buddha who started these teachings and all of those that have followed in that tradition. There is this long lineage of Buddhism to be grateful toward and there are all the people and circumstances that created this place where Pamela and I get to practice and teach. That people have responded to our teaching with generosity, thanking me for a talk or article and putting money in a dana box is humbling and very much appreciated. Pam and I have found a nurturing home here and a place where we can find our own ways to contribute and do things that people have told us are generous yet what I am doing does not feel so generous; it is simply what I want to do more that anything in the world. I am grateful for the generous opportunity to make a small offering to further these teachings to those that will continue them. My sense is that generosity can simply be an expression of gratitude. 
 
How could I have been so fortunate? I don’t know. I absolutely do not know. The meetings I have had with teachers, fellow Buddhist students, and the decades of marriage to my wonderful partner seems like a flow of offerings. There have also been those that have been generous in other ways by offering help in hard times, a listening heart when needed, and generous in so many other ways to help me along in life. Deep gratitude to all. 
 
And then there is the dana you offer me. It can overwhelm me. Receiving such dana is something unexpected that I am very thankful for. Here at IMFW we both found a place to teach and share. Share what? Knowledge perhaps. Some experience.
 
Causes and conditions help all of us to be generous. They also help us to be grateful. In the midst of winter when I go into the cold garage and mist the dahlia tubers, I often experience doubt. “They won’t make it this year,” my doubting mind says. But when the days grow long enough, I look through the boxes and once again find that the life and the yearning for more life is there. The reaching up and out has started. Then I cover these bundles of life energy with soil and I again doubt as I check daily to see if they have come up. One by one, the green starts come through the earth. When the causes and conditions are right, here we go again.
 
One simple act of generosity I carry in the outer pocket of my backpack is a copy of the Dhammapada that a member of our Sangha gave to Pam and me not too long ago. (Another act of generosity that brings gratitude.)  I often open to the first lines of the first verse for this wonderful succinct teaching that is translated in so many ways. Here is the translation by Ananda Maitreya that was gifted to us:
 
“Mind is the forerunner of all actions
All deeds are led by the mind, created by mind.”
 
Mind in Buddhism is not just a place of dry thinking; it is also where the emotional side of us is expressed and sometimes the term heart-mind is used. Our practice is to continue to pay attention to causes and conditions that allow the mind, or the heart-mind, to create positive actions like generosity and gratitude. These actions always spring from thoughts and feelings. As I mentioned in a recent talk, there are two Pali words translated as generosity: dana, which is the act of giving, and caga, the feeling that wells up in one that naturally leads to the act of generosity.
 
The dahlias, of course, are not thinking of being generous and I doubt that they are grateful to me for the help I give them. They give without expectation of reward: True giving. May all beings experience an uplifted heart filled with generosity and gratitude, and that certainly includes you, dear reader.
 
John Steinbach

We need your financial help to replace our roof.  Sangha House was renovated in 2018 – at the time we were told that the roof was okay but would need to be replaced soon.  Here we are, five years later and it is time. We’ve had three contractors look at it and give us bids. The cost is estimated to be $16,000 to replace the shingles on the building and garage. Some generous benefactors have offered to match all contributions made to the Maintenance Fund! So, please let us know if your donation is to be directed to the Maintenance Fund.  Checks may be made to Insight Meditation Fort Wayne, or you can donate on line at https://www.imfw.org/donate.

You can now listen to an audio recording of each IMFW dharma talk.  We will be archiving the recordings of each talk and they will be available on our website.

Several daylong retreats and one three-day retreat are being offered in July.  Pam and John Steinbach are the teachers hosting each event.  You can sign up on our website at https://www.imfw.org/retreats-day-long.

An Introduction to Buddhism course, taught by the Steinbachs, is being offered every Monday evening in August.  This course is offered, in person only (no Zoom),  at 2332 Sandpoint Road.  Click here to enroll: https://www.imfw.org/intro-scheduled

Occasionally we send out information on a course offering that we think people might be interested in, even though it is not hosted by IMFW.  If you have an interest in those classes, please contact the instructors directly for more information or to enroll.  We will note who is hosting the class in the information provided.

We continue to add to our library.  Take a look!  We’ve added new books to our library, many that our board members felt were influential and helpful to beginning practitioners.  We continue to accept donations of any Buddhist-based books.  That has been a fascinating way to expand our library.  It is worth checking out.

Our mission is to provide for the study and practice of Insight (Vipassanā) Meditation according to the Theravāda Buddhist religious tradition and to support and encourage the development of community based upon Buddhist ideals, teachings and practices.

“What is it you plan to do with this one wild and precious life?”  -Mary Oliver
 
Almost all schools of Buddhism include meditation practices to directly experience the workings of the mind. Retreats are an opportunity to devote a period of quiet focus committed to introspective awareness and mindful attention.  If you decide you want to bring serious Buddhist practice into your life, two things seem necessary; a daily practice of meditation and periods of more prolonged practice to gain deeper insights into the workings of the mind. In the midst of our busy lives of gaining insights and performing outer responsibilities, a half day or full day or a short stretch of days is an opportunity to examine what this life is.  IMFW is pleased to be able to offer some intensive opportunities for inquiry.  This doesn’t mean that study of the dharma, listening to talks, and being a member of a sangha without a meditation practice is not valuable; they can all be of benefit to generate generosity, virtue, patience, meditation, and wisdom.  Occasional retreats offer deeper pondering of the teachings, observing the nature of mind, and reflecting on the activities of body, speech and mind.  Interspersed with periods of 30 minute seated meditation, these retreats include walking meditation, teachings, discussion, and yoga. 
 
One day retreats are offered at IMFW (in person only) led by John and Pamela Steinbach on Saturdays, July 1, 8, and 22, or Thursday July 13.  There will also be a 3-day retreat July 27-29.  You are welcome to come for half a day or full days on any of these dates.  Please bring a journal or paper to briefly note insights and questions, and a lunch if staying for the full day.  The retreats are offered on a Dana basis, the practice of generosity: giving what you are able, out of gratitude, for IMFW and the teachers. 
 
Please sign up for any retreat/day that you are interested in at https://www.imfw.org/retreats-day-long.

Dear Friends,
 
I was looking for a spiritual home when I found Insight Meditation of Fort Wayne.  From my first visit, I felt I had come home!  This was back in 2015 when we were still gathering at Plymouth Congregational. Today, thanks to the board of directors, their vision, compassion and generosity we have a beautiful new home to call ours. Today the Sangha House serves as a guiding light, a place to convene for those who wish to practice together. It has served as a haven, and a promise for so many.
 
The Sangha House needs our help now. Its roof is badly in need of replacing and it is incumbent upon us to dig deep with the concept of dana (generosity) and give what each of us feels capable of giving to first help replace the roof, then to create a substantial fund for on-going maintenance issues. If you are reading this, my guess is that the Sangha House has helped you grow, or been there as a source of friendship, solace and hope.  Please think about the impact the Sangha House (Insight Meditation Fort Wayne) has made on your life and please give to this need to the best of your abilities.

From time to time, we will let you know about courses that we feel may be of interest or benefit to you. This course is recommended by Tammy Dyer. Jon Walker is not affiliated with IMFW. If you any questions about the course, contact John Walker directly.

Hi all

I’ll be offering an online 90-minute session entitled “Gratitude: Going Beyond the List” on Sunday, July 9 at 1 pm Eastern.

Nowadays pretty much everyone knows about the benefits of cultivating gratitude. So why offer yet another class on the subject? Because there are nuances. For instance, what happens if you get all stoked about the research on gratitude, and then feel bad when you aren’t cultivating it like you think you should? Or what if you are in a space where gratitude feels a million miles away? Do you ever wonder if it is ‘real’ gratitude when you are grateful for something like hot running water, but deep inside you are just relieved that you don’t live where they don’t have it? And how about the hardest practice of all: finding gratitude for yourself?

Maybe we can spend some time figuring that out together. We’ll look at ways to find gratitude when we have none, and also explore a practice to cultivate unconditional gratitude--the gratitude that reminds us of our deep connection to each other and the world around us. We’ll also see if we can convince the inner critic to let us feel gratitude for ourselves, because we can't be all we want to be if we cut ourselves out of our own circle of gratitude and appreciation.

If you want to sign up for the class, you can read the waiver and register at this link or use the “Registration” button below. If you want some more details on the class, check out the class webpage or use the “Class Information” button below--you can register there, too. And please feel free to forward this to anyone who might be interested. The class is offered freely, but donations are welcome if you are drawn.

Mostly, I hope you are doing well, and you have my gratitude for your time in reading this email