To create a culture of mindfulness at CIMC, and an environment that is welcoming and peaceful, we ask you to bring awareness to your use of the Center.
CIMC currently require that everyone be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 at least two weeks before coming to the Center and that participants wear masks while inside the Center. The efficacy and safety of vaccines against the coronavirus is scientifically proven; by getting the vaccine you protect not only your own health but the health of others. CIMC’s vaccination requirement aligns with our intention that our Center be a refuge, a place of safety where we care for one another in support of our collective well-being. It is in keeping with foundational principles of the Dharma, which include a commitment to non-harm and the recognition of our interdependence.
CIMC Members who are fully vaccinated are welcome to come to the Center for individual practice from 7:00am-9:00pm every day of the week, except when programs are in progress in the building. Please click here for more information.
- For drop-in programs such as our Tuesday Beginners Drop-in or Wednesday Evening Dharma, proof of vaccination must be presented at the door.
- For our registration programs, participants will be prompted to pre-register their vaccination records using CrowdPass within 24 hours of registering for a program.
Masks
At this time, CIMC continues to require that masks be worn while in the building, and our kitchen and tea closet are closed. We encourage you to enjoy our beautiful garden if you would like to have something to eat or drink while at the Center.
Electronic Devices
Cell phones, smart watches, texting, etc. can be particularly disturbing in a quiet atmosphere. Please turn off all electronic devices when you enter the Center. If you need to make a phone call, check a message or read a text please go outside to the parking lot behind the Center to do so.
Shoes, Coats, Valuables
When entering the building please remove your shoes and leave them on the shoe racks under the stairs in the front hallway or in the dining room. Coats may go in the closets across from the main bulletin board or on the second floor. Please keep all valuables with you.
Environmental Concerns (no scented products, please)
Some people who practice at the Center have chemical sensitivities or environmental illnesses and experience adverse reactions when exposed to scented products. CIMC is a refuge. Out of compassion for those with chemical sensitivities, please avoid using scented products—lotions, deodorant, after-shave, hair products, perfume, clothes laundered with scented detergent or dryer sheets—before you come to the Center.
Meditation Hall
- Members who have met the vaccination requirements, may use either the upper or lower meditation halls for sitting practice from 7:00am-9:00pm every day of the week, except when programs are in progress in the building. Walking meditation should be done only in the lower hall or garden. The upper meditation hall is reserved for sitting practice only.
- Out of respect, and to honor the practice of others, we ask that you maintain Noble Silence in, and near, the upper and lower Dharma halls at all times. When entering the upper hall, please open and close the doors gently to minimize noise.
- After the sitting, please brush off your zabuton (large mat) and plump up your zafu (round cushion). Return any other items to their respective storage spaces so that you leave the hall as you found it.
- Food and drinks, including water, are not allowed in the meditation halls and we ask our members to refrain from eating or drinking in the Center at this time.
- Please refrain from reading or writing in the Meditation Halls.
Temperature
We strongly recommend you dress in layers since the temperature in the meditation halls will vary. The thermostats are set to a comfortable temperature; however, please give yourself a range of clothing options, as individual preferences for warmth or coolness differ widely and cannot be accommodated.
Housekeeping
Since we have no custodial staff, we rely on each person in our community to keep the Center clean and orderly. Please leave the Center at least as neat as you found it. This may mean brushing off your mat and plumping your cushion after a sitting, pushing your chair back under the table in the library, replacing an empty roll of toilet paper, picking up any litter from the floor, etc. These can all be expressions of mindfulness and generosity to those who share this space with you.