BIPOC Sangha (Online)

The BIPOC Sangha is an online meditation group for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, offered by Seattle Insight in Seattle, Washington. It meets on Zoom on the third Sunday of each month, with a period of formal sitting followed by conversation. The stated intention is to be a refuge, to foster solidarity, and to awaken together.

What to Expect

The sangha gathers at 4:00 PM Pacific Time and runs until 5:15 PM. Each session begins with a period of formal sitting meditation. After the sitting, the group turns to discussion, sharing experiences connected to the monthly teaching topic at Seattle Insight. The yearly theme for this sangha is Transcendental Dependent Arising, a teaching from the Buddhist tradition on how experience arises in relationship and in dependence on conditions.

The group is led by the BIPOC Sangha itself rather than a single named teacher. The feeling is one of shared practice among peers: sitting together, then listening and speaking from lived experience. As the organizers put it, all parts of you are welcome and celebrated here.

Who It Is For

This sangha is for anyone who self-identifies as BIPOC. You do not need to prove or explain your identity, and no prior meditation background is stated as a requirement. People who are curious about insight meditation and want a community of practice with others who share similar experiences of identity will find a place here.

The group is online only by design. Seattle Insight wants the sangha to be as accessible as possible to anyone who is interested, wherever they live, and a Zoom format makes that possible.

Before You Go

Registration is not needed. You can join through the Zoom link when the session begins.

Seattle Insight follows the practice of dana, a term for generosity, or freely offered giving. A suggested donation is offered, along with dana for the teachers, and participants are asked to give that amount or another heartfelt one if they are able. Everyone is welcome regardless of ability to pay. Dana for both Seattle Insight and the teachers can be offered online or in person.

Because the session takes place on Zoom, you will need a device with a camera or audio connection and a quiet place to sit. Questions can be sent to the sangha through Seattle Insight, which is based at the Seattle Insight Meditation Society on 9th Avenue NE in Seattle.