A Spiritual Home I Can Always Return To: Bong Lau on Belonging and Collective Care
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“EBMC is a spiritual home I can always return to. I feel welcomed there, and I get to participate in something meaningful.”
— Bong Lau
During our Season of Gratitude, we’re sharing stories from members of our Sangha about how East Bay Meditation Center has shaped their lives. This week, we’re honored to share a reflection from Bong Lau, longtime practitioner, teaching team member, and Friend of EBMC.
Bong first came to EBMC in 2008, during a period of deep stress while attending teaching credential school. A partner suggested he try EBMC, then located on 17th and Broadway.
From the moment he walked in, something shifted.
After long days of student teaching, the Center felt peaceful. People were kind. They looked him in the eye. That feeling of being truly seen stayed with him.
Over time, EBMC became a place of belonging. A place rooted in radical inclusivity, collective care, and the belief that we are not free until everyone is free.
One experience still gives Bong chills. During a Men of Color Deep Refuge retreat, more than twenty Black and Brown men moved together in walking meditation through downtown Oakland. Slowly. Intentionally. In silence and community.
“It was powerful,” Bong reflects, “to witness men of color choosing to be together in this way.”
Today, Bong is part of the teaching team for Practice in Transformative Action (PiTA) 2.0, an EBMC program that supports social justice activists in bringing mindfulness and care back to their communities and organizations.
Bong is also a Friend of EBMC. He gives back because EBMC has been a good friend to him. Because he has received so much. Because generosity feels like a natural expression of gratitude.
During this Season of Gratitude, we invite you to reflect on what EBMC has meant in your own life.
- Your support keeps the lights on.
- It keeps EBMC accessible online and in person.
- It helps keep our programs financially accessible, regardless of income.
👉 Make your monthly gift today: Join us in our Season of Gratitude 2025
Thank you for being part of this community with your presence, your practice, and your generosity.

