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Sunday Sangha – 8th November 2026

JD Doyle

This session is led by JD Doyle.

Start Time: 11 am PST (LA) / 2 pm EST (NY) / 7 pm GMT (London) / 8 pm CET (Paris). 90-minute live session.

This week’s theme: The Dharma of Trees

Dharma of Trees
In this talk we will explore the Dharma of Trees. The Buddha encourages us to meditate at the base of a tree and frequently uses trees to emphasize teachings, especially regarding the three characteristics: anatta(not-self), dukkha(stress), and anicca (impermanence). We will learn how the Buddha’s teachings on trees and forests supports us in orienting towards freedom for ourselves and all beings.

This session is freely-offered, but dana/donations are invited to help us meet our substantial running costs and to support our teachers. To donate, please click here. We appreciate your generosity 🙏

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JD Doyle

JD Doyle

JD Doyle (they/them) co-founded the East Bay Meditation Center’s LGBTQIA+ (Alphabet) Sangha over 15 years ago and co-lead the first Buddhist meditation residential retreats for transgender, nonbinary and gender expansive people. While JD is based in Oakland, CA they offer meditation retreats and classes for many Buddhist Centers. Their training includes: Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s retreat teacher training, Community Dharma Leader training and the Dedicated Practitioner program. They’ve practiced Buddhism since 1995 in the U.S., Thailand, and Burma. For over twenty years, they worked as a public school teacher. JD identifies as genderqueer. They are committed to celebrating the diversity of our human sangha, addressing the impact of racism on our communities, expanding concepts of gender, and living in ways that honor the sacredness of the Earth. Click here to learn more about JD Doyle.

View Recordings of Past Sunday Sangha Sessions

Liberation Now: From the Progressive Path to Direct Experience

With Caverly Morgan Recorded : December 1, 2019

In a progressive path approach to practice, we sometimes fall for the idea that liberation is in the future. We are conditioned to believe that we must end thinking, master practices, meditate for years,...

Vimalasara Mason-John

Let’s Talk about Meditation

With Vimalasara Mason-John Recorded : November 22, 2019

This class is an opportunity to explore our meditation practice, on and off the cushions. Meditation can be everything we do. It’s up to us whether we have a life of meditation or a...

Ask Me Anything: Everything You Wanted to Know about Dharma, but were too Embarrassed / Deluded / Enlightened to Ask

With Martin Aylward Recorded : November 17, 2019

In this session, Martin opened up to dharma questions from the Sangha. He invited questions that were personal or impersonal, about technical aspects of Buddhism or the wider field of Dharma practice, about anything...

Pathways to Happiness

With Zohar Lavie Recorded : November 10, 2019

Being human includes feeling great and feeling pain; given the changing nature of experience what kind of happiness is possible for us? Can we cultivate freedom, happiness and contentment that are less reliant on...

Depth of Spiritual Practice – Even in a Chaotic World

With Ronya Banks Recorded : November 3, 2019

“Practicing systematically, taking the time to go into deep practice and making it the number one priority, leads to a state where the mind is very still and malleable and can investigate.” – Nikki...

The Delusion of Separateness

With Leslie Booker Recorded : October 27, 2019

There seems to be a sense of disorientation, disjointedness and overall running around in circles happening in the world today. And for some reason, many of us think that we’re the only ones who...

Soothing Anxiety

With Oren Jay Sofer Recorded : October 20, 2019

Anxiety is a completely normal, natural human emotion. Anxiety can be rooted in circumstances related to one’s personal life, relationships, or larger issues affecting our society and planet. Regardless of the source, many suffer...

Waking up to Love!

With Eugene Cash Recorded : October 13, 2019

What do you love? What’s your relationship to love? Do you love yourself? Do you love someone else? Do you love your job or your hobbies or your house or your friends or your...

Being a Bodhisattva

With Diana Winston Recorded : October 6, 2019

What is this incredible archetype? How does it show up in Buddhist history and teachings? How is it relevant to our current times? This talk will explore the idea of beings who commit to...

Refuge: The Heart’s Own Knowing

With Thanissara Recorded : September 29, 2019

It’s important to recognize that we are living in extremely challenging times, and because of this, we are going to experience some very painful and disturbing bodily feelings, emotions, and mind states. As profound...

Noble Right View

With Ralph Steele Recorded : September 22, 2019

In this session you will gain insight into understanding what makes the Buddhist practice unique. You’ll receive guidance in relation to knowing when you are not on the path of awakening, and gain a...

The Jewel of Sangha: We all need Community, Support and Love

With Martin Aylward Recorded : September 15, 2019

Martin writes: “Sangha is about community, support and love; it is one of the 3 jewels (Buddha-Dharma-Sangha) of our practice. But in the individualistic cultures and atomised structures in which many of us live,...