The IMCW Spiritual Friends (Pali: “Kalyana Mitta”) program offers you an opportunity to meet with local, peer-led small groups who share an interest in meditation and the Buddhist path. SF groups consist of six to twelve meditation students who are committed to supporting one another as they explore the practice of the dharma in their daily lives. Because these groups are small and meet regularly over an extended period of time, they allow for intimacy and sharing, discussion of how to keep the practice alive in daily life, and an experience of the heart of the dharma.
Applicants should have some basic insight meditation experience. For new practitioners, please visit our Beginning Practice page, find a class or Introduction to Meditation series, and develop a basic meditation practice before signing up for a group. If you have never participated in a Spiritual Friends group before please sign up below for "A Spiritual Friends Orientation".
SF groups primarily focus on listening, both giving full listening attention to a member who is sharing but also deeply listening to one’s internal response. It is important that members commit to attending regularly, to continue practice between meetings and to skillfully use mindful listening and speaking.
Information about current Spiritual Friends groups will be continually updated on this webpage. Please apply for groups listed as “open” (needs additional members) or “forming” (needs members in order to start). Groups listed as “closed” (not seeking new members) re-open only very rarely. Please read the description for the group you are applying to join.
To request to join a group or to express interest in forming a new Spiritual Friends/SF group, please complete the Spiritual Friends/KM questionnaire. Please include the name of the group you are requesting in the comments box.
Your questionnaire will be reviewed and the SF Coordinator will contact you if there are any questions. Placement in a group will be determined, in part, by what groups are “open” and by whether someone volunteers to facilitate and host the group.
Depending on your request and group availability, placement can take anywhere from several weeks to a few months.
If you would like to facilitate and/or host a KM group of your own, please contact Glen Harrison, our SF coordinator.
Spiritual Friends groups are intended to deepen your insight meditation practice, so please attend a class or an "Intro to Meditation" session and develop a basic meditation practice prior to signing up for a SF group telephone orientation.
Groups are facilitated by your peers and generally meet for 1.5-2 hours. Most group meeting start with a 20-30 minute silent meditation.
The meditation is often followed by a personal check-in by each member. The check-in may be specific to a dharma topic selected by the group or it may relate the dharma to the individual's life, practice, or experience in the moment.
Mindful discussion follows the check-in. Depending on the focus and agreements of the group, this might be discussion of a topic, or on themes, questions, or responses arising from the check-ins.
After the discussion, groups may include a brief "process time" for members to express how the meeting was for them.
Finally, a short sitting or loving-kindness meditation brings a sense of closure to the meeting.
Some groups have a special emphasis such as parenting, chronic pain and illness, addiction/recovery, meditative writing, health professionals, etc. (please see individual group description for details).
Monday or Thursday triweekly
If you have never attended a Spiritual Friendship group meeting please sign up to attend orientation so that you can be connected to an SF group. Please use the "Interested? Apply here" link above and mention the date you are interested in attending in the questionnaire comments section and a telephone conference number will be emailed to you from uberconference.
FULL Monday, September 30, 2019, 8:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 17, 2019, 6 p.m.–7 p.m.
Monday, November 4, 2019, 8:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m.
During the orientation we will go over the SF guidelines, listening instructions, sharing tips, Q&A and we will review the group you have requested to join. There will also be a short sit and share time at the end, so be sure to be able to participate fully.
TBD
If you facilitate a Spiritual Friends group meeting and would like to meet with other facilitators, please use the "Interested? Apply here" link above and mention the date you are interested in attending in the questionnaire and a telephone conference number will be emailed to you from Uberconference.
During the call we will go over the SF guidelines, listening and sharing tips and Q&A. There will also be a short sit and sharing time at the end, so be sure to be able to participate fully.
Tuesdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m., semi-monthly
We use the IMCW KM format, i.e., a 30-minute silent sit, check-in, dialogue about the reading, our practices, lives, etc. in relation to the topic in the reading, address any administrative matters, and a final short sit. We generally focus on a chapter of a book about Buddhism but readings are optional, and members who don't choose to do the reading are welcome to participate.
Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m., semi-monthly
Meditation and check-in, followed by mindful discussion, group process time and final short sit/metta practice. Focuses on Self Compassion in the service of advancing on the path of Insight (Vipassana) meditation.
Wednesdays, 7:00-8:30 pm, semi-monthly
Appropriate for members who have at least 2 years of practice and a commitment to maintain a daily practice (even if that doesn't actually occur every day - it's the aspiration and intention that is important to us).
We start with a short check-in or mindful discussion about a book we've selected (15 min.), followed by a silent meditation sit (25 min.) and then a longer check-in related to our practice and mindfulness in daily life.
Sunday, 6:30-8 p.m., weekly
Mondays, 7:30 p.m., monthly
This group is not yet meeting, has a facilitator but needs participants.
Thursdays, 5-7 p.m., semi-monthly
This group is not yet meeting, needs a facilitator and participants.
We’re a group of women writers supporting each other to mindfully unleash our wild side in our writing and tap into our gold. Writing can be such a solitary endeavor – this group is meant as an oasis for women to safely share their writing and enjoy the power of meditation to enliven our spirit.
While you don’t have to be a published writer, our group invites women who are actively working towards finished pieces of writing. There’s no teaching, just lots of loving support to get our words out into the world and stay balanced in the process. The meetings include meditation, reading our work if desired, occasionally reading inspiring books on writing influenced by meditators (like Nathalie Goldberg) and mindful listening, reflection and sharing.
Tuesday, 7-8:30 pm, semi-monthly
Meditation and check-in, followed by mindful discussion, group process time and final short sit/metta practice.
Thursday evening, monthly
This is a group for currently licensed mental health professionals in the Bethesda, Chevy Chase area.
IMCW Spiritual Friends format, i.e., a 30-minute silent sit, check-in, deeper sharing about our practices, lives, etc, then addressing any administrative matters and a final short sit.
Monday, 7-8 p.m., 1st & 3rd week
Initial sitting, checking in and sharing, final sit. On the 3rd Wednesday, there is a Dharma talk after the initial sit.
Sunday, 1:30-3:30 p.m., 1st & 3rd week
This group is for and supports members with mood, attachment or anxiety disorders only in that we all have some experience with one or more of these concerns, allowing us to view any mention of them with recognition and acceptance. We don’t necessarily have mood, attachment, or anxiety issues as topics for our meetings, or read and share educational material about them. However we frequently discuss how our individual practice helps us with these and other challenges in our lives. Therefore, we are a normal Spiritual Friends group whose members have experienced, or are experiencing significant mood, attachment, or anxiety problems.
We use the IMCW SF meeting format: meditation and check-in, followed by mindful discussion, group process time and final short sit/metta practice.
Thursdays, 7-8:30 p.m., semi-monthly
Silent meditation and check-in, followed by group discussion.
Tuesday, 7-9 p.m., 1st & 3rd week
We start with a 45-minute meditation followed by check-in and discussion about how to bring meditation into our daily lives. Our goal is to provide a space for each member of the group to learn about themselves and develop more freedom in their daily lives.
Sunday 7:00-8:30 p.m. (alternating)
Wednesday 7:30-9:00 p.m. (alternating)
We start with a 20-30 min sit, do check-ins, and then discuss a dharma topic. Members rotate facilitating and hosting.
Not currently meeting
This is a newly forming group in the Bethesda area for mothers who are interested in parenting and how that relates to spiritual practice.
We have someone who can facilitate but we still need 5-6 interested people to get started.
This group needs a facilitator and needs participants.
Sunday, 6:30-8:30 p.m., 2nd & 4th week
We follow the typical process of a two-hour meeting, opening with meditation, then a check-in, then a topic reading and discussion.
Alternating Tuesday evenings
We typically sit for 20 minutes, then have a period of sharing about our experiences with our practice followed by Dharma study and a concluding short sit.
Fridays, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 2nd & 4th week
Retired/transitioning from the workforce: Retirement and transition can be a good time to connect with others. This change brings forth many new challenges for our ego and letting life flow as we adjust. We can share these challenges in a mindful way with support. Join us!
Monday and Thursday, 7 p.m. arrive, meet 7:30-9 p.m., 1st & 3rd week
This KM group meets in 2 different homes on a Monday and a Thursday each month to allow for a flexible meeting schedule. We have a brief greeting/intro, then a silent mediation, mindful speaking on related topics and practice issues, a shorter meditation, and a closing.
Wednesday 7-9 p.m., semi-monthly
1½ miles from the Dunn Loring metro
This is a newly forming group. We need new members and a facilitator to get started.
tbd
Tuesday 7-9 p.m., monthly
Group time includes 30 minutes of sitting meditation, check-in, and discussion of readings. Appropriate for YLM alumni and meditators with 3 or more years of experience.
Sunday, 7-8 p.m. Eastern Time, 1st & 3rd week
Online meditation and check-in, followed by mindful discussion, group process time and final short sit/metta practice.
This group is not yet meeting, needs a facilitator and needs participants.