IN PERSON DAYLONG: Healing Wounds of Christianity

IN PERSON DAYLONG: Healing Wounds of Christianity

Sunday April 20th 2025

10AM to 3PM PT ()

With Melvin Escobar and Dawn Haney

Open to all

The center is fragrance-free and wheelchair accessible

N95/KN95 masks required

As mindfulness practitioners learning in the United States, the cultural dominance of Christianity shapes our practice in unacknowledged ways. How have we attempted to escape the traumatic and historical wounds of Christianity with our mindfulness practice, only to find the same puritan values infused here too?

Melvin & Dawn will bring together mindfulness practices and expressive art activities to directly explore Christian dominance (including its whiteness/patriarchy) and how we might collectively heal ourselves and our practices.

Note: There will be a lunch break from 12:30-1:30pm. EBMC has a kitchen with a microwave, toaster oven, and refrigerator you may use. There are also a few places in the neighborhood to purchase food and drink.

Cost

The teachings are regarded as priceless. So they are offered without a fee. You are invited to support the teachings and our efforts by contributing voluntary donations (the practice of “Dana”) for the expenses of the meditation center and the support of the teachers.

The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an "add-on" to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.

Other ways to give:

To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may do so via Paypal: paypal.me/eastbaymeditation or our website: eastbaymeditation.org/dana 100% of our programming is sliding scale and no one will ever be turned away for lack of funds.

Please also consider giving a financial gift to our teachers as well, who do not receive a salary for their work, and give their teachings freely to all.

For Dawn:

Paypal: [email protected]

Venmo: dawnmarissa

For Melvin:

 Paypal: [email protected]

Venmo @Melvin-Escobar

Thank you for the gifts of your generosity and for supporting the work of East Bay Meditation Center and our beloved teachers who have volunteered their time.

For in-person participation:

For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The teacher may be unmasked while teaching.

To attend in person, you need to be completely free of fragranced body and clothing products -- more information and a list of fragrance free products, including those that are especially good for people of color, appears on our website:

https://eastbaymeditation.org/resources/fragrance-free-at-ebmc/

East Bay Meditation Center is a scent free / fragrance free space and is wheelchair accessible.

(he/him) is a Core Teacher at the East Bay Meditation Center, licensed psychotherapist, and yoga instructor. He has walked the path of service for much of his life, drawing on his experiences as a queer man of color from an immigrant working-class background. Melvin is driven by the desire to make wisdom teachings accessible in culturally relevant ways and continues daily to learn the revolutionary potential of body-centered contemplative practices for personal and social healing.

Dawn Haney (they/she) has been organizing, coaching, teaching, and writing for 25 years, on feminism, white anti-racism, Buddhism, leadership, and liberation. They weave wisdom from Buddhism and social justice traditions, understanding identity, power, and change through their own experiences as a white, fat, queer, nonbinary femme, and through social movements from migrant justice to fat liberation. A dharma student since 2003, she is a graduate of Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leaders program, a Community Teacher at East Bay Meditation Center and the Alphabet Sangha, and has taught across the US, including as a former Co-Director of Buddhist Peace Fellowship.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th St, Oakland, United States