One Heart Sangha

Author: Elaine Thompson

  • Summer Mini Ango

    Summer Mini Ango

    It’s that time again! Sensei Bruce will be leading a Mini Ango from June 23 to July 21. During the Ango period, there will be weekly online Way of Council meetings for participants to share their experiences and receive encouragement.

    Ango periods provide a supportive structure to commit to an additional level of practice for a set period of time. The primary purpose is to deepen your practice, renew your commitment to the Dharma, and if you like, make a commitment to other aspects that can help make positive changes in your life.

    Learn more and sign up

    Read more about Zen intensives

  • Joyful Mind Zen Potluck & Movie Night June 14

    Joyful Mind Zen Potluck & Movie Night June 14

    Joyful Mind Zendo, our sister sangha, is hosting their annual potluck and movie screening. They are graciously inviting sister sanghas in the area to join them.

    To learn more and register visit their website.

    The event is on June 14 Sunday, June 14th – 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM at Rockville United Church at 355 Linthicum Street, Rockville, MD 

    Omnivore, vegan, and vegetarian dishes are all welcome. All items should be labeled due to dietary restrictions like nut allergies, gluten free, vegan, etc.

    They will be screening the 2017 documentary, Walk With Me. Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch, Walk With Me takes us deep inside the world-famous monastery of Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh.



  • Zen Peacemakers  Bearing Witness to Racism Retreat

    Zen Peacemakers  Bearing Witness to Racism Retreat

    Join the Zen Peacemakers for a Bearing Witness retreat this April. They will be visiting Selma and Montgomery, Alabama to bear witness the events African Americans faced there. Please spread the word to anyone you know who might be interested. ZPO Bearing Witness retreats take place in places where deep human trauma occurred and where healing is endlessly needed. With retreats they intend to contribute to this healing.

    Visit their website to read more or Click to register.

    Bearing Witness to Racism in America

  • Website Update

    Website Update

    Welcome to our new website! Elaine and Fran have been working steadily for the past couple of months to migrate from Squarespace to WordPress. We’ve launched and are Hopefully you can find key information like where to sign up for events, request “remokusan”, and if you’re new here learn about the zendo and our meditation events.

    We’re aiming to have a calendar of local Zen events online sometime in the next couple months, since we have four White Plum Asanga lineage sanghas in the area. You’ll also notice we’ve switched eCommerce providers for donations and events. Feedback on what works and doesn’t work is welcome as we continue to develop and refine the site. In particular, let us know about any difficulties you have on a tablet or phone.

  • Jukai class for fall 2026

    Jukai class for fall 2026

    Sensei Rebecca is starting classes to lead regular students through precept study and preparation for Jukai. Jukai, giving and receiving the precepts, is how Zen practitioners make a commitment to upholding and maintaining the Bodhisattva Precepts and to entering the stream of the lineage of the Buddha Way.

    Over the spring and summer participants will sew their Rakusus, or Buddha’s Robe, incorporating their deep desire to practice with each stitch. They will also copy the ancestral lineage from Shakyamuni Buddha down to themselves, to indicate their place in the continuation of the Dharma stream. In our tradition students prepare a personal lineage of the people in their lives who brought them to Zen as well.

    If you are a regular attendee of either our Wednesday night sits or our Zazenkai, speak to Sensei Rebecca to learn more about jukai.

  • Mini Ango

    Mini Ango

    One Heart Sangha is in the midst of a 4-week Mini Ango, which runs February 10 to March 10. The Mini Ango provides a supportive structure to commit to an additional level of practice for a short and specific period of time. The primary purpose is to deepen your zazen practice, renew your commitment to the Dharma, and if you like, make a commitment to other practices that can help make positive changes in your life. 

    While registration is closed now, you can still silently join other members of the zendo in making a personal commitment to additional practice for the coming weeks.

    How it Works

    Participants typically commit to increased zazen during the Ango. For example, participants can pledge to sit one extra day per week or increase their sitting time. In addition, participants may commit to other beneficial activities such as a mindfulness practice, volunteer work, yoga/stretching, or starting a Zen 108. Alternatively, participants can commit to cutting back on activities like doomscrolling social media, gossiping, or eating unhealthy foods.