Guidelines for Newcomers

The Louisville Vipassana Community welcomes you to the practice of insight meditation!
We meet Monday evenings at Clifton Unitarian Church, 2231 Payne Street.

6 p.m. First-Time Visitor Orientation/Home Practice Discussion Time

If it is your first visit, please join us from 6 to 6:20 for instructions in Vipassana meditation practice and an introduction to our community’s practice. During this time, we can also discuss your questions and expectations. Regular group members may also arrive at this time to talk about any questions or issues that have come up in their home practice. We ask that all newcomers attend this session at least once before joining the group for the regular silent sitting. Experienced group members who arrive early are also welcome to meet in the cafeteria (basement) for socializing before the sit.  

6:20 p.m. Regular Silent Practice

At 6:20 p.m., we meet in the sanctuary. We begin by welcoming first-time visitors and sharing announcements. At 6:30, a forty-five minute silent sitting begins. No instruction is offered during this time. The silent sitting is followed by a silent walking practice. We then provide a dharma talk and close the evening with a guided metta (lovingkindness) meditation. On the first Monday of each month, the evening will close with a few minutes of chanting. Our practice ends by 8:15. Those wishing to do so may stay for a brief period for questions afterward.

Maintaining the Sacred Space

Since silence is both precious and necessary for Vipassana practice, we ask participants to take care of personal needs prior to sitting periods in order to avoid leaving and entering during the sitting. We also ask that to maintain the sacred space you remove your shoes, turn-off all cell phones (including those on vibrate) and leave personal belongings, such as bags, purses and water bottles, outside of the meditation space. Because the integrity of the group is so vital to practice, it is expected that those who attend will remain for the duration of the evening.

Our purpose is to provide a supportive setting and community for meditation practice. From time to time, we set aside time for socializing with a tea, dessert, or potluck, either before or after the regular group sitting. The Louisville Vipassana Community does not provide personal counseling, group therapy or other mental health services.