Assaya Sangha in October Watch this video message from Kate: Click Here There's still time to register for our daylong benefit retreat! Register Here A Day of Mudita: Cultivating Joy, Creativity and Generosity with Anne Cushman, Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith, and Kate Munding October 10th 10 am to 3:30 pm PT Gyuto Foundation in the Richmond Hills And on Zoom Join Assaya Sangha for our annual benefit day, a gathering devoted to muditā—the Buddhist practice of appreciative or sympathetic joy. Muditā is the capacity to recognize and delight in goodness: in another person’s happiness, in our own moments of ease and aliveness, and in the beauty and generosity that continue to emerge even during difficult times. Far from asking us to turn away from suffering, the practice of joy helps strengthen the heart so that we can meet life with greater courage, resilience, and love. Joy reminds us not only of what is difficult, but also of what is worth protecting, nurturing, and sharing. This gathering is also Assaya Sangha’s annual fundraising benefit. All proceeds will directly support Assaya’s programs in 2027, helping us continue to offer regular meditation gatherings, retreats, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ events, and maintain Assaya’s offerings on a donation basis, making our community a welcoming and accessible space for all women. Click Here to Find Out More Check this message and upcoming events in: October Newsletter in Browser
Dear Sangha Sisters, This summer I had the opportunity to spend several weeks traveling overseas, visiting family and exploring places that were new to me. As always, travel carried its own mixture of beauty and disorientation. There were moments of deep belonging, moments of unfamiliarity, and countless reminders that we are always moving through places that carry stories, memories, and change. As I settled into different homes, city streets, gardens, cafés, and quiet corners, I found myself reflecting on what actually makes a place feel sacred. It's easy to imagine that sacredness belongs to monasteries, temples, or meditation halls. Those places certainly have a unique power. Yet I was reminded that sacred space is less about where we are than how we show up. It is rooted in intention. When we pause, present ourselves, and meet our experience with care, even an ordinary room or a park bench can become a place of refuge. It brought to mind the familiar saying, Home is where the heart is. Perhaps home is not simply a location but a quality of presence that we carry with us. Being away from the United States also gave me perspective on the place I call home. It reminded me of all that I cherish about the Bay Area, while also bringing into sharper focus the divisions, fear, and suffering unfolding around us. It would be easy to respond by becoming overwhelmed or reactive. Yet the Buddha reminds us that our first practice is to cultivate refuge within. Each time we meet our lives with awareness instead of reactivity, we strengthen a sanctuary that cannot be taken away. From that inner refuge, we become more capable of responding with wisdom, compassion, and steadiness. Perhaps this is one of the greatest gifts we can offer the world: not only creating sacred spaces around us, but becoming people who carry sacred space wherever we go. Wishing you all well, Kate Munding, Guiding Teacher, Assaya Sangha Check this message and upcoming events in: August Newsletter in Browser
Hello Sangha, Instead of my own words this month, I thought I'd leave you with the words of the poet, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. Her poem, Self-Compassion, is a welcome reminder of just how precious our tender presence is to our own heart. Enjoy! With love, Kate Munding Guiding Teacher, Assaya Sangha Self-Compassion by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer It’s like the scent of rain after a month of drought, the way it rises up and fills the lungs, quiets the body and gentles the mind – that’s what it’s like when, after grasping and spinning and reaching and clenching at last, exhausted with my own fear, I lay my hand on my own heart. and see through my thoughts, and practice loving what is beneath my palm: This frightened woman and the life that lives through her. Not a single promise I will be safe, but, when I press my open hand into the beat of my anxious heart what was dry becomes loamy, what was cracked becomes rich, and a faint sweetness tendrils through me, like incense. soothing as a lullaby that opens in the dark. Check this message and upcoming events in: July Newsletter in browser
Dear Sangha Sisters, Recently, I heard one of my teachers pose the question, "Do you live your life as a training to be a good ancestor?" It was such a provocative question that I felt myself lean forward a little and my eyes widen in wonder: "What does that mean!" I know how to honor my own relatives and spiritual ancestors as part of my practice, but have I ever thought of myself as an ancestor before? In many indigenous cultures across the world, there is an understanding of the importance of making community decisions that take into account the impact on future generations and the future of other living beings on the planet, as if they were already in existence. It seems like such a powerful practice of selflessness and interconnectedness, one that is rare in the dominant cultures and societies of modern-day. I'm sure we've all at times considered the impact of our lives on future generations, especially when it becomes personal as we watch younger generations enter this world. But considering this perspective as part of our spiritual life takes on a new dimension. What are we leaving behind? What are we cultivating in our lives now for the generations that we'll never meet? Could the ripples of merit from our meditation practice be potent enough to inspire and perhaps directly impact those who are not even born yet? Are you being a wise and compassionate ancestor through your actions and speech? I find the very idea of this inspiring, as it connects all of us at Assaya to an immense community of humankind that we can't even imagine! So then my question to us as a Sangha is: what do we, as a community, want to provide to future generations of women practitioners? This question is already forming into action. Among the wonderful happenings we're offering this Summer season at Assaya Sangha is the great initiative to find a permanent home for our community. We have been operating as a pop-up community, subleasing from various venues throughout the East Bay, toting our portable sound system and Zoom setup. We are now ready to take the next step and lease our own space to further ground and nurture our community. When I think about what we are building with Assaya for future generations, I imagine Assaya as the first women's Dharma center, serving the spiritual lives of a diverse, multigenerational community of women in the Bay Area and beyond. Providing a physical space of safety, community, and Dharma in this world is a gift that's hard to top. This is something concrete we can offer future generations. Thanks to special fundraising and the generosity of a handful of our members, the Assaya Board is quickly raising the funds we need to make this idea a reality. But we have a little more to go. There are so many ways for you to be part of this, and we'll be sharing different types of support that will include everyone as the months progress. To start, check out the Home of Our Own campaign, a direct donation program to help us sign our lease. This fundraising campaign will not be for everyone, and that's okay. We can all start imagining what our spiritual home will look like and what it will provide. With our collective vision and support, I have no doubt that we'll create something incredible for generations to come. With love, Kate Munding Guiding Teacher, Assaya Sangha Check this message and upcoming events in: June Newsletter in browser
Hello, Dear Sangha Sisters, Ajahn Chah, one of the great dharma masters in our lineage, once said, “Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run towards it.” I found this quote earlier this month while searching for inspiration for a Dharma talk I was writing. I struggled to find the right words and began to feel lost and frustrated with the process. This quote popped up on my search engine and snapped me back with its sobering reminder: the very places we most want to avoid are often the gateways to our freedom. I stopped trying so hard, went back to the practice, and found the wisdom I had been searching for by sitting with the frustration and mental discomfort. It's not exactly an enlightenment story, but a small "oh yeah" moment that was potent enough to make it into this newsletter...and hopefully relatable. In a time when it can feel easier to distract, numb, or turn away, the Dharma invites us to gently turn toward our experience with curiosity and care. What if the restlessness, grief, or uncertainty we feel is not an obstacle—but part of the path itself? In our practice, we begin to see that peace is not something we must chase or create elsewhere. It is something we uncover, right here in the midst of our lives, as we learn to meet each moment with awareness and compassion. Together, in community, we support one another in this brave turning toward—discovering that even in difficulty, there is the possibility of ease, clarity, and freedom. May this reflection encourage you to trust your own capacity to meet whatever arises, and to remember that the path is already beneath your feet. Wishing you well, Kate Munding Assaya Sangha Guiding Teacher Check this message and upcoming events in: https://mailchi.mp/assayasangha.org/january-2026-newsletter-17451847?e=ab8754a2bc
As the world seems more and more chaotic, stress and anxiety can cause us to feel like we have no center, like there’s no ground to stand on. Our human nature wants certainty, while so much of what’s going on in the world is making things seem precarious (more than usual). This is a time when patience can help us find our center. The Buddha taught that we should not leave our well-being to chance, and that happiness is not dependent on the outer world being certain, being lined up a certain way, our ducks in a row, or that we should get it all worked out. There’s a strength through our practice that helps us know that we can handle anything that comes our way, no matter what happens with the outer causes and conditions. We can strengthen our center through our practice of patience. Every circumstance in our life is our teacher, an opportunity to strengthen the center and increase our resiliency. Patience is the greatest of all parami for supporting our resiliency. It is an antidote to the causes of suffering, anger, aversion and grasping, that obscure our mind’s natural radiance. We can look for opportunities to strengthen patience through the following: 1) Exploring impermanence through mindfulness. 2) Accepting that suffering teaches us something. We can frame it by asking the question “what can I learn about myself through this?” 3) Practicing gratitude. 4) Practicing metta/lovingkindness for yourself and others. 5) Taking responsibility for your present moment experience and avoiding or transforming reactions that perpetuate the cycle of suffering. For example, I am at a conference this weekend where there is no vegetarian food, and I am a vegetarian. At first, I was angry and thoughts creating suffering arose such as “I don’t belong” or “they don’t care”. I felt very separate from others with this experience. I began sending metta (lovingkindness) to all, especially those choosing not to offer this option and for those organizing the conference who chose this facility. I noticed the change in aversion as I practiced this. I explored anger as an embodied experience. I noticed others who were trying to find me protein options and offering me food. I noticed my own patterns of separation and changed them with this practice. Through Assaya Sangha and through the Buddha’s teachings, I feel the support that helps give me the strength to practice like this, and as a result there are more and more moments of freedom. I look forward to practicing and cultivating more patience and resilience with you this month. Wishing you all well, Liesl Check this message and upcoming events in: https://mailchi.mp/assayasangha.org/january-2026-newsletter-17450820?e=ab8754a2bc
Hello dear sangha sisters, I'm writing this on the tail of our Townhall event. Thank you so much to those who join us. We've included the video recording below, along with a link to submit your questions and comments to the BoD regarding the presentation. Overall, we have so much to be celebrating and be grateful for as a community. That celebration and thanks are not separate from the larger context of these times. There is so much happening locally and nationally that has been enormously destabilizing for so many. Before hitting the record button, we took a moment to honor those who have just this month lost their lives to the continued violence of ICE - those in the detention centers and those on the streets in protest. We took time to acknowledge the significant harm being done and the families and individuals directly affected by it. It is through this wider lens that we can truly understand the value of spiritual community and support. We can celebrate Assaya's accomplishments, knowing that what we offer in this world is needed to bring more balance, wisdom, and peace. I am deeply thankful to be in community and on this path with you all at this time. with love, Kate Munding Guiding Teacher, Assaya Sangha Check this message and upcoming events in: https://mailchi.mp/assayasangha.org/january-2026-newsletter-17449121?e=ab8754a2bc
Happy New Year, Sangha Sisters! As I take stock of the rollercoaster year we've just completed and move through the mixed emotions that such reflection brings, my heart eventually lands in a place of great gratitude for this practice and for the strength of this community. Before you jump forward too quickly, please consider this an invitation to take a sacred pause to reflect on all that you've cultivated in your practice in 2025 and to listen deeply for what you'd like to tend to next. Looking back, I'm touched by the extraordinary resilience I've witnessed in this community. Time and again, you've returned to practice with courage and tenderness—even through loss, uncertainty, and fatigue. Your dedication to keeping community care alive has been truly inspiring. Sangha has been our refuge and strength—a beautiful embodiment of what becomes possible when we practice together, drawing courage and compassion from one another as we meet life exactly as it is. I look forward to beginning this year practicing together—grounded in the Dharma, warmed by community, and open with wonder to all that is coming into being. As you look through the upcoming offerings, you'll notice that we've changed some of our offerings, though much will remain the same. We will no longer be holding the Monday Night sit, but we will be adding more series and daylong retreats, some of which will be in the evenings. We are bringing back the BIPOC sit with Ramona Lisa, and it will be held on Saturdays at a more accessible time. Our monthly volunteer meetings have changed, too. Instead of monthly meetings focused on Assaya's business, we'll have occasional hybrid (in-person and online) events focused on building community, with some Assaya business sprinkled in. We look forward to practicing and connecting with you soon! With warm wishes, Kate Munding Guiding Teacher, Assaya Sangha Check this message and upcoming events in: https://mailchi.mp/assayasangha.org/january-2026-newsletter?e=ab8754a2bc
Dear Sangha, As we enter this season of reflection and gratitude, I wanted to share a brief update about our Fall Appeal. Thanks to the generosity expressed at our recent fundraiser, we are already close to halfway toward our $18,000 goal for 2026. I recorded a short message to share my gratitude and to invite you into this effort as we move toward the new year. I hope you’ll take a moment to watch. To play the video, click here: https://vimeo.com/1142137720/af278a7e30?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci To support Assaya Sangha: https://assayasangha.app.neoncrm.com/forms/fall-appeal-2025 Thank you for your practice, your presence, and your generosity. This sangha is truly shaped by each one of you, and I am grateful we walk this path together. These funds directly support our community: Re-fund the Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIB) Fund. Increase the number of in-person and Zoom full- and half-day retreats. Continue our Dharma Series, with some offered in person. Community outreach and marketing to help people who are seeking refuge and connection find their way to Assaya Sangha. Ways to Give Credit Card: https://assayasangha.app.neoncrm.com/forms/fall-appeal-2025 Check: If you prefer to send us a Check, please make your check out to Assaya Sangha and mail it to: 17 El Rincon, Orinda, California 94563 Donor-Advised Fund: If you would like to donate from your Donor-Advised Fund (DAF), please email Katemunding@assayasangha.org for instructions and support. Again, thank you for your support. We hope to see you at the Winter Solstice event on the 21st. Wishing you all well, Kate Munding Guiding Teacher, Assaya Sangha Check this message and upcoming events in: https://mailchi.mp/assayasangha.org/november-2025-newsletter-17447678?e=ab8754a2bc
The Support of the Sangha
