East Bay Meditation Center

Center Open Hours
2024-11-10 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-11-17 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-11-24 16:00 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
We welcome you to drop by the center for unguided silent practice, our library, or a cup of tea in our kitchen.
with EBMC Staff
Sundays
4 – 6 PM Pacific Time
EBMC is a fragrance-free center and is wheelchair accessible. N95/KN95 masks required.
Note: Due to capacity limitations of our small staff, we may occasionally need to shorten or cancel open hours. We will do our best to give as much advanced notice as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Every Body Every Mind Sangha
2024-11-10 18:00 - 19:30, 2024-11-17 18:00 - 19:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Every Body Every Mind Sangha is a weekly practice group for people living with disabilities, limitations, differences and chronic illnesses.
Sundays
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

ONLINE WITH SPECIAL HYBRID DATES
March 23rd 2025 with Arisika Razak
April 20th 2025 with Anne Finger
May 18th 2025 with Mushim Ikeda
June 22nd 2025 with Anne Finger
No registration needed to attend these meetings in person. More hybrid dates may be announced in the future.

To join online, please email: ebem at eastbaymeditation dot org to request a Zoom link.
Please come and take part in this time to meditate, share our lives and support with each other, and learn more about the dharma. There is no need to register for these weekly meetings, just come and share this path together!
EveryBody, EveryMind Teacher Group: Debra Kerr, Kenji Oshima, Anne Finger, Master John W. Ellis IV, Beth Smith, Mushim Ikeda, Victor Jih, & Zac Krohn
For more info, visit the Every Body Every Mind Sangha Website.

Center Open Hours
2024-11-12 11:00 - 13:00, 2024-11-14 11:00 - 13:00, 2024-11-19 11:00 - 13:00, 2024-11-21 11:00 - 13:00 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
We welcome you to drop by the center for unguided silent practice, our library, or a cup of tea in our kitchen.
with EBMC Staff
Daytime: Tuesday & Thursday
11 AM – 1 PM Pacific Time
EBMC is a fragrance-free center and is wheelchair accessible. N95/KN95 masks required.
Note: Due to capacity limitations of our small staff, we may occasionally need to shorten or cancel open hours. We will do our best to give as much advanced notice as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

ONLINE: Social Justice Lunchtime Sangha - Peer Led Deep Refuge group
2024-11-12 12:00 - 13:00 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Social Justice Sangha is a place to practice and reflect with #EBMCOakland organizers and activists. Includes a 30 minute meditation and time for sharing what’s on our hearts.

Contact: socialjustice at eastbaymeditation dot org

ONLINE: Alphabet Sangha
2024-11-12 19:00 - 20:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
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
Please email: alphabetsangha at eastbaymeditation dot org to request Zoom link to join online.
For more information, visit the ALPHABET SANGHA WEBSITE

ONLINE: Midday Sangha
2024-11-13 12:00 - 13:35, 2024-11-20 12:00 - 13:35 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
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: Path of the Modern Bodhisattva (Class Series 2)
2024-11-13 18:30 - 20:30, 2024-11-20 18:30 - 20:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Path of the Modern Bodhisattva (Class Series 2 of 2)
with Mushim Ikeda
Wednesday Evenings
Nov. 6t, 13, 20th, 27th (Q&A class only, ends at 8pm), and Dec. 4th
6:30 – 8:30 PM PT (Time Zone Converter)
HYBRID (if we can get at least 20 in-person sign-ups!)
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

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
Embodiment! Joy! Commitment! Strategic Action! In Mahayana Buddhism, the Bodhisattva works and plays ceaselessly to liberate all suffering beings, lifetime after lifetime. And – how do you and I show up, day after day, in the gigantic mess of our times, to do the great work?
For the sixth 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 and by Thich Nhat Hanh.
AFTER THIS CLASS SERIES, WE WILL HAVE THE BODHISATTVA DAYLONG AND PRECEPTS CEREMONY ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15TH. SEPARATE REGISTRATION NEEDED.

Mushim (Patricia) Ikeda received Bodhisattva precepts and vows at the Zen Buddhist Temple-Toronto, Canada in 1983. She is an EBMC core teacher, a widely-published writer, and a social justice activist based in Oakland, California. Mushim has practiced as both a monastic and a lay householder. For events, writing, video teachings, go to www.mushimikeda.com

*PLEASE NOTE: Due to limited resources, we will ONLY run these meetings hybrid IF we get at least 20 in-person sign-ups. If a meeting has fewer than 20 in-person sign-ups, we will notify all registrants to meet online only (at least 24 hours in advance). Thank you!

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:
– Please do not use virtual or blurred backgrounds
– Please keep your camera still when it’s turned on
– Please say your name when you speak
– Facilitators will attempt to read any comments in the chat out loud
– Please mute when you’re not speaking.

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 “Bodhisattva” 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.

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. 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 founding and guiding teacher of EBMC’s Practice in Transformative Action, a yearlong program that completed its tenth cohort in July 2023, providing secular mindfulness training for justice activists and agents of change. Mushim was selected by Lion’s Roar Buddhist media magazine as one of twenty-six “Great Buddhist Teachers” in the January 2022 issue. If you would like to make a gift to our beloved teacher, please do so via Venmo: @MushimPatricia-Ikeda or PayPal: info@mushimikeda.com

ONLINE: Maintaining the Calm Within the Storm: Anxiety in Times of Elections
2024-11-15 12:00 - 13:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
HYBRID: Maintaining the Calm Within the Storm: Anxiety in Times of Elections
3 Fridays: October 11th 2024, November 15th 2024, January 24th 2025
12:00 – 1:30 PM PT (Time Zone Converter)
with Kinshasa Bennett, Renata Moreira, Andrés González, & Anjali Sawhney
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
N95/KN95 Masks Required at EBMC

This will be a 3-part series where we have stationary practice, dharma talks, and discussion as related to using the dharma and mindfulness to relate differently to anxiety as it arises in the mind and body (physical, emotional and energetic) in times of elections. We ask participants to attend all sessions if possible. This series will advance the principles of Engaged Buddhism and address current concerns.

Open to all who are interested and no experience necessary.

NOTE: In-person ticket sales end on January 22nd at 1pm PT so we can finalize our headcount. If we have fewer than 20 in-person registrations, we may opt to run online only. We will confirm with everyone by January 23rd. Thank you!

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
East Bay Meditation Center is a scent free / fragrance free space and is wheelchair accessible.

For Zoom participation, these are our Universal Access Guidelines:
– Please do not use virtual or blurred backgrounds
– Please keep your camera still when it’s turned on
– Please say your name when you speak
– Facilitators will attempt to read any comments in the chat out loud
– Please mute when you’re not speaking.

Teaching Team

Kinshasa (she/her). Queer, African-American listener, healer, learner. 15 years of experience as a psychologist by day. 46 years as a student of life. Currently integrating sitting, dancing, praying, and vocal meditation practices. Exploring sacred reciprocity in relations with all beings. Incorporating ritual, indigeneity, and authenticity into my (spiritual) life. Launched from EBMC in 2009 and Spirit Rock in 2011 into the spheres of Buddhism, ancestral knowledge, and plant medicine. My formal training includes graduating from the EBMC Spiritual Teacher and Leadership training program in 2023. You may find me watching women’s sports, exploring the community by foot, or dancing in my living room.

Renata Moreira, M.A.S.T, CCHT (She/they/Ela/Elu) is a queer mixed race lifelong educator of Indigenous Xucuru Kariri and Portuguese ancestries. She brings 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, development and strategic communications to the intersections of trauma-informed care, mindfulness, and culture making. This dynamic first generation immigrant mama is connected to an eclectic lineage of spiritual wisdom and earth keepers across the Americas. Currently, Renata serves as a social impact and wellness consultant, transpersonal therapist, and mindfulness teacher. She has brought a passionate Metta praxis to countless educational, public, and private sectors since 2012; always holding the firm belief that all people within systems can liberate themselves towards the rise of a more loving and just world for all beings. She is certified as an MBSR instructor, is a graduate of EBMC’s Pita Program, and has served EBMC as Transition Director. When not co-creating beloved communities, cultivating medicinal allies, or geeking out on somatics and liberation, Renata can be found dancing with her 8 yr old magickal daughter and cooking up new ways to play into healing. Connect with Renata via renatametta | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree

Andrés González, MSW (he/they/él) is a queer, 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 curandero, dharma teacher, and healing-justice practitioner. Trained in harm reduction 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 resides on Yokuts’ land (aka Bakersfield, CA) and lovingly traverses life with his adored service dog, Junior.

Anjali Sawhney (she/her/s) is a Certified Integral Life Coach and a trained international Leadership Embodiment Teacher (somatic coaching based on Aikido & Mindfulness). Anjali has coached & facilitated somatics & mindfulness workshops in the non-profit, corporate, and educational sectors including the Richmond Community Foundation, California Endowment, UCSF & City of San Francisco. Anjali also serves directly with untapped BIPOC students, those unhoused, and those in recovery by providing coaching, counseling & series workshops through various non-profits as well as independently. She is currently on the EBMC Program Committee and Leadership Sangha (Board). She is passionate about rallying people through community & spirituality as well as street protests for equity & systemic change, is in awe of nature & live music, & on rare occasions is allowed to groove with her children, Aanika and Jai.

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. Please scroll through the entire menu to see all the options. 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.
To offer a gift to the teachers for their teachings, please do so via:
Venmo: @Kinshasa-Bennett
(the teachers will share the gifts with each other)

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.

ONLINE: Maha Sangha with Arisika Razak and Ramona Lisa-Ortiz Smith
2024-11-15 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-11-22 19:00 - 20:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Friday, January 7th Teachers: Arisika Razak and Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith
Maha Sangha for All People & Communities
Creating Freedom in Community
Every Friday night at EBMC, 7:00 – 8:30pm.
Zoom Info: email mahasangha at eastbaymeditation dot org to ask for a Zoom link.
The EBMC Maha Sangha for All People and Communities is a meditation and dharma group with an emphasis on radical inclusivity and social justice.
Maha is a Pali word meaning whole, great, larger/largest, deepest, and Sangha is a Pali word for community, or community of practitioners. Together, these words represent a place where all people and communities are warmly invited to explore the Dharma together in keeping with East Bay Meditation Center’s core mission to foster liberation, personal and interpersonal healing, social action, and inclusive community building. We hope that you will join us.
The EBMC Maha Sangha’s leadership team of teachers, dharma leaders, and sangha members includes: Arisika Razak, Baruch Golden, Chinh Nguyen, Crystal Johnson, Fresh! Lev White, Jd Doyle, Lisa Moore, Shahara Godfrey, Syra Smith, Shay, and Anni Mackin.
Contact: mahasangha at eastbaymeditation org

ONLINE: Maha Sangha
2024-11-15 19:00 - 20:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Maha Sangha for All People & Communities
Creating Freedom in Community
Every Friday night, 7:00 – 8:30pm.
Hybrid, every 4th Friday of the month
Event Details: Meets weekly on zoom, and starting to meet once a month in person, email mahasangha at eastbaymeditation dot org for more info and get on our newsletter
The EBMC Maha Sangha for All People and Communities is a meditation and dharma group with an emphasis on radical inclusivity and social justice.
Maha is a Pali word meaning whole, great, larger/largest, deepest, and Sangha is a Pali word for community, or community of practitioners. Together, these words represent a place where all people and communities are warmly invited to explore the Dharma together in keeping with East Bay Meditation Center’s core mission to foster liberation, personal and interpersonal healing, social action, and inclusive community building. We hope that you will join us.
The EBMC Maha Sangha’s leadership team of teachers, dharma leaders, and sangha members includes: Arisika Razak, Fresh! Lev White, Rebekah Eppley, Sarwang Parikh and Shay.
Contact: mahasangha at eastbaymeditation org

ONLINE: 8 Step Buddhist Recovery Deep Refuge
2024-11-16 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-11-23 10:00 - 11:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Every Saturday from 10AM – 11:30AM PST / PDT ONLINE
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.

ONLINE: Kapwa Deep Refuge Group for Filipinx/a/o Practitioners
2024-11-17 09:00 - 10:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
This is a peer-led deep refuge group for self-identifying Filipinx/a/o (including mixed) folks. Together we cultivate a special community space in the intersection of Filipinx/a/o identity + culture + history and Buddhist spiritual practice. We gather to support each other, heal, and walk the Dharma path.

Kapwa Deep Refuge will meet every 3rd Sunday at 9am PST – 10:30am PST via Zoom. The inaugural meeting will be on April 21, 2024.

If you identify as Filipinx/a/o and would like to join, please contact us at: kapwa.deep.refuge@gmail.com

Beloved Families and Communities: Practicing Together for Love and Justice (Nov. 17, 2024)
2024-11-17 13:00 - 16:00 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Beloved Families and Communities: Practicing Together for Love and Justice
November 17. 2024
1:00 – 4:00 PM in-person at EBMC, 285 17th Street, Oakland
with Lisa Fujie Parks, Fresh “Lev” White, Anjali Sawhney, Rascal Roubos, Renata Moreira, Kinshasa Bennett, Raul Bentacourt, and Dana Wright

For parents, grandparents, and other caregivers, extended and chosen family, and children/teens/young adults ages 5-18+.
SPACES ARE LIMITED. PLEASE SIGN UP BY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 5PM.

Each family only needs one registration.

This half-day program invites parents, grandparents, and other caregivers, extended and chosen family, and young people (ages 5-18+) to come together in support of beloved families and multigenerational community in these times. We will practice meeting each moment mindfully: honoring grief, anger, and fear, cultivating connection, comfort, and joy, and celebrating love, justice, and belonging.

This first in-person gathering of the family/caregiver sangha since the start of the pandemic offers a fresh start and an opportunity for renewal. The program includes all-ages circle time and age-specific breakout activities, with dharma practices woven throughout.

We aspire to gather with participants who represents the diversity of the many families and communities practicing at EBMC, with majority BIPOC and LGBTQ+ participation and a maximum of 40 participants. Please be patient with us as we do our best to accommodate individual family needs while creating the conditions for a supportive and inclusive space.

In-person Policies
EBMC is a fragrance-free, wheelchair-accessible space. We require adult participants to wear N95/KN95 masks, except while eating or drinking in the kitchen. Teacher may be unmasked while speaking.
Gift Economics
Our programs are offered freely without upfront fees. Your financial gifts help to sustain our teachers and our center. Generosity is the Buddha’s first teaching, the lifeblood of EBMC, and an act of sacred reciprocity in our community! When your attendance is confirmed, we will provide information for giving to our teachers and our center. If you wish to give now:
To support the teachers with a financial gift, please do so via:
~Venmo: @Lisa-Parks-12
~Paypal: lisafujieparks@yahoo.com
(please reference “Family Sangha”; the teachers will share the gifts with each other)
To support EBMC and help sustain our center and programs, please do so via:
~Paypal: paypal.me/eastbaymeditation
~Website: eastbaymeditation.org/dana
100% of our programming is sliding scale and no one will ever be turned away for lack of funds.
Teacher Bios
(you can also see this information and teacher pictures here!)
Lev Fresh White, CPCC, is a Certified Professional, Mindfulness & Life Coach. He has been practicing Mindfulness since 2007, and is currently a student of Spirit Rock’s Dharma Leadership Program. In addition to Co-leading the Teen Sangha at EBMC, Fresh! is also a rotating teacher at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, and leads a group for Trans* and Gender Variant folks in Oakland as well. Fresh! earned his Early Childhood Education Credits at Skyline College when he committed to being a classroom assistant and volunteer back in the 90s. Since 2003, Fresh! has facilitated or co-lead over 100 discussions in San Francisco and Marin, in schools and workplaces, with a goal of ending bullying for all, with a focus on creating safety for the LBGTQI communities.
Anjali Sawhney (she/her/s) is a Certified Integral Life Coach and a trained international Leadership Embodiment Teacher (somatic coaching based on Aikido & Mindfulness). Anjali has coached & facilitated somatics & mindfulness workshops in the non-profit, corporate, and educational sectors including the Richmond Community Foundation, California Endowment, UCSF & City of San Francisco. Anjali also serves directly with untapped BIPOC students, those unhoused, and those in recovery by providing coaching, counseling & series workshops through various non-profits as well as independently. She is currently on the EBMC Program Committee and Leadership Sangha (Board). She is passionate about rallying people through community & spirituality as well as street protests for equity & systemic change, is in awe of nature & live music, & on rare occasions is allowed to groove with her children, Aanika and Jai.
Lisa Fujie Parks is a multiracial Japanese and white queer woman who grew up part of her childhood in Japan and makes a home in Oakland, California, the lands of the Ohlone people. Lisa practices the dharma in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and in other traditions, in service to wholeness and solidarity. Lisa graduated from East Bay Meditation Center’s (EBMC) inaugural Spiritual Teacher and Leadership (STL) training, and also completed the Commit2Dharma program and Practice in Transformative Action program. Lisa is a parent to a young adult in a two-home blended family and works in public health as a facilitator, coach, and advocate. Lisa also serves as the Board Co-Chair of Our Family Coalition, a community organization advancing equity for the full and expanding spectrum of LGBTQ+ families and children. Lisa’s favorite ritual is to go outside to give gratitude to our human and more-than-human relatives and ancestors and listen for guidance.
Rascal Roubos LCSW (they/them) – Rascal is white transmasculine therapist based in Huichin (Oakland) CA, who integrates dharma into daily life through an anti-oppression lens and somatic focused approaches. Rascal is a delighted and sometimes exhausted parent of three in a blended family, multi-household constellation. Although they have benefited much from extended silent retreat over the years, these days Rascal is especially engaged in deepening in practice forms that do not require sitting, or quiet! Rascal is a graduate of East Bay Meditation Center’s Spiritual Teacher and Leadership Training in 2022 and the Commit2Dharma intensive practice and study program in 2012, as well as Spirit Rock’s Dedicated Practitioner Program in 2016 and a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Certification Program in 2012. They had the honor of ordaining temporarily in Thailand in 2013, an experience that informs their dreams of more multi-generational community practice spaces in the West. Rascal loves small daily rituals and seasonal practices to honor the earth, the ancestors, and future generations.
Renata Moreira, M.A.S.T, CCHT (She/they/Ela/Elu) is a queer mixed race lifelong educator of Indigenous Xucuru Kariri and Portuguese ancestries. She brings 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, development and strategic communications to the intersections of trauma-informed care, mindfulness, and culture making. This dynamic first generation immigrant mama is connected to an eclectic lineage of spiritual wisdom and earth keepers across the Americas. Currently, Renata serves as a social impact and wellness consultant, transpersonal therapist, and mindfulness teacher. Shehas brought a passionate Metta praxis to countless educational, public, and private sectors since 2012; always holding the firm belief that all people within systems can liberate themselves towards the rise of a more loving and just world for all beings. She is certified as an MBSR instructor, is a graduate of EBMC’s Pita Program, and has served EBMC as Transition Director. When not co-creating beloved communities, cultivating medicinal allies, or geeking out on somatics and liberation, Renata can be found dancing with her 8 yr old magickal daughter and cooking up new ways to play into healing.
Kinshasa Bennett (she/her). Queer, African-American, pet parent. Psychologist by day. Magic weaver by night (and also day). Currently integrating sitting, dancing, praying, and vocal meditation practices. Incorporating ritual, indigeneity, and authenticity into my life as a Buddhist and keeping sangha in my heart. Launched from EBMC in 2009 and Spirit Rock in 2011. You can find me watching Sci-fi, women’s sports, or dancing in my living room.
Raul Bentacourt began his Buddhist studies when he was 16 in L.A. and has been studying steadily since. He has studied Vietnamese Zen in LA and Soto Zen in Santa Cruz and SF as well as Green Gulch and Tassajara. He spent a year as a personal student to a head instructor from Eijeiji, at his home temple in Japan. He also earned a black belt in Aikido. He eventually found his spiritual home at EBMC in Oakland. He is currently teaching science at a high school in SF where he is also a teacher meditation leader.
Dana Wright (she/her) is a mixed-race Black queer woman hailing from the South. Her first meditation retreat in 2006 ignited her meditation practice and love of the dharma. Dana graduated from the two-year dharma teacher training program, the Spiritual Teacher Leadership program through the East Bay Meditation Center (EBMC). She is a visiting teacher at EBMC and has been an EBMC sangha member since its early days. Dana is a parent of a young child and a professor of education at Mills College at Northeastern University, where she supports teachers and emergent educational leaders committed to social justice education and systems transformation. She is a co-founder of the Love & Liberation Sangha, a local community supporting meditation for Black, Indigenous and People of Color. Dana is dedicated to exploring how the dharma can help us better understand and navigate the complexities of daily life, build community and work towards social justice and collective liberation.
SIGN UP HERE!

HYBRID: Alphabet Sangha
2024-11-19 19:00 - 20:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
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

ONLINE: Racial Justice Skills for White Practitioners Peer-Led Deep Refuge Group
2024-11-21 18:00 - 19:00 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Racial Justice Skills for White Practitioners meets monthly online in 2024 on the third Thursday of the month from 6PM-7PM Pacific time, with the intention to support self-identified white practitioners of meditation in working with the skills and commitments of meditation practice to contribute to racial justice and to end white supremacy, in ourselves and in the world. This group is open to all self-identified white people who have a regular meditation practice and are working towards racial justice. In each meeting we will work with a skill from dharma practice to undo a habit of white supremacy culture.
Sign up for the Zoom link at tinyurl.com/RJSWP21

HYBRID: People of Color Sangha
2024-11-21 19:00 - 20:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
The People of Color Sangha is a growing community of people of color waking up and getting free!
Thursdays
7 – 8:30 PM PST
(please note the 7pm start time is new for 2024)
Closed Captions Provided.
Zoom info: Meeting details are shared through their mailing list (subscribe on their website), and their Facebook group.

ONLINE: Queer Leather Peer-Led Deep Refuge Group
2024-11-22 19:00 - 20:30 | Off Site Venue
The Queer Leather Meditation Deep Refuge Group is a peer-led meditation group for those of us who have a meditation practice and are queer and leather/kink-identified. We meet on the 4th Friday of every month from 7–8:30 p.m. We are open to and welcome new drop-in participants, whether this is your first sit or your 10,000th! For upcoming meeting details or to join our mailing list or online groups, please visit http://www.queerleathermeditation.org/. If you have questions please contact admin@queerleathermeditation.org.

HYBRID: Maha Sangha
2024-11-22 19:00 - 20:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Maha Sangha for All People & Communities
Creating Freedom in Community
Hybrid, every 4th Friday of the month, 7:00 – 8:30pm.
Event Details: Meets weekly on zoom, and starting to meet once a month in person, email mahasangha at eastbaymeditation dot org for more info and get on our newsletter
The EBMC Maha Sangha for All People and Communities is a meditation and dharma group with an emphasis on radical inclusivity and social justice.
Maha is a Pali word meaning whole, great, larger/largest, deepest, and Sangha is a Pali word for community, or community of practitioners. Together, these words represent a place where all people and communities are warmly invited to explore the Dharma together in keeping with East Bay Meditation Center’s core mission to foster liberation, personal and interpersonal healing, social action, and inclusive community building. We hope that you will join us.
The EBMC Maha Sangha’s leadership team of teachers, dharma leaders, and sangha members includes: Arisika Razak, Fresh! Lev White, Rebekah Eppley, Sarwang Parikh and Shay.
Contact: mahasangha at eastbaymeditation org

IN PERSON: Connecting as Nature, Connecting as Multiracial (half-daylong)
2024-11-23 09:00 - 13:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
An event produced through the EBMC Multiracial Deep Refuge Group!
This is the sign-up for a Saturday, November 23 facilitated half-day nature retreat for multi-racial people offered by Multiracial Deep Refuge Group members Lisa Fujie Parks and Kim Allen. Space is limited. In filling out this form, you are agreeing to attend the event if space is available. To maintain the integrity of the day, please plan to attend the entire session (9-1:30). The day includes a potluck lunch. You will receive more information about what to bring etc. after registration and confirmation of a slot.
Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScGEuvJFZqUzkEvboKNgl9L6qoy5vZL5pvVBoDbdLlGfkSwIA/viewform
UPDATE: The event is now full – waitlist only! Thank you everyone!

HYBRID: EBMC’s New Radical Dharma Book Club (Nov. 23 session)
2024-11-23 11:00 - 12:30 | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
EBMC’s New Radical Dharma Book Club
Launching with books by our “Love, Power and Liberation” speakers
HYBRID
Closed Captioning Provided on Zoom
The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible
N95/KN95 masks required

Join us Saturdays from 11-12:30pm PT once a month. You can attend all meetings or drop in.
FIRST SESSION: November 23: Tania Triana facilitating Angela Davis, Freedom is a Constant Struggle
SECOND SESSION: December 14: Kimi Mojica and Ream facilitating Lama Rod, The New Saints (info here)
THIRD SESSION: January 18, 2025: anuradha bhagwati facilitating Prentis Hemphill, What It Takes to Heal (info here)

Join our new Radical Dharma Book Club and engage with EBMC teachers in the practice of dharma discussion and inquiry. We will practice together in community to embody the ideas of Angela Davis, Lama Rod Owens and Prentis Hemphill. Let’s get free together with the Black Radical Tradition at our backs, encouraging us to keep moving towards freedom, the core teaching of Buddhism.
All are welcome. In-person at EBMC and online.
PLEASE NOTE: In-person ticket sales end on Nov. 22, so we can finalize the headcount for the center. If you want to register for in-person after Nov. 22, please email kristal@eastbaymeditation.org. Thank you!

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. 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. And lastly, there is an option to name your own gift.

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:
– Please do not use virtual or blurred backgrounds
– Please keep your camera still when it’s turned on
– Please say your name when you speak
– Facilitators will attempt to read any comments in the chat out loud
– Please mute when you’re not speaking.

Teacher

Dr. Tania Triana (she/they/ella/elle) is a member of the inaugural class of East Bay Meditation Center’s Spiritual Teacher and Leadership Program, and has served on EBMC’s Leadership Sangha (board of directors) since 2019. Tania is grateful to have found a spiritual home and social justice community at EBMC
