HYBRID CLASS SERIES: The Enduring Precepts (5 Precepts)
2025-05-14 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-05-21 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
The Enduring Precepts: 5 Precepts
4 Class series, Wednesdays on April 30, May 7, 14, & 21, 2025
6:30 – 8:30PM PT (Time Zone Converter)
Part 5 of EBMC’s Core Buddhist Teachings – 6-month Curriculum
HYBRID
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

Five years ago, pandemic-panicked people in the United States were hoarding toilet paper and steaks. Today we’re dealing with ongoing volatile ethical issues such as war, climate crisis, use of AI (artificial intelligence) in tech, forced deportations, and political divisiveness.
Rooted in EBMC’s mindfulness-based, diversity-equity-inclusion and social justice-centered mission, this four-class series offers a path to reflect on current ethical discernment and action. Buddhist life, for both laypersons and monastics, is rooted in Five Precepts, guidelines that are paths of deep contemplative investigation resulting in behaviors and actions aligned toward non-harm, in the service of all life.
The compassionate realization of our “interbeing,” and the sometimes complex relationship of intent to impact are woven into this “Living Dharma” approach.
Dharma talks, discussion and Q&A. Instruction provided for beginners in meditation.

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.
The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.
Other ways to give:
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may 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.

Please also consider giving a financial gift to our teachers as well, who do not receive a salary for their work, and give their teachings freely to all.
Venmo: @MushimPatricia-Ikeda
PayPal: info@mushimikeda.com
Please indicate “Precepts” in the subject line.

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 in-person participation:
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The teacher may be unmasked while teaching.
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.

Universal Access Requests on Zoom to help with sound and video quality. If possible…
1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.
2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.
3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.
4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.
5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.
6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.
7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

Teacher

Mushim Patricia Ikeda is an internationally-known secular mindfulness and Buddhist teacher working primarily with justice activists and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) meditation practitioners and with people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. A core teacher at East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland, California, she is an author whose writing has been published in Lion’s Roar, Tricycle, Buddhadharma and various anthologies. She is the recipient of an honorary doctor of sacred theology degree from the Starr King School for the Ministry. Mushim was selected by Lion’s Roar Buddhist media magazine as one of twenty-six “Great Buddhist Teachers” in the January 2022 issue. www.mushimikeda.com

HYBRID CLASS: Finding Liberation in Relationships for BIPOC
2025-05-19 18:30 - 20:30
Find Liberation in Relationships for BIPOC
4 Monday evenings
April 28th, May 5th, 12th, & 19th 2025
6:30-8:30 PM PT (Time Zone Converter)
HYBRID
With René Rivera and Regent Brown
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

For the first time we are offering this popular class series for BIPOC only. As people of color 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 to bring more choice and agency to our relationships with ourselves and others.
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 in our relationships and in the larger world.
As our world is falling apart, conflict is rising and our freedoms are being taken away, we will turn our attention to find our ground in our communities.

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.
The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.
Other ways to give:
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may 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.
To support our teachers, please do so via:
Venmo: @Regent-Brown
Paypal: http://PayPal.Me/ReneRiveraOak
(please reference: FLR BIPOC)
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 in-person participation:
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The teacher may be unmasked while teaching.
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.

Universal Access Requests on Zoom to help with sound and video quality. If possible…
1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.
2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.
3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.
4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.
5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.
6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.
7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

Teaching Team

René Rivera is a meditation teacher and restorative justice facilitator working and learning in all the spaces in-between race, gender, and other perceived binaries, as a queer Latinx trans man. René teaches heart-centered, trauma-informed meditation, as a core teacher at the East Bay Meditation Center. He has co-led the first residential meditation retreats for transgender, nonbinary and gender expansive people, and offers classes and retreats for many Buddhist centers and groups. René is a restorative justice facilitator for the Ahimsa Collective, working to heal sexual and gender based violence.

Regent Brown (Queen) is a biracial Afro-Indigenous, disabled, two-spirit womxn who has been practicing the Dharma since 2016 and part of the East Bay Meditation Center (EBMC) community of practice since 2018. Regent’s story has had many twists including surviving cancer twice, relocating during the pandemic, and being married for over a decade. And these twists have only deepened Regent’s passion for liberatory practices. Regent supports liberation and decolonization as a coach, circle keeper, trainer, healer, facilitator, and participant in interdependent community wellness. As a recent graduate of the inaugural, Freedom Together Mindfulness Teacher Program, Regent joins a bountiful group of BIPOC mindfulness teachers working to weave decolonized practices through their work, relationships, and communities. Regent’s other practices of manifesting joy include karaoke, goats, traveling to photograph sunsets, gardening, and discovering small parks while walking her 7 year old Corgi mix pup, Perkelsnertz.

HYBRID: Alphabet Sangha
2025-05-20 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-06-03 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-06-17 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-07-01 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-07-15 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-08-05 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-08-19 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-09-02 19:00 - 20:30
A meditation group for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Same-Gender Loving, and Two-Spirit communities. Because that’s such a mouthful, we call ourselves the Alphabet Sangha.
Tuesdays
7:00 – 8:30 pm
HYBRID on First and Third Tuesdays of the month! Meet at EBMC or online.
Please email: alphabetsangha at eastbaymeditation dot org to request Zoom link to join online.
For more information, visit the ALPHABET SANGHA WEBSITE

HYBRID: Open Hours Open Mic (May 25th)
2025-05-25 16:30 - 19:30
HYBRID: Open Hours Open Mic at EBMC

Sunday, May 25th 2025
4:30 – 7:30 PM PT
With Ramón Honea, EBMC Community and Facilities Liaison
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

Do you have a song to sing, a poem or written word to share, personal art to show? Then come on down to the center on Sunday May 25th! If you can’t come down, join us on Zoom (sharing online is welcome too). This will be a hybrid way of gathering in community.
The theme is Metta and Resistance, although all shares are welcome. Each share will be maximum three minutes long with a bell rung to end it. BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ voices will be invited to share first.
NOTE: Sign-ups are ONLY between 4:30-5 PM, in-person or online. We cannot take any sign-ups after 5 PM.

For accessibility, please:

Limit the use of instruments
Provide visual descriptions of yourself and any art
Provide content warnings when appropriate
Follow the Agreements for Multicultural Interactions

There will be snacks in our kitchen. It is a potluck so add any food that you can bring. We will finish the night with some dancing.

SCHEDULE
4:15 PM: Doors open
4:30-5 PM: Sign-ups, potluck, and 20-min meditation
5-7 PM: Open mic time
7-7:30: Dancing, potluck, and clean up
Remember parking is free on Sunday and all are welcome.

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.
The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.
Other ways to give:
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may 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 in-person participation:
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The speaker may be unmasked while speaking at the mic.
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.

Universal Access Requests on Zoom to help with sound and video quality. If possible…
1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.
2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.
3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.
4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.
5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.
6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.
7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

HYBRID CLASS: Buddhist Curriculum Wrap-Up Q & A Class
2025-05-28 18:30 - 20:30
Buddhist Curriculum Wrap-Up Q & A Class
May 28, 2025
6:30 – 8:30PM PT (Time Zone Converter)
Wrap-Up of EBMC’s Core Buddhist Teachings – January to May Curriculum
HYBRID
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

For those who have taken either some or all of EBMC’s Buddhist Core Teachings” in Jan – May 2025, this is a wrap–up class where you can bring your “biggest” Buddhist questions, meet Dharma companions on the Path, and rejoice in the merit you have generated! Please note: The focus of his class is on what you are doing to deepen your spiritual practice and to transform your life through these wisdom teachings. We’ll offer a toast with our favorite beverages!

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.
The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.
Other ways to give:
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may 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.

Please also consider giving a financial gift to our teachers as well, who do not receive a salary for their work, and give their teachings freely to all.
Venmo: @MushimPatricia-Ikeda
PayPal: info@mushimikeda.com
Please indicate “Wrap-up class” in the subject line.

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 in-person participation:
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The teacher may be unmasked while teaching.
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.

Universal Access Requests on Zoom to help with sound and video quality. If possible…
1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.
2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.
3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.
4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.
5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.
6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.
7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

Teacher

Mushim Patricia Ikeda is an internationally-known secular mindfulness and Buddhist teacher working primarily with justice activists and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) meditation practitioners and with people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. A core teacher at East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland, California, she is an author whose writing has been published in Lion’s Roar, Tricycle, Buddhadharma and various anthologies. She is the recipient of an honorary doctor of sacred theology degree from the Starr King School for the Ministry. Mushim was selected by Lion’s Roar Buddhist media magazine as one of twenty-six “Great Buddhist Teachers” in the January 2022 issue. www.mushimikeda.com

HYBRID DAYLONG: Pride - Embracing Love and Beauty in the Midst of Trouble
2025-06-01 10:00 - 16:00
HYBRID DAYLONG
Pride – Embracing Love and Beauty in the Midst of Trouble
A Day of Reflection and Celebration for the BIPOC LGBTQIA+ Communities
Sunday June 1st 2025
10am-4pm PT
With Amana Brembry Johnson and Andrés González
Open to self-identified BIPOC LGBTQIA+ only

As societies at home and around the world travel backwards in time, we move deeper into a realm of toxicity and instability. LGBTQIA communities are confronting an escalated endeavor to erase the hard-earned strides that affirm our place of belonging. Despite these efforts, our dignity and strength to resist this downward spiral, warrants acknowledgement and celebration. Love, compassion, beauty and the cultivation of joy will be central to this daylong celebration. During our time together, we will expand our growth in mindfulness practices, remember the sacredness of our being, embrace the nobility of our hearts and savor the joy that lifts our spirits to face what is ahead.
Through silent and guided meditations, talks, discussion and reflective writing we will deepen our practices of liberation and skillful means. All experience levels are warmly welcome. Movement will be offered in ways that are accessible for all types of bodies.

This is part of a joint weekend event and benefit with Spirit Rock, which will be hosting a hybrid daylong on Saturday May 31st: “Touching the Heart of Joy as Spiritual Medicine” with EBMC teachers Amana Brembry Johnson and JD Doyle.
Click here for more information about the May 31st offering.

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.
The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.

SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS
~ Amana Brembry Johnson
Venmo: @amanajohnson
PayPal: @amanabrembry
Ca$happ: Amana Brembry Johnson or $AmanaBJohnson
~ Andrés González (traveling from outside the Bay Area – we invite support for his travel costs and teachings)
Venmo: @andres-roy-leon
PayPal: paypal.me/andresroyleon
Other ways to give:
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may 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 in-person participation:
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The teacher may be unmasked while teaching.
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.

Universal Access Requests on Zoom to help with sound and video quality. If possible…
1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.
2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.
3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.
4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.
5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.
6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.
7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

Teacher Bios

Amana Brembry Johnson has been a student and practitioner of many spiritual traditions throughout her life. The journey of Vipassana practice began 10 years ago with the early People of Color Retreats at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. She completed the Community Dharma Leaders Program in 2017, and is a graduate of the 2020 Spirit Rock Teacher Training. Amana leads meditation and contemplative yoga that interweaves Dharma with movement. She mentors practitioners who wish to deepen their practice and understanding of the teachings. An accomplished visual artist, Amana creates imagery that exposes emotional and spiritual barriers of the heart.

Andrés González relates to himself firstly as a spiritual being embodying, Earth-side, the multiplicity of gender, sexuality, race, & culture as a two-spirit Mestizo with primarily Yaqui, Mexican, Spanish, & Scottish ancestries. He’s also a transracial adoptee, connected to a lineage of Indigenous adoptees separated from family, land, & culture by way of the U.S. child welfare system. Andrés’ lived experience integrating these many worlds has informed his path as a practitioner of curanderismo, dharma teacher, and community mental health clinician. Trained in harm reduction, healing-justice, & Indigenous psychology as a psychotherapist, he holds a masters degree in social work. He is also a graduate of East Bay Meditation Center’s two-year Spiritual Teacher & Leadership Training and the 2023-2024 Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics’ certification program in psychedelic facilitation. Andrés presently resides on the land of the Yokuts people (aka Bakersfield, CA) and lovingly traverses the ceremony of life with his adored service dog, Jr.

HYBRID: Midday Sangha
2025-06-04 12:00 - 13:35, 2025-07-02 12:00 - 13:35, 2025-08-06 12:00 - 13:35
Join our peer-led multicultural sangha for silent meditation practice and community building.
Every Wednesday
12:00 – 12:45pm PST Silent sitting, standing or lying down meditation with optional walking meditation.
12:55 – 1:35pm PST Facilitated conversation about our practice and being the dharma in the world
HYBRID EVERY FIRST WEDNESDAY, ONLINE FOR OTHER MEETINGS (unless otherwise noted)
Midday Sangha Coordinating Committee:
emiko yoshikami, Jennie Powe Runde, Sakshi Uomoto, Elese Lebsack and Robert Gavino
email middaysangha at eastbaymeditation dot org for zoom link and password

HYBRID CLASS: Liberation from Suffering: Buddha's 4 Noble Truths for BIPOC
2025-06-04 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-06-11 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-06-18 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-06-25 18:30 - 20:30
Liberation from Suffering: Buddha’s Four Noble Truths for BIPOC
4 Class series, Wednesdays on June 4, 11, 18, & 25, 2025
6:30 – 8:30PM PT (Time Zone Converter)
Part of EBMC’s Core Buddhist Teachings – 6-month Curriculum
With Mushim Ikeda
HYBRID
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

What do the basic teachings of Buddhism have to offer BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)? It is said that the Buddha’s first teaching after his Enlightenment is called the Four Truths for Noble Ones. Together we’ll explore how “The Four Noble Truths” have been and continue to be a deep and empowering way for Black, Indigenous and Peoples of Color and multiracial persons to understand human suffering and oppression, analyze their root causes, and engage as individuals and collectives in moving towards profound spiritual liberation, ease and joy.
Dharma talks, mindful journaling, meditation, community building and optional readings. Beginners in meditation are welcome.

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.
The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.
Other ways to give:
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may 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.

Please also consider giving a financial gift to our teachers as well, who do not receive a salary for their work, and give their teachings freely to all.
Venmo: @MushimPatricia-Ikeda
PayPal: info@mushimikeda.com
Please indicate “4 Noble Truths BIPOC” in the subject line.

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 in-person participation:
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The teacher may be unmasked while teaching.
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.

Universal Access Requests on Zoom to help with sound and video quality. If possible…
1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.
2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.
3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.
4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.
5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.
6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.
7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

Teacher

Mushim Patricia Ikeda is an internationally-known secular mindfulness and Buddhist teacher working primarily with justice activists and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) meditation practitioners and with people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. A core teacher at East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland, California, she is an author whose writing has been published in Lion’s Roar, Tricycle, Buddhadharma and various anthologies. She is the recipient of an honorary doctor of sacred theology degree from the Starr King School for the Ministry. Mushim was selected by Lion’s Roar Buddhist media magazine as one of twenty-six “Great Buddhist Teachers” in the January 2022 issue. www.mushimikeda.com

HYBRID: Celebrate the Changing Seasons w/ Mindful Movement: Summer Solstice
2025-06-21 09:00 - 10:30
Celebrate the Changing Seasons with Mindful Movement: Summer Solstice
Saturday, June 21st 2025
9:00 – 10:30AM PT (Time Zone Converter)
HYBRID
with Rosetta Saunders and Jenn Biehn
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

We invite you to join us in practicing the mindful movement – Chakra Tai Chi as we welcome the season of Summer 2025. Chakra Tai Chi is a cleansing, empowering practice that includes easy-to-learn, accessible tai chi and qigong movements, visualizations, colors, elements, and sounds. The Sanskrit word “chakra” comes from India and means a wheel or vortex of energy. This movement meditation brings the chakras into balance and allows healing energy to move freely through mind-heart-body-spirit … so important in these challenging times.
Movements will be offered both seated and standing. No prior experience necessary.
Join us as we welcome the Summer Solstice – June 21, 2025.

OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING AT THE CENTER: After the class, you’re invited to stay for snacks and fellowship in the EBMC kitchen, from 10:30-11:15AM!

Save the Dates for Our Other Classes!
Fall Equinox – Sunday, September 21st from 9:00-10:30 AM.
Winter Solstice – Sunday, December 21st from 9:00-10:30 AM.

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.
The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.
Other ways to give:
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may do so at https://bit.ly/ebmc-give 100% of our programming is sliding scale and no one will ever be turned away for lack of funds.
Please also consider giving a financial gift to our teachers as well, who do not receive a salary for their work, and give their teachings freely to all.

To make a gift to support the teachings, please do so via
PayPal: sweetdrum8@gmail.com
or Venmo: @Rosetta-Saunders
Please indicate “Summer Solstice” in the subject line.

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 in-person participation:
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The teacher may be unmasked while teaching.
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.

For Zoom participation, these are our Universal Access Guidelines:
1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.
2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.
3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.
4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.
5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.
6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.
7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

Teachers

Rosetta Saunders is a retired educator and historian with over 20 years teaching “People of Colors History” in the United States. Currently a core facilitator for Deep Time Liberation, Ancestral Healing retreats, Rosetta’s passion for West African and Afro-Cuban drumming has primarily been a source for individual and collective healing. She aligns herself with her ancestral lineage through Earth based practices. She was introduced to the Buddha/Dharma in 2002 and completed a two-year Dharmacharya program with Venerable Pannavati and Pannadipa receiving Confirmation of Ordination and recently completed the Braided Wisdom Leadership training program and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction certification program.

A Buddha/Dharma.Sangha practitioner for the past 40 years and active with EBMC for the past 14 years, Jenn Biehn has served on the Leadership Sangha and is a co-founder of Dharma in Motion, Restorative Practices for Dharma Practitioners, and Midday Sangha. She has taught Transforming White Privilege on the Path to Racial Equity with Neighbors for Racial Justice and currently teaches Tai Chi Chih – Joy Through Movement through EBMC and other Bay Area community centers. She was recently an elder mentor for the Braided Wisdom Leadership Training Program which included cross cultural mindfulness practices. Jenn’s spiritual practice includes engaging with nature through cross country skiing and backpacking in the high Sierra as well as embodying awareness and healing movement in her life-long journey of building community.

HYBRID: 8 Step Buddhist Recovery Deep Refuge
2025-06-28 10:00 - 11:30
June 28th 2025: Hybrid at EBMC and online!
Every Saturday from 10AM – 11:30AM PST / PDT
Compassionate Dharma Deep Refuge Buddhist meetings focus on ways to heal addiction. Based on the Eight Steps to Recovery developed by Dr. Mason-John M.A (hon.doc) and Dr Groves, we believe this inclusive approach can build a solid foundation for those at any level of recovery and for those who have yet to seek help.
Through these practices we hope you gain a practice that can sustain you in your recovery.
We are a multi-recovery space. Whether you are navigating addiction to substances like drugs and alcohol, or process addictions, such as disordered eating, codependency, or sex and love addiction–you are welcome here.
Advance Registration is not required.
For additional information, please contact: ebmcrecovery at gmail dot com.

HYBRID: Open Hours Open Mic: Pride Edition
2025-06-29 16:30 - 19:30
HYBRID: Open Hours Open Mic at EBMC
Sunday, June 29th 2025
4:30 – 7:30 PM PT
With Ramón Honea, EBMC Community and Facilities Liaison
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

Happy Pride Month!!
Do you have a song to sing, a poem or written word to share, personal art to show? Then come on down to the center on Sunday June 29th! If you can’t come down, join us on Zoom (sharing online is welcome too). This will be a hybrid way of gathering in community.
The theme is Pride and Resistance, although all shares are welcome. Each share will be maximum three minutes long with a bell rung to end it. BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ voices will be invited to share first.
NOTE: Sign-ups are ONLY between 4:30-5 PM, in-person or online. We cannot take any sign-ups after 5 PM.

For accessibility, please:

Limit the use of instruments
Provide visual descriptions of yourself and any art
Provide content warnings when appropriate
Follow the Agreements for Multicultural Interactions

There will be snacks in our kitchen. It is a potluck so add any food that you can bring. We will finish the night with some dancing.

SCHEDULE
4:15 PM: Doors open
4:30-5 PM: Sign-ups, potluck, and 20-min meditation
5-7 PM: Open mic time
7-7:30: Dancing, potluck, and clean up
Remember parking is free on Sunday and all are welcome.

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.
The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.
Other ways to give:
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may do so at https://bit.ly/ebmc-give 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 in-person participation:
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The speaker may be unmasked while speaking at the mic.
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.

Universal Access Requests on Zoom to help with sound and video quality. If possible…
1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.
2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.
3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.
4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.
5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.
6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.
7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

HYBRID: Better Together: How Can Health Equity Partnerships Improve Communities?
2025-07-09 18:00 - 19:30
Better Together: How Can Health Equity Partnerships Improve Communities?
Wednesday July 9th 2025
6 – 7:30 PM PT
With UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health researchers Ariana Thompson-Lastad, Chloe Atreya, Maria Chao and EBMC Core Teacher Mushim Ikeda
Moderated by EBMC Community Teacher Margarita Loinaz, MD
HYBRID in person and on Zoom
Open to all
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

Buddhism and the field of public health try to address the same question:
Why and how are we suffering?
For the first time ever, please join us for a special panel discussion about community well-being with researchers representing the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health, Ariana Thompson-Lastad, PhD; Chloe Atreya, MD, PhD; and Maria Chao, DrPH, MPH; along with our very own EBMC Core Teacher Mushim Ikeda! We’re also grateful to have EBMC Community Teacher Margarita Loinaz, MD as our moderator for the evening.
Did you know that EBMC has been involved with academic research on health equity, neuroscience, and how meditation can impact social justice? What is the significance of Buddhism and meditation in academic health research? How can we improve our communities by integrating these fields?
Learn about recent and potential partnerships between EBMC and UCSF that connect mindfulness practices with health justice and equity. These topics are part of the exciting, emerging field of integrative health equity, which addresses issues of inclusion, social justice, multiculturalism, and healthcare accessibility in our communities. Together let’s explore how wisdom traditions from Buddhism and other lineages can meet modern medicine to support collective healing.
There will be time for audience Q&A, so please bring your questions!
All are welcome to attend.

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.
The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.
Note that all financial gifts received here go directly to EBMC, and we invite you to give separately to our teachers, using the information below.
Please also consider giving a financial gift to our teacher Mushim as well, who does not receive a salary for her work, and gives her teachings freely to all.
Venmo: @MushimPatricia-Ikeda
PayPal: info@mushimikeda.com

Other ways to give:
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may 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.

For in-person participation:
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The teacher may be unmasked while teaching.
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.

Universal Access Requests on Zoom to help with sound and video quality. If possible…
1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.
2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.
3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.
4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.
5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.
6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.
7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

Panelists

Ariana Thompson-Lastad, PhD is Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine and core faculty at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health. Dr. Thompson-Lastad conducts research on the role of integrative healthcare in advancing health equity, using qualitative and community-engaged methods. Her work primarily examines innovative approaches to primary care, including integrative group medical visits implemented in US community health centers and the community midwifery model of postpartum care. Trained as a medical sociologist, she joined the Osher Center as a TRIM postdoctoral fellow in 2018. Dr. Thompson-Lastad served as a board member of Integrative Medicine for the Underserved and is a leadership team member of the Bay Area Structural Competency Working Group. Prior to becoming a researcher, she worked in a community health center as a diabetes care coordinator and group medical visit facilitator.

Chloe Atreya, MD, PhD is a medical oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal cancers at the UCSF Helen Diller Comprehensive Cancer Center (HDFCCC). She co-directs the Integrative Oncology Research Hub and is affiliated with the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health (OCIH). A physician scientist, she has expertise in bridging clinical practice and research. Her grant-funded research focuses on the interplay of tumor biology, the gut microbiome, lifestyle factors, and response to therapies for colorectal cancer. She is dedicated to practicing personalized medicine, with an emphasis on health equity and treating the whole person. Her integrative oncology concentration is on evidence informed mind-body practices. She serves on the Society for Integrative Oncology Research Committee and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Management Guidelines panel. She also serves on San Francisco Zen Center’s City Center Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access Committee and co-coordinates the East Bay Meditation Center’s Multiracial Deep Refuge Group.

Maria Chao, DrPH, MPA, is Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco, and the Director of Research and Associate Director for Health Equity and Diversity at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health. Dr. Chao’s overarching research goal is to investigate how complementary and integrative medicine can advance health equity. Her current studies focus on nonpharmacologic approaches to improve quality of life among diverse and historically underserved populations living with chronic conditions. Dr. Chao co-directs two NIH-funded training fellowships on integrative health research, with the goal of building pipelines to improve diversity in the scientific workforce.

Mushim Patricia Ikeda is an internationally-known secular mindfulness and Buddhist teacher working primarily with justice activists and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) meditation practitioners and with people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. A core teacher at East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland, California, she is an author whose writing has been published in Lion’s Roar, Tricycle, Buddhadharma and various anthologies. She is the recipient of an honorary doctor of sacred theology degree from the Starr King School for the Ministry. Mushim was selected by Lion’s Roar Buddhist media magazine as one of twenty-six “Great Buddhist Teachers” in the January 2022 issue. See her eco-related writings, “The Pine Tree Koan,” at https://www.buddhistinquiry.org/article/the-pine-tree-koan/ and “I Take Refuge in the Buddha,” in Lion’s Roar Buddhist media, https://www.lionsroar.com/taking-refuge-in-the-three-jewels/. Mushim’s website is
www.mushimikeda.com

H. Margarita Loinaz, MD, is a retired public health physician and Buddhist teacher trained in the Theravada and Tibetan traditions. While in public health, she worked at Tom Waddell Clinic and Homeless programs in San Francisco. On the clinical faculty at UCSF she mentored students and residents on the care of underserved communities. With one of her students, she published two seminal articles on the plight of day laborers who often work in unprotected dangerous jobs where injuries are devastating. Later, through training in Biodynamic Osteopathy, she learned to recognize the self-correcting drive within the body and its potential for profound healing.
Dr. Loinaz has been a Buddhist practitioner since 1977 and trained with Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1994 becoming one of the early teachers of MBSR in the SF Bay Area. She developed mindfulness programs for the Spanish-speaking community and homeless patients of the clinic, including an ongoing support group. In an effort to make convert Buddhist meditation centers more inclusive, she and Marlene Jones co-organized the first People of Color retreat at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in 1999. Over the past 20 years she has gradually focused her studies and teaching on the Dzogchen lineage of the Tibetan tradition. These teachings are based on the recognition of our essential nature as human beings which provides a powerful refuge and perspective, particularly while living under cultures of domination. She sees parallels between the self-correcting drive within our bodies with the drive in the mind to understand and free itself..
See Dr. Loinaz’s article “Recognizing Our True Nature” in Lion’s Roar magazine here: https://www.lionsroar.com/meditations-on-buddhanature/

HYBRID DAYLONG: Write Action: Meditation & Writing for People of Color
2025-07-13 10:00 - 17:00
HYBRID DAYLONG: Write Action: Meditation & Writing for People of Color
Sunday, July 13th
10AM – 5PM PT (Time Zone Converter)
With Melvin Escobar and Mushim Ikeda
Open to those who identify as BIPOC and/or mixed race
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

Do you identify as BIPOC and/or mixed race and want to write with fellow EBMC sangha members? Whether you’re an experienced writer or a novice attempting to put together your first poem or story, you are invited to this daylong full of fun activities that will get your creativity flowing.
The day will include basic meditation instruction, writing periods prompted by embodied action methods, time for free-writing, and a grand finale where we’ll have an open-mic for those who wish to share brief samples of their work.
Option for follow-up peer-led writing groups to emerge.
Let’s practice Write Action together!

Public Transportation/Parking:
– We strongly encourage public transportation/biking/walking since parking in the neighborhood is limited.
– EBMC is 4-5 blocks from 19th Street Bart (about a 7 minute walk).
– EBMC has bike parking inside the center.
– Meter parking is free on Sunday, and enforced Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm.
– There are also garages on Harrison at 15th and on Harrison between 17th and 19th. If you are planning to drive, please allow extra time for parking.

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.
The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.
Note that all financial gifts received here go directly to EBMC, and we invite you to give separately to our teachers, using the information below.
Other ways to give:
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may 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.
Please also consider giving a financial gift to our teachers as well, who do not receive a salary for their work, and give their teachings freely to all.
~ For Melvin:
Venmo – @Melvin-Escobar
PayPal – melvin@melvinescobar.com
~ For Mushim:
Venmo: @MushimPatricia-Ikeda [4234 last 4 digits of my mobile phone]
PayPal: info@mushimikeda.com

For in-person participation:
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The teacher may be unmasked while teaching.
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.

Universal Access Requests on Zoom to help with sound and video quality. If possible…
1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.
2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.
3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.
4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.
5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.
6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.
7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

Teachers

Melvin Escobar has walked the path of service for much of his life, drawing on his experiences as a queer man of color born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He loves to read poetry and fiction, especially by BIPOC writers. His latest project is writing (mostly unsent) letters to old friends. Some of Melvin’s published writing can be found in Lion’s Roar magazine.

Mushim has published poetry, Buddhist essays in Lion’s Roar, Buddhadharma, and Tricycle, and autobiographical fiction widely under the names “Patricia Y. Ikeda” and “Mushim Ikeda-Nash.” A core teacher at EBMC, she has taught meditation retreats for people of color and social justice activists nationally. Mushim is the first recipient of the Ragdale Foundation’s Alice Hayes Writing Fellowship supporting work on a book-length manuscript, Elegy with Blue Shirt, Tie & Gun. Her autobiographical fiction piece, “The Vortex,” was nominated for the Pushcart Prize. See www.mushimikeda.com

HYBRID: Black Womxn/Women and Aging: Health, Healing, Wholeness and Harmony 1 - The Journey
2025-08-10 10:00 - 14:00
HYBRID: Black Womxn/Women and Aging: Health, Healing, Wholeness and Harmony 1 – The Journey
Sunday, August 10th
10AM – 2PM PT (Time Zone Converter)
With Arisika Razak, Rosetta Saunders, Vimalasara (Valerie) Mason-John, and Afefe Oke’
Open to self-identified womxn/women, 55 years and older who are members of the Afrikan Diaspora, including biracial, mixed heritage, and white adopted
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

Calling all Black womxn/women, 55 years and older. It’s time to celebrate our precious body-minds, and honor the wisdom that we’ve harvested over the decades. We’re coming together to share our stories, honor our struggles, and claim ourselves as strong, whole, vulnerable and resilient. We’ll use music, the breath, writing, drumming, meditation, and gentle, mindful movement, to evoke our connections to nature, community, and Spirit – and we’ll culminate in a celebration of Black Womxn Elders.
Bring an object for the altar that reflects your connection to this topic as well as something that reflects ancestral healing lineages. We’ll break bread together, please bring food to share (in-person) and show (online).

Register for Part Two – Black Womxn/Women and Aging: Health, Healing, Wholeness and Harmony II: Nurturing here.

Public Transportation/Parking:
– We strongly encourage public transportation/biking/walking since parking in the neighborhood is limited.
– EBMC is 4-5 blocks from 19th Street Bart (about a 7 minute walk).
– EBMC has bike parking inside the center.
– Meter parking is free on Sunday, and enforced Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm.
– There are also garages on Harrison at 15th and on Harrison between 17th and 19th. If you are planning to drive, please allow extra time for parking.

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.
The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.
Note that all financial gifts received here go directly to EBMC, and we invite you to give separately to our teachers, using the information below.
Other ways to give:
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may 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.

Please also consider giving a financial gift to our teachers as well, who do not receive a salary for their work, and give their teachings freely to all.
All dana will go to Rosetta Saunders and will be equally divided among the teachers:
CashApp: $RosettaSaunders
Venmo: @Rosetta-Saunders
PayPal: @rosettasaunders1

For in-person participation:
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The teacher may be unmasked while teaching.
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.

Universal Access Requests on Zoom to help with sound and video quality. If possible…
1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.
2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.
3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.
4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.
5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.
6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.
7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

Teachers

Arisika Razak, MPH, EBMC Core teacher, is the former Chair of the Women’s Spirituality Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Previously a nurse-midwife, her teachings incorporate diverse spiritual traditions, women’s health and healing, multicultural feminisms, queer theory, and diversity theory. She is a graduate of the Spirit Rock Dedicated Practitioner Program, the Mindfulness Teacher Certification Program, and the Embodied Social Justice Certificate Program. Arisika has led national and international healing workshops and ritual celebrations for women as well as embodied spiritual workshops for people of all genders for over forty years. She has contributed to many books and publications and continues to present at online and in-person conferences on the subjects of African wisdom traditions, Buddhism and womanism, and embodied spiritual traditions. She has co-facilitated workshops with Marlene Jones at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and regularly leads workshops at EBMC.

Rosetta Saunders is a retired educator and historian with over 20 years teaching “People of Colors History” in the United States. Currently a core facilitator for Deep Time Liberation, Ancestral Healing retreats, Rosetta’s passion for West African and Afro-Cuban drumming has primarily been a source for individual and collective healing. She aligns herself with her ancestral lineage through Earth based practices. She was introduced to the Buddha/Dharma in 2002 and completed a two-year Dharmacharya program with Venerable Pannavati and Pannadipa receiving Confirmation of Ordination and recently completed the Braided Wisdom Leadership training program and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction certification program.

Vimalasara (Valerie) Mason-John is the author of the new revised edition of Detox Your Heart – Meditations For Emotional Trauma published by Wisdom Books in 2017. They are co/author of the award-winning book Eight Step Recovery – Using The Buddha’s Teachings to Overcome Addiction. They are also a TEDx speaker and are the author and editor of 11 books including their award-winning novel Borrowed Body. They are the curator of Teachings in Uncertain Times, an online retreat by Teachers of Color for Tricycle Magazine February 2017. A founding facilitator of Dr Gabor Mate’s Compassionate Inquiry, they are a leading African Canadian voice in the field of Mindfulness for Emotional Trauma and Addiction. Vimalasara is a senior teacher in the Triratna Buddhist Community. And one of the founders of Freedom Together, a mindfulness accredited course by the Global Majority for the Global Majority.

Ginitta Glass, widely known as Afefe Oke’, has called the Bay Area home for over 30 years. In 2000, she retired from The City and County of San Francisco as the only Black female electrician in the Traffic Signal Shop with 22 years of service. A dedicated spiritual leader, she has served as a priest in the Yoruba Tradition for 23 years. Her commitment to compassionate care is evident in her 30 years of training in Hospice and palliative care which has included a two year training from Zen Hospice in San Francisco CA. Currently, Afefe Oke’ has been a volunteer for Humane Prison Hospice for two years, where she facilitates palliative care peer support training for incarcerated individuals. As a graduate of EBMC’s 2023 STL program, she has shared Dharma wisdom at EBMC’s Maha and BIPOC sangha gatherings. And she was also invited to give a Day Long offering at Green Gulch Farm in 2023. She has recently been inspired to initiate a Black Doula Collective and has provided death and dying support for the past 20 years. For over two decades, Afefe Oke’ has traveled extensively, deepening her meditation practice and gathering insights she generously shares. At 67 years old, she is a proud grandmother to two amazing beings and a loving mama to two dogs and one cat. A percussionist for over 40 years, Afefe Oke’ incorporates gospel music, chanting, and various instruments into ceremonial settings, enriching her diverse contributions to her community.
Afefe Oke’ is a Yoruba name which translates to “the wind that comes from the mountains”.

HYBRID: The Dharma of Janet Jackson
2025-08-16 10:00 - 16:00
HYBRID: The Dharma of Janet Jackson
Saturday, August 16th
10AM – 4PM PT (Time Zone Converter)
With Patrick Brown
Open to all
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

This daylong teaching is a practice in finding and appreciating the dharma all around us. As a prolific entertainer, Janet Jackson has provided generations with music to spark joy, reflect on life and love, and commit to a better way of life. Using selections of her music and biography, we’ll explore the sacred and spiritual teachings referenced and embodied in her music.
Offering instruction for posture supportive to meditation and grounding practice. Presentation of core concepts and how they are referenced in the music. Opportunities to connect in small and large groups for movement, appreciation, interpretation, and questions. Celebrating together to notice the connection of kalianamitta and shared appreciation.
There will be a midday break for lunch.

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.
The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.
Note that all financial gifts received here go directly to EBMC, and we invite you to give separately to our teachers, using the information below.

Other ways to give:
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may 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.

Please also consider giving a financial gift to our teacher as well, who does not receive a salary for their work, and gives their teachings freely to all.
Venmo: @mistercakes
PayPal: patrickmbrown75@gmail.com

For in-person participation:
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The teacher may be unmasked while teaching.
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.

Public Transportation/Parking:
– We strongly encourage public transportation/biking/walking since parking in the neighborhood is limited.
– EBMC is 4-5 blocks from 19th Street Bart (about a 7 minute walk).
– EBMC has bike parking inside the center.
– Meter parking is free on Sunday, and enforced Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm.
– There are also garages on Harrison at 15th and on Harrison between 17th and 19th. If you are planning to drive, please allow extra time for parking.

Universal Access Requests on Zoom to help with sound and video quality. If possible…
1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.
2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.
3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.
4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.
5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.
6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.
7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

Teacher

Patrick Brown is originally from Chicago and a graduate of the EBMC Commit to Dharma Program. He is currently practicing in the Community Dharma Leaders Training Program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. He is on the Leadership Team of the EBMC People of Color Sangha, the EBMC Alphabet Sangha and the Alphabet Brothers of Color Deep Refuge Sangha.

HYBRID: Black Womxn/Women and Aging: Health, Healing, Wholeness and Harmony 2 - Nurturing
2025-08-23 10:00 - 14:00
HYBRID: Black Womxn/Women and Aging: Health, Healing, Wholeness and Harmony 2 – Nurturing
Saturday, August 23rd
10AM – 2PM PT (Time Zone Converter)
With Arisika Razak, Rosetta Saunders, Vimalasara (Valerie) Mason-John, and Afefe Oke’
Open to self-identified womxn/women, 45 years and older who are members of the Afrikan Diaspora, including biracial, mixed heritage, and white adopted
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

NOTE: We’ve changed the age limit for participation to 45 years and up, instead of 55!

How are we meeting the challenges of aging in our changing and impermanent bodies? What techniques and practices help us sustain physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health? How is our sexuality changing – and how are we navigating living alone, queer elderhood, relationship issues or caregiving?
Today, we’ll share tips and resources for wise elderhood, including mindful movement practices to support our bodies, somatic modalities that enhance trauma healing and emotional regulation, and practical resources for the final stages of life. Drumming, meditation and small and large group circles will help us build community; come and share your questions, your answers, your experiences, and your wisdom.
Bring an object for the altar that reflects your connection to this topic as well as something that reflects ancestral healing lineages. We’ll break bread together, please bring food to share (in-person) and show (online).

Register for Part One – Black Womxn/Women and Aging:Health, Healing, Wholeness and Harmony 1 – The Journey, on August 10th,here.

Public Transportation/Parking:
– We strongly encourage public transportation/biking/walking since parking in the neighborhood is limited.
– EBMC is 4-5 blocks from 19th Street Bart (about a 7 minute walk).
– EBMC has bike parking inside the center.
– Meter parking is free on Sunday, and enforced Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm.
– There are also garages on Harrison at 15th and on Harrison between 17th and 19th. If you are planning to drive, please allow extra time for parking.

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.
The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.
Note that all financial gifts received here go directly to EBMC, and we invite you to give separately to our teachers, using the information below.
Other ways to give:
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may do so at bit.ly/ebmc-give 100% of our programming on a sliding scale and no one will ever be turned away for lack of funds.

Please also consider giving a financial gift to our teachers as well, who do not receive a salary for their work, and give their teachings freely to all.
All dana will go to Rosetta Saunders and will be equally divided among the teachers:
CashApp: $RosettaSaunders
Venmo: @Rosetta-Saunders
PayPal: @rosettasaunders1

For in-person participation:
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The teacher may be unmasked while teaching.
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.

Universal Access Requests on Zoom to help with sound and video quality. If possible…
1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.
2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.
3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.
4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.
5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.
6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.
7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

Teachers

Arisika Razak, MPH, EBMC Core teacher, is the former Chair of the Women’s Spirituality Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Previously a nurse-midwife, her teachings incorporate diverse spiritual traditions, women’s health and healing, multicultural feminisms, queer theory, and diversity theory. She is a graduate of the Spirit Rock Dedicated Practitioner Program, the Mindfulness Teacher Certification Program, and the Embodied Social Justice Certificate Program. Arisika has led national and international healing workshops and ritual celebrations for women as well as embodied spiritual workshops for people of all genders for over forty years. She has contributed to many books and publications and continues to present at online and in-person conferences on the subjects of African wisdom traditions, Buddhism and womanism, and embodied spiritual traditions. She has co-facilitated workshops with Marlene Jones at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and regularly leads workshops at EBMC.

Rosetta Saunders is a retired educator and historian with over 20 years teaching “People of Colors History” in the United States. Currently a core facilitator for Deep Time Liberation, Ancestral Healing retreats, Rosetta’s passion for West African and Afro-Cuban drumming has primarily been a source for individual and collective healing. She aligns herself with her ancestral lineage through Earth based practices. She was introduced to the Buddha/Dharma in 2002 and completed a two-year Dharmacharya program with Venerable Pannavati and Pannadipa receiving Confirmation of Ordination and recently completed the Braided Wisdom Leadership training program and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction certification program.

Vimalasara (Valerie) Mason-John is the author of the new revised edition of Detox Your Heart – Meditations For Emotional Trauma published by Wisdom Books in 2017. They are co/author of the award-winning book Eight Step Recovery – Using The Buddha’s Teachings to Overcome Addiction. They are also a TEDx speaker and are the author and editor of 11 books including their award-winning novel Borrowed Body. They are the curator of Teachings in Uncertain Times, an online retreat by Teachers of Color for Tricycle Magazine February 2017. A founding facilitator of Dr Gabor Mate’s Compassionate Inquiry, they are a leading African Canadian voice in the field of Mindfulness for Emotional Trauma and Addiction. Vimalasara is a senior teacher in the Triratna Buddhist Community. And one of the founders of Freedom Together, a mindfulness accredited course by the Global Majority for the Global Majority.

Ginitta Glass, widely known as Afefe Oke’, has called the Bay Area home for over 30 years. In 2000, she retired from The City and County of San Francisco as the only Black female electrician in the Traffic Signal Shop with 22 years of service. A dedicated spiritual leader, she has served as a priest in the Yoruba Tradition for 23 years. Her commitment to compassionate care is evident in her 30 years of training in Hospice and palliative care which has included a two year training from Zen Hospice in San Francisco CA. Currently, Afefe Oke’ has been a volunteer for Humane Prison Hospice for two years, where she facilitates palliative care peer support training for incarcerated individuals. As a graduate of EBMC’s 2023 STL program, she has shared Dharma wisdom at EBMC’s Maha and BIPOC sangha gatherings. And she was also invited to give a Day Long offering at Green Gulch Farm in 2023. She has recently been inspired to initiate a Black Doula Collective and has provided death and dying support for the past 20 years. For over two decades, Afefe Oke’ has traveled extensively, deepening her meditation practice and gathering insights she generously shares. At 67 years old, she is a proud grandmother to two amazing beings and a loving mama to two dogs and one cat. A percussionist for over 40 years, Afefe Oke’ incorporates gospel music, chanting, and various instruments into ceremonial settings, enriching her diverse contributions to her community.
Afefe Oke’ is a Yoruba name which translates to “the wind that comes from the mountains”.

HYBRID DAYLONG: Dana: The Gift Economy as an Alternative to Capitalism
2025-08-24 10:00 - 16:00
HYBRID DAYLONG: Dana: The Gift Economy as an Alternative to Capitalism
Sunday, August 24th 2025
10AM – 4PM PT (Time Zone Converter)
With Kazu Haga
Open to all
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

We will discuss the Gift Economy, with principles rooted in Buddhist tradition as well as ones learned from natural eco-systems, and concrete practices that people can use to integrate Dana into their lives, organizations and businesses.
We will also discuss principles such as generosity, interdependence, faith and transparency using a variety of teaching modalities, including meditation, mini-lectures, and interactive small group activities.
The workshop will be centered on generosity-based economics, from a Buddhist and land-based approach. This is a form of managing resources that creates much more access than the current market based system. The more we practice these alternative models, the more we are divesting from the current system, which is a form of social action.
All are welcome!

Public Transportation/Parking:
– We strongly encourage public transportation/biking/walking since parking in the neighborhood is limited.
– EBMC is 4-5 blocks from 19th Street Bart (about a 7 minute walk).
– EBMC has bike parking inside the center.
– Meter parking is free on Sunday, and enforced Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm.
– There are also garages on Harrison at 15th and on Harrison between 17th and 19th. If you are planning to drive, please allow extra time for parking.

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.
The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.
Note that all financial gifts received here go directly to EBMC, and we invite you to give separately to our teachers, using the information below.
Other ways to give:
To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may do so at bit.ly/ebmc-give 100% of our programming on a sliding scale and no one will ever be turned away for lack of funds.
Please also consider giving a financial gift to our teachers as well, who do not receive a salary for their work, and give their teachings freely to all.
Venmo: @kazuhaga
Paypal: PayPal.me/kazuhaga
kazuhaga.com/support
Please reference “Gift Economy”.

For in-person participation:
For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The teacher may be unmasked while teaching.
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.

Universal Access Requests on Zoom to help with sound and video quality. If possible…
1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.
2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.
3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.
4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.
5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.
6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.
7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

Teacher

Kazu Haga is a trainer and practitioner of nonviolence and restorative justice with over 25 years of experience in social movement work. He is a founding core member of the Ahimsa Collective, a Jam facilitator and author of Healing Resistance: A Radically Different Response to Harm and Fierce Vulnerability: Healing from Trauma, Emerging through Collapse. He works with incarcerated people, youth, and activists from around the country. He is a resident of the Canticle Farm community on Lisjan Ohlone land, Oakland, CA, where he lives with his family. You can find out more about his work at www.kazuhaga.com.
