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Northwest Dharma News
Washington state Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal met with members of the Tibetan community at Sakya Monastery in Seattle June 5, to hear about Tibetan issues and to share views about immigration. Click on photo to go to story >>

A Quarterly Online Publication
Fall 2017, Volume 30, #3

Lots to Celebrate, as NWDA Opens New Doors Letter from the President and Executive Director

Northwest Dharma Association brings people from many traditions together in harmony, as it has for many years. This photo is of the 2005 Change Your Mind Day celebration, in Seattle’s Volunteer Park.

Everything changes…so the Buddha said. A cold winter becomes a wet spring becomes a dry summer. Northwest Dharma Association is changing too. We’re building inclusive communities, partnering with contemplative caregivers, co-sponsoring the international Buddhist Recovery Summit in October. And of course we maintain our online directory and calendar of Buddhist organizations and their events, across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and…

For the First Time, Washington Prison Inmates To Teach Mindfulness to Others Behind Bars

Nate, second from right, leads a mindful movement exercise, a component of every class.

Four Washington state prison inmates are making history by becoming the first inmates certified to teach Path of Freedom, an emotional intelligence program based on mindfulness meditation. As certified trainers the four are starting to teach the 12-week curriculum to other men behind bars. The Path of Freedom program was developed by the Massachusetts-based Prison Mindfulness Institute. These enthusiastic and…

Washington Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal Visits With Tibetan Community at Sakya Monastery

Abbot of Sakya Monastery Khenpo Jampa Tenphel, Congresswoman Jayapal and her husband, spinning prayer wheels outside the monastery.

U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal made a rare visit to Seattle’s Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism in June, responding to an invitation from the local Tibetan community. Congresswoman Jayapal, a member of the Democratic Party, is the first Indian-American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, the first woman to represent the 7th District in Congress, and the first…

Vancouver Shambhala Finds New Home Despite Fast-Rising Real Estate Prices

Practicing in the main shrine room: First row Zachariah Finley, Jerry Chapman, Sandy Brooks; second row Paul Belserene, Maria Stella; third row Mariel Gomez, Rolf Erni, Chantal Latendresse; fourth row Nicholas Talloni, Gabriel Latendresse.

We knew it was coming. The specter of homelessness for The Vancouver Shambhala Center was just over the horizon. Our mission statement is to Wake Up! We weren’t caught sleepwalking. Sensing an uncertain future we formed a group six months before we received the notice that our lease would not be renewed. The Vancouver, British Columbia building we were in,…

In India, Seattle Lama Presents on Links Between African Americans’ and Untouchables’ Experience

Martin Luther King III, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others, during the inauguration of the Dr B R Ambedkar International Conference 2017.

Lama Choyin Rangdrol, a Seattle-based African American lama of Tibetan Buddhism, traveled to India in July as an invited presenter to the B.R. Ambedkar International Conference in Bangalore, India. Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, an important figure in India’s history in many ways, is best known among Buddhists for his mass conversion of hundreds of thousands of Indian people to Buddhism. Ambedkar…

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Featured Events

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Buddhist Paths: Women’s Choices

Fifth Annual Women in Buddhism Conference presented by the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple September 23, 2017 – 9:30-3:30 A day devoted to understanding the place of Buddhism in our everyday lives – Buddhist Paths: Women’s Choices with featured speakers Rev. Carol Himaka, Resident Minister Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church on The 35th Vow of Dharmakara/Amida Buddha and its meaning to…

Featured Event
Mahasangha Event

Member Group: Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple

Date: Saturday, September 23
Time: 9:30 am - 3:30 pm
Event Type:

Tradition: True Pure Land
Teacher: Master Shinran

The ground from which the path arises: From youth to aging, sickness and death

The beauty and joy of awakening, complete peace and release, do not come from a life of comfort and complacency. They arise out of directly facing the toughest challenges of human life. In this retreat we will explore the territory of deep life experiences, the wake-up calls, beginning in our youth. We will draw upon the tools the Buddha gave…

Featured Event
Mahasangha Event

Member Group: Bellingham Insight Meditation Society

Start: Monday, October 9 @ 5:00 pm
End: Sunday, October 15 @ 12:00 pm
Event Type: ,

Tradition: Vipassana
Teacher: Ayya Santussikka

Roots of Mindfulness: A 7-Day Silent Retreat

The Roots of Mindfulness: a week of extended Mindfulness Practice exploring the theme Beginner’s Mind. Join us for a full week-long retreat of mindfulness practices in the style of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at a beautiful retreat site in the Skagit Valley (roughly 90 minutes north of Seattle and 2 hours south of Vancouver, BC). The retreat will be a deep…

Featured Event
Mahasangha Event

Member Group: Mindfulness Northwest

Start: Sunday, October 15 @ 4:00 pm
End: Sunday, October 22 @ 12:00 pm
Event Type: , ,

Tradition: MBSR, Zen
Teacher: Tim Burnett

Buddhist Recovery Summit 2017

Buddhist teachers and leaders are developing innovative practices that support recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. The Buddhist Recovery Network and the Northwest Dharma Assoication are bringing these leaders together in a working retreat in Lacey Washington in October 2017. While the retreat is invitation-only, you can participate in several ways. We are raising money to help cover the costs of bringing…

Featured Event
Mahasangha Event

Member Group: Northwest Dharma Association

Start: Friday, October 20 @ 5:00 pm
End: Sunday, October 22 @ 2:00 pm
Event Type: ,

Tradition: Non-sectarian

Becoming Tara with Anne Carolyn Klein, Portland

 We practice Tārā to become her. This weekend retreat is for immersing ourselves in the blessings and vision of Tārā and to find Tārā’s pure land right with us in Portland. We sing and imagine in chantable English and Tibetan the poetic simplicity of Adzom Drukpa’s Tārā practice, from his famous Secret Luminous Vajra Treasury. We call this retreat a…

Featured Event
Mahasangha Event

Member Group: Samden Ling

Start: Friday, October 20 @ 7:00 pm
End: Sunday, October 22 @ 3:00 pm
Event Type:

Tradition: Tibetan
Teacher: Anne Carolyn Klein/Rigzin Drolma

Celebrating the Sangha

The Northwest Buddhist community is huge, and diverse, encompassing traditional temples from every Buddhist culture, modern practice and study groups, and creative applications of Buddhist perspectives by health professionals, teachers, social activists, and others. NWDA invites you to explore our shared aspirations as Buddhists and contemplative practitioners. We’ll engage in large and small group discussion to strengthen our individual and…

Featured Event
Mahasangha Event

Member Group: Northwest Dharma Association

Date: Saturday, November 11
Time: 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Event Type: ,

Tradition: Non-sectarian

Rainbow of Infinite Light: LGBTQ and Shin Buddhism

Date:          Saturday, November 18th, 2017 Time:         10 am – 4 pm (check in begins at 9:15 am) Location:  Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple, 1427 S. Main Street, Seattle, WA 98144 Ticket Price:  $40 (Students $20) which includes a box lunch (vegetarian option available) Please register by November 8th at rainbowbuddhists.brownpapertickets.com The Buddhist Churches…

Featured Event
Mahasangha Event

Member Group: Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple

Date: Saturday, November 18
Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Event Type:

Tradition: Jodo Shinshu
Teacher: Rev. Katsuya Kusunoki

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Calendar of Events

Buddhist Paths: Women’s Choices

Fifth Annual Women in Buddhism Conference presented by the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple September 23, 2017 – 9:30-3:30 A day devoted to understanding the place of Buddhism in our everyday lives – Buddhist Paths: Women’s Choices with featured speakers Rev. Carol Himaka, Resident Minister Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church on The 35th Vow of Dharmakara/Amida Buddha and its meaning to…

Featured Event
Mahasangha Event

Member Group: Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple

Date: Saturday, September 23
Time: 9:30 am - 3:30 pm
Event Type:

Tradition: True Pure Land
Teacher: Master Shinran

Buddha of Compassion Fire Ceremony

Announcing 28 Days of Sacred Ceremony (One Ceremony Each Day, October 1-28, 2017) It is with great joy that the Drukpa Mila Center of Salem, Oregon announces the upcoming 28 Buddha of Compassion Fire Ceremonies. This month-long event will complete the aspiration of Venerable Khenpo Karma Namgyel Rinpoche of Bhutan to offer 108 fire ceremonies in the U.S. and Canada….

Featured Event
Mahasangha Event

Member Group: Drukpa Mila Center (Salem)

Start: Sunday, October 1 @ 10:00 am
End: Saturday, October 28 @ 2:00 pm

Celebrating the Sangha

The Northwest Buddhist community is huge, and diverse, encompassing traditional temples from every Buddhist culture, modern practice and study groups, and creative applications of Buddhist perspectives by health professionals, teachers, social activists, and others. NWDA invites you to explore our shared aspirations as Buddhists and contemplative practitioners. We’ll engage in large and small group discussion to strengthen our individual and…

Featured Event
Mahasangha Event

Member Group: Northwest Dharma Association

Date: Saturday, November 11
Time: 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Event Type: ,

Tradition: Non-sectarian

Buddhist Recovery Summit 2017

Buddhist teachers and leaders are developing innovative practices that support recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. The Buddhist Recovery Network and the Northwest Dharma Assoication are bringing these leaders together in a working retreat in Lacey Washington in October 2017. While the retreat is invitation-only, you can participate in several ways. We are raising money to help cover the costs of bringing…

Featured Event
Mahasangha Event

Member Group: Northwest Dharma Association

Start: Friday, October 20 @ 5:00 pm
End: Sunday, October 22 @ 2:00 pm
Event Type: ,

Tradition: Non-sectarian

Go to the main calendar page!
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What's Happening

Buddhist Global Relief 2017 Walks to Feed the Hungry

Buddhist Global Relief’s Walks to Feed the Hungry will take place in Seattle (Sept 30) and Portland (October 21). Join us for fun and fellowship as we raise money to support Buddhist Global Relief projects around the world!

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Khenpo Kartin in Portland & Trout Lake

Sept. 9-11 at at the NWTCA Bodkhang in Portland OR

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Buddhist Recovery Summit

There is addiction to indulgence of sense-pleasures, which is low, coarse, the way of ordinary people, unworthy, and unprofitable; and there is addiction to self-mortification, which is painful, unworthy, and unprofitable. Avoiding both these extremes, the Tathagata (The Perfect One) has realized the Middle Path; it gives vision, gives knowledge, and leads to calm, to insight, to enlightenment and to Nibbana.

More >
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Group Members

Downtown Lunch Hour Meditation

Pause and share silent meditation with others as a means to set the intention for your work week. Basic instruction is provided.

Tradition: Non-sectarian || Location: Seattle, WA

Lotus Sisters

The Lotus Sisters is a group of lesbian, bisexual and transgender women practicing meditation together. We sit in the Theravadan tradition, but practitioners of other traditions are welcome. We meet twice a month, and hold periodic retreats and days of mindfulness. Our guiding teacher is Arinna Weisman. We are committed to being a rainbow, multicultural sangha.

Tradition: Vipassana || Location: Seattle, WA

Heart of Wisdom Zen Buddhist Temple

The purpose of Heart of Wisdom is to provide a refuge of stillness and peace in a busy urban environment, to practice and share Buddhist teachings, and to cultivate the qualities of unflagging optimism, self-discipline, compassion, and wisdom. Daily zazen and free instruction in how meditate geared to beginners is offered. People of all ages and experience levels are encouraged...

Tradition: Zen || Location: Portland, OR

Three Treasures Sangha of the Pacific Northwest

Three Treasures Sangha of the Pacific Northwest (TTS) is a lay Zen group located in Seattle, Washington and affiliated with the Diamond Sangha, an independent lineage founded by Robert Aitken Rōshi, a dharma heir in the Sanbō Kyōdan (Harada-Yasutani-Yamada) lineage. Our form is derived from the Japanese tradition, favoring simplicity. While we focus on individual sitting meditation (zazen), we also...

Tradition: Japanese Zen Tradition || Location: Seattle, WA

Dharmata Portland

In the Nyingma tradition, affiliate of the Dharmata Foundation located in Point Richmond, Ca.

Tradition: Tibetan/Non-sectarian || Location: Portland, OR

Vajra Body Vajra Mind

Vajra Body Vajra Mind is a human development podcast and home of coach/mentor Damien Abel. Damien offers coaching to help people develop a daily meditation practice, work with disturbing emotions and habits, train and tame the mind, and develop deep access to awareness and compassion.  

Tradition: Non-Sectarian || Location: , WA

Zen Center of Portland

Zen Center of Portland is affiliated with Joko Beck and the Ordinary Mind Zen school, which emphasizes practice in our everyday lives. Please see our website for the most current information.

Tradition: Zen || Location: Portland, OR

NO Sangha (North Olympic)

NO Sangha has been sitting together for 15 years, a small group in a small town, we average 8 - 11 participants. We sit every Sat. morning, 8:00 - 9:30. During the school year, on 2nd Saturdays, we have Zazenkai 8am - 3pm. In 2012, we began doing a "working" Rohatsu sesshin, 8 days of 6am - 9pm, with long...

Tradition: Zen || Location: Port Angeles, WA

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Go to the Group Directory page for more!