As the beloved Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh said, “The next Buddha may be a Sangha.” Pre-pandemic, our community came together each year during the winter to share in the warmth of friendship and good food. Since we can’t come together in person yet, we thought we could continue the potluck tradition by inviting all of us to share something from the kitchen of our hearts: a poem, a piece of art, a video, a book idea, a recipe, or just offering your voice to check in and say hello to your Nalanda Institute friends.

Thich Nhat Hanh’s quote offers deep insight into the fundamental nature of the path and contemplative life; we need to maintain a strong sense of belonging to a community of seekers. In order to access and realize our full potential for changing our own lives and for being the change the world needs, it’s vital, given our social nature, that we co-create or feel a part of a sangha, a community who is supporting us in our change, and is making change with us.

In the Nalanda tradition, the strong force that binds community together, is the force of the spirit of unconditional love and compassion (bodhichitta). This is represented in the Buddhist tradition as the wish-fulfilling jewel of the heart. But in order to create and perfect that jewel, we need the crucible of community that helps bring warmth and light to our individual and collective paths.

Please join us, along with our global community, on December 10th for this virtual heart-share potluck!

Schedule: Friday, December 10th from 6:00 – 7:30pm ET

Tuition: Free

Location: Online via Zoom

Registration: Register here

If you feel called to support our work and are able, we welcome your tax-deductible contribution to support our efforts. Donations accepted here