Weekly BIPOC Meditation Sangha
A Weekly Gathering for People of Color We extend a warm invitation to Black/Indigenous/People of Color to join for an hour of meditation, teaching and sharing with Kaira Jewel Lingo and Marisela Gomez, who alternate teaching every Thursday from 12-1pm ET.
Recently we celebrated two years of connection in this sangha. Read more here.
Living within Interbeing Practical Nonviolence and Engaged Buddhism
A Barre Center for Buddhist Studies Path Program: Living within Interbeing Practical Nonviolence and Engaged Buddhism with Kaira Jewel Lingo and Erin Selover
In this course, we intend to explore how Engaged Buddhism and the Nonviolent Global Liberation framework can be expressed in daily life, individually and collectively, to help us respond and live meaningfully as peacemakers in a world where violence and war are increasing.
Our study and practice will include the Engaged Buddhism of Thich Nhat Hanh and other sacred activists and peacemakers, and our exploration of nonviolence will draw from the Nonviolent Global Liberation framework. Our intention is to weave these two paths in service of creating a culture of peace and compassion, in which the liberation of all beings is paramount.
Program Dates: November 14, 2025 - May 24, 2026
Application Deadline: July 1, 2025 (5:00 PM EST)
More info here and to apply here.
Online monthly meetings with in person retreats in November 2025 and May 2026
The Power of Equanimity in Engaged Spirituality
The Power of Equanimity in Grounding Engaged Spirituality Please join us for practice, dharma talk, and Q&A with Monday Friends and Kaira Jewel Lingo.
How can we stay clear, peaceful and positive in a world full of suffering? Once we are peaceful within ourselves, how can we share that peace with others in practical, useful ways in the world?
About Monday Friends. Every Monday evening, everyone is invited to begin their week with a relaxed and mindful hour dedicated to:
•Remembering gratitude for this one precious life;
•Gathering in spiritual friendship;
• Practicing the Buddha’s path of liberation from mental habits that create stress, disease, relationship problems, societal breakdown, and block a free-flowing, creative and happy life.
More info and to register here.
Online
Buddhist-Christian Community of Meditation and Action
I co-teach this monthly group with my partner, Father Adam Bucko, a Christian contemplative and an Episcopal priest. We will meet on the last or next-to-last Tuesday of the month from 7:30 - 9 pm ET to deepen our study and application of the rich and diverse Buddhist and Christian contemplative practices and how these can support engaged spirituality, or what Andrew Harvey terms sacred activism, “a transforming force of compassion-in-action that is born of a fusion of deep spiritual knowledge, courage, love, and passion, with wise radical action in the world.”
Register here. These sessions are open to the public and offered by donation. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
We will record the teachings and meditations for registered participants.
Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors, Joy, and Liberation
Sponsored by New York Insight, Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors, Joy, and Liberation
with Kaira Jewel Lingo and Marisela Gomez
In this two-hour evening event Marisela and Kaira Jewel will talk about their experiences as Black women and Buddhists, and share wisdom from their new book, Healing Our Way Home: Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors, Joy, and Liberation.
Join these dharma teachers and spiritual friends to learn about how the dharma’s teachings can support the work toward social, racial, and environmental justice.
Together, we’ll learn embodied mindfulness practices and other techniques to help us lean into our individual and collective liberation, as well as our sense of belonging and joy.
More info and to register here.
Online
Webinar with Richard Brady and Kaira Jewel
Sponsored by Parallax Press, Webinar with Richard Brady and Kaira Jewel
Join mindfulness teachers Richard Brady, author of Short Journey Home, and Kaira Jewel Lingo, author of We Were Made for These Times, for a heartfelt conversation on the transformative power of mindfulness for our fractured world and our everyday life. Explore stories of resilience, connection, and the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh that inspire meaningful change and awakening in the present moment.
To register here.
Online
We Were Made for These Times: A Conversation for Black, Indigenous, Asian and People of Color (BIAPoC)
This retreat is reserved for those who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, Asian or People of Color (BIAPOC). Sponsored by The Zen Mountain Monastery
“We all go through times when it feels like the ground is being pulled out from under us. What we relied on as steady and solid may change or even appear to vanish. In this era of global disruption, threats to our individual, social, and planetary safety abound, and at times life can feel overwhelming. Not only are loss and separation painful, but even positive changes can cause great stress.”
Strength to Love: Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Embodying Insight in Action
Strength to Love: Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Embodying Insight in Action, held at the Insight Meditation Society Retreat Center with Nakawe Cuebas and Kaira Jewel Lingo. And Mindful Movement Instructor, Juan Sosa
The teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. guide us to see the urgency of these times and not drown in fear, hatred, or anxiety. Instead, Dr. King’s example calls on us to stand tall in his fierce compassion with the “Strength to Love” (the title of Dr. King’s 1963 book, written largely behind bars) and move forward to heal our lives, communities, and planet.
In person retreat
For more info and to register HERE.
The Power of Equanimity in Engaged Spirituality ~ London Insight
Sponsored by London Insight, please join us for The Power of Equanimity in Engaged Spirituality
EVENT DESCRIPTION
How can we stay clear, calm and strong in a world full of suffering and polarization? How can we use the natural mental qualities of clarity and calm to transform the world around us?
In this online evening workshop, Kaira Jewel Lingo will explore how equanimity is the key; especially when allied with the natural qualities of compassion and joy.
TEACHER SUPPORT AND EVENT PRICES
Events at London Insight are offered in a spirit of generosity. The price you pay goes towards the running of the event but does not include any payment to the teachers for their teaching. Instead our teachers rely on the generosity of participants for their livelihood. Click here for more information on the system of Dana.
More info and to register here.
Online
Return to Wholeness: Opening to Wisdom & Love
With DaRa Williams, Kaira Jewel Lingo, Shelly Graff, and Yong Oh at the Insight Meditation Society Retreat Center.
In person retreat.
Wednesday Evening Dharma
Sponsored by The Cambridge Insight Meditation Center, please join us for Wednesday Evening Dharma with Kaira Jewel
“On most Wednesday evenings throughout the year, a CIMC or visiting teacher offers a Dharma talk. Registration is not required; this is a drop-in program. We invite attendees to offer financial support for our visiting teachers through the practice of dana (generosity). All are welcome regardless of ability to pay.”
More info on Wednesday Evening Dharma here.
In Person
SAVE THE DATE More info to come.
EcoDharma
Sponsored by Insight Meditation Community of Western Massachusetts, please join us for an EcoDharma topic to be announced.
To be led by Kaira Jewel Lingo,
More info to come.
Online
SAVE THE DATE
Insight Meditation Retreat
Insight Meditation Retreat at Spirit Rock with Gil Fronsdal, DaRa Williams, Tuere Sala and Kaira Jewel Lingo
This is a silent retreat suitable to those new and experienced in the practices of Insight Meditation (vipassanā). The retreat includes systematic instructions on vipassanā meditation—both in stillness and movement—as well as lovingkindness practices, meetings with teachers, and evening talks highlighting the central teachings of the Buddha and their practical application in our lives. This retreat is silent except for teacher-led Q&A, small groups, or other practice meetings.
For more info and to register here
In person retreat
'Hearing the Cry of the Earth: Responding Compassionately to Change, Loss and Disruption'
'Hearing the Cry of the Earth: Responding Compassionately to Change, Loss and Disruption' Sponsored by Mindfulness and Compassion Grand Rounds at Harvard Medical School with Kaira Jewel Lingo
Grand Rounds has 3 main aims:
Disseminate information about new cutting edge science and impactful clinical research findings
Highlight best practices for enhancing the efficacy, accessibility, and safety of mindfulness and compassion delivery and applications for population mental health
Provide opportunities for healthcare provider self-care and burnout prevention
SAVE THE DATE
Mindfulness & Anti-Racism Lectureship Series
Sponsored by Washington University Arts & Science, please join us for Mindfulness & Anti-Racism Lectureship Series with Kaira Jewel.
More info here.
Online
Living Ecodharma: Finding Fulfillment in Healing and Loving the Earth
Sponsored by The Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, please join me for Living Ecodharma: Finding Fulfillment in Healing and Loving the Earth by application only.
This program will be a sacred gathering of wisdom keepers, teachers, and community leaders with a deep, embodied love for and active spiritual practice of caring for our planet. In this time of polycrisis, where overwhelm is everywhere around us and inside of us, we will give ourselves space and time to feel, return to our bodies, grieve, and also let in the joy and refreshment of the Earth and our true nature.
Over a five-day and four-night program, May 9-13, at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in Barre, MA, thirty invited contemplatives will gather to explore and embody our love for our planet, practice in community, find rest, and offer our shared wisdom to one another. We will center practices that bring joy, pleasure and fulfillment in our care for our world.
For more info here
In person retreat
Ecodharma Retreat for People of Color
Ecodharma Retreat for People of Color at the Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center in Boulder County, Colorado
“This retreat for people of color Title to be Announce will be hosted by Kritee Kanko and Imtiaz Rangwala (the two co-founders of Boundless in Motion sangha who are also Zen Buddhist teachers and climate scientists) in deep collaboration with our dear friend and mindfulness teacher Kaira Jewel.”
In person retreat.
SAVE THE DATE
Healing Our Way Home: Touching Ancestors, Joy and Liberation
Healing Our Way Home: Touching Ancestors, Joy and Liberation with Valerie Brown, Marisela Gomez MD, and Kaira Jewel Lingo
Our focus will be the book Healing Our Way Home and the importance of ancestors, joy, and liberation. Join us for an exploration of how we can see ourselves in each other’s path of joy and liberation, and take refuge in our individual and collective healing. There will be daily dharma teachings, daily mindful walking/moving, sitting/stationary meditation, mindful eating, singing, dharma writing, and dharma sharing. Reading of the book before the retreat is highly recommended.
In person, held at Garrison Institute, Info and registration here.
Wednesday Evening Dharma
Sponsored by Cambridge Insight Meditation Center: Wednesday Evening Dharma with Kaira Jewel Lingo. Title to be announced.
In Person and Online
More info here.
Contemplative Summit
Please join me for The Contemplative Summit
I’ll be speaking alongside amazing teachers like James Finley, Omid Safi, and Christine Valters Paintner, each of us exploring what it means to deepen our interior lives through the wisdom of mystics, contemplative practices, and psychological insight.
This gathering is an opportunity to step into the sacred spaces of contemplation, to rest in the Mystery, and to discover what it means to live fully present.
Healing Our Way Home
Half Day Retreat online at Spirit Rock with Kaira Jewel Lingo
Our focus will be the book, Healing Our Way Home, and how we can practice to connect with our ancestors, deepen joy, and touch liberation.
A Day of Nature Practice
A Day of Nature Practice with Kaira Jewel Lingo and Thimo Wittich
At Our Lady of the Resurrection Monastery in Lagrangeville, NY
During this day of practice we will reconnect with the natural world and engage in contemplation in the heart of the living world in the full splendor of autumn.
Sliding scale $50-$150. Please contact Thimo at the email below if you wish to attend and cannot afford the lowest end of the sliding scale. No one will be turned away.
Fill out this form to register and pay HERE: https://forms.gle/QAQVepzCBYcF8khu5
On the land and in Person only
Practicing Mindfulness in Divisive Times
Sponsored by Deer Park Monastery, please join us for Engaged Buddhism Speaker Series: Interview with Kaira Jewel Lingo, Practicing Mindfulness in Divisive Times
As we approach election season, it is important to practice mindfulness. Join us for this free online gathering and interview with Kaira Jewel Lingo who will share with us ways to stay grounded in these volatile times.
More info and to register here.
Online
In Remembrance, We Heal Our Way Home
Join us on October 9th for a day of remembrance, one year into the genocide in Palestine, as we collectively hold a vision of a world where all beings are free, and as we strategize ways to deepen our spiritual and political commitments in the world as it is today.
For more info here and to register here.
Online
Virtual Forum on retreat Healing Our Way Home: Touching Ancestors, Joy and Liberation
We are also offering a virtual forum on the retreat to answer any questions and share more about what the retreat Healing Our Way Home: Touching Ancestors, Joy and Liberation with Valerie Brown, Marisela Gomez MD, and Kaira Jewel Lingo will be like. Registration is here.
Our focus will be the book Healing Our Way Home and the importance of ancestors, joy, and liberation. Join us for an exploration of how we can see ourselves in each other’s path of joy and liberation, and take refuge in our individual and collective healing. There will be daily dharma teachings, daily mindful walking/moving, sitting/stationary meditation, mindful eating, singing, dharma writing, and dharma sharing.
In person, held at Garrison Institute, Info and registration here.
Virtual info and registration here.
Healing Our Way Home Book Talk
Healing our Way Home Book Talk Join me for a book talk and discussion with Valerie Brown and Marisela Gomez at the Baltimore and Beyond: Mindfulness Community
For more info here and to register RSVP required.
Online
BuddhaFest: Films, Talks & Music Celebrating Women in Buddhism
Hosted by Hosted by Lion's Roar, please join us for BuddhaFest: Films, Talks & Music Celebrating Women in Buddhism
Belonging to Each Other: Falling in Love with Mother Earth Together
“Belonging to Each Other: Falling in Love with Mother Earth Together” an Ecodharma Retreat for People of Color at the Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center in Boulder County, Colorado
This retreat for people of color will be hosted by Kritee Kanko and Imtiaz Rangwala (the two co-founders of Boundless in Motion sangha who are also Zen Buddhist teachers and climate scientists) in deep collaboration with Kaira Jewel Lingo.
For more info here
In person retreat
Engaging Gaza and Beyond, A Dharma Call for Action
SMS Awakening Activism: Engaging Gaza and Beyond, A Dharma Call for Action
With Bhikkhu Bodhi, Kaira Jewel Lingo, Lubna Masrawa, Aviv Tatarsky, Kritee Kanko, Sara Shapouri, and hosted by Thanissara, co-founder of Sacred Mountain Sangha.
This event is presented by Sacred Mountain Sangha and Sacred Justice Coalition.
For more info here
Mindfulness Meditation and Book Talk
The Rubin Museum: Mindfulness Meditation and Book Talk with Kaira Jewel Lingo.
In Person (After leading the talk and meditation, Kaira Jewel will offer a talk on both her books which will also be available for sale.)
More info here.
BIPOC Voices: Weekly Sunday Sangha
BIPOC Voices: Weekly Sunday Sangha with Kaira Jewel Lingo
The Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Sangha is a weekly gathering of self-identified BIPOC practitioners that provides a safe place to meditate and explore the dharma. As a beloved community, this sangha supports exploration of the dharma in light of our experiences. Together we will cultivate an environment that welcomes diverse voices and builds community.
Sliding scale $0-$108 ($15-$30 suggested)
Coming Home to Ourselves: Finding Balance During Turbulent Times
The Elevate Prize Foundation Coming Home to Ourselves: Finding Balance During Turbulent Times: Learn how mindfulness can support you to come home and take good care of yourself especially in difficult times. There will be a presentation, experiential exercises, and time for questions with Kaira Jewel Lingo. More info here. In Person
Being in the Now: Healing and Transforming Ourselves and our World
Being in the Now: Healing and Transforming Ourselves and our World A Retreat for BIPOC
Hosted by Garrison Institute: Annal Retreat for People of Color with Kaira Jewel Lingo, Dr. Marisela Gomez and Joe Reilly.
In a time of increasing disruption and loss of cohesion, it is more important than ever before to have a place of refuge that is stable, especially for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities. This is possible. There is a home inside of us that no one can take away, that cannot be destroyed. It is our true home. And it is a collective home we can cultivate in our communities. Learning and practicing to be in the now helps us to return to and dwell in this true home inside of each of us. Every moment offers us the possibility of coming home to the now, where healing and transformation can happen. This inner transformation provides the bridge to collective transformation and liberation from oppression and injustice.
More info and to register here.
In person retreat
Navigating the Global Dark Night of the Soul
Keynote talk for the Spiritual Directors' International Online Annual Conference: Navigating the Global Dark Night of the Soul from May 8-10.
"If we can figure out how to be embodied and know what our bodies are telling us we can find out way back to each other."
"Part of why we don't protect what we have is because we're not really alive to it–we don't really see the beauty of our world.
"You can only really have equanimity if you really care." - KAIRA JEWEL LINGO
(Cole Arther Riley and Pádraig Ó Tuama are also giving keynotes).
More info here. Online
Our Wise Friends: An Animal Blessing
Sponsored by The Lotus Institute, please join us for Our Wise Friends: An Animal Blessing a dharma festival where we celebrate the gifts, insights and guidance we receive from the animals we meet.
To be led by Adam and myself with Larry and Peggy Ward, we'll share wisdom from our animal friends, while exploring our reciprocity and interconnectedness with the natural world as a whole. The event will include music, meditation, dharma teachings and a special ceremony to receive and extend the blessing between all beings.
More info and to register here.
Online by donation.
photo includes Rafiki.
How to Touch the Earth: A Mindfulness Practice
How to Touch the Earth: A Mindfulness Practice hosted by Tricycle’s Buddhism & Ecology Summit: Earth Day, a series of conversations with Buddhist teachers, writers, and environmental activists. Speakers at Tricycle’s Third Annual Buddhism and Ecology Summit include Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche on the earth-touching mudra, Kaira Jewel Lingo (my session is at 2pm) on a mindfulness practice from Plum Village’s Earth Holder Community, Jack Kornfield on how to sit like a tree, and many others.
For more info and to register here. Online
Book Panel with the Authors of Healing Our Way Home
Book Panel with the Authors of Healing Our Way Home with Valerie Brown, Marisela Gomez MD and Kaira Jewel Lingo. Insight Santa Cruz.
The authors will share their process of creating this conversational book, read excerpts from the book, followed by time for questions and discussion with the community.
This event will be moderated by Tenzin Chogkyi.
For more info here.
Online
Embodied Change-Making and Sacred Justice On Behalf of Life
Embodied Change-Making and Sacred Justice On Behalf of Life A BCBS Path Program with Kaira Jewel Lingo, Deborah Eden Tull, and Konda Mason
Embodied change-making speaks to the very root of what nourishes paradigm shift and collective transformation. Sacred activism comes from vision rather than the mind of separation and is sourced from connection rather than fragmentation and othering. Inspired by an expansive understanding of socially engaged Buddhism, we are inviting a redefinition and exploration of the word "activism," one that doesn’t assume that action is superior to rest, recognizing that the quality of our action is as important as what we do. Being and relational presence are valuable contributions to change-making.
For more info here and to register here. Online with optional in person retreat
The Women of Wisdom Summit
The Women of Wisdom Summit Hosted by Lion’s Roar with Kaira Jewel Lingo and 18 other remarkable women.
Discover the transformative power of wisdom, resilience, and community at The Women of Wisdom Summit, a groundbreaking online event celebrating the strength and wisdom of women past and present. Over 5 days, immerse yourself in insightful talks, powerful guided practices, and live sessions led by empowered women leaders and visionaries.
Discover new practices for deep healing, awaken the enlightened feminine within, integrate mindful practices into daily life, and foster kind and strong communities.
All are welcome to participate in this free online event! More info here
SPIRITUAL RADICALS: Learning Engaged Spirituality from Christian Saints and Buddhist Bodhisattvas
SPIRITUAL RADICALS: Learning Engaged Spirituality from Christian Saints and Buddhist Bodhisattvas led by Adam Bucko and Kaira Jewel Lingo. Hosted by the Garrison Institute
In a world grappling with multiple crises and an uncertain future, it can feel overwhelming to navigate such challenges with an open heart. However, it is precisely during such times that we must tap into our inner spaciousness and discover our purpose for these times. This daylong will invite participants into a felt sense of contemplative practice that leads to action and allows us to engage with the world wholeheartedly. We will draw inspiration from contemporary Buddhist and Christian saints and bodhisattvas such as Thich Nhat Hanh, bell hooks, Desmond Tutu, Dorothy Day, Howard Thurman, Bear Heart, Mahagosananda, and others. Their wisdom offers valuable insights into cultivating fearlessness and compassion.
For more info and to register here. In Person
Special weekend only option to register here.
Buddhist Eco-Chaplaincy Program
Buddhist Eco-Chaplaincy Program offers basic Buddhist training in the wisdom and skill needed to be a Buddhist Environmental Chaplain, i.e., those who work to support people in developing healthy, compassionate, and mutually supportive relationships with each other and with the natural world. It will offer experience-based activities and contemplative practices that deepen individuals’ own relationships with the natural world, as well as provide them with skills to be spiritual caregivers, helping others (re)connect with nature and face contemporary socio-environmental crises with wisdom and compassion. Program runs from August 2024 through to May 2025.
We are committed to forming a cohort that is truly representative of the full diversity of our society and aspire to have 30-40% of the participants be BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). BIPOC applicants are strongly encouraged to apply and scholarships are available for those in need.
For more info and to apply here.
*photo by Dorothy Imagire
In the Shelter of the Now: How We Can Rest, Simplify and Let Go
In the Shelter of the Now: How We Can Rest, Simplify and Let Go Sponsored by New York Insight with Kaira Jewel Lingo
In this day of practice, we explore how to deepen inner contentment through rest, creating space and simplifying our life. When we empty ourselves out we fill ourselves up with what truly matters and can nourish us. We will explore the profound wisdom of rest, and the many things we can mistake for authentic rest. When we allow ourselves to find balance and restore, we are empowered to move into the world and bring about greater justice and peace.
The day will include various forms of meditation, dharma teaching, group discussion and InterPlay, an embodied, play practice that helps unlock the wisdom of the body through movement, voice, storytelling, stillness and connection.
For more info and to register here.
In person retreat. New York Zendo – 223 East 67th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues
Healing Our Way Home: Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors, Joy, and Liberation Book Club
Healing Our Way Home: Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors, Joy, and Liberation with Kaira Jewel Lingo, Valerie Brown, and Marisela Gomez. Insight Meditation Society Book Club
Join three friends, three Black women, all teachers in the Plum Village tradition founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, in intimate conversation, touching on the pain and beauty of their families of origin, relationships and loneliness, intimacy and sexuality, politics, popular culture, race, self-care and healing. No subject is out of bounds in this free-flowing, wide-ranging offering of mindful wisdom to nourish our sense of belonging and connection with ancestors.
BIPOC One-Day In-Person Sit
BIPOC One-Day In-Person Sit I’m leading a one-day in person sit featuring longer periods of sitting meditation and a dharma talk at the Brooklyn Zen Center. The sit is open to all BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) practitioners. This is the perfect opportunity for newer practitioners to try longer sitting and to build BIPOC sangha (community), as well as for long-term practitioners to recommit to their practice.
Boundless Mind Temple is located in the Parish House of Christ Church Cobble Hill, next to 326 Clinton Street.
For more info and to register here.
Stories of Healing
Stories of Healing hosted by Insight Santa Cruz will be joining Kaira Jewel Lingo via Zoom for a short sit, Dharma Talk, and Q&A, in celebration of a new book she has co-authored, Healing Our Way Home.
This event will be Zoomcast at the center after the regular ISC Sunday sit. All are welcome to participate from the center or join online.
Attend either online or in person at the Meditation Center. If you choose to attend in person, we request that you not use any fragrance.
Healing Our Way Home Launch Party!
Please join us to celebrate the launch of Healing Our Way Home: Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors, Joy, and Liberation with the authors Valerie Brown, Marisela B. Gomez, MD, and Kaira Jewel Lingo!
After remarks from Dr. Larry Ward, the authors will read excerpts from the book and answer questions. The event will be be 1.5 hours and a recording will be made available after the event.
We hope to see you there! You can pre-order your book today and use code HOME20 to receive 20% off at: parallax.org/product/healing-our-way-home
To register for the book launch zoomcast here.