Writing From the Heart, with Laura Rosenthal

This Retreat

Laura will teach this retreat in person in Sacramento.

Sharon Salzberg teaches that the Pali word saddha, which is often translated as “faith,” “literally means ‘to place the heart upon.’ To have faith is to offer one’s heart or give over one’s heart.” When we engage wholeheartedly in any practice whose trajectory is wholeness and insight, this cultivates and reflects saddha.

In this daylong retreat, we will engage in writing, reflection, mindful sharing, and short periods of sitting meditation as practices to support deepening awareness and heart. This day is equally suitable for experienced writers and folks who are interested in writing primarily as a tool for inner exploration. The mid-day break will not be held in silence but will be a time of continued informal practice. Please bring a lunch so you can stay with us.

Registration

We offer this program on a sliding scale of $30 - $150, which includes a donation for the teacher. However, we turn no one away for lack of funds. We have a sliding-scale option for individuals who pay below our registration range.

Note: if you need a scholarship, contact the coordinator, Lesley, at lesleycummings@me.com.

Our Teacher

A poet and dharma practitioner, Laura Rosenthal has been practicing in the Insight Meditation tradition since 2004 and is a graduate of Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Dedicated Practitioners Program and Advanced Practitioners Program. Her Buddhist teachers have included Andrea Fella and Heather Sundberg. She has participated in Heather Sundberg’s MahaSati Essence of Mind Awareness Training since 2016 and is mentored in her dharma teaching by Heather. Laura has offered dharma talks at Sacramento-area sanghas, has facilitated an affinity group on Buddhist ethics, and has been a mentor in beginning meditation courses offered by the Spirit Rock Meditation Center and the Insight Meditation Center. She is deeply engaged with Jewish text study and is one of the Torah study leaders for Sacramento’s Congregation B’nai Israel. Laura holds a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Writing from Pacific University as well as degrees from Cornell University and Stanford Law School. Before re-igniting her passion for writing, Laura practiced law in the public sector for almost 40 years, with an emphasis on access to health care.
Sacramento Buddhist Meditation Group is a 501(c)(3).