Take Care of Yourself

Every Fall I have an appointment with someone at a psychiatrist’s office.  The appointment is virtual these days, pretty brief, and mostly just a nice chat.  She asks how I am doing.  “Would I like to start on any medications?” 

I do this annual appointment to stay in the queue at the psychiatrist office in case I have another round of severe depression.  It’s very hard to get in as a new patient, and this keeps the door open if I need to walk through.

Why write about this in the newsletter?  For one thing, I would have trouble addressing my history with depression in a talk.  Some of you know of my tendency to start crying during a talk and trying to describe my darkest days would probably bring copious tears. 

I bring the topic up because I have talked with people at IMFW and in other Buddhist communities who have struggles with depression and other mental health issues.   There are famous Buddhist teachers who have been open about struggles with depression and anxiety. 

Sometimes we think meditation, or the broader Buddhist path, would take care of our mental health struggles.  This might be true for some people some of the time.  Definitely not true for others.  I had been practicing for decades when the bottom fell out and the fall was into deep, deep confusion and darkness.  Suicidal thoughts were constant.  I couldn’t even locate my mind to calm it with meditation.  With medication, counseling, and the support of friends and family, I came through.  But it took time.  Things got better and there was a point I could return to practice and I am sure that my practice helped in the long term healing and is a major reason I have not gone down into that abyss again.  Along with my practice, regular exercise, getting sunlight, the right amount of sleep, and connecting with others are all important things that can keep my mental health in a workable range. 

Still, I keep that appointment every year.  We talk in the Fall just to see how I’m doing heading into the dark months because those long days of cold and little light can be hard on the mind.

We are going into those months together.  All I want to say here is take care of yourself in whatever way works.  Once I was at a retreat (not at IMFW) and the teacher was instructing a person to get off their meds.  Right there in a group session, the advice was being doled out.  I was livid, but said nothing.  I should have spoken up.  We need to care for ourselves and each other in a variety of ways and if medication is appropriate for a person, they should never be advised to stop to pursue some “pure” form of practice. 

Be well my friends.  Take care of yourself.  Help take care of others.  Let’s be there for each other. 

Join us for Our Potluck Dinner – Tuesday, November 8 immediately following Sangha.  Bring a dish – and join the fun.  We have a full kitchen at Sangha House – so if you need to refrigerate, heat up, or wash up, we’ve got you covered.  This is an expanded version of Second Tuesday Tea and will include a short update by our Sangha’s Board.

Join us to begin or enhance your sitting practice.  IMFW resident teacher, Drew Consalvo is teaching the popular Introduction to Insight Meditation class every Monday evening during the month of November starting at 6:30 and lasting about an hour.  These in person classes are held at 2332 Sandpoint Road, Fort Wayne.  You can enroll in the class at https://www.imfw.org/intro-scheduled   

Gratitude lifts your spirits and deepens your state of mind.  We are encouraging people who are interested in expanding their experience of gratitude to join our Gratitude Group.  It is a practice that we offer through IMFW. See the article below for instructions to join.

We need people who are willing to help clean Sangha House.  If you are interested and can donate some time to help keep our building clean and looking good, please contact us at InsightMeditationFW@gmail.com or speak to Josh Smith or Deb O’Kelly.

Thank you to Nancy Tompkins for her work as Retreat coordinator for the Fall Retreat.  Her behind-the-scenes support allowed us all to enjoy a mindful retreat.

Thank you to Tri-State Dharma teacher, Joan Staubach for sharing her wisdom and guiding the retreat.

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.

IMFW is entirely supported by voluntary donations that embody the ancient practice of dāna or generosity. The teachings are always offered freely and practitioners are invited to offer support that matches their own financial means, and/or by volunteering time and talents to support the teachers and the upkeep of Sangha House.

At this time of year, as our thoughts turn to giving thanks for all of our blessings, it is a good time to consider joining IMFW’s Gratitude Group.
 
As you may know, some of us in the Sangha participate in an email Gratitude Group.  Each member of the group is invited to send out a daily email observing three things we are grateful for.  This is a wonderful practice, allowing us to increase mindfulness of our blessings and also giving us the chance to get to know each other personally a little better.
 
If you're interested in joining the group, please send an email to ifw-gratitude+subscribe@googlegroups.com
 
Once you have signed up you can send your gratitude email each day to ifw-gratitude@googlegroups.com and it will be delivered to all of the participants in the group.  
 
You can unsubscribe at any time, as described at the bottom of each email.  There is no requirement that you participate every day.  Some members faithfully send daily emails, others only send occasional emails, and some just like to read others' posts, but the whole group benefits from reading whatever emails are delivered each day.
 
If you prefer you can adjust your Google groups setting so you receive the gratitudes in digest form.  Then you get all that day's messages in just one email a day.  To do this, once you have subscribed, do the following:

• Go to groups.google.com/g/ifw-gratitude
• Go to My Membership Settings
• Under Subscription choose Digest

 
If you have any questions or encounter problems, you can contact me at eeengland@gmail.com.  Please consider joining if you haven’t already!
 
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Ellen
 
 

A four-week Introduction to Insight Meditation Class will be offered by the Insight Meditation Fort Wayne meditation community starting Monday, November 7 and continuing each Monday through November 28.  Class begins at 6:30 p.m. and lasts about an hour.  Drew Consalvo is teaching.

The classes will be held at the Sangha House at 2332 Sandpoint Rd. and are in person only.   

While there is no fee for the class, a donation box will be available for those who wish to express their gratitude to the Insight Meditation Fort Wayne community for freely offering this class.  Please sign up for the class on our website; https://www.imfw.org/intro-scheduled

We teach Insight Meditation, a practice that trains the mind to be aware of what is happening, when it is happening. When we begin to see our experience more clearly, we become better able to make choices about how we might live our lives with less stress and anxiety.  As the mind settles and can see more clearly into the difficult situations of our lives, the qualities of love, compassion and wisdom naturally arise.

Insight Meditation, or Vipassana, has been practiced for over 2,600 years, since the time of the Buddha.  This lineage is practiced primarily in Thailand, Burma, India, Sri Lanka and now in Europe, Australia, many parts of Africa, and the United States.

Learning to meditate is not about becoming a Buddhist; it is not about adopting new concepts or dogmas.  It is not a scholarly pursuit nor is it tied to a belief system. Insight Meditation practice is useful no matter what your religious or spiritual orientation and can support your existing spiritual path, no matter what it is.  

Come experience how mindfulness training can reduce your stress and anxiety!
 
Stress isn't going anywhere. We all feel it from time to time. Actually, stress doesn't come from your boss, relationships, your kids, health challenges or even everyday driving in the car. It comes from how you view these situations. That is what creates the unease.
 
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction is the "gold standard" of mindfulness training. This empirically researched 8 week course developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn has been taught for more than 40 years around the world. Research outcomes have demonstrated positive improvements in physical and psychological symptoms, as well as changes in health attitudes and behaviors.
 
MBSR is designed to train attention, and reduce stress through a variety of practices and meditations. In this highly participatory, practical program, students will participate in:

• Guided instruction in mindfulness meditation practices
• Gentle stretching and mindful yoga/movement
• Inquiry exercises to build awareness and promote self-discovery
• Small and large group discussion
• Daily home assignments
• Guided audio files for home practice 
 
MBSR Classes will be held in person at
Insight Meditation Fort Wayne
2332 Sandpoint Road
Wednesdays from 6:00-8:30pm
February 1 – March 22nd
Space is limited to 10-15 participants for social distancing
Suggested cost is $20/session ($160), however, a sliding scale is available upon request.



Mindful Self Compassion
 
Are You Hard On Yourself?
 
Contact me, Becky Pape, if you have interest in taking this research based course created by Dr. Kristen Neff and Chris Germer. Mindful Self-Compassion Short Course (SC-MSC) is offered in a shorter format for those who do not have time for the full program. The program is 6 sessions and lasts about 90 minutes each.  This class will be taught in person at the Insight Meditation Fort Wayne building on Sandpoint road, beginning at 6pm Thursday, February 2^nd through March 9^th.

Research has shown that self-compassion greatly enhances emotional well-being. It
boosts happiness, reduces anxiety and depression, and can even help you stick to your exercise or diet routine. 
 
Class cost is $150 and a sliding scale fee is available upon request.
 
To register for either or both classes contact Becky Pape
Email: Becky@mindmentor.life
For more information about Becky: https://www.mindmentor.life/