IMC Lewes is pleased to announce that beginning Monday, January 5, 2026, the Dharma Study Group (DSG) will begin reading Dancing With Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering by Phillip Moffitt. The book schedule is listed below.

Dancing with Life asks timeless questions: Why do we suffer? Is there a purpose to our pain? Drawing on Buddhist philosophy and meditation, Phillip Moffitt reflects on his own journey from editor-in-chief of Esquire to Buddhist meditation teacher and offers a fresh perspective on the Buddha’s ancient wisdom.

He explores how we can move from suffering toward clarity, awareness, and unexpected joy. If life is going to dance with you, what kind of partner do you want to be? Learning to meet the dance itself with ease becomes an essential skill for finding freedom and meaning.

The book provides a practical approach to engaging with difficulty through the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths. It guides readers in looking directly at suffering—its causes, its patterns, and its impact—so that a more intuitive understanding can arise. From this deeper awareness, new possibilities for meaning, joy, and liberation become available, even in the midst of challenging circumstances.

Moffitt writes that “these twelve insights teach you to dance with both the joy and pain, finding peace in a balanced mind and calm spirit.” Practicing these insights can help readers meet life’s difficulties without being overwhelmed by stress and can deepen their moments of happiness.

Phillip Moffitt is a Buddhist meditation teacher and writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He served as Co-Guiding Teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center from 2010 to 2018 and is the creator of the Naturally Arising practice method and the honorary co-founder of the online retreat center Dharma Ground.

The book is available in paperback from Random House and Amazon.

The Dharma Study Group meets on the first and third Monday of each month at 5 p.m. All are welcome to join. To receive notifications, subscribe to our mailing list to our mailing list and check the Dharma Study Group box on the form.

We hope you can join us. It’s a great way to begin the new year, and to join other sangha members on our journeys of awakening.

Book Schedule

Below is the schedule of dates, chapter titles, and suggested page ranges. Because page numbers differ between editions, please use the chapter titles as your main reference if the pages in your copy don’t line up exactly.