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Greetings and welcome to the DCPHP Blog . Whether you want to know what's going on, who's hiring, tips and tricks, or generally want to meet and talk with some other smart people, this is the place for you. We hope to be your one-stop shop for all things PHP in the Washington DC Metro region Mission of Love Charities, Inc is a community based non-profit geared towards building self-sustainability for families experiencing the effects of poverty.

Monday, 2 November 2026

[Downtown Dharma Sangha Listserv] Re: Sangha Event: Autumn Haiku Hike!

Hi all!

A few folks have pointed out to me that I sent this with the wrong date and time--yikes! The real date will be Saturday, November 14, 11am-1pm. Apologies for any confusion!

Jude

On Sun, Nov 1, 2026 at 1:55 PM Jude L <judelavellewrites@gmail.com> wrote:

Hello Downtown Dharma!

It's really starting to feel like fall... which means it's time for our annual autumnal haiku event 🍂🧡
What: Please join us for our Autumn Contemplative Haiku Hike through Rock Creek Park! Participants will learn how haiku relate to mindfulness and Zen Buddhism and receive brief instructions on how to write haiku. We will then take a mindful hike, taking breaks to write our own haiku about the nature we observe. (Haiku are short, accessible poems that typically evoke nature and contemplation of the present moment. Find examples of famous haiku here.)
When: Saturday, Saturday November 14, 11am-1pm (We will inform the sangha listserv and RSVP’d participants at least 24 hours in advance if the event will be canceled due to inclement weather.)
Where: We will meet at 11am near the Pierce Barn (2401 Tilden St NW) to gather for a ~15-minute introduction. Then, we will hike approximately 2.5 miles up the Western Ridge Trail to Boulder Bridge and loop back down the Valley Trail to end where we began. Lot parking is typically available near the start/end of our route. See the tentative route at the bottom of this email.
Who: Please RSVP on Partiful -

https://partiful.com/e/XEYiswGRcrCQ2Vmel1RY?c=M85pF4y6

(You can email if you don’t want to use Partiful.) All are welcome–no experience required! We have capped participation at 25 to ensure a great experience for everyone. While our pace will be slow and steady, this event is best suited for people who feel comfortable hiking more than 2.5 miles on park trails that are uneven and have some steep inclines and declines.

How: No experience necessary! We will go over simple instructions on how to write haiku. A handout on haiku will be provided. Please bring a pen and notebook.

Why: While haiku is not a strictly Buddhist form of poetry, haiku and Zen are closely linked historically and thematically. Haiku relies on the senses and encourages contemplation of the present moment, so both new and experienced meditators may enjoy practicing haiku as a way to engage with mindfulness. See additional resources at the bottom of this email for more info.

Questions? Please email Jude (judelavellewrites@gmail.com).

<3 Jude

Further Resources on Contemplative Haiku:
These are completely optional! No need to explore them before you attend.
Podcast: Writing and Haiku as Spiritual Practice (Tara Brach Interviews Natalie Goldberg)
Discussion on haiku, its relationship to spirituality, and Goldberg’s book Three Simple Lines begins in earnest at 10:35.
Article: Haiku: A Whole Lot More than 5-7-5
This comprehensive article covers a linguistic perspective on the differences between Japanese and English haiku, as well as some principles (“rules”) of haiku and the traditional haiku masters.
Article: Why Haiku Holds the Flavor of Zen
This brief article explores the Zen nature of haiku and connects the form to some principles from Western writing, if folks are more familiar with that.
Site: The Monthly Tricycle Haiku Challenge
This site is a hub for Buddhists interested in writing and sharing haiku, including submitting to a regular contest.

--
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Sunday, 1 November 2026

[Downtown Dharma Sangha Listserv] Sangha Event: Autumn Haiku Hike!

Hello Downtown Dharma!

It's really starting to feel like fall... which means it's time for our annual autumnal haiku event 🍂🧡

What: Please join us for our Autumn Contemplative Haiku Hike through Rock Creek Park! Participants will learn how haiku relate to mindfulness and Zen Buddhism and receive brief instructions on how to write haiku. We will then take a mindful hike, taking breaks to write our own haiku about the nature we observe. (Haiku are short, accessible poems that typically evoke nature and contemplation of the present moment. Find examples of famous haiku here.)

When: Saturday, August 29, 10am - 12:30pm (We will inform the sangha listserv and RSVP’d participants at least 24 hours in advance if the event will be canceled due to inclement weather.)

Where: We will meet at 10am near the Pierce Barn (2401 Tilden St NW) to gather for a ~15-minute introduction. Then, we will hike approximately 2.5 miles up the Western Ridge Trail to Boulder Bridge and loop back down the Valley Trail to end where we began. Lot parking is typically available near the start/end of our route. See the tentative route at the bottom of this email.

Who: Please RSVP on Partiful -

https://partiful.com/e/XEYiswGRcrCQ2Vmel1RY?c=M85pF4y6

You can email if you don’t want to use Partiful.) All are welcome–no experience required! We have capped participation at 25 to ensure a great experience for everyone. While our pace will be slow and steady, this event is best suited for people who feel comfortable hiking more than 2.5 miles on park trails that are uneven and have some steep inclines and declines.

How: No experience necessary! We will go over simple instructions on how to write haiku. A handout on haiku will be provided. Please bring a pen and notebook.

Why: While haiku is not a strictly Buddhist form of poetry, haiku and Zen are closely linked historically and thematically. Haiku relies on the senses and encourages contemplation of the present moment, so both new and experienced meditators may enjoy practicing haiku as a way to engage with mindfulness. See additional resources at the bottom of this email for more info.

Questions? Please email Jude (judelavellewrites@gmail.com).

<3 Jude

Further Resources on Contemplative Haiku:

These are completely optional! No need to explore them before you attend.

Podcast: Writing and Haiku as Spiritual Practice (Tara Brach Interviews Natalie Goldberg)

Discussion on haiku, its relationship to spirituality, and Goldberg’s book Three Simple Lines begins in earnest at 10:35.

Article: Haiku: A Whole Lot More than 5-7-5

This comprehensive article covers a linguistic perspective on the differences between Japanese and English haiku, as well as some principles (“rules”) of haiku and the traditional haiku masters.

Article: Why Haiku Holds the Flavor of Zen

This brief article explores the Zen nature of haiku and connects the form to some principles from Western writing, if folks are more familiar with that.

Site: The Monthly Tricycle Haiku Challenge

This site is a hub for Buddhists interested in writing and sharing haiku, including submitting to a regular contest.

--
https://www.downtowndharmadc.org/
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[Downtown Dharma Sangha Listserv] Tonight at Downtown Dharma: On Being Kind

"Be kind." Of course. Who would argue? The Dali Lama famously said, "Kindness is my religion."

But easier said than done. And what if being nice is actually conflict avoidance, indeed, a false peace?

Kindness and the rest of the 'heart practices play a foundational role in the Buddhist tradition. Understanding the why and how of these practices supports the promised benefits of kindness, guards against its shadow side, and, when seen deeply, points the way toward liberation.

In a moment when the broader culture seems loaded with conflict, we'll explore just how profound kindness can be.

I hope you can join us, in person or online.

In-person: Tonight, 7:00 to 8:30pm @ Yoga District — 1910 14th Street NW, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC (please try to arrive at least 10 min. early)

Online via Zoom: Join here

Yours In Sangha,

Kristin

https://downtowndharmadc.org

Kristin Barker

One Earth Sangha

Pronouns she, her and hers
Supported by the Potomac River watershed, traditional lands of the Piscataway.

kristin@1earthsangha.org

No mud, no lotus.

— Thích Nhất Hạnh

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Saturday, 31 October 2026

[Downtown Dharma Sangha Listserv] April 2027 Yoga & Meditation Retreat in Puglia, Italy!

Hello, Downtown Dharma!

Jackie Powell and I are so excited to invite you to a 7-day yoga and meditation retreat in Puglia, Italy, from April 12-18, 2027!

Early bird registration closes tomorrow, Nov. 1: https://abundantloveyoga.com/retreats/puglia-retreat/

Why Puglia & What to Expect

The Puglia region, located in south eastern Italy (the heel of the boot), is pure magic: warm spring sun, quiet countryside, dramatic coastal cliffs, and a slow, authentic pace of life far from the tourist crowds.

We are building this retreat around the core theme of PLAY and JOY.

Play is about spontaneity and authentic connection with other humans, animals, and our natural world. It’s about finding true joy in the simple, the mundane, and the beautiful.

Through daily movement and meditation, bike rides through the countryside, handpan music, pasta-making, and sound healing, we'll create plenty of space to drop in and simply be.

How This Retreat Came to Be

Jackie and I first met four years ago in DC over a shared love of yoga, meditation, laughter, and community building. We attribute our strong friendship to Downtown Dharma, where we plugged into a welcoming group of open-hearted people seeking peace (YOU!) and felt instant connection. This past May, one of our small group sanghas visited Italy (where I am currently living), and as Jackie and I were walking through poppy-lined roads, we looked at each other and said: “We absolutely have to bring our community here.” Here is the picture from that very moment 🙂 (photo credit: Andy Schnitzer :)

We are making it happen!

Registration is open! https://abundantloveyoga.com/retreats/puglia-retreat/

We can't wait to move, relax, and create magic with you. If you have any questions or want to see if this is the right fit, please reply to this email. We’d love to talk!

With love,

Steph & Jackie

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Tuesday, 27 October 2026

[Downtown Dharma Sangha Listserv] Re: This Sunday: Meditating Like the Earth

Dear friends,

Thanks to all those who joined us this past Sunday night, and all those who joined in spirit. It was a pleasure to dive together into the Buddha's advice for his son to "meditate like the earth / water / wind / fire / space." Here's the whole sutta if you'd like to see for yourself - including different translations and the pali if you click near the top at "views" and "parallel."

TLDR? Meditating with these five elements can help us be less attached to this seemingly solid self, and help us connect with the more-than-human world from which we are truly inseparable. Natural images or experiences in nature can also be medicine to help infuse our lives with much-needed energies - gazing at or picturing the vast sky when we feel narrow-minded, grounding ourselves by meditating like mountains, or whipping up the ferocity of a tornado. If you bring any of these into your practice, please let me know how it goes!

Thanks again. Wishing you peace, ease, and the gorgeous impermanence of fall foliage.

Shawn

On Thu, Oct 22, 2026 at 9:24 PM Shawn Shafner <shawnshafner@gmail.com> wrote:

Dearest Sangha,

Wishing you so well as this week nears its close. I had the good fortune of spending the past week on retreat in the Arizona desert. Held by the breathtakingly beautiful mountains of the Cochise Stronghold, it was easy to feel integrated into the earth - as if we meditators were just another boulder rooted in the landscape. What a joy!

Then the retreat ends. The phone turns back on. Ding! Buzz! Bloop! The unnerving news, the unending tasks, the infinite distractions in ten second tik toks threaten to steal all peace and fill the mind with judgmental chatter.

But what if all that could be included in our practice? What if we didn't have to disappear into nature to feel whole, but could access our innate and integrated wholeness just as we already are? This Sunday, we'll explore these ideas through the instructions the Buddha gave his son Rahula. Roughly: "Meditate like the earth, water, fire, wind and space, all of which accept the clean or unclean - even feces, urine, saliva, pus or blood - without feeling horrified, humiliated or disgusted." Cultivating this quality not only helps us develop equanimity in the face of all the dings, buzzes and bloops, but also connects us with our vast more-than-human nature.

I hope you're able to join us for meditation practice, a little dharma, and community connection.

In-person: 7pm to 8:30pm @ Yoga District — 1910 14th Street NW, 3rd Floor

Please arrive 5-10 minutes early and register in advance here; it's the last Sunday class and listed under: "FREE (14th St.) Insight Meditation @ 1910 14th St"

Online via Zoom: Join here

With metta,

Shawn

PS Looking for more ways to connect with the earth this weekend? Join me at the US Botanic Gardens this Saturday morning to learn all about eating acorns - an easily foraged food that connects us to Indigenous lifeways. Then Sunday afternoon, we'll honor the humble toilet - which also accepts the unclean items above with equanimity - as I host the 5th annual World Toilet Day Comedy Fundraising Craptacular. Enjoy brunch, hilarious stand-ups and musical comedy, a sweet-a$$ raffle, and help raise money for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation.

--

Body-positive movement classes, meditation, group facilitation and more! ShawnShafner.com

The POOP Project

Homepage! 💩❤🌈

Animated! 🎬 Profiled! 🕵 Lauded! 👏

Get my 📕, Know Your Sh!t, at Barnes & Noble or order online! Published by Cider Mill Press, distributed by Harper Collins.

Mailing list! 💌 Instagram! 📸 Twitter! 🐦 Facebook! 👪

Body-positive movement classes, meditation, group facilitation and more! ShawnShafner.com

The POOP Project

Homepage! 💩❤🌈

Animated! 🎬 Profiled! 🕵 Lauded! 👏

Get my 📕, Know Your Sh!t, at Barnes & Noble or order online! Published by Cider Mill Press, distributed by Harper Collins.

Mailing list! 💌 Instagram! 📸 Twitter! 🐦 Facebook! 👪

--
https://www.downtowndharmadc.org/
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Friday, 23 October 2026

[Downtown Dharma Sangha Listserv] This Sunday: Meditating Like the Earth

Dearest Sangha,

Wishing you so well as this week nears its close. I had the good fortune of spending the past week on retreat in the Arizona desert. Held by the breathtakingly beautiful mountains of the Cochise Stronghold, it was easy to feel integrated into the earth - as if we meditators were just another boulder rooted in the landscape. What a joy!

Then the retreat ends. The phone turns back on. Ding! Buzz! Bloop! The unnerving news, the unending tasks, the infinite distractions in ten second tik toks threaten to steal all peace and fill the mind with judgmental chatter.

But what if all that could be included in our practice? What if we didn't have to disappear into nature to feel whole, but could access our innate and integrated wholeness just as we already are? This Sunday, we'll explore these ideas through the instructions the Buddha gave his son Rahula. Roughly: "Meditate like the earth, water, fire, wind and space, all of which accept the clean or unclean - even feces, urine, saliva, pus or blood - without feeling horrified, humiliated or disgusted." Cultivating this quality not only helps us develop equanimity in the face of all the dings, buzzes and bloops, but also connects us with our vast more-than-human nature.

I hope you're able to join us for meditation practice, a little dharma, and community connection.

In-person: 7pm to 8:30pm @ Yoga District — 1910 14th Street NW, 3rd Floor
- Please arrive 5-10 minutes early and register in advance here; it's the last Sunday class and listed under: "FREE (14th St.) Insight Meditation @ 1910 14th St"
Online via Zoom: Join here

With metta,

Shawn

PS Looking for more ways to connect with the earth this weekend? Join me at the US Botanic Gardens this Saturday morning to learn all about eating acorns - an easily foraged food that connects us to Indigenous lifeways. Then Sunday afternoon, we'll honor the humble toilet - which also accepts the unclean items above with equanimity - as I host the 5th annual World Toilet Day Comedy Fundraising Craptacular. Enjoy brunch, hilarious stand-ups and musical comedy, a sweet-a$$ raffle, and help raise money for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation.

Body-positive movement classes, meditation, group facilitation and more! ShawnShafner.com

The POOP Project

Homepage! 💩❤🌈

Animated! 🎬 Profiled! 🕵 Lauded! 👏

Get my 📕, Know Your Sh!t, at Barnes & Noble or order online! Published by Cider Mill Press, distributed by Harper Collins.

Mailing list! 💌 Instagram! 📸 Twitter! 🐦 Facebook! 👪

--
https://www.downtowndharmadc.org/
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Saturday, 17 October 2026

[Downtown Dharma Sangha Listserv] Listening Deeply — Off the Cushion (Oct 18 meditation)

In his book The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching, Thich Nhat Hanh wrote:

“I am listening to him not only because I want to know what is inside him or to give him advice. I am listening to him just because I want to relieve his suffering.”

As one of the six guidelines in Insight Dialogue, Listening Deeply often manifests as “holding space” and not reacting to what was said. Yet outside of a mindfulness practice, listening as part of a two-way dialogue is both a necessity in daily life and critical for deepening relationships.

I’m looking forward to facilitating this session, which will explore both contemporary and mindfulness concepts of compassionate listening, and an opportunity to practice it with a peer in a safe environment.

I invite you to join us, in person or online:

· In person: Sunday, October 18, 7:00 to 8:30pm @ Yoga District — 1910 14th Street NW, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC (please try to arrive at least 10 min. early)

· Online via Zoom: Join here

With metta,

Amitabh

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