"When you notice something special, you are naturally motivated to tend to it and take care of it."
Value Statement
Dharma at a Distance aims to provide a welcoming environment for people of color, women and non-binary people, members of the LGBTQI community, people with disabilities, people of all (and no) religious backgrounds, and others who are underrepresented in American Dharma communities and leadership. When we do not live up to these values, we bring one another to account, invite deeper learning, and shift. It is through this accountability process that we grow into our values, strengthen our relationships, and become a more resilient, inclusive, and just community.
Resources for accountability and navigating conflict:
History
In early March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic put a pause to life as we knew it. Jocelyn Eve, a member of the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center (CIMC) 35 and Under Sangha, invited people in the community to sit together virtually every day for two weeks. After about two weeks of meeting daily, other members answered the call to help with hosting. Suddenly, we were a growing community of meditators - some old friends and most new to one another. We have steadily evolved over time, and to this day, we operate as a leaderless community with a core leadership group composed of volunteer members. Our community hosts a variety of meditation-adjacent activities and events including: heartbreak support group, book club, poetry night, hiking, crafts, nonviolent communication, and activism.
We view Dharma at a Distance as an extension of the greater CIMC community and regularly support and participate in retreats, dharma talks, and Sunday night community gatherings.
In March 2021, we celebrated our 1-year anniversary on Zoom. We reflected on the unique space we created to hold vulnerability, foster healing, and provide nurturance, stability, and acceptance during such uncertain and scary times, as well as inspire joy, laughter, and creativity. Some attended the local meditation center for years, but hadn’t been able to make connections with peers until this online sangha became accessible. "Personally, I’ve never been a part of a leaderless group that has been able to navigate difficult conversations together and tend to the health of the community so effortlessly," said Jocelyn.