Heart to heart, face to face:
Open Door Dharma on Zoom
Open Door via Zoom
(Zoom opens 5 minutes before starting time.)
View or download current
Open Door Calendar:
Open Door Dharma Gatherings offer refuge in a complicated world, a time to breathe and rest in a simple community of practice. Sharing practice cultivates stability, courage, and compassion. Open to all free of charge.
Living Earth has offered residential retreats since 2004 and regular dharma circles since 2008. We embrace the eclectic teachings of Ram Dass and other teachers with roots in enduring spiritual forms. Practice in community, sangha, or satsang nurtures spacious, loving awareness and supports our capacity to be present and balanced as we navigate the unpredictable world.
January 2021 schedule (Pacific time):
Mon., Wed., & Fri. 8:30–9:30 am ~ Practice (chanting, meditation, discussion).
Sundays 4:30–5:45 pm ~ Practice; poetry; community & conversation.
Winter gatherings will incorporate reflection on Thich Nhat Hanh’s interpretations of the 5 Precepts, from his book, “For a Future To Be Possible.”
We open with simple chanting (mics are muted), sit in stillness, and then reflect on wisdom that threads through the world’s cultures and spiritual traditions, orienting toward advaita, bhakti/devotion, and Buddhist practices.
Please NOTE: During conversation and reflections, when speaking please be sure your camera & mic are both on. Seeing and hearing each other greatly enhances communication. If you prefer to keep your camera off, having a photo on screen of you or something you love can also work. Zoom chat is also an option.
Sundays include time to check in and connect in community, supporting resilience and a sense of belonging. Regular practice in community – sangha, fellowship, or satsang – fosters loving awareness and nurtures our ability to be present with whatever arises in our world.
Download the current calendar. These gatherings are free and all are welcome. The zoom room opens a few minutes before the scheduled time; stop in when you can. The lightly structured format is inclusive and fluid.
Request Open Door email-reminders. These occasional posts are not a chat or interactive list. Privacy matters: email addresses are never shared.
What is this path?
Fifty years ago, Neem Karoli Baba (Maharajji) drew Ram Dass and countless Indian and Western devotees to the profound yet simple path of devotion, wisdom, and service. These teachings continue to spread far and wide, opening hearts and enriching daily lives.
Our eclectic tapestry of devotion and service, Buddhist wisdom, chanting and meditation includes accents and strands from a range of the world’s spiritual traditions. Maharajji offers a path of engaged spirituality, a way to be active in the world and remember who we really are.
All backgrounds, traditions, and curiosity are welcome here. Sweet voices and creaking pipes all chant together, and longtime practitioners join friends new to meditation. Together we’re learning how rich the nonexclusive Western dharma centered on love and service can be.
