Notes and Outcomes from Sangha Meeting – October 7, 2025

Start with “Anything Else”

I wanted to start with this section, since I found some of the comments so moving in this frame:

• The importance of this community in this troubled world – it offers a glimmer of light and support
• Immeasurable acceptance for each person who shows up and what they bring – whether in person or online, and whether beginner or advanced
• Much appreciation to all who participate in and make this Sangha work

Summary of Thematic Areas that came out of the discussion (these may become foci for groups within the Council of Trees?)

These fall within continuing to offer a context for deeper spiritual practice in community.

• Establishing and reinforcing warmth and welcome
  • Opportunities for social time
  • Opportunities for service
  • Ways to more purposefully engage zoomers with Sangha. To encourage more diversity and safety
  • Use of triads and more interactive structures within our sessions. Also more consistent introductions across the hybrid format.
• Thoughts on ways to deepen practice
  • Bringing in guest teachers
  • Offering opportunities for retreats – full in-person and/or half day on hybrid
  • Consider extending sitting time within the Tuesday night structure and/or adding additional sitting (with walking meditation and/or non-hybrid as possible options)
  • Offering space for curiosity and inquiry
• Clarifying ways to link the alternate nights with the ongoing reflections offered by Keri (this offers opportunities for both community and depth)
  • Exploring ways to more consistently link alternate night reflections with Keri’s themes
  • Making it comfortable for more people to participate as facilitators (through mentoring, co-facilitation,
• How do we provide consistency and structure while still being able to provide support when someone arrives at the group in need (both on Keri nights and alternate nights)

Plan for a Council of Trees

Recognizing that there seems to have been a decreasing level of engagement in the guiding of the Sangha, the planners proposed a revival of the Council of Trees. This offers an opportunity for a wider group of people to be actively involved with the Sangha, including both zoomers and Vashon people, and it also offers a wider definition of ways to consider Dana within our context.

While the above bullets offer a coherent summary of our relatively well-focused discussion, they may not translate directly into work groups within the council of Trees. Depending on who indicates interest to continue with further guiding efforts, this group can further consider what makes sense in moving these different thematic issues forward.