Erica Dutton

Welcome

Thank you for visiting. My website is here to share my practice of Reflective Meditation. I know from personal experience that it's hard to maintain a regular meditation practice, especially in the beginning. If you'd like personalized support and help with developing a meditation practice that works for you, I'm available for meditation support online and in person in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I'd be happy to share what my practice is like and assist you in your practice.

I am associated with SatiSangha (Newbury Park, CA), Pine Street Sangha (Portland, OR), Vacaya Sisters (online), and Still Mountain Meditation Center (Ann Arbor, MI)

My Classes

Changing Your Relationship to Stress and Worry

This series of classes will teach you a unique combination of mindfulness, insight, and awareness practices called Reflective Meditation where thoughts, like worrying, aren’t a problem. You will learn how to work with your worry through creativity, gentleness, and curiosity.

Drop-In Meditation Group

We need a refuge—a place to go where we can sit and meditate together and share our sittings. Weekly drop-in groups every Thursday, either online or in person.

Introduction to Reflective Meditation

A 5-week class introducing you to Reflective Meditation. For students interested in learning to meditate or who have tried before with little success.

Cultivating Patience and Compassion Through Meditation

In this series of 5 classes we look at how patience and compassion arise in ours meditation and what conditions enhance and enlarge those experiences. What mind states are connected with patience and compassion? How do we see it in our daily lives? This class is open to people familiar with Reflective Meditation.

Next class starts October 2.

Ideas from Five Days of Dharma Teaching

Erica Dutton November 16, 2021 November 16, 2021

I want to share some ideas with you from the International Western Dharma Teachers Gathering. These suggestions about a meditative mindset could become a fruitful discussion.

Nature Speaks

Erica Dutton October 16, 2021 October 16, 2021

sunset over Little Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan

There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story. I think this is also the dharma, not just dukkha, attachment and the poisons.

We All Want to be Happy

Erica Dutton September 23, 2021 November 16, 2021

We’ve just passed the 9/11 anniversary and you’ve probably heard a lot of remembrances about that day. It’s the kind of event that you never forget where you were when you first learned about it. I can even see in my minds eye where I was and the first images…

Not Breaking, Not Broken, But Unfolding

Erica Dutton September 3, 2021 September 3, 2021

a splash and ripple forming in a mountain lake

This is the nature of our life—there is suffering (as well as happiness, delight and joy). I have had to learn this over and over again. How can I tolerate suffering, gently and kindly?

What is Reflective Meditation?

Erica Dutton March 12, 2021 May 16, 2022

Reflective Meditation is an open, receptive, less structured approach to insight meditation. It is grounded in the earliest teachings of the Buddha. Hallmarks of the practice are: Gentleness Curiosity Flexibility The roots of this practice are to be found in the Buddha’s early teachings and are based on learning to…

Getting Started

Erica Dutton March 11, 2021 October 30, 2021

A sitting figure, possibly engaged in reflective meditation

Like any meditative practice, Reflective Meditation requires a significant commitment to realize the full benefits. However, getting started is easy. Here are some initial suggestions: Finding Structure Choose a comfortable position that you can hold for a period of time. Find a quiet place where you’re not likely to be…