Brief Overview

Every month on a Saturday, we’ll take a deep-dive as a local community, alternating months between a daylong meditation retreat and a “Sangha Service Day.”  Below is the upcoming Service Day schedule:

 

Logistical Info for Next Service Day

Time: 9:30-1pm+
Location: Samadhi Grove Sanctuary in Oregon City
Registration: email me via David AT Pathofsincerity DOT com

 

The Vision

My dear dharma friends, Asher and Amanda, are building the “Samadhi Grove Sanctuary,” a community-funded meditation hut, privately nestled into the forest on their 1.5-acre property.

The vision is for the hut to be used for solitary meditation retreats by people in the community (and that includes you!). The hut will be approximately 100 square feet, have a wood stove, and feature natural building techniques and materials.

 

The Tasks

For the service day, we’ll focus on the earthen floor, learning natural building techniques, and likely doing trail maintenance, and any other tasks needed to help finish up the project.  Be prepared to be outdoors and get a little dirty!

 

Timeline / Itinerary

Note that the official service day runs from 9:30 to 5pm, with lunch provided around 1pm.  I thought it would be fun for us to join as a sangha for at least 9:30 to 1pm, and then you’re welcome to stick around or depart.  Alternatively, if you can only come to the afternoon, you’re welcome to skip the AM and come for that part.

 

Sangha Service Days Mission Statement

On the Sangha Service Days, we’ll do a community service project with a local non-profit organization / wholesome cause.  There are two main purposes to the Sangha Service Days:

  1. To put into action the Buddha’s teaching on “sīla,” aka virtuous action, and give back to the community with a spirit of generosity and loving-kindness.
  2. To have an opportunity to gather together more informally, develop natural connections, and touch into how when the Buddha was asked if Spiritual Friendship was half of the path, he replied that it was actually the entire path.

*As a note, in Buddhism, “sangha” is considered one of the three jewels or pillars of the entire tradition — it loosely translates as “spiritual community.”

 

Past Service Day Schedule

  • June 14, 2025 — Lift Up in NW Portland
  • April 19, 2025 — Earth Day Planting with Depave in North Portland
  • February 8, 2025 — Forest Park Maintenance in NW Portland
  • December 14, 2024 — Friends of Trees in Beaverton
  • October 5, 2024 — Hoyt Arboretum in SW Portland
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  • August 17, 2024 — Samadhi Grove Sanctuary, a community-funded meditation cabin for personal retreats
  • June 8, 2024 — Kindness Farm, a non-profit farm that donates 100% of its produce to people in need.
  • December 9, 2023 — Friends of Trees, a non-profit planting trees all around Portland metro
  • October 7, 2023 – Tideman Johnson Park Habitat Enhancement with Portland Parks & Rec
  • August 12, 2023 – The Lotus Herd, a Horse Therapy non-profit