“The roots of a lasting relationship are mindfulness, deep listening, and loving speech, and a strong community to support you.”
-Thich Nhat Hanh
Sangha Care Program
In the spirit of mutual support and kalyana mitta (spiritual friendship), volunteers with the Dharma Center offer extra hands for members of the sangha who could use a little help here and there. Volunteers are happy to support fellow practitioners who are housebound (or limited in any way) by running assorted errands, such as grocery shopping, dog walking, and picking up supplies or necessities. We also hope to offer meal preparation, light household chores, and transportation to and from the Dharma Center for programs and retreats. Our intention is to support our sangha members who could use some assistance from a friend from time to time.
If you would like to request assistance, please click here.
For those who are willing to volunteer in this way, please click here.
Compassionate Listeners Program
For those who are going through a challenging time and would benefit from peer support, we offer a compassionate listener program. This group of listeners includes Vic Lopez, Lynne Sholler, Judy Gerhardt, Susan McGinness, Alena George, Ross Park, Myah Lee and Ginger St. Ours. If you feel it would be supportive simply to chat with a compassionate peer listener during a time of difficulty, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Kristin Burnett ( or 970-426-8983), our operations manager, who can connect you directly. It’s important to note that this is not therapy or a professional service but rather a mutual exchange of open-hearted presence.
Deepening Dharma: Peer-Led Dharma Study & Book Clubs
Many of you have expressed the wish to deepen into practice in the form of small study groups. We have made it happen! If you are interested in joining a group of 6-8 fellow dharma practitioners to study together between 1-3 times each month, we invite you to reach out to Kristin, our operations manager, at . We form groups based on your stated needs and desires regarding timing, meeting frequency, the means by which you meet (online or in person), and compatibility in terms of practice history.
Each group is collectively peer-led (not teacher-led) and decides together what book they would like to study, whether it’s Phillip Moffitt’s Dancing with Life on the Four Noble Truths, Larry Yang’s Awakening Together: The Spiritual Practice of Inclusivity and Community, or another book.
We will periodically form new groups as often as needed, so please feel free to reach out to express interest at any time.
“Don’t go searching for the Dhamma outside, for it lies within. Peace lies within, but we have to contemplate so that we’re aware all around—subtly, deep down.”
-Upasika Nanayon
BEYOND THE DHARMA CENTER
The Dharma Center is part of an informal community of Buddhist centers across the country. There are numerous resources for practitioners wishing to deepen their understanding, from retreat centers to books and audio resources. Here we share just a few resources to support your practice beyond the center:
Anti-Racist Resources
Our commitment to dharma practice asks us to uncover the roots of suffering both individually and collectively. These anti-racist resources were compiled by InsightLA, and are shared here with permission, along with a few additions. This is a starting point for us to deepen our understanding of racial oppression and seamlessly integrate the movement for racial justice into our practices both on and off the cushion.
Articles to read:
- “America’s Racial Contract Is Killing Us” by Adam Serwer | Atlantic (May 8, 2020)
- Health Disparities in the African American Community
- ”My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant” by Jose Antonio Vargas | NYT Mag (June 22, 2011)
- The 1619 Project (all the articles) | The New York Times Magazine
- “The Intersectionality Wars” by Jane Coaston | Vox (May 28, 2019)
- “Who Gets to Be Afraid in America?” by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi | Atlantic (May 12, 2020)
- On the Narrative of “Black Looters”
- The Case for Reparations, Ta-Nahesi Coates
- A Sociologist’s View On The Hyper-Sexualization Of Asian Women In American Society with Ailsa Chang and Nancy Wang (audio and article)
- Erased No More by Yenkuei Chuang
- Mental Health Issues Facing the Black Community
Videos to watch:
- Black Feminism & the Movement for Black Lives: Barbara Smith, Reina Gossett, Charlene Carruthers (50:48)
- “How Studying Privilege Systems Can Strengthen Compassion” | Peggy McIntosh at TEDxTimberlaneSchools (18:26)
- Anti-racism Practices and the Pandemic A talk at InsightLA by white anti-racism activist, Tim Wise.
- Killer Mike’s Emotional Speech at Atlanta Mayor’s Press Conference (May 29th)
Podcasts to subscribe to:
- 1619 (New York Times)
- About Race
- Code Switch (NPR)
- Intersectionality Matters! hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw
- Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast
- Pod For The Cause (from The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights)
- Pod Save the People (Crooked Media)
- The Combahee River Collective Statement
Books to read:
- Mindful of Race: Transforming Racism from the Inside Out by Ruth
- Be the Refuge: Raising the Voices of Asian American Buddhists by Chenxing Han
- Awakening Together: The Spiritual Practice of Inclusivity and Community by Larry Yang
- American Sutra: A Story of Faith and Freedom in the Second World War by Duncan Ryuken Williams
- Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love, and Liberation by Rev. angel Kyodo Williams, Lama Rod Owens, with Jasmine Syedullah
- The Way of Tenderness: Awakening Through Race, Sexuality, and Gender by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel
- The Inner Work of Racial Justice: Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities Through Mindfulness by Rhonda V. Magee
- My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem
- Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins
- Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Dr. Brittney Cooper
- Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon
- How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
- Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
- Redefining Realness by Janet Mock
- Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
- The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
by Michelle Alexander - The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century
by Grace Lee Boggs - The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
- When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold History of Racial Inequality in Twentieth-Century America by Ira Katznelson
- White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, PhD
- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
- This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do The Work by Tiffany Jewell
- When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele
- Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving
- The Racial Healing Handbook: Practical Activities to Help you Challenge Privilege, Confront Systemic Racism, and Engage in Collective Healing. By Anneliese A. Singh
Films and TV series to watch:
- 13th (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix
- American Son (Kenny Leon) — Netflix
- Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975 — Available to rent
- Clemency (Chinonye Chukwu) — Available to rent
- Dear White People (Justin Simien) — Netflix
- Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler) — Available to rent
- I Am Not Your Negro (James Baldwin doc) — Available to rent or on Kanopy
- If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins) — Hulu
- Just Mercy (Destin Daniel Cretton) — Available to rent
- King In The Wilderness — HBO
- See You Yesterday (Stefon Bristol) — Netflix
- Selma (Ava DuVernay) — Available to rent
- The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution — Available to rent
- The Hate U Give (George Tillman Jr.) — Hulu with Cinemax
- When They See Us (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix
Organizations that Help White Folx Undo Whiteness
- The People’s Institute
- Curriculum for White Americans to Educate Themselves on Race and Racism
- White Awake
Organizations to follow on social media:
- Antiracism Center: Twitter
- Audre Lorde Project: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Black Women’s Blueprint: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Color Of Change: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Colorlines: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- The Conscious Kid: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Equal Justice Initiative (EJI): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Families Belong Together: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- MPowerChange: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Muslim Girl: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- NAACP: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- National Domestic Workers Alliance: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- RAICES: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- SisterSong: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Stop AAPI Hate: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- United We Dream: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- https://stopaapihate.org/
More anti-racism resources to check out:
- The MSW@USC Diversity Toolkit: A Guide to Discussing Identity, Power and Privilege
- 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
- Anti-Racism Project
- Jenna Arnold’s resources (books and people to follow)
- Rachel Ricketts’ anti-racism resources
- Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism
- Zinn Education Project’s teaching materials
- White Awake Training: Roots Deeper than Whiteness” is an on-line training for people socially classified as white who seek greater emotional resilience and political understanding in their work against racism and for a better future for all.
- “Confronting Prejudice: How to Protect Yourself and Help Others” published by Pepperdine University’s Online Master of Psychology program. The purpose of this resource is two-fold:
- To educate regarding the prevalence of prejudice/racism and how one can become an ally & advocate for change
- To help those being discriminated against by providing ways to build resilience against prejudice/racism
Resources for white parents to raise anti-racist children:
- Check out these books for children and young adults from the list of Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners
- Listen to the Parenting Forward podcast episode ‘Five Pandemic Parenting Lessons with Cindy Wang Brandt’
- Read PBS’s Teaching Your Child About Black History Month
- Follow The Conscious Kid on Instagram
- Dear White People – excerpt from Ruth King’s book Mindful of Race
For those who wish to explore other recovery resources, here are a number of options:
- The Alcoholics Anonymous Central Office of Colorado’s website lists all of the AA meetings in the region, including in-person offerings.
- John Bruna’s Mindful Life Program lists Mindfulness in Recovery meetings that take place online.
- Al-Anon also lists meetings by location on its website.
- Young People in Recovery also has a robust Durango chapter. Learn more about their offerings by checking out their Facebook page.
- You may also be interested in Alcoholics Anonymous podcasts, which you can access by clicking here.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California
Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts
Vallecitos Mountain Retreat Center in Northern New Mexico
Vipassana Metta Foundation, Maui, Hawaii
Pali was the language in which the Buddha taught. From time to time, we use Pali words in dharma talks and on our website. Click here for a glossary of Pali terms.
Please visit DharmaSeed.org for access to hundreds of dharma talks.
The teacher Jack Kornfield offers a podcast, Heart Wisdom.
The teacher Tara Brach offers a podcast.
The teacher Sharon Salzberg offers podcasts, videos and blog posts.
Ajahn Sucitto, a senior monk and teacher, offers audio resources and articles on his website.
Lion’s Roar is a website and magazine that publishes articles on Buddhist topics.