March 12, 2020

Dear Friends of Nalanda Institute,

In light of the spread COVID-19, we have been listening carefully to the advice of our public health experts, as well as our friends in Italy and Asia. While our need for contemplative practice and community is even greater at times like these, we recognize that we can be part of the solution by relieving students, teachers and staff of the need to travel and risk exposure.

So we have decided to follow the lead of so many learning institutions and have cancelled, postponed, rescheduled programming and/or moved to distance learning.

This is a time of understandable fear, stress, and confusion for everyone, so hopefully we as a community can rely on our mindfulness and compassion practice to calm our own fears and be a calming, caring presence for those around us, especially those hard hit by the virus here and abroad. Please stay safe, observe all reasonable precautions, and turn adversity to advantage by making this pause an opportunity to deepen your practice!

Warm healing wishes for all,

Joe Loizzo, MD, PhD
Founder and Director
Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science