[Downtown Dharma Sangha Listserv] Bringing the Mission to Life

Hello Friends,  

I hope this note finds you well! Here's an update on our most recent Sangha meeting about how we'll bring Downtown Dharma's mission to life. (You can read the full mission statement at the end of this email. If you're curious, check out how we crafted the mission here.) 

After reflecting on what excited us, sparked curiosity, and gave us pause about the mission, the group brainstormed ideas for how to put the DD mission into practice. Small groups formed to flesh out next steps for 1-3 ideas around Activities + Engagement, Logistics + Communication, and Teaching.

Activities + Engagement Next Steps

• Each Sunday a dedicated volunteer will greet people as they arrive at Yoga District to make them feel welcomed; Nick will recruit and onboard sangha members for this new volunteer role

• Katherine raised her hand to create a mentor network for members who want to connect and grow in all things (from Dharma knowledge to mediation techniques to how to live more mindfully)

• Plan a Contemplative Art Workshop as an option to gather Sangha members outside of Sunday meetings

• Document the approach for planning, communicating, and hosting the event as a an informal 'How to' guide for hosting future community events

Logistics + Communication Next Steps

• We will start quarterly volunteer board meetings to gather those supporting weekly sits to discuss volunteer roles and needs and explore formalizing and expanding roles

• All teachers and interested sangha members will be invited to each meeting

• A member of the Activities + Engagement and Teaching groups will attend the first volunteer board meeting to continue the momentum and collaboration

• We will create a visual for the official Downtown Dharma Mission we can display weekly, and incorporate reading the mission into the introduction or closing of our gatherings

Teaching Next steps

• Teachers and facilitators will continue to share from their personal experiences and invite discussion around important themes like inclusion and managing isolation

• Teachers and facilitators will convene a follow-up meeting to discuss how they can coordinate themes and teachings across Sunday nights

Mission statements - and the process of creating them - can anchor, strengthen and provide direction for a community. This was our first attempt at using Downtown Dharm's mission to guide our community. We'll regroup mid-year to reflect on the ideas we've tried and ask how else we'd like to use the mission and what else we'd like to focus on in 2024.  

Downtown Dharma Mission Statement

We are a meditation community, rooted in Buddhism and open to wisdom from across traditions, offering a safe haven for curious minds and loving hearts in downtown DC. We are community-driven and volunteer-led, supporting each other through life's challenges with kindness and friendship. Modeling a generous, inclusive alternative to intolerance and isolation in our society, we meditate and gather to meet all of our experience with greater wisdom, balance, and love. 

Have a great week,

Audrey

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Audrey Voorhees

202.400.0716

LinkedIn | Email

My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style. - Maya Angelou

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https://www.downtowndharmadc.org/
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