ELM COMMUNITY INSIGHT

AN ENGAGED MEDITATION COMMUNITY

We are a community based in New Haven, Connecticut that seeks to create an inclusive space for all to learn about and practice meditation

CLICK CALENDAR BELOW TO JOIN US ONLINE OR REGISTER FOR AN IN-PERSON EVENT

In-Person Special Event, SUNDAY, APRIL 21st 4 - 5:30 at Yale:

Secular Buddhism and the Timeless: A Conversation with Stephen Batchelor and Bhikkhu Santi

Events

About Elm Community Insight

Elm Community Insight was founded by Gina LaRoche and Lee Barbera in 2015 in Hamden, Connecticut, with the intention of creating a community in the Theravada tradition. In June 2019, the community voted to move to the New Haven Free Public Library, which graciously offered us space and has welcomed us. Elm Community Insight seeks to create an inclusive space for all to learn about and practice meditation, as a tool to start to “see things as they are”.

Founders & Facilitators

We are a community based in New Haven, Connecticut that seeks to create an inclusive space for all to learn about and practice meditation

Lee Barbara, Co-Founder

As a Vietnam veteran dealing with post traumatic stress disorder Lee was introduced to Vipassana meditation in the late 70s and found a strong connection to the practice through the Veterans Yoga and Mindfulness Project in the mid 90s. His off the cushion practice centers on living mindfully from generosity and compassion.Lee is one of the co-leaders of the Saturday morning Elm Community Insight Sangha. He leads daily morning practice open to the public for free. He also teaches and leads Vipassana meditation for cancer survivors at the West Haven VA facility and at the VA Errera Community Care Center. Although currently on hiatus due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, he also teaches and leads Vipassana meditation at the New Haven Residential Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program."My aim is to help all of us on the path to awakening, ease the life of those who are suffering from the lack of basic necessities, social injustice and disenfranchisement."

Joy Burns, Facilitator

Joy was introduced to Vipassana in the mid-1990s while working in AIDS research and witnessing the deaths of many patients and friends. Subsequently, she participated in retreats at the Omega Institute, the Insight Meditation Society, Spirit Rock, the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, as well as having participated in three retreats with Thich Nhat Hanh, the first People of Color retreat at Garrison Institute, and two non-residential retreats with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.Joy has worked for more than 30 years as a physician assistant. For the past 15 years, she has worked in hematology and oncology at The Smillow Cancer Hospital."The dharma invites each of us to fully experience the present moment and to recognize the interconnectedness of all beings. There are endless lists to memorize yet all any of us really need to know is the truth of suffering and the end of suffering."

Traci Hodes, Facilitator

Traci came to the Dharma through the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction doorway. Her first Mindfulness read was Jack Kornfield's book "The Wise Heart", and from there, her search for Sangha ensued. After living with life-long anxiety, meditation provided Traci a place to find refuge within her own heart, mind, and body.Traci is one of the co-leaders of Elm Community Insight, leading both daily morning meditations and Saturday Sangha. She facilitates mindfulness workshops within the Hamden community, with local school districts, and with Copper Beech Institute. Traci's mindfulness practice comes from a place of compassion, curiosity, and the finding of voice. She continues to study within the Insight tradition as well as non-dual lineages and Shamanism. Traci also has a private therapy practice in the Hamden community and brings all of these practices to her clients within the therapy setting."I welcome all parts of our human-ness into the Sangha. May all beings be free from suffering and the causes and conditions of suffering."

MEDITATION and TALKS

Bringing you HERE through the breath

"Meditation is impossible for a person who lacks wisdom and wisdom is impossible for a person who does not meditate."

Meditations

RESOURCES

All of these Sanghas or organizations provide sitting practice and are of the Insight tradition or the more secular Mindfulness tradition

In-person sits close to New Haven

New Haven Insight

Monday and Thursday at 8pm in New Haven. http://www.newhaveninsight.org/

Copper Beech Institute

Wednesdays at 7pm in West Hartford. At the top of the main driveway, park to the right of the building. Use Entrance 5 and take the elevator to level B. Follow the sign to the Public Chapel. https://www.copperbeechinstitute.org/

People of Color Sits

Cambridge Insight Meditation Center (monthly)

https://cambridgeinsight.org/what-we-offer/drop-in-programs/

Harlem Insight (weekly)

https://www.nyimc.org/event/harlem-insight/2023-08-09/

CIMC

Drop in groups: https://cambridgeinsight.org/what-we-offer/drop-in-programs/

BIPOC google group sign up: cimcpoc@googlegroups.com

East Bay meditation (weeklycimcpoc@googlegroups.com)

POC sign up: https://poc.eastbaymeditation.org/

Baltimore and Beyond: The BIPOC Project

https://www.thebipocproject.org/

Spirit Rock BIPOC Voices (weekly)

https://www.spiritrock.org/bipoc-voices-sunday-sangha

IMS BIPOC Sangha

https://www.spiritrock.org/bipoc-voices-sunday-sangha

Copper Beech Institute (monthly)

https://www.copperbeechinstitute.org/social-just-us

Garrison Institute BIPOC Meditation Sangha

https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/a-virtual-sanctuary/bipoc-meditation-sangha/

Heartwood BIPOC

Fridays 6—7pm(ET) POC practice with Rahil

https://www.chacmc.org/connect

LGBTQI+ Sits

Insight Meditation Center of Washington

https://events.imcw.org/event/?eventId=762

Cambridge Insight Meditation Center

https://cambridgeinsight.org/what-we-offer/drop-in-programs/

East Bay Meditation Center

https://alphabet.eastbaymeditation.org/

Center for Mindful Self-Compassion

https://signup.centerformsc.org/events/

New York Insight Insight Out Refuge Sangha

search in their monthly calendar: https://dev.nyimc.org/events/month/

Recovery from addiction

Recovery Dharma

Peer-led community unified by the potential in each of us to recover and find freedom from the suffering of addiction: https://recoverydharma.online

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Donating to Elm Community Insight

Elm Community Insight's sole source of income is via the practice of Dana. Dana is the ancient Buddhist practice of individuals developing their generosity through giving to others without expecting anything in return.

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Once you click one of the buttons, you will have the option to make your contribution on a one-time basis or by automatic monthly donations. Pledging a monthly donation is convenient, easy, and generates a steady and dependable stream of support which allows for better budget planning.