Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Smoky "Pallet Fire" hits Los Angeles (video)


We've got a lot of fuel to burn under the sun.
(CBS 2/KCAL 9/KTLA 5) Fire crews are battling a blaze ("the Pallet Fire") in Compton (formerly South Central Los Angeles) Wednesday afternoon, March 31, 2021.

The fire was reported in the area of Alameda Street and East Rosecrans Avenue around 4:45 pm, according to the Compton Fire Department.


The City of LA is pretty until the smog thickens
Thick black smoke was billowing through the air as Sky5 arrived above the scene around 5:30 pm.

At least one structure was fully engulfed, with others being threatened. Crews had set up a line of defense around the residences on the 1300 block of Springe Avenue, behind the pallet yard.

Palm trees were also lit on fire, aerial footage showed. Traffic appeared to be at a standstill on nearby Rosecrans Ave. Check back for updates to this developing story. More
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Enlightened Buddhist nun on Power of Mind


The Power of Mind
(Sayalay Susila, 12/17/16) The Power of MindDharma talk by Abbess Sayalay Susila of Appamada Vihari Buddhist Temple, Malaysia, delivered at the Vimalakirti Buddhist Centre, Singapore on December 17, 2016.

You think you can tell who is and who isn't an enlightened (aryan) disciple, one of the "Noble Ones" (anyone along the stages of enlightenment beginning with stream-entry. But you can not. Take our word if ever we credit someone in that way. To decide for yourself, first learn what it means and does not mean to be enlightened to at least the first degree or sotapanna. Such beings will not say so, but sometimes we will. We would have to be very sure before we ever said so and have only made the claim for about 21 beings in the decades since the inception of Wisdom Quarterly.
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KKK propaganda: "White Lives Matter" in OC

KTLA; Peter Griffin; The Conservative Buddhist, Ashley Wells, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
A white supremacist flier was found on lawn of unoccupied home in Newport Beach 3/30/21:

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Hate flier (Don Leach/Daily Pilot via LA Times)
KKK (Ku Klux Klan) propaganda discovered outside homes in The OC in Newport Beach and a flier announcing plans for a "White Lives Matter" rally in Huntington Beach have put local city officials on alert regarding potentially escalating white nationalist [national socialist or Nazi] sentiment.

Residents living on one street in Newport Heights were surprised Sunday morning to find their lawns and driveways littered with apparent recruitment propaganda urging citizens to join the fight for the white race by learning more about the KKK.
Fliers with images of a white-robed Klansmen and Confederate flags reading “Loyal White Knights Want You to Say No to Cultural Genocide” and promoting a Klan radio show were discovered by a group of Orange County homeowners living on San Bernardino Avenue early Sunday. More
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Insight LA: events, classes, insights

Community Insights

Issue No. 8: What Have We Overlooked?

Welcome back to our Community Insights newsletter!  Each month, we'll be sharing updates from various community members and initiatives happening at InsightLA. You can support all of our community initiatives by making a donation. 

This month, we introduce a new component of our community sharing - a podcast! As we uplift the courageous voices of key women in history this March, we invite you to reflect on whose voices may be overlooked during these months of celebration. What parts of yourself may need to be heard as well?

 
 

Community Member Spotlight:

Justine Dawson

TEACHER

Justine Dawson is a guide of dharma and intimacy who teaches The Mindful Bedroom, an upcoming mindfulness series at InsightLA. Check out our first ever Community Insights Podcast episode ​featuring Justine for an in-depth look at how cultivating desire can add a valuable new realm of experience to your mindfulness practice.

 
 

Listen now to this month's episode to hear Justine's story.

 

NEW PODCAST

What Have We Overlooked? with Justine Dawson

Community Insights Podcast Episode 1 - Justine Dawson joins InsighLA's Bria Royal for a conversation on the revolutionary act of listening to one's own desire in the bedroom and in the construction of a meaningful life.

Now available on InsightLA's SoundCloud.

Excerpt on dropping into intimacy in mindfulness practice...
J: You know, we can really separate sexuality and the erotic from what we imagine as meditation and mindfulness. Many of us were taught - certainly I was, when I started meditating - that you’re aware of your body and your emotions, but just nothing sexual! Just skip over your genitals; that’s not important. And yet, the actual experience of dropping in - being aware of sensation, being in the moment, taking the goal off - is the exact same foundation of a powerful erotic life.

On desire and fear...
J: Part of the reason we’re often afraid of desire or denigrate desire is because it might take us away from things that are familiar… Desire has us move away from things and towards others, and that can be destabilizing, especially to the familiar sense of self. That familiar sense of self likes stability; it’s uncomfortable with the truth of impermanence and change. And, as we become more intimate with desire, we directly relate to impermanence and change.

 

Join Justine at the next offering of The Mindful Bedroom or learn more on Justine's teacher profile.

 
 

Did you know?

You can access tons of guided meditations and Dharma Talks anytime on InsightLA's SoundCloud.

 

The Story of InsightLA: Made Whole by Women 

FEATURED INITIATIVE

Insight LA is proud to have an organizational history rooted tightly in wisdom passed on through  the determination, compassion, and insight of key women in our community. Take a moment to learn a bit more about the women serving on InsightLA's Teacher Council to keep our core curriculum relevant and responsive to our current moment in history.

Christiane Wolf, MD, PhD is a certified MBSR and MSC (Mindful Self-Compassion) teacher and co-founded InsightLA’s MBSR program with Trudy in 2005. She is the program director for mindfulness programs at InsightLA as well as the co-chair of the teacher council.

Rosamaría Segura is both a teacher and the Director of Insight in Action, teaching in non-profit organizations, public schools, and people dedicated to socio-economic and environmental justice in Los Angeles, East Hollywood, Long Beach, and refugee shelters in Tijuana, Mexico.

Lisa Kring, LCSW is a committed practitioner of mindfulness Vipassana mediation for over ten years currently developing innovative educational academies in Los Angeles with intention to develop mindfulness-based programs in these settings for at- risk and disadvantaged youth.

Amy Love has extensive experience facilitating mindfulness meditation practices with youth and adults in a variety of settings including; public schools, prisons, youth outreach programs, and yoga communities and currently co- facilitates Meditation Coalition’s weekly People of Color Sit and monthly Women of Color Mindfulness Circle.

Celeste Young was invited to join the very first teacher development cohort at InsightLA under the guidance of founder Trudy Goodman in 2011 and offers several classes a week as a core teacher at ILA, in both the mindfulness and Dharma programs.

Diana Gould has been a meditator for over 35 years, practicing Insight Meditation for 20 of those years. She is a graduate of the Community Dharma Leader program at Spirit Rock, and the Teacher Training program with Trudy Goodman at Insight LA. 

 

Learn more about all of InsightLA's teachers and council members, including founding teacher Trudy Goodman, PhD.

 

Get involved.

Help us sustain these initiatives by participating in community events, affinity groups, and community support initiatives.

1. Attend a Community Gathering

Buddhist Wisdom & Ancient Medicine with Spring Washam

We will explore how plant medicines also referred to as “Entheogens” can be used skillfully in order to accelerate our awakening process. From the jungles of Peru to the Himalayan mountain tops, we will explore how two great traditions can be brought skillfully together. 

Daylong retreat on Saturday, April 3, 2021 | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM PT

 

2. Join a Practice Group

Thursday Evening Practice Group with Diana Gould

There will be a 40-45 minute silent sitting meditation, a Dharma talk, and time for conversation, discussion and questions. A chance to sit with a group, and be part of an ongoing and supportive sangha. All levels welcome!

Thursday, April 1, 2021 | 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM PT

 

3. Support our ILA Community

Support Insight in Action

In the spirit of equity in opportunities to practice and heal, our Insight in Action suite of programs bring free mindfulness and meditation to various marginalized communities in Southern California and beyond.

You can support all of our Insight in Action initiatives making a donation.

 

Check out our new website navigation menu. We've added some shortcuts to our most frequently accessed course offerings so that you can find your favorite classes faster. Access our full calendar of offerings under Classes & Events.

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iHeart Radio: Comedy Podcasts Slam (audio)


"Comedy Gold Minds" with Kevin Hart, Eddie Murphy, and Arsenio Hall
Fat Happy Laughing Buddha
(iHeart Radio, March 23, 2021, 47 mins.) Comedian, producer, writer, and actor Nick Kroll talks with Kevin Hart about family, his writing process, and bombing in front of Bill Murray when he was first starting in comedy.
  • Like this episode? Check out the full show: iheart.com/podcast...
  • Like Comedy Gold Minds? SiriusXM subscribers get it a day early, plus Kevin Hart’s 24/7 comedy channel Laugh Out Loud Radio with great talk shows and stand-up. Learn more or check it out for 3 months: siriusxm.com/comedygoldminds.
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Tuesday, March 30, 2021

A trip through the Abhidhamma (video)

Sayalay Susīlā (Appamada Vihari, March 2021), edited by Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly

Abhidhamma Online Class 1
International 2021 retreat online
(Appamada Vihari, 3/13/21) The accomplished Malaysian Theravada Buddhist nun Sayalay Susīlā -- personally trained by Burmese Theravada Meditation Master Pa Auk Sayadaw -- teaches Abhidharma ("The Higher Doctrine" or "The Teaching in Ultimate Terms") online beginning this month, March 2021.

Class 1, which was held on the 6th of March 2021, takes an overview of what is to be covered over the course of these Saturday classes. This is a rare event, following in the footsteps of her popular PowerPoint presentation and our book, edited by Dhr. Seven.

Unravelling the Mysteries...
This 2021 Abhidhamma Online Course runs from March 6th-May 8th, 2021. Subscribe to Appamada Vihari's YouTube channel by clicking on the subscribe button below the video. Also click on the bell icon to get notifications whenever new Dharma talk videos similar to these are published.

Abbess Sayalay Susīlā, Appamada Vihari Meditation Center
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Insight Los Angeles events

Upcoming Online Schedule

 
 

Mindfulness Courses

These multi-week intensive classes are great for anyone new to mindfulness, those looking to deepen their practice, and practitioners seeking Continuing Education (CEU) credits.

 

Mindful Self-Compassion with Angelike Dexter, JD, Dina Aish, Ed.D, and Megan Heiser

8-week series starts Monday, April 5, 2021 | 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM PT

 

mPEAK (Mindful Performance Enhancement, Awareness & Knowledge) with Alex Maizuss

8-week course starts Tuesday, April 6, 2021 | 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM PT

 

Mindful Self-Compassion with Angelike Dexter, JD and Heidi Shaw, LCSW

8-week course starts Monday, April 19, 2021 | 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT

 
 
 

More Special Events and Series This Week

 

Morning Community Sit - Guided Meditation with Beth Sternlieb

Weekdays, Monday - Friday | 7:30 AM - 8:00 AM PT

 

Samatha: Calm Abiding with Michael Zittel, AMFT

6-week series starts Wednesday, March 31, 2021 | 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM PT

 

Starting at the Beginning: The 4 Noble Truths and Daily Life with Eileen Ybarra

4-week series starts Thursday, April 1, 2021 | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM PT

 

UP NEXT

 

Non-Violent Communication in the Context of Inequality: A Series for Those Who Identify as White with Meenadchi and Sophie Macklin

5-week series starts Monday, April 5, 2021 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM PT

 
 

Expand your learning with others.

 

Practice Groups

Practice groups are a supportive environment for you to maintain and strengthen your practice in community.

Affinity Groups

Affinity groups are for community members to connect and practice with others of a shared identity/experience. 

 
 

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