COVID-19 Safety Protocols

Dear Community,

We write to you with gratitude for the many ways our sangha continues to show up for each other and for the values we hold dear. As we navigate the complex world we inhabit, we are continually inspired by your compassion, adaptability, and care, even as we continue to heal from the grief of this global pandemic and the losses so many of us experienced. Together, we are gently moving forward.

After deep reflection and careful review of feedback from our recent Community Survey, we want to share an important update:

Starting January 1, 2026, EBMC’s in-person masking policy will shift from “masks required” to “masks strongly encouraged.”

This decision emerged from heartfelt listening and discernment. Through the Community Survey and dialogues, it became clear that our community is facing a form of accessibility friction where the needs of different members appear to be in tension.

  • For some, masks are essential, especially for those who are immunocompromised or care for vulnerable loved ones.
  • For others, masks present barriers, including people who rely on facial expressions for communication, those with breathing challenges, or those navigating trauma and mental health conditions that are worsened when faces are obscured.
  • And some shared that masking, in the current political climate, can feel isolating or even frightening, raising fears of being surveilled.

We acknowledge that there is no perfect solution. In the spirit of the Middle Way, we are choosing a direction that holds complexity, prioritizes relationships, and invites each of us into deeper awareness and discernment.

We will continue to provide:

  • Free N95 masks and COVID-19 test kits at the center
  • Strong encouragement to mask indoors, especially in large gatherings
  • Support for ongoing online and in-person programming

We also remain committed to safety and equity through the following ongoing protocols:

  • Self-assessment: Please stay home if you have a fever or symptoms of illness.
  • Vaccination: All in-person participants must be fully vaccinated (first two shots plus one booster.)
  • Air Quality: Three HEPA filters will run in the temple during all programming.
  • Sanitation: Bathrooms are stocked and clearly marked with handwashing instructions.
  • Exposure Notification: If you test positive after being at the center, please contact us at admin@eastbaymeditation.org so that we can notify others of potential exposure.

We know this change will be welcomed by some and difficult for others. Please know that this shift is not a departure from our values; it is an attempt to live our values in practice, amidst paradox and complexity.

Staff and the LSangha Executive Committee will revisit the policy monthly and remain open to adaptation as the context evolves. Individual teachers and practice groups may continue to require masks at their discretion, and EBMC will support those choices fully.

Thank you for continuing to navigate this threshold with care, curiosity, and courage. If you have questions or reflections, we welcome them at admin@eastbaymeditation.org.

In community,

EBMC LSangha and Staff

Click here to download a PDF of this policy update

Photo by Vadym Lebedych on Unsplash

PiTA 2.0! A New Iteration of “Practice in Transformative Action”

Apply now!

PiTA 2.0: Practice in Transformative Action

We’re excited to announce the next iteration of PiTA (Practice in Transformative Action) 2.0, a 6-month, in-person program at EBMC facilitated by past PiTA Apprentice Teachers and endorsed by EBMC Founding Teacher Mushim Ikeda.

PiTA 2.0 empowers participants to integrate mindfulness and Buddhist principles into their social justice work through healing, practice, and community.

 


Who This Program Is For

PiTA 2.0 is open to individuals who:

  •  Practice (or are curious about) mindfulness and Buddhist-informed practices such as meditation, mindful eating, movement, metta, and self-compassion.
  • Are engaged in—or seeking to engage in—justice-centered activism as organizers, educators, healers, cultural workers, or other transformative roles.
  • Desire community and collective learning, rooted in the spirit of beloved community.
  • Can commit to two in-person sessions per month over six months (3.5 hours each; at least 8 of 10 sessions).
  • Are willing to bring time, energy, and emotional capacity to shared practice.
  • Embrace shared leadership and collective responsibility.
  • Are open to co-creating across differences with attention to healing, conflict transformation, and equitable practices.

 

Program Objectives

Together, PiTA 2.0 participants will:

  • Practice mindfulness in many forms, including meditation, movement, mindful eating, metta, and self-compassion.
  • Embody and share how Buddhist principles strengthen personal resilience and collective justice movements.
  • Co-create spaces for healing, transformation, and beloved community.
  • Apply mindfulness-informed strategies to build non-violent, joyful, and liberatory relationships and systems.
  • Connect with and be inspired by the intergenerational PiTA network past and present.

Application Details

  • Applications open September 1 – November 15, 2025
  • Notification of acceptance by December 1, 2025
  • If you’ve been part of a previous PiTA cohort, you are welcome to apply again.

Click here to apply

If you value inner practice as a foundation for outer change and are seeking a mindful, relational, and justice-rooted learning community, we warmly invite you to apply to PiTA 2.0

HYBRID: White and Awakening in Sangha

IN PERSON: Gather & Ground: Compassionate Community Building

ONLINE SERIES: A Year to Live

ONLINE: Afrikan Healing and Wisdom

Agreements for Multicultural Interactions

Agreements for Multicultural Interactions at EBMC 

Created by  © VISIONS

Try It On: Be willing to “try on” new ideas, or ways of doing things that might not be what you prefer or are familiar with.

Practice Self Focus: Attend to and speak about your own experiences and responses. Do not speak for a whole group or express assumptions about the experience of others.

Understand The Difference Between Intent & Impact: Try to understand and acknowledge impact. Denying the impact of something said by focusing on intent is often more destructive than the initial interaction.

Practice “Both / And”: When speaking, substitute “and” for “but.” This practice acknowledges and honors multiple realities.

Refrain From Blaming Or Shaming Self & Others: Practice giving skillful feedback.

Move Up / Move Back: Encourage full participation by all present. Take note of who is speaking and who is not. If you tend to speak often, consider “moving back” and vice versa.

Practice Mindful Listening: Try to avoid planning what you’ll say as you listen to others. Be willing to be surprised, to learn something new. Listen with your whole self.

Confidentiality: Take home learnings, but don’t identify anyone other than yourself, now or later. If you want to follow up with anyone regarding something they said during a session, ask first and respect their wishes.

Right To Pass: You can say “I pass” if you don’t wish to speak.

 

To download a PDF Version of the Agreements for Multicultural Interactions, please click here

Got a question about EBMC? Input? For the EBMC Directory, click HERE.

I Vow Not to Burn Out

EBMC Core Teacher Mushim Patricia Ikeda writes in the August issue of Lion’s Roar magazine about the “Great Vow for Mindful Activists”

Aware of suffering and injustice, I, _________, am working to create a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world. I promise, for the benefit of all, to practice self-care, mindfulness, healing, and joy. I vow to not burn out.

Image: “Superman Buddha, Force Within” by Elisa Insua.