Ozarks Dharma Community

Dates:  Thursdays, August 25 through September 15, 2022 Time: 7 to 8 PM Where:  National Avenue Christian Church, 1515 S. National Ave, Springfield, MO Registration:  None Ozarks Dharma Community once again presents a free, four week training on mindfulness and meditation practice, taught by members of our community. It’s appropriate for all spiritual traditions, including secular and non-Buddhist. This course is ideal for those who have little or no experience with meditation, as well as those who have been unable to maintain a consistent sitting practice. Many people struggle with meditation because they haven't been trained in the proper technique. Over the course of these four weeks, participants will receive precise instruction on the fundamentals of meditation practice. Week 1: Introduction to Meditation and Correct Sitting Posture - Kevin McNerney Week 2: Using an Object for Meditation Practice - Kris Williams Week 3: Working with Obstacles...

Date: Monday, July 11, 2022 Time: 2 to 6 PM Where: The Gallery @ National Avenue Christian Church What: Chance to donate blood or volunteer CBCO, NACC, and ODC have a goal of 20 blood donors... will one of them be you? Schedule your donation here . We also need volunteers for the post-donation snack table. If you're interested, email the NACC coordinator directly, Ashley Quinn at  justice@nationalavenuecc.com . Here at the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks, we know donating blood is a BIG DEAL. This June and July, blood donors have a chance to save lives in our community and make a big deal of their own! Give blood during our “Let’s Save A Life” promotion and you could win our MYSTERY GRAND PRIZE worth $5,000. Or, you could take home one of our weekly mystery prizes valued at approximately $200! Ask how when you make your donation. Schedule Your Donation Now Download Flyers to Share Online/In Person

Date: Sunday, August 7, 2022 Time: 9 AM to 4:30 PM Where: A large, beautiful, indoor retreat space located in the country near Fair Grove Registration: Required in advance; click here to register Cost: We joyfully offer this retreat at no cost. Donations are welcome, of course.  Please Note: All participants are expected to arrive on time, adhere to silence once the retreat begins, and remain for the entire duration of the retreat. When participants arrive late or leave early, it disrupts the retreat container. Out of respect for your fellow spiritual companions, if you cannot commit to attending the entire day, then please do not register for this retreat. This is a day-long retreat with scheduled group practice sessions and breaks in the shrine room. There will also be time for individual practice outdoors, either sitting or aimless wandering. It will be a silent retreat, to allow our minds to settle over the course of the day. This is an opportunity to set aside our eve...

What: An Introduction to Social Meditation Course  When: Thursday evenings, 7 PM  Dates: July 7 to August 4, 2022  Where: National Avenue Christian Church, parlor  Over the five weeks of this course I will introduce some of the techniques of social meditation. Social meditation was originally created by Kenneth Folk as a more effective way to teach noting practice. It has been further developed by Kenneth Folk, Vincent Horn and other teachers working with Vincent into a robust and effective means of teaching and of sharing practice.  Social meditation acknowledges and takes advantage of the fact that we, as humans, are deeply social beings. When we gather together to meditate we are already using a type of social meditation. The difference is that in the formal technique of social meditation we meditate aloud in a structured manner. In the words of Vincent Horn we make what is implicit in group meditation explicit, using a word or phrase to share our medita...

What:  Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation Course for women in midlife of all experience levels offered by Janet Rock, Mindfulness Meditation Teacher When: June 7, 14, 21, 28, 2022 Time: 6:30 to 7:30 AM CDT via Zoom Each class will include instruction on mindfulness meditation skills with a guided practice and chance to share and ask questions. Topics include breath and body meditation, mindfulness of emotion, cultivating compassion, joy, and equanimity, and bringing mindfulness into everyday life. Reserve your seat or reach out with any questions: Janet Rock tesolrocket@gmail.com All classes and materials are freely offered.

When: Sunday, May 22. 8:45 AM to 4:30 PM CDT Where: A large, beautiful retreat space located on a country property 30 minutes north of Springfield. Directions to the property and more details will be given when you RSVP via this form . We joyfully offer this retreat at no cost. Donations are welcome, of course, but not required. This retreat is suitable for all levels of practitioners. For those who haven’t experienced a group retreat, this is a gentle, yet potent introduction. There will be periods of group practice in the shrine room, and also space and time for individual practice and walking meditation outside. It will be a silent retreat, to allow our minds to settle deeper over the course of the day. Participants are expected to stay the entire time, since leaving early disrupts the retreat container. We recommend bringing your personal cushion and mat, since there will be several sessions of sitting. ODC will also provide cushions, mats, and blankets to use. Chairs are ...

The James River Basin Partnership will be hosting their annual Earth Day cleanup on Friday April 22, 2022, from 12:30-5:00 at Lake Springfield. Volunteers may come anytime in that time frame, or stay and help for all of it! This is a FREE event open to anyone who would like to get out and make a difference in their community. Our group will be doing shoreline cleanup. Pre-registration is required, as there is a required waiver, so please be sure to sign up by contacting Jean Parker at jeanlws@gmail.com by April 1st. Partners for this event include Springfield-Greene County Parks and Recreation , The City of Springfield’s Department of Environmental Services , Bass Pro Shops , and the Missouri Department of Conservation . Event Detail Summary When:  Friday, April 22, 2022, 12:30 to 5 PM Where:   Lake Springfield Registration: Required in advance to sign wavier. To volunteer with ODC, please email Jean Parker at jeanlws@gmail.com Photo credit: Springfield CVB

ODC invites you to join us in a free, 5-week introduction to somatic meditation Course Description Our body, or soma, offers direct access to our true nature, or higher self. The soma also holds our unresolved issues and traumas, which can block that access. These manifest as physical tension, emotional distress, and disease. Using the breath-work and visualization practices presented in this course, we develop an intimate and ever-deepening relationship with our soma, increasing our connection to our innate wisdom and creativity. This course is experiential in nature, using guided meditations. It is suitable for all levels of practitioners of any tradition, including secular and non-Buddhist. For novices, it provides a solid foundation on which to develop a meditation practice. Advanced practitioners will learn skillful methods to enhance their existing practice.  Participants are required to attend the first session. About the Facilitator Kevin McNerney has been explori...

Due to omicron, this course has been rescheduled to February 24, March 3, and March 10. We invite you to four evenings that seek to introduce the fundamentals of meditation and mindfulness. While the course will be taught by Ozarks Dharma Community members who have adopted Buddhist practices, the course is appropriate for a secular/non-Buddhist, as well as a Buddhist, audience; anyone willing to deepen their understanding of meditation concepts and practice approaches is welcome. Week 1: Introduction to Meditation & Posture - Rhett Week 2: Using Breath as an object of meditation - Kris Week 3: Working with thoughts - Don Week 4: Cultivating a daily practice - John

Thursday, November 25, 9 to 9:30 AM Join us for our 2nd annual 30-minute gratitude sit on the morning of Thanksgiving. This is an online only sit , so we are able to gather wherever we happen to be on this holiday. Here's the Zoom information, the same info you use to join Saturday Sit . Zoom Meeting ID 225 818 0988 Join Directly via URL https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2258180988 Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

  Our host church, National Avenue Christian Church, is hosting the National AIDS Memorial Quilt from December 1 through 5, 2021, so all Ozarks Dharma Community events will be moved from the Parlor where we normally meet to the upstairs conference room during those dates.  Please enter through the south door on Portland Street, especially if you are bringing food or drink with you.  You will be turned away from the Gallery entrance if you have food or drink with you because of the AIDS quilt, but you may enter through the south door near the stairs with your refreshments. We will return to our normal location for all events starting Monday, December 6, 2021.

What: ODC invites you to join us in a free, 10-week introduction to the practice of meditation! While meditation has deep roots in Buddhism, this course is intended for anyone who has an interest in learning the basics of meditation and how to bring meditation into your life. The course will follow a text written by Jack Kornfield, a respected and long-time meditation teacher, who also happens to be Buddhist, Meditation for Beginners . The text is a straightforward, step-by-step approach to learning how to use your breath, physical sensations and even difficult thoughts and emotions to create a more stable mind, while bringing kindness and compassion into your life and the lives of others. Topics covered include the benefits of meditation, meditation posture, lovingkindness meditation, forgiveness meditation, walking meditation, and eating meditation, among others. When: Thursdays, 7-8 pm Where: the Parlor at National Avenue Christian Church & online via Zoom Start date...

Homage to the Buddha Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā Sambudhassa (3 times). Homage to the blessed One, the Perfected One, the Fully Awakened One (3 times). The Three Refuges Buddham Saranam Gacchāmi I go to the Buddha for refuge. Dhammam Saranam Gacchāmi I go to the Dhamma for refuge. Sangham Saranam Gacchāmi I go to the Sangha for refuge. Dutiyampi Buddham Saranam Gacchāmi For the second time, I go to the Buddha for refuge. Dutiyampi Dhammam Saranam Gacchāmi For the second time, I go to the Dhamma for refuge. Dutiyampi Sangham Saranam Gacchāmi For the second time, I go to the Sangha for refuge. Tatiyampi Buddham Saranam Gacchāmi For the third time, I go to the Buddha for refuge. Tatiyampi Dhammam Saranam Gacchāmi For the third time, I go to the Dhamma for refuge. Tatiyampi Sangham Saranam Gacchāmi For the third time, I go to the Sangha for refuge.

  URGENT NEED for Blood Community Blood Center of the Ozarks has been dealing with critically low levels for more than 6 months now and with bad weather potential it may get even worse! If you can donate, please mark your calendar for Thursday, February 4, 2021, from 1 PM until 6 PM at National Avenue Christian Church’s Fellowship Hall. Signing up in advance to give is encouraged; make your commitment here . For each blood donor, NACC is making a $5 donation to AIDS Project of the Ozarks, so your donation at this blood drive will go further than normal. CBCO also needs volunteers to work the greeting and snack tables throughout the blood drive. You can volunteer by signing up here . As Buddhists, we can certainly appreciate the personal experience of giving and helping others and how that comes back around to benefit all of us, and this is one opportunity to give that can literally save lives—up to three lives per donation! Note that masking will be required ...

We are continuing to reach out to our friends in the community with less than we have, and our opportunities to help have changed. The Free Store at Grace UMC is no longer open, but if you have clothing and food donations, there is definitely still a need! National Avenue Christian Church is collecting clothing and food donations for Rare Breed and The Connecting Grounds, and you can drop those donations off at NACC in the bin outside the gallery door on Tuesday and Thursdays from 10AM to 3 PM or Sundays from 9:30 to 11:30 AM. Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

ODC is partnering again with NACC, the University Heights and Phelps Grove neighborhoods to help the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO) in a blood drive on Thursday, October 22, from 1-6pm at National Avenue Christian Church (1515 S National) in the Gallery Room.  We are excited about doing this, particularly now with the additional challenges CBCO has had in getting donations. We are supporting the efforts in 2 ways: Volunteering to help at the actual event – sign up to help here By donating blood - You are encouraged to sign up online at the CBCO website  here . You can also sign up by calling 417-227-5006. Walk-ins are also taken, but CBCO highly recommends signing up, as that really helps in their planning and keeping everyone safe (i.e. the potential for having many people in the space is minimized). The benefits of donating blood are many and are particularly important during these challenging times, as donations are quite low. As Buddhists, we can certainl...

As part of our  ongoing community outreach , ODC is partnering with National Avenue Christian Church to collect items for the Grace Free Store which supports the unsheltered and food insecure. Items from the Free Store are available Mondays and Wednesdays with the meal service. Please help stock the Free Store in October with: Men's small and medium boxer briefs Knit beanies and gloves Bulk snacks/bars Donations gratefully accepted 3 ways: Bring to Grace United Methodist Church on Tuesdays 11am-1pm. Please ring the doorbell on the east side of the church under the blue awning. Ship directly to Grace at 600 S Jefferson, Springfield, MO 65806.  Email outreach@ozarksdharma.org to arrange for local contactless pickup.

As part of our  ongoing community outreach , ODC is partnering with National Avenue Christian Church to collect items for the Grace Free Store which supports the unsheltered and food insecure. Items from the Free Store are available Mondays and Wednesdays with the meal service. Help stock the Free Store in September with: Sweatshirts, hoodies, jackets: size L and XL Men's denim jeans: 30, 32, 34 waist Women's denim jeans: all sizes NEW! Donations gratefully accepted 3 ways: Bring to Grace United Methodist Church on Tuesdays 11am-1pm. Please ring the doorbell on the east side of the church under the blue awning. Ship directly to Grace at 600 S Jefferson, Springfield, MO 65806.  Email outreach@ozarksdharma.org to arrange for local contactless pickup.   

Philip Moffit, a senior teacher at Spirit Rock, remarked that a half-day retreat can help the mind get still and stabilized. So let's turn our stay-at-home lives into a chance to cultivate stability. We invite you to join our online half-day retreats in September, October & November, hosted by various ODC facilitators. ODC Online Half-Day Retreats Dates : (1) Sunday, September 6; (2) Sunday, October 4; and (3) Sunday, November 8. Each is a stand-alone retreat. Feel free to attend any or all events. Time : 8:00am - 12:00pm. Who Can Attend : Open to beginning and seasoned meditators. Cost : There is no fee to attend. But if you wish to make a donation to ODC, you can via Paypal here . How : These half-day retreats will be held in the ODC main Zoom room. Use the Zoom link below. https://zoom.us/j/2258180988 Meeting ID: 225 818 0988 One tap mobile: +12532158782,,2258180988# US Dial by your location: +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) Format : These retreats will involve both...

As part of our ongoing community outreach , ODC is partnering with National Avenue Christian Church to collect items for the Grace Free Store which supports the unsheltered and food insecure. Items from the Free Store are available Mondays and Wednesdays with the meal service. Help stock the Free Store in August with: Men's long nylon basketball type shorts Mens' boxer briefs (sizes small to XL) Women's cotton undies (sizes 5-8) Donations gratefully accepted Tuesdays 11am-1pm at Grace United Methodist Church, 600 S. Jefferson, Springfield, MO. Please ring the doorbell on the east side of the church under the blue awning. For questions, contact Michele Sparks at outreach@ozarksdharma.org. Thank you!