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Temporary Closure in Response to Covid-19 (updated 4/1/20)

The three resident sanghas at the Sacramento Dharma Center—Valley Streams Zen Sangha, Sacramento Insight Meditation, and Sacramento Buddhist Meditation Group–have suspended all live, in-person activities at the Center through the end of April or longer.

Accordingly, the Board of Directors of Sacramento Dharma Center announces that, effective immediately, the Center is closed for any in-person meetings until at least April 30, 2020. Because of the changing nature of the crisis the SDC Board (in collaboration with the resident sanghas) will review the closure status on an ongoing basis.

Please visit sangha and Center websites for the most up-to-date information as well as ways to continue to access the dharma and support practice.

Challenges

We in the Sacramento dharma community, as well as the larger community and world, are in the midst of almost unprecedented challenges. As dharma practitioners, we are facing these challenges within the framework of the dharma that informs both our personal and our collective responses.

The SDC Board asked the sustaining sanghas to decide, based upon their particular situations, how to best contain the spread of COVID-19 and protect the public while continuing to foster community and provide a sanctuary for those who seek to end suffering.

Our decisions focused on two areas:

—Activities at SDC, almost all of which are live, in-person meetings, and

—The ability to keep the Center as a safe space in terms of the potential spread of COVID-19.

Actions of the Sanghas to Suspend Live
In person Activities

Advice from the local, state, and national levels has evolved and changed rapidly over the past few days. The sanghas made their decisions in the midst of the uncertainties that still face us, and them. All three sanghas decided independently to suspend their sittings and dharma talks, one-day retreats, and other activities, including classes. These decisions were made in order to assure the most effective means of preventing the spread of the virus, social distancing.

Continuing to Provide Opportunities
for Dharma and Sangha

The sanghas will be providing a variety of means to support practice during the absence of activities at the Center. In addition to email communications, e-newsletters, and Facebook, sangha websites will have the latest information and instructions for alternative ways to access dharma talks, classes, and other sangha programs.

Sacramento Buddhist Meditation Group, sbmg.org; Sacramento Insight Meditation, sactoinsight.org, and Valley Streams Zen Sangha, valleystreamszen.org, will all provide some electronic access to many activities that will no longer meet in person. Access may be via Zoom, a video conferencing technology; via live-streamed talks; and/or via recorded talks or videoconferences.

In addition to the resources provided by our sanghas, there are a wide variety of online resources available, such as dharmaseed.org, and courses and livestreaming provided by meditation centers and teachers worldwide. Each sangha website, and the SDC website, will list a small fraction of those resources, with links.

Maintaining the Center as a Safe Space

According to experts in communicable disease, social distancing—avoiding contact with others—is the most effective means of preventing or slowing the transmission of disease. After that comes exercising extreme vigilance about disinfecting all surfaces that could harbor viruses.

There will be some necessary traffic at the Center for maintenance and administration even during the closure. When an individual must enter the building, that individual is asked to observe the instructions for disinfection of all surfaces touched, including but not limited to: door handles, light switches, faucets, counters, tools, utensils, alarm pads, and any other shared surfaces such as chairs, tables, benches, bells, window coverings in offices, restrooms and meeting rooms. The easiest way to avoid having to disinfect is to touch as little as possible.

Approved disinfectants will be found in a box on a table in the break room. Please use only these materials for this purpose. Discard used paper towels and take any rags or cloths home and launder in hot water with detergent. If there is any doubt about the efficacy of a method, or a concern, please contact us, info@sacdharma.org.

Your Support

Continued support of your sangha and the Dharma Center is greatly appreciated during these difficult times. Although the doors are closed, fixed monthly operating costs are still accruing.

Refuges

As we continue to face the challenges in front of us, may we all find refuge in our tradition, in the wisdom of the Buddha, the teachings and practices of the dharma, and the strength and support of sangha. May all beings be free from suffering.
Warm Regards from the Dharma Center Board of Directors

 

https://sacdharma.org/20269-2/

Coronavirus (Covid19) Update & Cancellations

The SDC Board has reviewed the current recommendations of the California Department of Health which now states that -“Smaller gatherings (under 250) held in venues that do not allow social distancing of six feet per person should be postponed or canceled. This includes gatherings in crowded auditoriums, rooms or other venues… Gatherings of individuals who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should be limited to no more than 10 people. Higher risk individuals are adults over 60, individuals with compromised immune systems, and individuals who have serious chronic medical conditions. This applies to all non-essential …community gatherings.”
After considerable discussion it was decided that, due to our concern for the well being of our Sangha and the larger community, we would comply with this recommendation. Sustaining Sangha meetings on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday evenings have been cancelled at least through the month of March. We will continue to monitor the health advisories and keep you posted.
For other small meetings please contact the individual Sanghas’ leadership. Some small groups will meet on site practicing social distancing, other groups may use video conferencing, some may be cancelled .

SBMG Website

SIM Website

Valley Streams Zen Sangha Website

The Dharma Center invites you to…

The Climate Sangha’s new class:

Buddhist Precepts and Climate Change

Classes will be held at the Sacramento Dharma Center from 1:00pm — 3:00pm,
Friday afternoons from May 17 — June 21, 2019

REGISTRATION INFORMATION: To register, email: dianegwilde@gmail.com
Registration fee is a sliding scale, $15 — $35.

Checks made out to the Sacramento Dharma Center will
be collected at the first meeting.

NO ONE WILL BE TURNED AWAY DUE TO LACK OF FUNDS.
FACILITATORS: Rev. Diane Wilde and Rev. Dr. Susan Taylor

For more information please open the link to the flyer

_ 5 precepts-climate flyer 2019

 

Change is good, even if a little messy sometimes! Beginning this April…

Imagine if the West End of Sacramento Dharma Center were magically transformed–going from former bank to an inviting place with new spaces for meetings, gatherings and a permanent library. Imagine if the bank teller counters were gone, replaced by a moveable wall that could open to create a sweeping space for large events or be closed for private meetings. Get ready, because that vision is now on track to become a reality.

We’d like to share with you the new design plan for remaking the West End. It’s a design that each one of us had a hand in creating, through the many collaborative and consultative phases of Envisioning. Deep bows go to our generous year-end contributors who have made it possible to bring it all to fruition. Through the nine-month Envisioning process, improving the usability of the West Side was identified as the first priority in transforming the Center.

Here are the overall features of the new design coming beginning in April:

~ A New Space ~ We’ll remove the bank teller counters, and along the length of the counters we’ll install a wall of soundproof panels that will move along a track in the ceiling, giving us the ability to configure the space however we want – open, closed, or somewhere in between. Each panel will roll independent of the others, and when the wall is fully open will hang out of the way on the side of the room.

~ The Library ~ We will have a permanent home for the library in the space behind the new moveable wall in the former teller area, with several full length bookcases.

~ A New Room ~ In addition, a new medium-sized room will be created by removing the wall between the two small offices on the northeast side and by moving the west wall out approximately four feet. This new wall will enable the installation of the bookcases on the library side. The door to the new room will be on the south wall, west of the existing interior window.

~ New Floors ~ The tiles and carpeting in the lobby and teller area will be replaced with bamboo flooring and the new medium-sized room will get new carpeting.

~ Cubicle Removal ~ The cubicles in the center of the West End will be taken out, and the eastern-most cubicle wall will remain in place, forming a space accessible from both north and south. The area behind the wall will be used for storage, lost & found, coats & shoes, and staging for events.

With this general design plan in place we are already moving to make this vision a reality. The next steps will involve fine tuning the design details (choosing colors, fabrics, specific products), seeking estimates, hiring contractors, and shepherding the construction work itself.

Our goal is to begin the remodeling of the West End in April at this stage we have no firm timetable to share. We will, however, keep the Sanghas informed well in advance of construction dates and any room closures or alterations to scheduled events.

The Dharma Center Board would like to thank everyone for all their contributions of ideas, effort, and dana in creating our future!