East Bay Meditation Center

ONLINE: Parent's Meditation Group: Practicing With Our Children & Families
2022-10-24 20:45 - 21:45 (America/Los_Angeles) | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
An Online Meditation Group for Parents
with Lisa Fujie Parks
Monday, October 24th, 2022 8:45PM – 9:45PM PT (Time Zone Converter)
Closed Captioning Provided.
EBMC’s Family Practice Class teaching team will be offering a monthly parents’ meditation group for restoration, support and connection during these challenging times. We offer a short talk, guided meditation and sharing. We gather to create a safe refuge to share the joys and the challenges of caring for young people by cultivating loving-kindness, compassion, patience and generosity with the support of the sangha. We welcome all parents/grandparents/caregivers of young people to join us. No prior experience necessary.
Please note: This group is not intended for children’s participation.

ONLINE: Path of the Bodhisattva 1
2022-10-26 18:30 - 20:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Path of the Bodhisattva 1
with Mushim Ikeda
Wednesdays October 5th, 12th, 19th & 26th, 2022
6:30 – 8:30PM PST (Time Zone Converter)
Closed Captioning Provided
Path of the Bodhisattva Class Series ONE:
Wednesdays, 6:30 – 8:30 pm Pacific time
with Mushim Patricia Ikeda, one of EBMC’s core teachers
October 5, 12, 19 and 26
Path of the Bodhisattva Class Series TWO:
Wednesdays, 6:30 – 8:30 pm Pacific time
with Mushim Patricia Ikeda, one of EBMC’s core teachers
Note: This is a deepening of the Class Series One materials, not a repeat
November 2, 9, 16, 23
Bodhisattva Vows and Precepts Ceremony
Sunday, December 18, 2022
10 am – 4:30 pm Pacific time
Note: You may participate as a witness/observer, or apply to receive the Bodhisattva Vows and Precepts after participating in the preceding classes
*Separate registration is needed for each part of the Path of the Bodhisattva class series (Part I, Part II + Precepts Ceremony). Participants interested in receiving the Bodhisattva Vows in Dec are required to take Part I + II of the class series.
I, myself, took the Bodhisattva Vows and made the vow, “Life after life, after life, after life, I will continue my practice and continue my work.” – Bhante Suhita Dharma, Buddhist monk and social worker, 1941-2013
These times are full of uncertainty and fear — and opportunities for spiritual breakthrough. In Mahayana Buddhism, the Bodhisattva is an archetypal great being who tirelessly and joyfully works to liberate all beings from suffering. For the fourth time, EBMC will offer two class series exploring what it means to creatively embody the Bodhisattva teachings. Those who complete both class series may participate in the final daylong and either witness or take Bodhisattva precepts and vows in order to strengthen their commitment to collective liberation. These are the same vows taken by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.
Also, those who do not wish to take the Bodhisattva vows may take either of the two class series. The final daylong is open to everyone who wishes to witness the joyful ceremony (you do not need to have taken any of the previous classes, though it is recommended that you do so) and those who have completed the previous classes and have received permission from the teacher may receive the Bodhisattva Precepts, take the Bodhisattva Vows, and at that time they will receive a Buddhist name from the teacher. Meditation (instruction provided for beginners), Dharma talks, and interactive exercises.

All registered participants will receive a link to join us via Zoom with their EventBrite confirmation email.
Online participation on Zoom is certain; we may be able to do simultaneous in-person participation if hybrid classes are able to be held at EBMC in the fall of 2022. Questions: admin@eastbaymeditation.org

ONLINE: Ancestors Welcome Here: Healing White Supremacy (for white people)
2022-10-27 17:30 - 19:00, 2022-11-03 17:30 - 19:00, 2022-11-10 17:30 - 19:00 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
ONLINE: Ancestors Welcome Here: Healing White Supremacy (for white people)
with Ream, Sara Oakes, and Rion Pendergrass
Thursdays, October 27th, November 3rd and 10th 2022
5:30 – 7PM PT (Time Zone Converter)
Closed Captioning Provided
White people*: We need all the help we can get. Working at the level of the body, we will welcome our well ancestors of blood and bone to extend their blessings to us, and to give us their full support and backing in our efforts to end white supremacy in our lifetimes.
We all come from people who lived in interdependence with each other and connection with the Earth. This class invites a reconnection to our lineages through practicing meditation, healing and repair, so that we can know ourselves and our inherent belonging more deeply.
*For self-identified white people. If you identify as white and are committed to racial justice, this class is for you.

All registered participants will receive a link to join us via Zoom with their EventBrite confirmation email.

ONLINE: Path of the Bodhisattva 2
2022-11-02 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-11-09 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-11-16 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-11-23 18:30 - 20:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Path of the Bodhisattva 2
with Mushim Ikeda
Wednesdays November 2nd, 9th, 16th, and 23rd 2022
6:30 – 8:30PM PST (Time Zone Converter)
Closed Captioning Provided
This Buddhist curriculum at EBMC has three components:
Path of the Bodhisattva Class Series ONE:
Wednesdays, 6:30 – 8:30 pm Pacific time
with Mushim Patricia Ikeda, one of EBMC’s core teachers
October 5, 12, 19 and 26
Path of the Bodhisattva Class Series TWO:
Wednesdays, 6:30 – 8:30 pm Pacific time
with Mushim Patricia Ikeda, one of EBMC’s core teachers
Note: This is a deepening of the Class Series One materials, not a repeat
November 2, 9, 16, 23
Bodhisattva Vows and Precepts Ceremony
Sunday, December 18, 2022
10 am – 4:30 pm Pacific time
Note: You may participate as a witness/observer, or apply to receive the Bodhisattva Vows and Precepts after participating in the preceding classes
*Separate registration is needed for each part of the Path of the Bodhisattva class series (Part I, Part II + Precepts Ceremony). Participants interested in receiving the Bodhisattva Vows in Dec are required to take Part I + II of the class series.
I, myself, took the Bodhisattva Vows and made the vow, “Life after life, after life, after life, I will continue my practice and continue my work.” – Bhante Suhita Dharma, Buddhist monk and social worker, 1941-2013
These times are full of uncertainty and fear — and opportunities for spiritual breakthrough. In Mahayana Buddhism, the Bodhisattva is an archetypal great being who tirelessly and joyfully works to liberate all beings from suffering. For the fourth time, EBMC will offer two class series exploring what it means to creatively embody the Bodhisattva teachings. Those who complete both class series may participate in the final daylong and either witness or take Bodhisattva precepts and vows in order to strengthen their commitment to collective liberation. These are the same vows taken by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.
Also, those who do not wish to take the Bodhisattva vows may take either of the two class series. The final daylong is open to everyone who wishes to witness the joyful ceremony (you do not need to have taken any of the previous classes, though it is recommended that you do so) and those who have completed the previous classes and have received permission from the teacher may receive the Bodhisattva Precepts, take the Bodhisattva Vows, and at that time they will receive a Buddhist name from the teacher. Meditation (instruction provided for beginners), Dharma talks, and interactive exercises.

All registered participants will receive a link to join us via Zoom with their EventBrite confirmation email.
Online participation on Zoom is certain; we may be able to do simultaneous in-person participation if hybrid classes are able to be held at EBMC in the fall of 2022. Questions: admin@eastbaymeditation.org

ONLINE: Parents Meditation Group with Lisa Fujie Parks
2022-11-28 20:45 - 21:45 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
An Online Meditation Group for Parents, Grandparents and Caregivers
Monday, November 28th 8:45PM – 9:45PM PST
with Lisa Fujie Parks
Closed Captioning Provided.
EBMC’s Family Practice Class teaching team will be offering a monthly parents’ meditation group for restoration, support and connection during these challenging times. We will offer a short talk, guided meditation and sharing. We welcome all parents/grandparents/caregivers of young people to join us. No prior experience is necessary.
Please note: This group is not intended for children’s participation.

Please note: Registered participants will receive a zoom link to join us online with their EventBrite confirmation email. Thank you for your support.

Finding Liberation in Relationship
2022-11-30 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-12-07 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-12-14 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-12-21 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Finding Liberation in Relationship: Accountability, Conflict, Boundaries and Feedback
with Dawn Haney and René Rivera
4 Wednesdays evenings: November 30, December 7, 14, 21
6:30-8:30 pm PT (Time Zone Converter)
ASL Interpretation and Closed Captioning Provided
In this time of so much conflict, division and uprising, how do we bring our practice to our relationships, and how do we find freedom and choice there? Our friendships, partnerships, family and communities can be a source of joy and support, and also of struggle and suffering. In this four week class we will explore concrete practices grounded in Buddhist meditation, somatics, and transformative justice. We will practice feedback, boundaries, and nervous system regulation, while applying mindfulness to investigate our conditioned tendencies and positionality in power relations. Through turning towards the delight and difficulty in our relationships we will build resource and resilience and create space to be our most authentic selves.
– – –
100% of our programming is sliding scale and no one will ever be turned away for lack of funds. Thank you for the gifts of your generosity and for supporting the work of East Bay Meditation Center and our beloved teachers who have volunteered their time. You are invited to make donations directly to the teachers to support their Dharma service.

ONLINE: Cultivating Home in Our Hearts
2022-12-10 10:00 - 16:00 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Cultivating Home in Our Hearts: A daylong for adult adoptees and fostered, or child welfare system survivors

With Fresh “Lev” White, Sean Feit Oakes, Phoenix Song

Saturday December 10th 2022
10AM – 4PM PT (Time Zone Converter)
This class is for us who experienced separation from birth families at early ages to explore the heart of the Buddha’s teachings: that pain and loss are built into life and are the seeds of wisdom and liberation. We’ll explore the wounds and potential gifts of adoption, and practices to support self-love, compassion, and the cultivation of deep refuge in the world.
All adult (18+) adoptees, formerly foster home or system youth, and any adult who were forced/separated from their birth family at young ages are welcome. Please have food, drink, or other comfort items available as needed.

HYBRID: Beginning a Meditation Practice
2023-01-04 18:30 - 20:30, 2023-01-11 18:30 - 20:30, 2023-01-18 18:30 - 20:30, 2023-01-25 18:30 - 20:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
4 Class series, Wednesdays January 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th 2023
Online on Zoom and in-person @ 285 17th St, Oakland, CA 94612
6:30 – 8:30PM PST (Time Zone Converter)
Closed Captioning Provided
Part of EBMC’s Core Buddhist Teachings – 5-month Curriculum
Are you looking for a way to start a mindfulness meditation practice, but don’t quite know how? These classes will give you the basics of stationary and walking/gentle movement meditation in the vipassana (insight) style, and metta (loving kindness or good will) meditation. Don’t worry about “getting it right” – if you can sit – on a folding chair, on floor cushions, in a wheelchair – or lie down – and breathe, you’re off to a good start! This series is for those seeking stress reduction, or it can be the gateway to those new to Buddhism. Meditation can help you, over time, to develop a sense of increased physical well-being, mental clarity, compassionate connection, and spiritual growth.

Please note: Registered participants will receive a zoom link to join us online with their Eventbrite confirmation email. Thank you for your support
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 40 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks and be fully vaccinated against covid19, which at this time means having received the covid bivalent booster no less than two weeks before the event. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.)

To attend in person, you need to be completely free of fragranced body and clothing products — more information and a list of fragrance free products, including those that are especially good for people of color, appears HERE.
East Bay Meditation Center is a scent free / fragrance free space and is wheelchair accessible.

White and Awakening in Sangha: Continuing on the Path
2023-01-22 10:00 - 12:00, 2023-02-26 10:00 - 12:00 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
White and Awakening in Sangha: Continuing on the Path

With Crystal Johnson, Heather Lear, and special guests

Sundays, January 22, February 26, March 26, April 23 and June 4, 2023

10:00AM – 12:00PM PST (Time Zone Converter)
Closed Captioning Provided

Since we first launched the White and Awakening in Sangha course in 2014 (and its sibling/cousin courses at SRMC, SFZC, SZBA and Branching Streams) we have had the privilege of being in community with hundreds of white identified people seeking to see more clearly into the delusion of race and move into wise action to disrupt the operation of white supremacy culture and the harm of race-based oppression. Many of you have asked for a regular forum to support your ongoing (un)learning and action.
This edition of Continuing on the Path will consist of 5 2-hour sessions (90 minutes just wasn’t enough!) on Sundays from 10:00-12:00 Pacific Time, January 22, February 26, March 26, April 23 and June 4, 2023 with Crystal Johnson and Heather Lear. We will focus on Metta (Lovingkindness) and Karuna (Compassion) as practices that support, sustain and inspire our efforts. Technology and COVID willing, we will do our best to hold some of these dates as hybrid programs, so that folks in the Bay Area can gather in person (!), and those who can’t come in person can join us via Zoom.
These meetings are a time for us to gather in community as white identified people working to operate in the world in a way that fosters equity, healing and community building. If you are like us, you find yourself from time to time overextending, or worrying about whether you are doing “enough,” or whether you are too concerned with your own happiness when there is so much suffering in the world. These are deeply conditioned mental/emotional habits that drain energy and get in the way of being effective and joyful. The practices of metta and karuna support you to build a sustainable course of action that fosters joy and connection.
In this series, we will offer brief dharma talks, guided practice, small and large group sharing and discussion, and, of course, lots of resources and some new readings. If you would like to be part of a small, peer-led group in between meetings, we will help you arrange that with other participants. We will offer partial recordings of the sessions for those who can’t attend live, but still want to see what we are up to.
If you are white and have not taken the original course, you are also welcome here; just know that this is not a beginning discussion. If you are biracial or otherwise identify with a significant dose of European ancestry, you are also welcome. Again, just know that our focus is on whiteness and white conditioning.
About the money: at the East Bay Meditation Center (EBMC), we practice Gift Economics, which means, among other things, that we welcome you into our community, and invite you to contribute according to your capacity and inspiration, rather than as if you are purchasing a product/course. Those of you who have taken the course know that the teachers have always donated their time and wisdom as a personal practice of reparation. All proceeds from your registration contributions will go to support the East Bay Meditation Center (EBMC). By donating to EBMC, you are supporting a community founded and dedicated to creating a dharma refuge for BIPOC, LGBTQI2+, people with disabilities, other marginalized communities, and everyone (including us white identified folks) who seek to end suffering and cultivate happiness. Our mission is to foster liberation, personal and interpersonal healing, social action, and inclusive community building. We hope that you will join us.

All registered participants will receive a link to join us via Zoom with their EventBrite confirmation email.

HYBRID: Collectivizing Care toward Liberation
2023-01-28 09:30 - 16:00 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Saturday, January 28th 2023
With Dr. Renato Almanzor
Online on Zoom and in-person @ 285 17th St, Oakland, CA 94612
9:30AM – 4:00PM PST (Time Zone Converter)
Closed Captioning Provided
Overview
Care and caring can become overly focused on the individual, and consequently become “too capitalistically driven and centered on luxurious pampering that has very little to do with sustainable nurturing and all to do with spending money, which for the communities that actually need the most care, they cannot access!” (Aimaloghi Eromosele). Aimaloghi Eromosel also offered that “There is no self-care without community care.”
This workshop draws from Dharmic values and other spiritual traditions and social justice movements so that we embrace our purpose and activism as acts of healing and loving. We will acknowledge that in life, there is suffering, and awaken the love, power, and justice within our communities. We will take away from this program a deep acceptance that “caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare” (Audre Lorde).
The workshop will be experiential in nature, allowing for thinking, feeling, and doing alone and in with others. The facilitator will cultivate community agreements toward fostering “brave space,” yet in every community, the issues we broach (e.g., White supremacy, patriarchy, homophobia, oppression) may be trigger addressed and unaddressed trauma. I will facilitate a process that nurtures healing, yet does not eliminate the potential for harm.

Please note: Registered participants will receive a zoom link to join us online with their Eventbrite confirmation email. Thank you for your support

Dr. Renato Almanzor is a transformation catalyst, whose experience emerges from over 25 years developing leaders committed to equitable communities, multicultural organizations, and social justice. As a leadership expert, he has delivered keynote addresses, workshops, and seminars on issues related to leadership for equity, cultural diversity, and social change. Much of his work has been dedicated to supporting community leaders working with and in low-income communities and communities of color. He has a PhD and MA in organizational psychology, an MS in counseling, and BA in psychology, as well as certifications in coaching and Zumba Instruction. He is a proud alum of the first Practices in Transformative Action program at the East Bay Meditation Center, where he also served as an apprentice the following year. If you would like to make a gift to support Renato’s teachings, please do so via Venmo: @dralmanzor
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 40 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks and be fully vaccinated against covid19, which at this time means having received the covid bivalent booster no less than two weeks before the event. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.)

To attend in person, you need to be completely free of fragranced body and clothing products — more information and a list of fragrance free products, including those that are especially good for people of color, appears HERE.
East Bay Meditation Center is a scent free / fragrance free space and is wheelchair accessible.

ONLINE: Buddha's Four Big Truths (4 Noble Truths)
2023-02-01 18:30 - 20:30, 2023-02-08 18:30 - 20:30, 2023-02-15 18:30 - 20:30, 2023-02-22 18:30 - 20:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
February 13th Update: Until further notice, all programs will be online-only, due to the theft of audio/video tech during a break in. We are sorry we can’t host you and will send out updates when we have them
Wednesdays February 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd 2023
With Mushim Patricia Ikeda

Online on Zoom and in-person @ 285 17th St, Oakland, CA 94612
6:30 – 8:30PM PST (Time Zone Converter) Closed Captioning Provided
Part of EBMC’s Core Buddhist Teachings – 7-month Curriculum
Why do we suffer? How can we be released from suffering? The Buddha’s first teaching after his Enlightenment is called the Four Truths for Noble Ones. These form the foundation of Buddhist life and understanding. The four “big” truths address human suffering and oppression, analyze their root causes, and describe a path of liberation from human suffering that is both profound and practical. Dharma talks, mindful journaling, meditation, community building and optional readings. Beginners in meditation are welcome.

Please note: Registered participants will receive a zoom link to join us online with their Eventbrite confirmation email. Thank you for your support

Mushim Patricia Ikeda is a socially-engaged Buddhist teacher, community activist, diversity, equity and inclusion consultant, parent and author based in Oakland, California. She has a background in both monastic and lay Buddhist practice. At EBMC, Mushim is also guiding teacher of the award-winning yearlong Practice in Transformative Action (PiTA) program, which provides secular mindfulness training for justice activists. Mushim is the recipient of a Global Diversity Leadership award; an honorary doctor of sacred theology degree from the Starr King School of Ministry; and was named one of Colorlines’s 20 transformative racial justice leaders in 2018.
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 40 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks and be fully vaccinated against covid19, which at this time means having received the covid bivalent booster no less than two weeks before the event. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.)

To attend in person, you need to be completely free of fragranced body and clothing products — more information and a list of fragrance free products, including those that are especially good for people of color, appears HERE.
East Bay Meditation Center is a scent free / fragrance free space and is wheelchair accessible.

ONLINE: WE BELONG: Heart practice for QTBIPOC
2023-02-06 18:30 - 20:30, 2023-02-13 18:30 - 20:30, 2023-02-20 18:30 - 20:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
February 13th Update: Until further notice, all programs will be online-only, due to the theft of audio/video tech during a break in. We are sorry we can’t host you and will send out updates when we have them
Mondays, February 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th, 2023
With Patrick Brown and René Rivera
6:30 – 8:30PM PST (Time Zone Converter)
Closed Captioning Provided
As our world burns in conflict and violence we return to heart practice to find refuge and belonging. As Queer and/or Trans People of Color we are under attack, sometimes at multiple identity locations. This class series will create a space for us to practice together, to build community, belonging and resilience to hold our outrage, fear and grief. We will use the four divine abodes of Lovingkindness, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity as a foundation to resource ourselves to meet this moment.
This class is suitable for both new and experienced meditators and open to self-identified Queer and/or Trans People of Color.

Please note: Registered participants will receive a zoom link to join us online with their Eventbrite confirmation email. Thank you for your support

Patrick Brown is an activist, advocate and teacher from Chicago. Patrick moved to California and first came to EBMC in 2010 as a practitioner with the People of Color and Alphabet Sanghas. As an advocate and facilitator, his professional career is focused on racial equity and leadership development and is supported by his practice and the teachings of the Dharma. Patrick completed EBMC’s Commit to Dharma program in 2015 and he is a proud graduate of the Community Dharma Leaders’ fifth cohort (CDL5) training with Spirit Rock. Patrick has served on the POC and Alphabet coordinating committees and recently began teaching both at EBMC and in Sanghas throughout the Bay Area. Patrick is grateful for the deepening of his practice in the EBMC community and committed to expanding access to the Dharma to all beings.

René Rivera (he, him) is a leader and bridge-builder, working and learning in all the spaces in-between race, gender, and other perceived binaries, as a queer, mixed-race, trans man. He teaches heart-centered, trauma-informed meditation and mindfulness practices at East Bay Meditation Center (EBMC) and elsewhere. His path to spiritual leadership has included the Commit to Dharma and Practice in Action programs at EBMC and the Community Dharma Leaders program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. He works with the Ahimsa Collective as a restorative justice facilitator.
Cost: The teachings are regarded as priceless. So they are offered without a fee. You are invited to support the teachings and our efforts by contributing voluntary donations (the practice of “Dana”) for the expenses of the meditation center and the support of the teachers.
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, please do so via Paypal: paypal.me/eastbaymeditation or our website: eastbaymeditation.org/dana 100% of our programming is sliding scale and no one will ever be turned away for lack of funds. Thank you for the gifts of your generosity and for supporting the work of East Bay Meditation Center and our beloved teachers who have volunteered their time.
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 40 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks and be fully vaccinated against covid19, which at this time means having received the covid bivalent booster no less than two weeks before the event. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.)
In order to protect the health of community members with environmental illness, please do not wear fragranced products (including “natural” fragrances) or clothes laundered in fragranced products to EBMC – more information and a list of fragrance free products, including those that are especially good for people of color, appears on our website:
https://eastbaymeditation.org/resources/fragrance-free-at-ebmc/
East Bay Meditation Center is a scent free / fragrance free space and is wheelchair accessible.

ONLINE: Nourishing Freedom: Finding the Middle Path to Body Liberation
2023-02-11 10:00 - 14:00 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Online, Saturday, February 11th, 2023 (via Zoom)
With Melvin Escobar and Marcella Raimondo
10-2pm PST (Time Zone Converter)
Closed Captioning Provided
Radically accepting ourselves and our experiences is a revolutionary act. We receive many problematic messages about food that make it challenging to nourish ourselves. Our bodies, especially those of us living in larger bodies, continue to be subject to great harm and derision. By weaving the timeless Dhamma with contemporary psychological frameworks, we will deconstruct aspects of structural oppression (including diet culture). We will be invited into somatic awareness practices, along with interactive and reflective exercises to explore kinder ways of relating to our bodies to create community on the middle path to body liberation for all.

Please note: Registered participants will receive a zoom link to join us online with their Eventbrite confirmation email. Thank you for your support
Teachers

Melvin Escobar, LCSW, RYT has devoted most of his life to serving people from marginalized communities, drawing on his life experiences as a cisgender able-bodied queer man of color from an immigrant working-class background. Melvin is committed to understanding and embodying healing around how patriarchy, capitalism, and diet culture work together to create more suffering in the world. He continues daily to learn the revolutionary potential of body-centered contemplative practices to create personal and social healing.

Marcella Raimondo, PhD, MPH is a queer cisgender able-bodied woman of color and a passionate and spirited clinical trainer speaking from her heart on multicultural issues in eating disorders since 1995. Marcella currently serves as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Kaiser Oakland’s eating disorder clinic and also serves as adjunct faculty at the University of San Francisco and UC Berkeley Extension. Marcella herself recovered from anorexia nervosa over 15 years ago. Marcella trains in Kajukenbo at Hand to Hand Kajukenbo Self Defense Center in Oakland and holds a first degree black belt. Her recovery and her martial arts training inspire her dedication to multicultural body nurturance and community celebration.

To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, please do so via Paypal: paypal.me/eastbaymeditation or our website: eastbaymeditation.org/dana 100% of our programming is sliding scale and no one will ever be turned away for lack of funds. Thank you for the gifts of your generosity and for supporting the work of East Bay Meditation Center and our beloved teachers who have volunteered their time.
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 40 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks and be fully vaccinated against covid19, which at this time means having received the covid bivalent booster no less than two weeks before the event. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.)
To attend in person, you need to be completely free of fragranced body and clothing products — more information and a list of fragrance free products, including those that are especially good for people of color, appears on our website:
https://eastbaymeditation.org/resources/fragrance-free-at-ebmc/
East Bay Meditation Center is a scent free / fragrance free space and is wheelchair accessible.
