Come In

Entering Peace House, our welcome sign reads: “Come in. What’s inside leads out.”

These are frightening times. Amid the daily assaults, Peace House invites you to step back—not as an escape, but as a way to steady and sustain yourself, now and in times ahead.

We have companions on this path. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s spiritual mentor, Howard Thurman, wrote, “You can’t stand in the midst of the world and struggle for fundamental change unless you are standing in your own space and looking for change within.” Like Gandhi, Thich Nhat Hanh, and the Dalai Lama, Dr. King understood that the struggle for peace in the face of oppression must begin in the heart. Without inner grounding, the necessary outer work cannot be sustained.

“Resolutely train yourself to attain peace,” the Buddha urges us in the Utthana Sutta.

Today, as we witness Buddhist monks silently walk for peace across the United States, we are reminded that the work of peace begins quietly, inwardly, and one step at a time. Tending to our inner lives sustains the resilience needed to meet the formidable external challenges of our time with clarity, courage, wisdom — and endurance.

Come in. Sit. Breathe and be steadied. What’s inside leads out — one step at a time.

With metta, judy

Meditation

Morning Leaves of Mindfulness (M-F)
Monday through Friday 8:00-8:30 am (Zoom)

Devotions to the Buddha, Morning Chanting & Meditation
Monday through Friday, 9:00 - 9:45am

Midday Meditation
Monday through Friday, 12:30 - 1:30pm

Monday Evening Silent Meditation
Mondays, 6:00-7:00 pm

Wednesday Evening Mettā (Lovingkindness) Meditation
Wednesdays, 6:00-7:00 pm

Friday Evening Maranānussati (Recollection of Death)
Fridays, 6:00 - 7:00pm

Confirm availability and register for all offerings here.

Monday January 6: The Lotus Sutra

Join Busshin for a chapter-by-chapter discussion of the Lotus Sutra, followed by Q&A.

The Lotus Sutra is a foundational scripture for nearly all forms of East Asian Buddhism, including Zen. However, it can be a daunting text to get into all by oneself. The purpose of these discussions will therefore be to give you tools for your own reading practice, as well as to create a welcoming space where we can ask questions of the text and ourselves.

No background knowledge is assumed and anyone interested is welcome to join.

February 2 - 6: Ven. Samitha’s Full Moon Offerings from Sri Lanka

During full moon weeks (generally the first week of each month), the Venerable Samitha will continue to offer Peace House’s regular 6–7pm evening meditation from his temple in Sri Lanka. These sessions will be offered in a hybrid format, allowing you to join either online or in person in the Peace House meditation hall.

In Sri Lanka, full moon—known as Poya Day—is a national holiday. During this time, many people, especially Buddhists, step back from commercial activity and turn toward spiritual practice. Poya Days are marked by temple visits, offerings to the Buddha, meditation, and listening to sermons given by monks from dawn until dusk.

Ven. Samitha looks forward to practicing virtually with the Peace House community during these auspicious weeks, beginning Monday, February 2. On Mondays, he will offer a 40-minute mindfulness of breathing meditation, preceded by a 20-minute sutta reflection. Wednesdays will feature guided loving-kindness meditation, and Fridays will continue the practice of recollection of death. Register here.

Photo: Kelaniya Temple, Sri Lanka, on full moon day.

Sunday Silent Retreats

Upcoming Sundays: February 1, February 22, March 8

Join us for a half-day, self-guided silent retreat. This is quiet, electronics-free time for you to spend however you need. Bring a book, journal, or other quiet activity, or spend time on the cushion. Register here.

Starting February 5: Thursday drop-in Library Hours

“Within each of us there is a silence - a silence as vast as a universe. We are afraid of it . . . and we long for it.” writes the poet Gunilla Norris.

She continues: “In our present culture, silence is something like an endangered species. The experience of silence is now so rare that we must cultivate it and treasure it. This is especially true for shared silence. . .

Sharing silence is, in fact, a political act. When we can stand aside from the usual and perceive the fundamental, change begins to happen. Our lives align with deeper values and the lives of others are touched and influenced. Silence brings us back to basics, to our senses, to ourselves. . .”

Peace House library hours are an opportunity for you to step into silence and to “do nothing” for awhile. Come by, turn off all electronics, enjoy a delicious cup of tea and simply enjoy the presence of silence and of peace.

Thursdays 1-7pm. Registration not required but you can register here. Begins February 5th.

Online guided meditation with Ven. Kusala

Begin the New Year with Dhamma as Guide

This 30-minute guided meditation invites a clear beginning to the new year through Dhamma-centered awareness. The practice emphasizes presence, setting the past aside, setting the future aside, and grounding life in wisdom drawn from the suttas and the Dhammapada. Through breath, reflection, and stillness, the session supports clarity, intention, and inner steadiness for the year ahead.

Register for weekday 8 -8:30 Morning Leaves of Mindfulness here.

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