Upcoming events.
Chanting Sangha
Everyone is welcome to join this drop-in chanting practice in the Plum Village tradition for a time of community and compassion. Many join to start or end their daily spiritual practice. The daily sessions are fifteen minutes long, offered at
6:45-7am Eastern/11:45-noon UK+IRE & 8:45-9am Eastern/5:45-6am Pacific
Our usual schedule is: the opening verse - a chant - dedications - Namo'valo - closing verse. Sundays a little more casual.
You don't need to know any chants before you join. Some people just listen, some people read the words (always shared in the chat) and some people sing everything. You can join any time, screen on or off, no RSVP required, and participate in whatever way works for you (while muted!)
Click here for a booklet to print out and youtube links for the chants.
To join, fill in your name and email, then check “Chanting Sangha” on the bottom of this page to receive the Zoom login and a booklet with the words and further instructions.
There is no fee to join. Donations are welcome.
Self-Power and Other-Power - Half-day Retreat
Sunday, November 17 - 10-2pm Pacific/1-5pm Eastern/6-10pm GMT
During a period of cultural upheaval in medieval Japan, the concepts of jiriki and tariki (self-power and other-power) emerged to reflect different approaches to awakening, jiriki favouring personal discipline while tariki favoured reliance on external, divine forces. And in today’s equally turbulent times, the seemingly opposing strategies of relying on either effort or interdependence, agency or spiritual support are still being debated in the realms of mental health and religion.
But we don’t have to choose one or the other. Actively working with both self-power and other-power gives us a key to adapt spiritual practices, of any tradition, into contemporary, trauma-informed paths for authentic healing and freedom.
In this experiential workshop, we will explore find the ways we already use both self- and other-power in our daily lives, and develop them both.
Through a blend of meditation, teachings, creative exploration and group reflection, this workshop will offer tools to cultivate both self- and other-power.
*Please note that this workshop does not cover an introduction to mindfulness and meditation, but assumes participants have some form of contemplative or self-reflection practice.
REGISTER
When you complete the registration form you will receive a copy of your responses with the zoom link at the top of the form - please put this in your calendar. I will be in touch one week before the retreat with further information and a reminder of the zoom link.
This retreat is offered by donation, open to all. If you’re moved to join, please do!
Suggested donation range*: $8-108, offered now or during the course
*No one will be turned away for lack of funds
Click here to donate and to learn more about dana, the Buddhist tradition of generosity
The Somatics of the Second Arrow - Half-day Workshop
Sunday, October 6 - 10-2pm Pacific/1-5pm Eastern/6-10pm GMT
The Buddha’s teaching of the second arrow shows how unavoidable pain gets compounded into suffering by our mental and emotional reactions such as anxiety, anger and self-judgment.
In this experiential workshop, we will explore the traditional teachings on the second arrow, examine common misapplications, and then expand into a trauma-informed, embodied adaptation of the second arrow teaching.
Through a blend of mindful movement, meditation, Dharma Talks, written and small group reflections, this workshop offers tools to learn how to recognize and release the "second arrows" in with the mind and the body.
*Please note that this workshop does not cover an introduction to mindfulness and meditation but assumes participants have some form of contemplative or self-reflection practice.
REGISTER
When you complete the registration form you will receive a copy of your responses with the zoom link at the top of the form - please put this in your calendar. I will be in touch one week before the retreat with further information and a reminder of the zoom link.
This retreat is offered by donation, open to all. If you’re moved to join, please do!
Suggested donation range*: $8-108, offered now or during the course
*No one will be turned away for lack of funds
Click here to donate and to learn more about dana, the Buddhist tradition of generosity
Three Doors of Liberation Half-Day Retreat
The Three Doors of Liberation: No self, no form, no goal
"Emptiness is not nothingness. Emptiness is the ground of everything. Thanks to emptiness, everything is possible."
Sunday, March 17 - 10-2pm Pacific/1-5pm Eastern/6-10pm GMT
Everyone will receive a recording - join live or in your own time.
In this day retreat we will reflect on the Three Doors of Liberation - sunyata/emptiness, animitta/signlessness and apranihita/aimlessness, found in quiet moments of wonder as much as in the fires of suffering that burn in our hearts and in the world.
We will meditate on sutra passages, collect ourselves through stillness and movement, engage in creative exploration and group sharing to find our own paths into
This course relies equally on Dharma and creative play - paints, ukuleles, cameras, and dancing shoes are all welcome, though none are required. Feel free to join by phone or computer with screens on or off.
Register Here
When you complete the registration form you will receive a copy of your responses. At the top of the form you will find the zoom link - please put this in your calendar. I will be in touch one week before the retreat with further information.
This retreat is offered by donation, open to all. If you’re moved to join, please do!
Suggested donation range*: $8-108, offered now or during the course
*No one will be turned away for lack of funds
Read more about dana, the Buddhist tradition of generosity.
Half-day Retreat: Gathas, Gratitude and Interbeing
Join me for a half-day retreat centered around gatha practice - small verses and gestures to bring the insight of interbeing into every aspect of life.
Join live on Zoom or follow the recording at your own pace.
When I trained at Plum Village, the practice that had the biggest impact on me was working with gathas and I still practice them to this day. Gathas are designed to use while doing ordinary daily activities such as washing the dishes, driving the car, or standing in line, as an opportunity to return to a state of mindfulness. They both uplifted me when I felt low and strengthened me when I felt too small to handle the hard times. And this is why we need gathas, now more than ever! Rooted in the Buddhist tradition, we will also explore adaptations for practitioners of all traditions and those without any religious affiliation. If you took part in the courses I ran in 2021 or 2022, think of this as a refresher. And if you are new to the practice, welcome!
The basic schedule will be:
Opening dedication & Meditation
Chi Gong
Dharma Talk and Gatha Practices
Break
Creative Exploration
Small Group and Large Group Sharing or Journaling
Meditation
Reverence in service to a world in crisis & Closing Dedication
Register Here
When you complete the registration form you will receive a copy of your responses. At the top of the form you will find the zoom link - please put this in your calendar. I will be in touch one week before the retreat with further information.
I offer this course by donation, open to all. If you’re moved to join, please do!
Suggested donation range*: $8-108, offered now or during the course
*No one will be turned away for lack of funds
Read more about dana, the Buddhist tradition of generosity.
This course relies equally on Dharma and creative play - paints, ukuleles, cameras, and dancing shoes are all welcome, though none are required.
To get a sense of this theme, see the introductory video here from way back in my monastic days.
Boundless Compassion: Going Beyond Kindness
Live on Zoom - recordings sent to all participants
Sundays from 1-2:30pm Pacific/4-5:30pm Eastern
As compassion gains popularity in the mainstream of Western psychology, the meaning of compassion itself has become muddled. In the Buddhist tradition, compassion is more than benevolence, and self-compassion is more than being kind to oneself. Compassion is inseparable from wisdom, both tender and fierce. Compassion goes beyond notions of self and other. Real compassion can make us free.
This course will examine karuna, the Buddhist term translated as compassion, from the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions with connections made to neuroscience, trauma healing and expressive arts. Each session will include a Dharma Talk, a guided meditation, experiential activities, handouts and time for reflections and/or questions.
Suitable for new and experienced practitioners alike, though some experience with meditation is helpful.
This workshop is offered in the spirit of generosity to allow all to participate regardless of finances. Donations are welcome to support offerings like these to continue into the future.
Suggested donation: $30-$300
The Sound of the Sacred: Chanting Workshop
Oct 21 from 11-2pm Pacific/2-5pm Eastern
Live on zoom - all who register will receive the recording
Chanting has been practiced for as long as culture and religion have existed. While each tradition brings a unique application and meaning to the practice, there are fundamental qualities that anyone can tap into, whether you’re part of a tradition or not. Both mystical and mundane, learn how chanting can awaken your heart and mind.
Begin or deepen the contemplative practice of chanting through
the role of sound to stimulate and soothe the nervous system, the somatics of sound and applications in trauma healing
chanting across the Buddhist traditions and beyond, with particular attention to Kuan Yin/Avalokiteshvara
creative adaptations to build your own chanting practice
This workshop is grounded in the Plum Village tradition but also include chanting in Ch’an, Theravada, Christian and other traditions.
All are welcome - no experience necessary.
This workshop is offered in the spirit of generosity to allow all to participate regardless of finances. Donations are welcome to support offerings like these to continue into the future.
Suggested donation: $8-$108
Guest Teacher for the SF Dharma Collective
I’ve been invited to share some online Dharma with the Monday night sangha at the SF Dharma Collective. All are welcome! Bring your friends!
Upcoming Themes:
October 2: Queering the Third Precept
What does it mean to practice the 3rd precept of abstaining from "sexual misconduct" and what can a queer perspective tell us about all the precepts, or Mindfulness Trainings? Melina will reflect on this training through 20 years of lay and monastic practice, inviting us all to look beyond the form of the trainings to get to the spirit of non-harm, the heart of Buddhist ethics.
October 9: Dharma, Decolonization and Deep Listening
So much of the Dharma, especially mainstream mindfulness, has been appropriated by corporate interests and a colonial mindset. But the Dharma is about freedom from everything, even social systems. Explore how decolonial teachings can help to awaken the dharma for our times, and how the Dharma invites us into decoloniality.
October 16: Interbeing and Dependent Origination - Not One and Not Two
Dependent Origination is central to all Buddhist schools but the teaching can appear too daunting to approach. And some equate DO with Interbeing, but this is not quite accurate. We'll look at the similarities and differences between the two teachings in order to deepen a radical honesty in our practice of understanding suffering to grow freedom.
Zoom Link: http://bit.ly/sfdharma (password: 108108)
or 301-715-8592 to join by phone. Meeting ID: 545 039 806
Optional registration here: https://lu.ma/SFDC-Mindful-Mondays
Open to all. Donations are welcome, not required.
Day of Mindfulness, Day of Delight
In the Plum Village tradition we are encouraged to set aside one full day per week to practice mindfulness. It’s a beautiful idea but not always easy to do. Sometimes “being mindful” can feel like work, and we’re already overworked. Sometimes we feel we can’t do it alone. Sometimes we just forget. And sometimes we’re scared of what we might find when we stop. But it’s still worth it.
This online Day of Mindfulness will be a chance to practice together in the spirit of Plum Village practice and also take inspiration from the Shabbat/Sabbath practice in the Judeo-Christian traditions who teach us to pause and “take delight in the endless blessings of simply being, gracefully, thankfully, alive.” (Wayne Muller, Sabbath) There will be many invitations to listen for what your body, mind and heart want and need to rest, renew and take delight in the simple pleasures of life like staring at the sky. You’re also welcome to join outdoors by phone.
Sunday, June 11 - 8am-3pm Pacific/11am-6pm Eastern/4pm-11pm UK&IRE
ONLINE ONLY
Schedule (Eastern Time Zone)
11am-noon: chanting, Touching the Earth and meditation
personal practice: walking/resting/playing/eating
1-4pm: Dharma Talk, journaling/art-making, Break, Dharma Sharing
personal practice: walking/resting/playing/eating
5-6pm: sit/walk/sit meditation
Join one, two or all three part or the whole program
Recordings will be sent to all who register
Register
All are welcome and no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Suggested donation range: $8-$108, welcome now or during the retreat
Please share this invitation with your friends and sanghas
Tending the Buddha Within
"It may be difficult for you to accept that the seed of Buddha is in you, but we all have the capacity for faith, awakening, understanding, and awareness, and that is what is meant by Buddha nature. There is no one who does not have the capacity to be a Buddha."
Thich Nhat Hanh, The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching
Sundays from 1-2:30pm Pacific / 4-5:30pm Eastern
January 15, 22, 29, February 5, 12
or self-paced with recordings
Join me for a mid-winter's exploration of the heart's natural radiance.
Each session will include guided meditation, contemplation on a sutra passage, a mini Dharma Talk, contemplative play, and group sharing. Optional reflection questions and practices will be offered to deepen your exploration in between sessions.
The concept of Buddha Nature, or basic goodness is woven through the whole of the Dharma. You have probably practiced with it for years, knowingly or unknowingly, just as I did. Last winter I had the chance to study the Tathagatagarbha sutras, the scriptural sources for Buddha Nature, and found in them a treasure trove of dharmic riches. I am excited to share what I learned and to help you make this teaching your own.
May we all to let our Buddha Nature shine a little more this winter.
All are welcome and no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Suggested donation range: $30-$300
Donations are welcome now or during the course.
Please share this invitation with your friends and sanghas.
Touching the Earth
To Bow or Not to Bow? That is not the Question
Half-day retreat on Zoom with recordings for all participants
Sunday Sept 18 - 10am-2pm Pacific/1-5pm Eastern/6-10pm UK&IRE
Touching the Earth, or prostration practice, is a powerful vehicle to cultivate mindfulness, concentration and insight with the body and the mind. This workshop will focus on Touching the Earth to strengthen intention, acceptance and connection to ancestors (including Mother Earth.) We will explore the devotional and insight-oriented aspects of this beloved practice from traditional and scientific perspectives.
The retreat will include stationary and moving meditation, a Dharma Talk and Dharma Sharing or written reflection.
The retreat is structured to minimize the need for screen use so you can call-in from the outdoors, or simply leave your camera off for most of the session.
All are welcome, no experience is necessary. Modifications to the prostrations will be provided for all physical capacities.
Register Here
Suggested donation: $8-$108
No one will be turned away for lack of funds
Foundations of Mindfulness Meditation
4-5:30pm Pacific/7-8:30pm Eastern live on Zoom
or self-paced with recordings
If you’ve wanted to learn to meditate and you didn’t know how to start, or you fell out of practice and you want to begin again, this is the course for you.
Each 90-minute session will include guided practices, a short teaching, written or small-group reflections (your choice), and Q&A. Over 6 sessions we will cover:
listening, sensation & breath as anchors for meditation
4 postures: sitting, standing, walking and lying down
loving kindness and wise effort
motivation and intention
generosity, ethics and interbeing
posture and props
While based in the Buddhist teachings found in the Satipatthana Sutta (the Establishments of Mindfulness), Foundations of Mindfulness Meditation welcomes people of all or no religious inclination and includes adaptations for Buddhist and non-Buddhist practitioners.
Register on Eventbrite
This course is offered in the spirit of dana, the Buddhist word for generosity.
The ticket covers your registration fee. You will be invited to offer a donation for the teachings during the course.
$30-$300 suggested donation. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
All are welcome. Please share this invitation with your friends!
Diamond Sutra Half-Day Retreat
A bodhisattva gives rise to virtue and happiness but is not caught in the idea of virtue and happiness.
Thich Nhat Hanh has often cited the Diamond Sutra as the oldest teaching of deep ecology and I have to agree. This is the Sutra that teaches us to not be caught in the idea of a self, a person, a living being, or a life span. Once we are free of these notions, we are free from all suffering, and we know that the whole cosmos is our true home.
Whether you are familiar with the Diamond Sutra or not, I invite you to join me for a Half-Day Retreat to get to know, and love, the Diamond Sutra as a doorway into the insight of interbeing.
Sunday, May 15 - 10-2pm Pacific/1-5pm Eastern/6-10pm GMT
In this day retreat we will meditate on key passages from the sutra, take time to collect ourselves through stillness and movement, explore the sutra through creative exploration and group sharing.
This program is specifically designed to be able to call in by phone or computer so that you can choose to participate indoors, outdoors, or both!
Read the Diamond Sutra