The Port Townsend Sangha

Welcome to the Port Townsend Sangha

Posted on by

The Port Townsend Sangha website provides information on Meditation, Fellowship and Dharma Study opportunities in Port Townsend, Washington. While our focus is on Vipassana, or Insight Meditation, all who wish to meditate or who are interested in the dharma are welcome at all announced events. Program details and schedules are below.

The Sangha is an informal, leaderless, volunteer-driven, peer-led group. It’s members include all seekers interested in the Buddhist path. Sangha members and friends have gathered weekly for over 23 years. If you have questions, please email us.

WEDNESDAY MEDITATION ON ZOOM: The Sangha meets every Wednesday evening at 7 PM on Zoom to meditate, listen to a dharma talk, and discuss our practice. The links to these meetings are below, or will be sent if you subscribe to our newsletter.

MONDAY MEDITATION AT THE FRIENDS MEETINGHOUSE: On Mondays, participants gather in person at 7 PM at the Friends Meeting House on the corner of Sheridan and 19th Streets in Port Townsend.

THURSDAY OUTDOOR MEDITATION AT CHETZEMOKA PARK : During the summer when the weather is warm, we meet at Chetzemoka Park in Port Townsend. Meditation in the park is closed for 2025. We hope to see you in the park next year.

RETREATS: The Sangha occasionally offers weekend and one-day Retreats, open to the public. Information will be posted on our website.

NEWSLETTER: A weekly newsletter is sent to subscribers with the link to the Wednesday Zoom meetings and information on events and programs.

CHANT: At the start of weekly meditation, we often play the devotional chant known as the Salutation to the Buddha. A recording and the words of the chant may be found here.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Wednesday, January 14th Meditation on Zoom

Posted on by

Ram Dass

Please Join Us Wednesday

January 14th, at 7 PM on

Zoom for Meditation and

Talks from Ram Dass

Here is the link to this online gathering

After 30 minutes of silent meditation, we will listen to 2 dharma talks by Ram Dass. The first talk is “Battle Between Mind and Heart“. The second talk is a short interview between Ram Dass and Jeffrey Mishlove titled “Compassion in Action”.

You can listen to “Battle Between Mind and Heart” here. You can listen to the interview with Ram Dass on “Compassion in Action” here.

Ram Dass, was an American spiritual teacher, guru of modern yoga, psychologist, and writer. His best-selling 1971 book Be Here Now helped popularize Eastern spirituality and yoga in the West. He authored or co-authored twelve more books on spirituality over the next four decades. In 1967, Alpert traveled to India and became a disciple of a Hindu guru. He pursued a panoramic array of spiritual methods and practices from ancient wisdom traditions, including bhakti or devotional yoga focused on the Hindu deity Hanuman; Buddhist meditation in the Theravadin, Mahayana Tibetan, and Zen Buddhist schools, and Sufi and Jewish mystical studies. He co-founded the charitable organizations Seva Foundation and Hanuman Foundation. From the 1970s to the 1990s, he traveled extensively, giving talks and retreats and holding fundraisers for charitable causes.

In 1997, he had a stroke, which left him with paralysis and expressive aphasia. He eventually grew to interpret this event as an act of grace, learning to speak again and continuing to teach and write books. After becoming seriously ill during a trip to India in 2004, he gave up traveling and moved to Maui, Hawaii, where he hosted annual retreats with other spiritual teachers until his death in 2019.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Wednesday January 21st Zoom Meditation and Discussion

Posted on by

Samaneri Jayasara

Please join us on Zoom

Wednesday, January 21st

At 7 PM for Meditation and a

Talk by Samaneri Jayasara

Here is the link to this online gathering

After 30 minutes of silent meditation, we will listen to a guided meditation from Samaneri Jayasara titled “The Stillpoint”. You can listen to the meditation here.

Samaneri Jayasara has studied and practiced Buddhism and meditation for over 35 years. She has a PhD and Master’s Degree in education, focusing on comparative spiritual traditions, Buddhism and psychotherapy.

Jayasara initially ordained as an anagarika (8-precept nun) in the Theravada Forest Tradition in 2002, living at both Dhammasara monastery in Western Australia and at Amaravati and Cittaviveka monasteries in the UK for 2 years. She re-entered the monastic life as a samaneri (10-precept nun) in 2018 at Santi Forest Monastery, where she helped to maintain and further develop Santi as a monastery for female monastics.

In 2021, Jayasara moved to Viveka Hermitage in southern NSW, Australia, to allow more focus on her growing online project – “The Wisdom of the Masters” channel – as well as to cultivate a more hermitic style of life. Her interest in the non-dual teachings of different spiritual traditions has inspired both her own Dhamma practice, and the spiritual resources she makes available to others.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Monday Meditation at the Port Townsend Friends

Posted on by

You Are Invited to Attend

Meditation and Discussion

At 7 PM in Port Townsend

Each Monday at the Friends

The sangha gathers each Monday, at the Friends Meeting House on the corner of Sheridan and 19th Streets in Port Townsend, WA.

The subject matter of dharma talks is chosen, and discussions are led by volunteers on topics most often related to insight meditation (vipassana).

We arrive silently before 7 PM, begin mediation at 7 PM. After about 20 minutes, a bell rings as a signal for who wish begin walking meditation. The group takes a break for tea at 7:40 – for socializing. At 8 PM, dharma talks, presentations and discussions begin.

More information on the weekly format is found here. All are welcome.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Service and Dana

Posted on by

Dana is charitable giving. Each year, members of the Port Townsend Sangha contribute time and funds to organizations providing services to the most vulnerable members of our community with the goal of reducing suffering among the area’s most at-risk populations.

In 2024, donations were made to Dove House, Jumping Mouse and Bayside Housing, offering counseling, shelter, support for children and services to the homeless and others in need. For more information on Sangha charitable donations, please contact us.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

The Sangha Lending Library

Posted on by

The PT Sangha Library shares space with the Quaker’s Library at the Friends Meetinghouse. It is open on Monday evenings when the Sangha meets.

We have a wide variety of books on Buddhism, Buddhist practice, meditation and other spiritual traditions.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Port Townsend Sangha’s Nonresidential Weekend Retreats

Posted on by

The Port Townsend Sangha conducts non-residential weekend retreats with visiting teachers live, in person, and on Zoom. Information on the Sangha’s Retreat Program is found h ere.

Information on these events is posted on this website and is sent to our mailing list.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Port Townsend Sangha One Day Retreats

Posted on by

One-day meditation retreats are offered the Sangha in person and on Zoom. There is no charge to attend.

Information on these events will be posted here, and Zoom meeting invitations will be sent to our mailing list or may be obtained by writing us. More information is here.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off