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We are a Theravada Buddhist community based in New Haven, Connecticut that seeks to create an inclusive space for all to learn about and practice meditation. |
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Dear Sangha,
This Saturday, July 18, from 10:30 am to Noon, we will meet for meditation, small group discussion and a dhamma talk by Joy Burns titled, “Practicing practice, as best we’re able.”
Join us in person at the New Haven Free Public Library or online by clicking below:
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Kuan-Yin Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment Ceremony 7/26/26
Chuang Yen Monastery (Putnam County, NY) will be holding a ceremony to commemorate Kuan-Yin Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment. The ceremony will be held from 10:00 am. to 12:15 pm. on July 26, 2026.
Joy plans to drive up and live New Haven about 7 am. If you would like to ride with her, click below to prepare an email.
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The Return
The mind is a wild and tethered kite,
Catching the wind of a sudden flight.
It tangles in worries of what is to be,
Or dances with ghosts of a memory.
You sit to find stillness, to quiet the roar,
But the thoughts only crowd at the open door.
You judge every twitch, every wandering space,
And think you are losing the quiet race.
But "getting better" is not the goal,
Nor forcing a calm on a restless soul.
It is noticing, gently, the kite in the sky,
And letting the wandering tether go by.
It is choosing to start again, right in this breath,
Releasing the striving, the worry, the death
Of the perfect idea of how it should be,
And simply accepting what is, patiently.
To sit with the shifting, the dark and the light,
To be the soft witness, and hold it all right.
For the magic is not in the quiet you make,
But the loving return, every time you awake.
Tyler Knott Gregson, "The Return", Chasers of the Light
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Would you like to host a Simple Sit in August?
Each month our calendar of activities includes Simple Sit Saturdays. In the summer months, our facilitators will take a break during the month of August which opens up a month of opportunities to sit together. To host, you will hold the solo task of ringing the opening and closing bell.
Anyone who might like to host virtually or in person at the library, please drop an line indicating your interest for next month by July 20th or you can share your general interest too.
"I'm interested in hosting a Simple Sit."
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ECI Online Sits
Sunday Sit at 7:30 am
- Community meditation
- Sunday, 7:30–8:30am
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Weekday Morning Sit
- Community meditation
- Monday through Friday,
7:30–8:30am
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C
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July: Saturday Sit Schedule
Saturday, July 18: Dhamma Talk, Joy
Saturday, July 25: Dhamma Talk, Lee
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Sangha NOTES
Dana
Dana, the practice of generosity, supports teachers in continuing practice and the lineage of Buddhist teachings. If you benefit from these practices and from this community, please consider supporting us. Dana is currently used to support our website, arrange visiting dhamma teachers, help to feed the New Haven community in need, and support the New Haven Free Public Library in gratitude for their generosity in providing our Saturday meeting space.
The easiest way to contribute is through this link where you can make a donation via Venmo or with a credit or debit card (via PayPal, no account required). Alternatively, if you want to send a check, please address it to:
Elm Community Insight
PO Box 6195
40 Putnam Ave
Hamden, CT 06517
Volunteering
We are seeking volunteers to assist with future Saturday Sangha meetings, including setting up, greeting visitors, and providing technical support at the Library. One way to help is to arrive early at the Library (~10:10 am) to help set up the room for Saturday Sangha. Thank you!
Community Resources
Melanie Stengel is the Sangha's Goodwill Ambassador: if have a need for concrete support (e.g., dog care, food, furniture moving) or emotional support (e.g., going through a hard time, would appreciate check-ins or visits), please reach out to her for coordination by clicking here: SanghaGoodwillAmbassador.
For supportive telephone conversation, warm lines are another resource. These phone lines are staffed by people with expertise in providing mutual aid. A list of Connecticut's warm lines is available here.
Our Community
Find more information about us, learn more about community meditation resources, or subscribe to our newsletter, visit our website at: elmcommunityinsight.org
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