JOIN US for online sangha
MONDAY May 25, 7:00pm - 8:30pm ET
Annie will facilitate
Meditation schedule
Upcoming events
We’d love to hear from you.
Have a suggestion, question, or reflection to share with the sangha? Use the form below to let us know.
All submissions are anonymous unless you choose to include your name.
Love is the Strongest Force
We’re honored to share that Dharma Teacher Annie Mahon’s article, Love is the Strongest Force, has been published on the Plum Village website.
Written at the start of the current administration, the piece explores how fierce compassion—rooted in mindfulness, community, and the Four Noble Truths—can help us respond to injustice and suffering without turning away from love. Annie reflects on how practicing boundless care allows us to transform both personal and collective pain, and to build sustainable communities that truly care for all.
We are all one
We recognize the struggles of immigrants because many, though not all, of us have experienced immigration, arriving in this country ourselves or our ancestors arriving before us. We also stand in solidarity with members of the LGBTQ+ community who experience discrimination and hardship.
To offer support, we warmly invite you to review the information and links we provided.
Organizations we support
Love in Action - Supporting those harmed in the war in Ukraine
In response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, OHMC, Still Water Mindfulness Practice Center, and Washington Mindfulness Community have come together with a project that is a concrete manifestation of our engaged practice.
VOLAR’s mission is to co-create a cooperative community in East Baltimore owned by Black and Brown people … built through the reclamation of land, healing, reconnecting and building a base of community power.
Learn how VOLAR has evolved and where it is going — and how you can be a part of this incredible initiative.
LEARN MORE
Engaged Buddhism / Deep Listening to our Differences
by Annie Mahon
In this article we explore the transformative art of deep listening while door knocking in the lead up to the US election from Annie Mahon, an engaged practitioner and Dharma teacher in The Plum Village Tradition.
All are invited to join our community
Mindfulness is being here now, with kindness and open hearted curiosity.
The Opening Heart Mindfulness Community is open to everyone and meets to practice sitting and walking meditation and discuss mindfulness-related topics every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at Circle Yoga. We practice together in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
No previous mindfulness or meditation experience necessary.
No registration is required, and there is no fee to attend. Donations are joyfully accepted to support this and other similar programs Sitting meditation can be done on the floor or in a chair.
In consideration of those who have chemical sensitivities, we ask that you do not wear any fragrances (including essential oils) while attending Opening Heart meditation events.
Making-Visible
The Opening Heart Mindfulness Community created this special sangha to build awareness on the issues of social injustice facing our country and the world today.
Dear friends,
This week, we will meet Monday evening, May 25, from 7-8:30PM ET online; Wednesday morning, May 27, from 7-8AM ET in person at our meditation space (3812 Northampton Street NW); and Friday, May 29, 12-1PM ET online.
On Monday, Annie will facilitate. We will practice Touching the Earth, a practice to deepen awareness of our interbeing nature.
I’ve been reflecting on the moment we are in - personally, culturally and politically - and I'm seeing that one of the things that most divides us is when we forget our interbeing nature - we are all in this together - and believe instead that we are separate individuals.
When we slip into believing we are separate, we create enemies that we then blame and target. In the moments when we remember and recognize our interbeing, we naturally want to protect life and care for everyone; we see that no one is outside of the whole. The Buddha and Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) often taught about the interdependent nature of all beings. When we calm our bodies and minds and look deeply, we are able to see that we are not disconnected. There is no way for us to live apart from the rest of life.