Online: Buddhist Practice as Medicine for Our Tumultuous Times
with Narayan Helen Liebenson
Saturday, May 10th, 2025 | 10:00am – 1:00pm ET
We are living in tumultuous times. The Buddhist tradition promises an island that no flood of information, suffering, greed, hatred, or confusion can overwhelm. But how do we integrate these teachings into our lived experience—especially now?
Over the course of this half-day online retreat, Guiding Teacher at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center Narayan Helen Liebenson will speak to how we can find true refuge amidst the chaos.
The Buddha taught that refuge can be found in intrinsic peacefulness, as well as the dharma, or teachings. The Buddha also stressed the importance of belonging to a community of spiritual friends who can support one another when times are tough.
Together we’ll discuss how these three jewels can be the medicine for a rapidly changing era. We’ll also touch on how to tap into the inner courage needed to face, and practice with, the flood of suffering in the world. By knowing and embodying our strength, we can learn to be a refuge for others.
Through meditation, discussion, and guided reflection, we will consider what it means to seek refuge in a way that supports our spiritual journey but remains connected to the world around us.
Registration:
Please register below. If you are able, registering at the “Supporter” level enables others to attend at the “Subsidized” level. Thank you for your generosity! (Please note that the registration price includes a base level of teacher support, and you will have the opportunity to donate more after the program.)
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Volunteering
All of our programs rely on volunteers to support our teachers and staff with various tasks and responsibilities. Volunteering allows you to participate in our programs at no cost. To inquire about volunteering opportunities, please fill out our inquiry form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Teacher(s)
Narayan Helen Liebenson
Narayan Helen Liebenson is a guiding teacher at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center in Cambridge, MA, where she has been teaching since it opened its doors in 1985. She is also one of the guiding teachers at IMS (the Insight Meditation Society) in Barre, MA. Narayan is the author of a small book entitled Life as Meditation as well as The Magnanimous Heart; Compassion and love, Loss and Grief, Joy and Liberation, published January 2019. Her training includes over 35 years in the Theravada tradition as well as ten years in the Chan tradition with the late Master Sheng-yen. She finds it a joy and a privilege to share the buddha’s teachings with all who are interested.