The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

History

The Mindfulness Practice Center of Durham was founded in late 2002. It grew out of the work of Mindfulness Based Stress Relief teacher Bud Reiter-Lavery, evolving to become a fully fledged Buddhist group practicing in the tradition of Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh.

Activities and Schedule

The group holds meetings on Thursday nights at 7:30 p.m. Usually they meet at the Durham Friends Meeting House on the campus of Duke University, but occasionally they hold sessions in the nearby Sarah P. Duke Garden. The group requests a $2 donation (optional) from participants.

The usual format for a gathering is twenty minutes of silent seated meditation, followed by ten minutes of walking meditation, and then twenty more minutes of seated meditation. Meditation is typically followed by a talk or reading led by a member of the group, and then discussion of the points raised in the talk or book excerpt. Members take turns each week leading these discussions, which usually last until 9:00 p.m.

The Mindfulness Practice Center of Durham does not include any liturgy or ritual other than meditation. Religious trappings are minimal--a candle or flower placed in the center of the circle of participants, and a small bell to signal the beginning and ending of activities. A small number of cushions and meditation benches are provided.

Demographics

Membership in the group is currently composed of European-Americans, ranging in age from early 30s upward. Men and women are represented in roughly equal proportions.