Poetry Sangha

Insight Meditation, sometimes called mindfulness or Vipassana meditation, is a 2500-year-old Buddhist practice that involves observing and acknowledging thoughts, sensations, and emotions in order to better understand the true nature of reality, which is that everything is impermanent. But don’t let that scare you! Having a regular meditation practice allows for a deeper, clearer look at our lives and encourages ways of living more peacefully, compassionately, and intelligently. For many folks, sitting and sharing within a community is a less intimidating way to get started with meditation, or to continue your practice and develop deep connections with like-minded people. This community of meditators is often referred to as a sangha.

Poetry Sangha is a weekly, subscription based workshop that aims to build community and connection through meditation and poetry by offering a dedicated space (via Zoom) and time (Mondays 5:30 pm PST) for folks to sit, write, and share. Workshop will start with a simple check-in, followed by a guided meditation facilitated by poet, yoga teacher, and experienced meditator, Melissa Mella. There will be time to share about our meditation experiences if folks would like. Then we will read a poem, discuss, and have our own writing time led by poet and editor Tristan Richards. This workshop will introduce you to the work of lots of new poets and we’ll write about varying themes, such as presence and community. Sharing what you write is always welcome, but never required.