Kalyanamitta

Our dream is to create a community in Aotearoa committed to intensive meditation practice, social engagement and generosity to the earth. At the heart of this community is the collective aspiration to transform dissatisfaction into freedom and compassion.

Inspired by the teachings of the Buddha, we see dharma as the process of opening to ways of perceiving which release suffering and open us to beauty. The practice cultivates an inner abundance and wellbeing that supports a radical and often challenging investigation into the causes of our suffering and the nature of our hearts and minds.

Dharma is not just an individual pursuit. For us: it is a communal undertaking and a form of collective action. It allows us to imagine and embody ways of being in the world rooted in care and connection instead of the exploitation and isolation prevalent in western society today.

A central aspect of our vision is an annual offering of a long silent meditation retreat. All of us have been fortunate to sit silent meditation retreats varying from one to three months. Long retreat undertaken in silence are a radical way of living in a community. They offer conditions helpful to bring about deep peace, compassion and transformative insight. We believe that the effects of this communal undertaking ripple out to the wider community and, ultimately, to all beings.

Dana

All our offerings will be ‘dana’. Dana means the practice of giving. For 2600 years the Buddha’s teachings have been offered freely. We believe that the dharma is a priceless gift that is degraded when we consume it as a product. The practice of dana helps shift our collective understanding of ‘worth.’ It takes us out of transactional relationships to relationships based in trust and generosity.

In practice, this means we will never charge a ‘fee’ for any of our offerings. Anyone with the sincere aspiration to practice will never be turned away due to financial barriers. Our offerings will be supported solely on gifts and support that has been freely given.

Diversity

We wish to hold space for people of all backgrounds. Part of meditation is meeting experience with a welcoming heart. Part of our practice of community is meeting every individual with a welcoming heart, sensitive to differences in backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. We acknowledge that there will be different work needed to make our community a refuge for all. We are committed to engaging in the complexity of this process and invite different voices to help us co-create this community.