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Being a Member of
Downtown Meditation Community
Students may want to consider being a member of Downtown Meditation Community. We have defined what it is to be a member of DMC in an effort to provide students with more opportunities to grow in their practice, and for the group to evolve and grow as a whole.
Please note that being a member does not entail making any kind of financial obligation. There is no “membership fee.” As a DMC member, students are asked to make a certain level of commitment to their practice and to the community.
The guidelines for being a member include:
* Members should have taken a New Students (Beginners’) Course and/or the Eight-Week Mindfulness Course.
- New Students’ courses are offered at different times throughout the year.
- Experienced students who are new to DMC are asked to take a New Students course or the Mindfulness course, so that they may become familiar with the style of teachings offered at Downtown Meditation Community.
* Members should regularly attend DMC classes and retreats.
* Members should have a regular meditation practice.
* Members will make a service commitment to the group.
- Students are asked to offer service to the group at least once per year.
- There is a wide range of possibilities, in terms of volunteering for DMC, from bringing refreshments to the Sunday Night class to taking a position as a manager for a three-month term on Thursday nights.
* Members should schedule a personal interview with the guiding teacher, to discuss their practice and participation in the group.
- Students are asked to have at least one interview per year.
- A calendar of dates/times when the guiding teacher is offering interviews will be sent out at different intervals. Students can sign up for these interviews which will be approximately a half hour in length.
- Members can also schedule a longer, more comprehensive interview.
* Members will follow DMC class protocol at all classes and retreats.
- Including following the Five Precepts.
- For a detailed listing of the boundaries that members observe at classes and retreats, please see the “Guidelines for Participation” section on the About Us page.
* Members will have the agreement of the guiding teacher.
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As noted, Downtown Meditation Community members are not asked to pay a “membership charge” or “dues.” There is a fee for most DMC classes, courses, and retreats. Members pay the class fee for programs they attend. Some members may want to consider paying a yearly subscription fee for Thursday Night meditation programs. As always, class fees cover expenses only; teachers do no receive payment. Members may support the teacher by making a donation (dana) at classes and retreats. Also, members may want to provide support for the guiding teacher by using the “pledge method.” Information about making a pledge is available at DMC classes.
Some Downtown Meditation Community programs are open to all students. Other programs are designated for “group members.”
Offerings that are open to all students include:
*Sunday Night Meditation
*New Students’ (Beginners’) Course
*Eight-Week Mindfulness Course
*Sutta Study
*Family & Friends Potluck Dinners
Programs designated for DMC group members are:
*Thursday Night Meditation Courses
*Day-long Retreats
*Residential Retreats
Students who are interested in dhamma practice and study, who don’t wish to become members of DMC, should note that Peter Doobinin regularly teaches classes, courses and day-long retreats at New York Insight Meditation Center and the New York Open Center.
New York Insight offers an extensive selection of programs, including day-long retreats, taught by various insight meditation teachers.
For more information:
New York Insight www.nyimc.org
New York Open Center www.opencenter.org
If you have any questions about being a member of Downtown Meditation Community, please get in touch with us at pdoob@earthlink.net. Or come to the Sunday Night Meditation class. We are very happy to discuss your involvement in our community.
May all beings be happy at heart.
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