Closing Gathering and Tea Ceremony – June 8
| Seven years ago, Mary Stancavage and JoAnna Hardy co-founded the Meditation Coalition with a clear vision and mission that has guided us throughout our journey together. We sought to CULTIVATE balance, equality, and freedom from the standard hierarchical and patriarchal ideology that often dominates the way we move through the world. We committed to WAKE UPto all the ways that racism disables equity, creating space for honest dialogue and transformative awareness. We chose to HONOR original feminist values of equality and shared power for all genders and expressions, building a community where everyone’s voice matters. We dedicated ourselves to PRACTICE in spaces that provide accessibility for those living with disabilities and limitations, ensuring our doors were truly open to all. Together, we built a sangha that embodied these values. Through our collective practice, the wisdom generously shared by our guest speakers, and the courage of each member, we created both a refuge and a space to sit with truth. Our community became a living demonstration that dharma practice can be inclusive, equitable, and transformative when we commit to these principles with our whole hearts. “All conditioned things are impermanent’ — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering.” -Dhammapada 277 The Buddha taught us that all conditioned things are impermanent, and it is through embracing this truth that we find freedom. After much contemplation, we have decided to honor the natural completion of this chapter in our collective journey. JoAnna will be pursuing doctoral studies in early US history, with hopes of landing in New Orleans, where she will continue to weave together the threads of wisdom, history, and social transformation. Mary will continue to offer her vibrant UnDefended Dharma programs, maintaining daily sits, weekly classes, and daylong retreats, ensuring that the practice continues to flourish in new forms. While the Meditation Coalition as an organization is ending, the seeds we’ve planted together will continue to grow. The insights gained, the connections forged, and the commitment to inclusive, equitable practice will live on in each of us as we carry these teachings forward into the world. Please know that while this formal structure is ending, the light of what we’ve created together will continue to shine through each of us as we walk our paths. With Metta, JoAnna & Mary (Founding Teachers), MaryAnn Gallo & Molly Prather (Board members) |
| Closing Tea Ceremony Tea and meditation have long been intertwined in Buddhist tradition, offering a way to awaken the senses and honor the present moment. Join us for a silent tea ceremony rooted in ancient Chinese practice—a space of stillness where we will serve and receive tea in reverence and gratitude: for the time we’ve shared, the teachers who’ve guided us, the beings who support our practice, and the paths we now walk from here. Please eat a light meal beforehand and arrive with a quiet heart. No experience is needed—only a willingness to be present. Please bring a meditation cushion if you have one. |
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@Clockshop, 2806 Clearwater St. Los Angeles, CA 90039