Mindfulness of Mind — Relational Buddhist Insight Meditation Group

We're a Portland-based Buddhist community that puts special emphasis on deep dharma, the integration of practice into daily life, the relevance of both liberating meditation & heartful ethics, and creating the conditions for a real sense of sangha / community.

After the sit and a short talk, roughly half the evening is spent in meditative co-contemplation, both 1-on-1 conversations that go beyond the surface as well as large group discussions and Q&A.
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EVENING FLOW

7:00-7:30pm — Lightly guided meditation
7:30-8:00pm — A blend of formal teaching, large group discussion, and small group discussion

At 8:30pm, we’ll wrap up the official gathering, and you can either depart or stick around for casual conversation and tea until 9:00pm.

Visit here for more information.
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COST:

Offered on the gift economy (aka, generosity or donation).
Your presence is the biggest gift, though if you’re able, monetary contributions are always appreciated & help keep the ship afloat. For more info on why I choose to teach entirely on donation, check out this article on “the gift economy.”

Donations can be made in person or electronically via this link.
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LOGISTICAL NOTES:

Parking can be a little difficult, so plan to arrive 5 to 15 minutes early to get situated. We meet the 2nd and 4th Monday nights of each month.
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EVENING THEMES:

6/9/25 — Foundations of Buddhist Mindfulness
6/23/25 — Mindfulness of the Body
7/14/25 — Mindfulness of Feeling-tone
7/28/25 — Mindfulness of Mind
8/11/25 — Mindfulness of the Hindrances
8/25/25 — Mindfulness of the Awakening Factors
9/8/25 — Mindfulness of the Sense Doors
9/22/25 — Mindfulness of the Aggregates
10/13/25 — Mindfulness of the Noble Truths
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TEACHER BIO:

A former Theravādin Buddhist monk, David Sudar has spent over 3 years on intensive meditation retreats, including a 21-month retreat in Myanmar with his core teacher, Sayadaw U Tejaniya. Since 2018 he has also been studying with Vipassana teacher, Carol Wilson. He currently teaches Buddhism & meditation full-time, both locally and online. Visit here for a more complete biography.
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TEACHING ORIENTATION:

We're rooted in the Theravada Buddhist / Insight Meditation tradition. We center around the Noble Eightfold Path, the earliest teachings found in the Pali Canon, as well as a contemporary sensibility. The two books that most capture the teaching style you'll find in this group are:

• Relax & Be Aware by Sayadaw U Tejaniya. This is my favorite meditation guide, as it brilliantly lays out a down-to-earth meditation approach, based on awareness & wisdom, that we can apply every moment of our lives.
• The Issue at Hand by Gil Fronsdal. This book offers a very readable, brief, and excellently written overview of the Buddhist path. You could skip right to this chapter for a comprehensive yet succinct overview of the style of Buddhism we practice.