Winnipeg Insight Meditation Community

Orientation

The Winnipeg Insight Meditation Community (WIMC) is a peer led sangha. While some members volunteer their time and energy to certain organizational and administrative roles, we operate in a non hierarchical fashion in which each participant is regarded as an equal.

While we operate without formal leadership, our practice is informed by a set of shared guidelines and values. As such, we welcome new members to familiarize themselves with our practice and principles as outlined on this page before joining their first session.

Additionally, we require that all participants adhere to the code of conduct detailed below, in order to preserve our sangha as a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment for all.

Our land acknowledgement follows at the bottom of this page.

Our practice

The WIMC is a non sectarian sangha. This means we welcome all forms of Buddhist practice within our group, rather than adhering to a singular school or tradition of Buddhism.

Some of our members may themselves practice a specific form of Buddhism; others may compose their practice from a multitude of traditions both within and outside of Buddhism. Some of our members do not identify as Buddhists at all. Regardless of the nature of their practice or level of experience, we welcome all participants as valued members of our sangha.

Our weekly practice takes the form of a silent meditation, followed by a dharma talk and group discussion led by a dharma host.

Silent meditation

Each session will include a 20 minute period of silent, seated meditation; participants meditate using whichever practice(s) they prefer. During our outdoor sessions (June – August), participants are welcome to practice either sitting or walking meditation.

Those new to silent meditation may wish to learn about and experiment with vipassana meditation before joining their first session, as guidance is not offered during our sessions. (While all forms of meditative practice are welcome, vipassana meditation tends to be a common entry point for new meditators.)

The meditation period commences with a single strike of the sangha’s singing bowl by the dharma host; the end of the period is marked by three strikes of the bowl.

Dharma host

Dharma hosts are members of the sangha who volunteer to lead the week’s session. At the end of each week’s session, participants may volunteer as dharma host for the following week.

The dharma host’s responsibilities include:

  • Introducing participants to the week’s session and marking the beginning and end of the meditation period
  • Giving a brief dharma talk
  • Leading the sangha in a dedication of merit to close the week’s session

Dharma talks

A dharma talk is a brief (usually 15 – 20 minute) presentation given by the dharma host. This presentation can take the form of a talk, a reading, or a prerecorded presentation in audio or video format (for the latter, the dharma host should supply their own A/V equipment).

As we are a peer led sangha, there is no expectation that the dharma host should be an expert on Buddhism or meditation. Dharma hosts should not feel pressure to act as a ‘teacher’ for the sangha. Some of the best dharma talks take the form of a personal anecdote, a reflection on a personal challenge, or sharing some insight into how the dharma or Buddhist practice has impacted one’s life. Simply reading a meaningful excerpt from a book can make for a wonderful dharma talk.

Group discussion

Following the dharma talk, participants are welcomed to reflect on the content or themes presented by the dharma host. There is no obligation to speak. We ask participants who choose to speak to keep the following points in mind:

  • Please speak as clearly as possible in order to allow everyone in the group to hear you.
  • If the session is particularly well attended, please be mindful of the time and take a single turn to speak, in order to allow everyone a chance to contribute.
  • Please follow our code of conduct (below) when speaking.

Dedication of merit

Each week’s session is concluded with the dharma host offering a dedication of merit. This dedication expresses the intention for the sangha’s practice to benefit not just ourselves, but all beings. Dharma hosts may choose to read a prewritten dedication of merit from their choice of author (instead of composing their own dedication) should they prefer.

Dana

Our sessions are offered freely under the Buddhist tradition known as ‘dana’ (a Pali word meaning ‘generosity’), to ensure that no one is barred from participating due to economic reasons.

A donation box will be available at each sitting, and those able to donate may do so confidentially with an amount of their choosing. Donations may also be made via Interac e-Transfer to winnipeginsight@gmail.com. These donations cover the rent of our meditation space as well as contributing to the costs of events, projects, or retreats that the group may initiate.

Code of conduct

The WIMC seeks to be a safe, supportive, respectful, and healthy environment for everyone. All participants have the right and freedom to enjoy their time with us free from discrimination of any kind, including but not limited to discrimination based on age, colour, mental or physical disability, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, race, and religion.

It is the duty of all WIMC participants to uphold and abide by this code of conduct at all times and during all WIMC sessions, events, and in all WIMC communications, and to ensure that all participants are treated with dignity and equality.

Furthermore, by attending any WIMC session or event, all participants commit to:

Land acknowledgement

The Winnipeg Insight Meditation Community (WIMC) acknowledges that we are fortunate to live, practice, and meet each week in Treaty One territory — the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and the homeland of the Red River Métis. This territory was taken from local indigenous nations by the monarchy of Canada in 1871, and is the territory in which the city of Winnipeg resides.

The land on which we gather today and the bodies of water which feed it were held sacred and were stewarded by Indigenous peoples long before the arrival of colonial settlers. At the hands of these settlers and their descendents, the Original Peoples of this land and their descendents have been subject to catastrophic violence, which has also extended to the very lands and waters of which they were (and continue to be) dispossessed.

The dharma draws our attention to the interdependent arising of all causes and conditions, and thus the interconnectedness of all facets of reality. A sangha is formed by a group of meditation practitioners as a means of embracing kinship with all beings. Thus, as members of a sangha studying the dharma, we cannot turn a blind eye to the causes and conditions that allow us to gather each week on stolen land — nor can we allow ourselves to regard these causes and conditions purely as matters of history.

In keeping with our practice and study of the dharma, we commit to honouring the right to self determination and wellbeing of all Indigenous peoples of this land. We express our deep gratitude and affirm our privilege in sharing this place with all its inhabitants — particularly its original stewards and their descendents. We pledge to continually question our individual and collective roles and responsibilities as guests in Treaty One territory, and we hope that our practice will benefit not just ourselves, but also the lands, waters, and peoples of this place.