Established Kalyana Mitta Groups
During the pandemic, many of our Kalyana Mitta groups started meeting virtually, some remain virtual while others are now in-person again. Please reach out to the contacts below for information on specifics and join in for spiritual community and dharma.
Some of these groups are currently seeking new members. If you are interested in joining one please contact the person listed. If you cannot find a group in your area or are interested in starting your own, please contact [email protected].
San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco
San Francisco Parents Group
This KM group is primarily to support new parents, but we warmly welcome parents of children of all ages. The group currently takes place via Zoom but will resume in person meetings (while continuing to support those who are remote) once pandemic safety concerns have lessened. At that time some childcare for mobile babies, toddlers and young children can be available with advance notice. Babes in arms will be welcome as well. Our emphasis is on the chance to sit in community, amidst the sometimes noisy and disruptive reality of parenting. We will meditate and then connect a bit afterwards. There will be time for discussion around how to practice Insight Meditation and also what comes up within the experience of that practice. Mindful parenting readings and discussion may be included. This group is a drop-in, although we are looking forward to building a warm and supportive sangha based on regular attendance and an ongoing commitment to our group. We meet on Thursday mornings via Zoom from 11:00-12:15. Contact Sasha at [email protected]
San Francisco: We meet on the second Tuesday of the month from 7:00-9:00pm in the Outer Sunset District in San Francisco. We're looking forward to having new members join us who are compatible and would like to make an ongoing commitment to our group. In our group, we read “popular and accessible” Buddhist books together, discuss them, meditate and have snacks and tea. It’s a lovely group of people. Unlike other groups, this group is not a drop in. An interview is required. This group is temporarily closed. If you would like to be contacted when we have an opening, please contact Michael at (415) 820-3943 or [email protected].
East Bay
North Oakland / Berkeley (Close to Ashby BART): Saturday Night Sangha meets every Saturday from 6:00 - 7:30pm at 1840 Alcatraz Ave. Berkeley, CA 94703. 40-minute meditation, a brief check-in, short talk and peer-facilitated discussion on various topics. We usually go out to dinner afterwards. We are a long-established sangha since 2008 with great diversity in age, ethnicity and spiritual backgrounds. We welcome new members to join our group. You can just show up and sit with us. There is no need to contact us beforehand. Everyone is welcomed. Please visit us on facebook for more information - https://www.facebook.com/sat.night.sangha
Berkeley/Oakland: Women’s group for experienced practitioners who have been on at least one 5-7 day retreat. Meet the second and fourth Monday of the month from 7:00 - 9:00pm. Meditate for 30 minutes, check-in briefly, read aloud and discuss a book, and set intentions for coming two weeks. Rotate meeting place among our homes and rotate facilitation. Our focus is applying the Dharma in our daily lives. Open for new members. Contact Bonnie Maeda [email protected]or 510-507-1982
East Bay, North Bay & San Francisco – Green Sangha - A spiritual community committed to environmental action. We meet to meditate, educate and support each other, and to plan direct environmental actions. Meetings held on Sundays, in San Francisco, Marin, Sebastopol and the East Bay. If you'd like to host a retreat in your town, please call. Contact (510) 532-6574 for more information as retreat hosts will vary from time to time.
El Cerrito - Group meets 4th Monday of the month from 1:15 - 3:15 pm. Meditation and discussion of dharma books chosen by members and read across several months. Open to experienced meditators who have a daily practice, or the intention to develop one, and who have attended two or more retreats. Contact Giedra [email protected] or (510) 508-2680. Group is currently full.
North Bay
Petaluma-3rd Sunday of the Month - 10:00-11:30 This peer lead group has a monthly topic to reflect on which we use in our discussion. We welcome experienced meditators. We currently have openings. This is not a drop-in group. You are invited to contact Maryann Marks at [email protected] Format is as follows: 10-10:30 meditation; short break; 10:45- 11:30am peer discussion group.
San Rafael--The vision for this gathering is to form a supportive community of Buddhist practitioners who want to inquire, investigate and discuss practice with like minded folks in an ongoing and committed way. We meet in a lovely quiet space at 875 4th St. in downtown San Rafael, above the Sacred Tibet Shop, at 7-9pm every Tuesday. We sit for 25 minutes, walking meditation for 5 minutes and then have group discussion on the reading material for the week that has been posted on the website. Join us! http://www.openeyemeditationgroup.org/.
San Rafael-- Young Adult Meditation Group: Our mission is to create a comfortable environment where we can hold space for one another and support each other in our practice. We meet on Thursday nights from 6 -7pm. All levels are welcome; no prior meditation experience is required. For more detailed information please visit the Young Adult Meditation Webpage. Snapshot: Who: Young Adults Age 18-35. What: Mindfulness/Meditation Exploration. Where: 875 4th St, San Rafael, CA (above the Sacred Tibet Shop). Why: To explore our own practice and create a community of support.
Sebastopol – Our small peer-facilitated group meets one Sunday per month from 5:15-8:00pm. We follow the process of Dharma Contemplation, developed by Gregory Kramer as part of the Insight Dialogue program. It is a way of coming together and deeply reflecting on a passage of the Buddha’s words from the Suttas (discourses). We meditate for 15 minutes before and after the process, and do a brief personal check-in at the end. Contact Beverly at [email protected] or call (707) 481-2686
Website: www.sebastopolkm.org
Cotati/Petaluma—We are a supportive peer-led group that meets two Monday evenings a month starting at 6:15 PM. We begin with a 30-minute sit, check-in related to the practice of Buddhist teachings in our personal lives, followed by a heartfelt and thoughtful discussion exploring how these teachings and practices inform and transform our lives. We conclude with a metta meditation and wrap up around 8:15 PM. For information, please get in touch with Maryann Marks at [email protected].
South of San Francisco
Pacifica – Delia McGrath and Philippa Bornstein are co-leaders of a group which meets Tuesday nights from 7:15 to 8:45pm. The first portion of our meeting is devoted to sitting meditation. Then Delia or Philippa give a short talk on an aspect of the Dharma, followed by discussion and sharing. We end with a dedication of merit. We are open to new members. Contact Delia at 650-359-0339 or [email protected]. Contact Philippa at 650-200-7387 or [email protected].
Watsonville --This group meets every-other Saturday 9:30 – 11:00 AM at a home in Watsonville. There is a 45 minute meditation followed by a discussion. The discussion topic will be suggested and agreed-upon at the previous meeting. This group is led by Chris Basiletti, a teacher in training at Insight Santa Cruz. If you are interested, please contact Chris at (831) 763-7617.
Other California Locations
Northern California
Arcata – Our group meets every other Wednesday from 7-9pm. Our goal is to deepen our meditation practice and provide a supportive environment for spiritual growth. We are an eclectic group. We sit for 45 minutes, check in about how our practice is going, and then discuss the book we are currently reading. We have an emphasis on how our practice and the readings integrate into our daily life. Contact Len Wolff, (707) 845-3395 or [email protected]
Chico – Thursdays, 7-9 pm. 40 minute sitting, tea, personal check-in, and discussion of an agreed upon non-scholarly dharma book. Reading and discussion is on integration of daily life with one's practice and Buddhist principles. One's Intention is more important than length of one's personal meditation practice. Contact Nancie Brown Ferguson (530) 898-9139 or [email protected]
Davis – We've been meeting monthly for 15 years. We require a daily practice and three 1-day retreats per year.
Contact Tony & Toni Bernhard at (530) 758-2904 or [email protected] This group is currently full.
Folsom -- for the beginner as well as those with more experience. The group meets every Tuesday at 6:30pm.
Contact Will Lister at [email protected] or (530)306-7264 or visit our website http://www.mettameditationgroup.com/
Fresno --This group meets every Monday 6:30 – 8:00 PM formerly at the Tai Chi Center in the Tower District, currently on ZOOM. There is a 30 minute meditation followed by a topic speaker, and discussion. The speakers are those who've been meditating regularly 3 years or more, and have been engaged with a teacher or teachers, and attended retreats annually. This group is led by Cherie McCarthy, LMFT, working with teachers since 2017, and Nancy Bienville, working with teachers since 2012, both are in training with Sean Fargo at Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training online. If you are interested, please contact Nancy to schedule a brief orientation at (559) 970-1731.
Placerville (foothills) for the beginner as well as those with more experience. The group meets every Thursday at 6:30pm.
Contact Will Lister at [email protected] or (530)306-7264 or visit our website http://www.mettameditationgroup.com/
Southern California
Aliso Viejo (Orange County) – Dharma Study, Sundays from 8-10 AM. We have been sitting as a group since 2002. This is a user-friendly group for beginners to advanced. A Dharma Talk with questions and answers, then sitting. We guide you in your practice to become free, liberated and live with ease. We end in Metta. Contact Wayne Champa at (949) 581-3459 or [email protected]
Los Angeles, Santa Monica – changing Dharma topics, starting 2014 with Jack Kornfield's book A Path with Heart
El Segundo, every Friday evening from 7:30-9pm. Contact Ben Brown at (310) 392-6235
http://www.ladharma.org/mainpages/displaysitgroupsdetails.asp?sgid=306
Los Angeles, West LA – changing Dharma topics , Mondays, 7:30-9pm.
Contact Michael Shiffman at (310) 226-6113
Website: http://ladharma.org/MainPages/SittingGroupsMain.asp
Los Angeles – People of Color Group – Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society (ATSBMS)
When: 3rd Monday of the month, 7:00 - 8:30pm
Where: 4300 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles CA 90029
Website: www.againstthestream.org/community/people-of-color-group
Contact: [email protected] or (323) 665-4300
All individuals who self-identify as a person of color are invited to attend. The group includes silent sitting and/or walking meditation, check-ins & discussion. The aim of this group is to support and address the issues that people of color may be struggling with in the American Buddhist traditions. The intention is not to divide, but rather to explore feelings of separateness and disconnectedness, cultivate connections independent of external conditions, and find true freedom in a way that does not ignore difficult social realities.
Outside California
Massachusetts: Chelmsford
First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, Tuesday evenings, 7:30-9:30pm
Contact: Timothy Little ([email protected] or (978) 937-5652)
Other facilitators: Carrie Little ([email protected]) and Brenda Rogers ([email protected])
Website: http://kalyanamittasangha.wordpress.com
Missouri: St. Louis – several peer-led groups have recently formed in the St. Louis area and more are forming soon. For more information contact Jan Rosamond at (314) 210-8820 or [email protected] or check the DharmaTown website at http://dharmatown.org/km-condos/
North Carolina: Charlotte – Insight Meditation Charlotte, a weekly group with seasoned students meets Wednesdays with 7 pm meditation instruction; 7:30 pm meditation and talk. Contact Joy LiBethe at (704) 544-0003 or [email protected].
North Carolina: Charlotte- Mindful Members brings together new and seasoned members in a friendly and supportive environment. We practice insight meditation and apply mindfulness to daily life. Each meeting includes meditation instructions, silent meditation, reflections offered by Ruth King, and Q&A. We meet monthly on Thursdays at a private residence in the South Park area of Charlotte from 6:45-8:30 PM. Contact Ruth King, (510) 333-9255, [email protected], or visit www.ruthking.net for details.
Oregon: Ashland - This is an open group that meets every Monday evening from 7:00 – 9:00pm for meditation, a reading and a discussion of how the dharma relates to our current lives. We have been meeting for fifteen years. Most of us consider our main teachers to be at Spirit Rock but there is no teacher for this group. We call ourselves Club Med. It's a group with a sense of humor. Contact Ann Strauss: [email protected] or 541-482-9201.
Oregon: Portland – Daily Practice, meets twice monthly. Sitting group meets every Monday from 7:30- 9:00pm. Contact Nan LeRoy at (503) 230-0665 or [email protected]
Washington: White Salmon - "Buddhist Book Club" meets the 1st and and 3rd Sundays of the month from 5:30 - 7:00pm at the Atlan Center. We share our practice, sit for 30 minutes and discuss a reading. We usually have a potluck afterwards. We meet in a big yurt, or on nice evenings we sometimes meet outside on a beautiful covered deck overlooking the Columbia Gorge. We are currently an open group with no commitment required, although we are hoping for more regular members. Contact Scott Cushman at 925 708-5652 or [email protected].