Love: Supported by the Four Divine States
2018-07-25 19:00 - 20:30, 2018-07-18 19:00 - 20:30, 2018-07-11 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612, United States
Open to All expressions of love: friends, partners, siblings, parent/child, roommates, etc.
with Rev. Liên Shutt
We all want love.
And, having and holding love and loving feelings can be challenging. Join us in exploring how love can be when expressed in conjunction with the qualities of the Four Divine States of Equanimity, Kindness, Compassion, and Inclusive Joy.
While grounded in these teachings and meditation practices, the course will also be framed by readings from bell hook’s All About Love: New Visions; offering a blend of fierce feminist social criticism to ask us to transform our challenges into strength, manifesting the love and caring we want in our lives here and now.
Registration: Registration is required and space is limited. Click HERE to register.
Cost: There is no registration fee for attending this event, nor most EBMC events. However, EBMC is not independently funded. The Center and the teachers will be sustained only by your voluntary donations (the practice of generous giving, or “dana”). Please donate generously, in proportion to your ability:
* Either online (you will be offered an opportunity during the online registration process to donate to EBMC; the teachers will not receive any part of this online donation).
* Or at the event, in the two baskets at EBMC, one for the Center, the second for the Teacher.
Thank you for your generosity. EBMC will be only be sustained through our collective generosity.
Fragrance-free: In order to protect the health of community members with environmental illness, please do not wear fragranced products (including “natural” fragrances) or clothes laundered in fragranced products to EBMC.
EBMC is wheelchair accessible.

Midday Sangha
2018-07-25 12:00 - 13:35, 2018-07-18 12:00 - 13:35, 2018-07-11 12:00 - 13:35, 2018-07-04 12:00 - 13:35
Midday Sangha at EBMC Wednesdays at Noon!
Join our peer-led multicultural sangha for silent meditation practice and community building.
Every Wednesday
12:00 – 12:45 Silent sitting, standing or lying down meditation with optional walking meditation.
12:45 – 1:35 Potluck lunch with facilitated conversation about our practice and being the dharma in the world
Midday Sangha Coordinating Committee:
Abe Doherty, Jenn Biehn, Kam McCallum, Karen Jackson, Manuel Vasquez, Preston Justice, Shawki, Yvette Flores

Alphabet Sangha
2018-07-24 19:00 - 20:30, 2018-07-17 19:00 - 20:30, 2018-07-10 19:00 - 20:30, 2018-07-03 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
For more information, visit the ALPHABET SANGHA WEBSITE

Dharma in Motion: Tai Chi Chih Joy Through Movement
2018-07-24 18:00 - 18:50, 2018-07-17 18:00 - 18:50
Access Stillness in the Midst of Activity
Tai Chi Chih – Joy through Movement® with Paul Ciske
Tuesdays 6:00 – 6:50 pm July 3 – August 28, 2018
T’ai Chi Chih® is a moving meditation consisting of 20 easy-to-learn, accessible movements. A form of qigong, T’ai Chi Chih® circulates and balances the chi or energy of the body with the intention of bringing stillness and calm to the heart mind in the midst of activity.
For the past 25 years, Paul Ciske has taught and practiced Tai Chi Chih (TCC) – Joy through Movement. His profession revolves around the body as a neurologic body worker, movement trainer and coach, and Conscious Embodiment facilitator. Paul was the original host of Larry Yang’s LGBTQ East Bay sitting group before EBMC existed and is a long-time member of Alphabet Sangha.
Dharma in Motion is a weekly offering of access-centered movement practices for all ages and abilities. Teachers and modalities will rotate every 5-6 weeks. Drop in format, no experience necessary. Please wear clothing that allows for gentle movement.

ONLINE: Trans/Gender-Expansive Deep Refuge Group
2018-07-23 18:30 - 20:00
Trans/Gender-Expansive Deep Refuge Group
Fourth Mondays (online over zoom)
6:30-8pm PM PST
This deep refuge group is by and for trans/gender-expansive people. Our goal is to provide a welcoming community space for trans/gender-expansive folks who are interested in exploring meditation and other aspects of Buddhist practice. Both beginners and experienced practitioners welcome!
To be added to the email list, please email tgedeeprefuge@eastbaymeditation.org with a quick note about your interest in the group. We look forward to practicing with you!

Every Body Every Mind Sangha
2018-07-22 18:00 - 19:30, 2018-07-15 18:00 - 19:30, 2018-07-08 18:00 - 19:30
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
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!
Teachers include Charlie Johnson, Deb Kerr and others.
For more info, visit the Every Body Every Mind Sangha Website.

Maha Sangha Dharma in Motion: Yoga for Healing
2018-07-20 18:00 - 18:45, 2018-07-13 18:00 - 18:45
Join us for Maha Sangha Dharma in Motion with
Jess Dene Schlesinger – Yoga for Healing
Rather than expecting you to adapt to a fixed sequence, Yoga for Healing is a trauma-informed and access-centered class that is catered to your specific needs. Each class begins with a check-in where you are invited to name your needs—with this knowledge, we create a unique sequence, offering trauma and pain support through dynamic and bilateral movement (shown to support our nervous systems), gentle alignment, connection to the elements, and energy work. Many of us become disconnected from our bodies as a result of trauma and pain. Slowly and gently reconnecting with our bodies is a vital part of reducing these flare ups and, ultimately, healing.
Jess Dene Schlesinger began practicing yoga 18 years ago in an attempt to manage the physical and emotional pain resulting from various disabilities and traumas. She found, however, that most yoga classes she attended were not accessible for her needs. Jess continued to practice yoga on her own and explored various spiritual, psychological, and physical tools for healing personal and sociological trauma. For three years she has been offering Access-Centered Yoga, which combines trauma-informed language, a Disability Justice framework, and her lived experience as a sick and disabled queer.
Dharma in Motion is a weekly offering of access-centered movement practices that facilitate an embodied experience of the Dharma and align with EBMC’s mission of being radically inclusive. Teachers and modalities rotate every 4-8 weeks.
DROP IN FORMAT. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY.
Fragrance Free: In order to protect the health of community members with environmental illness, please do not wear fragranced products (including “natural” fragrances) or clothes laundered in fragranced products to EBMC.
Cost: The teachings are regarded as priceless; they are offered with no fee. You are invited to support the teachings by contributing voluntary donations (the practice of Dana) for center expenses and support of the teachers.

People of Color Sangha
2018-07-19 19:00 - 21:00, 2018-07-12 19:00 - 21:00, 2018-07-05 19:00 - 21:00
The People of Color Sangha is a growing tribe of people of color waking up and getting free!
Thursdays
7:00 – 9:00 PM
For more information, visit the: POC SANGHA WEBSITE

People of Color Yoga
2018-07-19 18:00 - 19:00, 2018-07-12 18:00 - 19:00, 2018-07-05 18:00 - 19:00
Weekly Yoga Practice for Self Identified People of Color led by Satya de la Paz
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Build strength and flexibility while cultivating mindfulness in this all levels hatha yoga class. Each class has a unique, inspiring theme and personalized instruction that will leave you feeling joyous and rejuvenated.
No registration required. No mat or special clothes required.

Teen Sangha Outdoor Summer Series
2018-07-18 19:00 - 20:45, 2018-07-11 19:00 - 20:45
Join us for our first Teen Sangha Outdoor Summer Series! For five Wednesdays this Summer, July 11 – August 8th, we will walk to Lake Merritt from EBMC and explore the beauty of mindfulness practice outdoors.
For this series, we will be investigating the beauty and wonder of mindfulness practice while utilizing the naturally stimulating outdoor realm. Our focus will be on creating deeper relationships with ourselves and each other, having fun, getting real and supporting each other. Learn mindfulness meditation and explore the dharma (Buddhist teachings) in creative experiential ways. No experience necessary. We are committed to maintaining a sangha (community) that is welcoming to people of all identities, cultures and backgrounds.
This group is for teens, ages 14-19. We will meet and end at EBMC as usual. Outdoor practice will be weather permitting. Dress in layers and be ready for fun!
Led by the EBMC Teen Sangha Team: Raúl Kahlil Betancourt, Anthony “T” Maes, Sarwang Parikh, Nirali Shah, Syra Smith, and Sara Oakes.
Registration: Registration is encouraged and space is limited. Click HERE to register.
Cost: There is no registration fee for attending this event, nor most EBMC events. However, EBMC is not independently funded. The Center and the teachers will be sustained only by your voluntary donations (the practice of generous giving, or “dana”). Please donate generously, in proportion to your ability:
* Either online (you will be offered an opportunity during the online registration process)
* Or at the event, in the two baskets at EBMC, one for the Center, the second for the Teacher
Thank you for your generosity. EBMC will be only be sustained through our collective generosity.
Fragrance-free: In order to protect the health of community members with environmental illness, please do not wear fragranced products (including “natural” fragrances) or clothes laundered in fragranced products to EBMC.
EBMC is wheelchair accessible.

ONLINE: Multiracial Peer-Led Deep Refuge Group
2018-07-14 19:00 - 21:00
The Multiracial Deep Refuge Group is a monthly exploratory Deep Refuge Group for and by people who identify as multiracial. Our meetings include periods of mindfulness meditation and sharing of narratives and perspectives as we come together to be seen and to see one another. By sitting and exploring our own unique stories, we can come to know and care for the common threads that bind us together. Our collective work bravely expands the narrative that informs multiracial experience today. Meets 7pm-9pm on the second Saturdays of every month. Online and occasionally hybrid (in-person at EBMC + online).
Newcomers welcome- please contact us before your first visit: mrdrcoordinators at googlegroups dot com

Dharma in Motion: Tai Chi Chih Joy Through Movement
2018-07-10 18:00 - 18:50
Access Stillness in the Midst of Activity
Tai Chi Chih – Joy through Movement® with Paul Ciske
Tuesdays 6:00 – 6:50 pm July 3 – September 25, 2018
T’ai Chi Chih® is a moving meditation consisting of 20 easy-to-learn, accessible movements. A form of qigong, T’ai Chi Chih® circulates and balances the chi or energy of the body with the intention of bringing stillness and calm to the heart mind in the midst of activity.
For the past 25 years, Paul Ciske has taught and practiced Tai Chi Chih (TCC) – Joy through Movement. His profession revolves around the body as a neurologic body worker, movement trainer and coach, and Conscious Embodiment facilitator. Paul was the original host of Larry Yang’s LGBTQ East Bay sitting group before EBMC existed and is a long-time member of Alphabet Sangha.
Dharma in Motion is a weekly offering of access-centered movement practices for all ages and abilities. Teachers and modalities will rotate every 5-6 weeks. Drop in format, no experience necessary. Please wear clothing that allows for gentle movement.

Dharma in Motion: Malaya Flow
2018-07-06 18:00 - 18:45
Dharma in Motion: Malaya Flow with Jessy Kondo Zapanta
Malaya means freedom in Tagalog. Malaya Flow allows you freedom of movement, to inhabit your body, to reconnect to spirit. Weaving indigenous Filipino community wisdom with years of physical therapy, somatic practice, and training in trauma-informed Raja yoga, qi gong, and 5-element acupressure, Jessy will guide you through dynamic movements and stationary meditation based on your own body’s accessibility needs. You will build strength, spaciousness, and self-compassion. All movements can be done sitting, lying down, or standing up.
With extensive education in bodywork/somatic/energy practices and deep intuition informed by their life experience as a Bay Area-born mixed person of color navigating trauma and chronic illnesses, Jessy Kondo Zapanta brings compassion, curiosity and mind-body wisdom to class. Jessy is no stranger to injuries and accessibility needs, and hopes to create a nurturing space where all bodies feel welcomed.
