Love, Belonging, Community
Dedicated Practitioner Group
Led by Peter Williams
This three-month dedicated practitioner group is a unique and powerful meditation opportunity. In its twelfth year, the group is a time-tested vehicle for connecting deeply with meditation practice and with like-minded people.
Applications are due January 23rd. Apply here.
Theme – Love, Belonging, Community
Our greatest pain is feeling separate and alone. Studies show that loneliness is not just detrimental to our mental health but impacts our physical health as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
The group will address the increased isolation in our culture by creating deep spiritual community, and using meditation practice to boost relational skill and to see through the illusion of separateness.
To foster community, participants will explore together dharma teachings, meditation practices and interactive exercises to share what is foremost in their hearts. A key relational practice will be Insight Dialog, a meditation in conversation in dyads. The group will create a safe and stimulating container for participants to share and bond with each other.
The main meditative practices of the group will be lovingkindness and mindfulness. These ancient and powerful practices will:
- Expand our capacity to love by developing the Buddha heart of kindness towards ourselves, a key need in a culture as judgmental as ours.
- Expand our capacity to love by developing the Buddha heart of kindness towards others, be it people we know or do not know, like or dislike.
- Develop key relational skills such as: presence, deep listening, empathy, non-judgment, letting go of agendas to fix people, setting boundaries and speaking authentically.
- Cut through the illusion of separateness and create an inner sense of satisfaction and belonging.
- Emphasize relational skill as the foundation of all effective action in the world.
Dates and Key Information
For the weekly meetings, participants will attend two separate groups, with in person folks on Mondays and online folks on Wednesdays. To be clear, you attend only one night a week. The three daylongs combine both groups in hybrid mode.
The group asks for regular attendance, which will strengthen the sense of community.
In-person group
- Location: Kelly’s Barn, central Boulder
- Weekly Meetings: Mondays, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, February 17 – May 12, 2025. Each meeting consists of meditation, dharma teachings and group interaction.
Online group
- Location: Online on Zoom
- Weekly Meetings: Wednesdays, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, February 19 – May 14, 2025. Each meeting consists of meditation, dharma teachings and group interaction.
Hybrid attendance for daylong retreats
- Monthly daylong retreats help integrate deeper practice into daily life. No matter which group you are in, you can choose to attend either in-person or online in a hybrid day. These go from 9 am to 5 pm, MT, and are held online and at Kelly’s Barn in Boulder on:
Saturday, February 22
Saturday, April 12
Saturday, May 10
Boost Your Practice Weeks
- There will be three weeks where the group hosts twice daily meditation sessions online to boost one’s daily practice. One can attend as little or as much as one prefers.
Suggested donation (dana): $675 for in person / $590 for online
The donation covers all expenses and teacher dana for the weekly meetings, daylongs, and individual practice discussion. This is just a guideline. One may need to give less or want to give more. Please give as much or as little as you are able. No one is excluded due to finances. Payment is in two installments.
Applications are due January 23rd. Apply here.
For questions, email Peter Williams at <ptrwllms98@gmail.com>.
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Comments from Participants
“I am a long-time meditator, but the teachings offered by Peter vastly improved my meditation practice. He offered Buddhist wisdom and meditation techniques that I had not been exposed to previously. His teaching style is very clear, thought-provoking, and fun! He created a very safe and playful environment with the weekly practice group that was extremely supportive. After several months of weekly practice and dharma talks, along with regular day long practice retreats, I definitely feel a shift in my whole being. I feel more gentleness and compassion, and there is a softening of my tendencies to hold onto specific views and outcomes.”
– Shara, Boulder, CO
“Making the commitment to meet weekly and study and practice with a small group of others making that same commitment, has been a powerful way to deepen my practice and transform my life. Peter is a wise and gifted teacher. Through his skillful stewardship, the group itself becomes a teacher in dharma and supports practice on and off the cushion. The longevity and intimacy of the DPG experience has transformed my relationship with myself, maybe with everything, by dismantling a deep sense of isolation and dislocation.”
– Cynthia, Berthoud, CO
“I really looked forward to my meetings with the DPG. There is something about meditating with the same group of people that can really expand one’s practice. This in conjunction with the Dharma talks from Peter made for some very lively discussions. The sharing of our experiences in this intimate setting made for some personal insights in my own practice which is unlike anything I have had even in multi-day silent retreats. It also provides a backdrop to share all the trials and tribulations which we encounter in practice and support from our fellow meditators in the group.”
– Stewart, Boulder, CO
“Peter’s group was rewarding in many ways. First, he is a truly amazing teacher with many years of experience both leading multi-day retreats, and attending personal retreats. In addition to sharing his wisdom and experience, he has a skillful way of bringing group members into the discussions. He creates a safe container so you feel that you can share and be heard. I especially liked the way he would weave humor into the evening. I am so grateful to have been part of Peter’s group as his teachings have been a valuable gift to me.”
– Darcy, Boulder, CO
“This group was, as is typical of Peter’s groups, a great way to learn valuable lessons about meditation and to deepen personal insight. I always get much from his groups, not only from the content but also because of his vulnerability and humanity.”
– Eric, Golden, CO
“Peter’s warmth and humor made his group feel immediately welcoming for me as a relatively new meditator. I learned so much that I could put straight to use. As someone who values community building, I also appreciated the efforts he made to connect us as a group.”
– Glenn, Boulder, CO
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