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How to Start and Maintain a New Meeting & Sangha
Frequently Asked Questions
Creating a HEALTHY RECOVERY DHARMA SANGHA
Concrete suggestions from the experiences of the community, on how to start and maintain healthy, vibrant sangha groups.
Meetings
- Start a new meetings with 2 people or more: So that responsibilities can be shared. Meeting service positions may include: A facilitator, and a meditation person.
- Share and train service positions regularly: To maintain a healthy rotation of service, make it a regular practice to train anyone interested in being of service.
- Come early and stay late: Grow existing connections, make time for questions.
- Business Meetings: Hold business meetings quarterly (or monthly as needed). Give others the gift of doing service.
- Connect with nearby RD sanghas: Build regional connections by attending the online meetings of sanghas that are relatively close.
Growth
- Encourage the formation of Inquiry Groups or meetings where members are given either the time to write and/or to share their responses or insights from inquiry questions.
- When we believe it will contribute to our understanding and wisdom:
- We visit and become members of local Buddhist communities
- We attend retreats for Buddhist practices
- We use our Buddist practices in combination with other tools we’ve found helpful for our recoveries such as exercise, creativity, and other areas of spirituality and personal investigation.
Friends and Mentors
- Encourage wise friendships and mentorships: They are equally valid paths with the same destination of healing.
- Create space before and after meetings: For members to connect with each other.
- Reach out: Reach out between meetings.
- Encourage members to do inquiry work.
- Encourage members to create a network of support. A network of support offers more stable recovery than relying on a single individual.
- Take advantage of technology: Use technology to help members stay in touch.
Inquiry & Investigation
- Engage in ongoing inquiry and investigation for our own practice
- Creating an inquiry circle – weekly meetings dedicated specifically to work on completing inquiries
- Create opportunities for members to connect:
- Time and space after meeting for members to connect casually and share contact information
- Create a platform for members to connect and practice between meetings: Email lists, Slack Workspace, Discord Space, Facebook Group, Whatsapp etc.
- Designate someone as a greeter to answer questions and help new members get connected with others