:::: Open Awareness Sangha ::::

Open Awareness Sangha
Monday Night Meditation

7:30 pm
Cambridge Friends Meeting House
5 Longfellow Park Cambridge, MA 02138

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The View

"No words can describe it
No example can point to it
Confusion does not make it worse
Enlightenment does not make it better
It has never been born
It has never ceased
It has never been liberated
It has never been deluded
It has never existed
It has never been nonexistent
It has no limits at all
It does not fall into any kind of category"

H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche

Meditation

"It's awareness that illumines all thinking, feeling and perceiving. Always present and radiantly clear, it is never obscured by time, circumstances or thoughts. The body, mind and world rise and set in awareness and have no independent existence apart from awareness. Awareness, your real being, is all there is. You are not the limited person you have taken yourself to be. Look for the separate self and you find it entirely absent. Seeing this, suffering, doubt and confusion effortlessly drop away, revealing your natural state of innate happiness and freedom. Understanding who you are is immediately and always available - here and now."

John Wheeler

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Open Awareness Sangha is a group of friends who meet for meditation and discussion on Monday nights, 7:30 pm at the Cambridge Friends Meeting House. (The Friends Meeting House is located at 5 Longfellow Park, Cambridge, MA 02138) The format is very relaxed and open— anyone interested in contemplative practice is welcome!

At the heart of these meditation sessions is the silent exploration of what we refer to as Open Awareness. We all know what it means to feel closed, limited, vulnerable, or separate. What is it like to allow ourselves to return to our natural condition of openness, presence, non-separateness and ease? This is what we explore in our meetings.

Those who lead the meditations have known each other and been practicing together for many years. They have all deeply explored a variety of traditions— for some the Tibetan Buddhist practices of Dzogchen or Mahamudra, for others the Indian traditions of Yoga, or Advaita, or what is currently referred to as Nonduality.

However all of these traditions ultimately point to the same truth, the truth of our basic awareness or presence which is beyond any tradition, practice or teaching. This is the presence we share, and the presence we are, beyond words. This is what we explore in our meetings.

This group is unique in that there is no specific guiding teacher, lama, or guru. We all meet as equals to question, share, and inspire each other to explore the Open Awareness we most deeply are. The meetings are suitable for newcomers as well as experienced meditators, and all are very welcome.

To learn more:

Email us!

or call David at 617-297-2026

Details, Directions and Parking

We sit in silence for around 45 minutes, followed by discussion for around 20 minutes. The silent sitting is interspersed perhaps with some meditation instruction or a brief reading, a little simple chanting or movement. Sitting posture is relaxed, either on a meditation cushion or a bench. It's not a rigid practice- move whenever you need to!

We meet every Monday night, 7:30 pm at the Cambridge Friends Meeting House. The Friends Meeting House is located at 5 Longfellow Park, Cambridge, MA 02138. You can find a very good map here.

Parking is available after 6:00 in the loop off of Brattle St. that leads to the Friend's House, and there is a small lot in back of the Friend's House for those with limited mobility.

After that, parking is a little tricky in Cambridge (lots of "resident only" signs), but you will find available parking on Mount Auburn St. near Friend's House and on Brattle St. as you head away from Harvard Square.

Coming by the T is a great option, with the Friend's House being a lovely 15 minute walk out of Harvard Square. If you find you are running late, come anyway! The format is very relaxed and open— anyone interested in contemplative practice is welcome.