Open Kalyana Mitta Groups

The following East Bay Kalyana Mitta Groups are accepting new members:

Berkeley: New ethnically and culturally-diverse, peer-led group seeking people of diverse experiences, ages, and colors. Focus on developing Equanimity and Lovingkindness. Twice a month, Tuesdays 7:30 – 9:30. Meditate for 30-40 minutes, brief check-in, book discussion, intention setting, brief closing meditation, check-out. Also seeking co-facilitator and multiple hosts. Contact Verna Lim by email or phone: 510-684-0884.
Berkeley (or Oakland): New peer-led group for parents. Format to be determined by group members. Meet once or twice a month, possibly during weekday hours. Focus will be on our practice in relation to parenting although other topics can be included. We would like to find a way for our children to be present. If you are interested, please contact Susannah Mackintosh by email or by phone: 917-667-3069.
East Bay (Berkeley): New peer-led men's group for experienced practitioners of 50-65 years with a regular practice who have attended at least one 3-day or longer retreat. Our focus is how we apply the Dharma in our daily lives, particularly to meet the challenges and opportunities of this stage of life. Meets the second and fourth Tuesday of the month from 6:50 to 9:30 PM. Meditate for 40 minutes, brief check-in, explore a common theme or discuss a chapter from a book we’ve been reading, offer/request support. set intentions, debrief, brief metta meditation. Rotate meeting place and facilitation. Contact Barry Rosen by email or phone: 510-409-6801 or Timothy Swords by email or phone: 415-606-6441.

El Cerrito: (near EC Plaza Bart Station) Group meets 4th Monday of the month from 2-4 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: Email or call Giedra at 510-508-2680.
Lafayette: Support group forming for women raising teens/young adults with emotional and mental health challenges. We will explore and apply the dharma as we cultivate balance, support, and joy for ourselves and difficult others. Meditation, check-in and discussion of readings every other Tuesday afternoon in a Lafayette home, time TBA. Initial reading for discussion will be Awakening Joy by James Baraz and Shoshana Alexander. Open to women familiar with basic Buddhist principles who want to apply the dharma in their lives. Contact: Email or call Melanie at 925-284-9757.

Rockridge: Peer-led group meets every other Tuesday from 7:30-9:30 pm at a member's home near the Rockridge BART station. We begin with a 30-minute meditation, followed by a brief check-in. The meeting continues with a discussion of the book chapter we're reading. Books of interest have been The Wise Heart by Jack Kornfield and Sharon Salzburg's Lovingkindness . We end with a 5-minute meditation. Contact Heather Ellsworth by email or phone: 415-548-0679.

Note: This group is currently FULL; please email Heather to be placed on a waiting list.

Berkeley: Peer-led group meets first and third Mondays from 7:15-9:15 at members' homes. We begin with a 30-minute meditation followed by a brief check-in and then discuss a topic that we've been practicing/investigating/reflecting on since the previous meeting. We end with a very brief meditation. Although anyone is welcome, our format might be more comfortable for people with an established meditation practice.

Note: This group is currently FULL, but openings arise from time to time, so if interested please email Jennifer.

The Spirit Rock website also lists contact information for groups with openings in the East Bay and elsewhere in addition to a variety of resources for Kalyana Mitta groups including meeting guidelines and a list of suggested books.

(Kalyana Mitta Group Introduction)