Common Ground Meditation Center

Common Ground supports the local mindfulness meditation community and provides on-going programs in vipassana or insight meditation in the Buddhist tradition. Mark Nunberg currently works full-time at the center as the director and guiding teacher. Although Common Ground is an independent center, it works closely with the Twin Cities Vipassana Cooperative and other national insight meditation organizations.

All programs are offered free of charge in the spirit of generosity. The Center, however, is completely dependent on your gifts. Your contributions pay for all the Center's expenses as well as the livelihood of the teachers. You may leave donations in the bowl in the entranceway. All contributions to Common Ground are tax deductible.

Guiding Teacher:

Common Ground's Guiding Teacher is Mark Nunberg. Mark began mindfulness practice in 1982 and has been teaching meditation since 1990. He and his wife, Wynn Fricke, founded Common Ground Meditation Center in 1993 for people interested in Buddhist mindfulness practice. Mark has studied with both Asian and Western teachers in several traditions, including practicing as a monk for five months in Burma. His primary teachers have been Joseph Goldstein and the other Insight Meditation teachers who teach at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Massachusetts. Mark continues to be a devoted student of Buddhist practice, putting aside several months each year for intensive retreat practice. Mark and Wynn reside at Common Ground.

Guiding Principles and Practices:

Common Ground Meditation Center exists to support the awakening of suffering beings through the development of an ethical life, the cultivation of a pure heart and quiet mind, and through a deepening of insight into the way things are. These trainings are all guided by mindfulness, and with dedicated practice they lead to freedom from fear, clinging and all ideas of separation. As a community, we take refuge in the freedom of the awakened heart. We take refuge in this path of training and a life of mindful awareness and finally, we take refuge in the great generosity of those who have undertaken this practice and who show us the way.

* Practicing mindfulness: an open, clear, non-judging awareness

We practice turning toward and trusting things as they are --- a kind and patient acceptance of our internal and external experience. Recognizing and opening to the suffering in life is an essential practice in healing and freeing the heart.

* Awakening wisdom and compassion

We recognize and trust that the conditionality of all things leads to transforming insight into the freedom from self-centered views and and the experience of non-separateness.

* Walking the path as practiced by our spiritual ancestors

We support ongoing study, practice and learning opportunities for all community members, including the guiding teacher.

* Cultivating skillful intentions, words and actions

We aspire to live in a way that promotes harmony and alleviates suffering. We commit to the practices of non-harming, non-greed especially in the areas of sexuality, speech and consumption. We also understand the need to integrate these practices into all areas of our community and our hearts.

* Communicating skillfully at all levels of the community

We commit to the practice of honesty. We not only value skillful speech, but also listening wholeheartedly and mindfully. We value fearlessness and looking deeply, as we practice opening to what is working and what is not working in our lives and in our community.

phone: (612) 722-8260

email: info@commongroundmeditation.org

Official website: http://www.commongroundmeditation.org/

Common Ground is located in the Seward Neighborhood of Minneapolis, south of the University of Minnesota on the west side of the Mississippi River.

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