Against The Stream Buddhist Meditation Society

09/30/2018

Dear Sangha,

In the last album of his life, three weeks before his death, Leonard Cohen sang this:

I wish there was a treaty we could sign
I do not care who takes this bloody hill
I’m angry and I’m tired all the time
I wish there was a treaty
I wish there was a treaty
Between your love and mine.

While we may not be angry or tired, something about this verse feels right. Whoever you are, wherever your heart rests in this moment, may there be this: a treaty between your love and ours.

We want to acknowledge our bottomless gratitude for everyone who has created goodness in the ATS community. So many people have offered their hearts, talent and resources. The ripples and resonances of this goodness will continue. Refuge does not arise in a particular place, but in the space between the goodness of our hearts.

When this space is imbued with wisdom, respect and love, we call it sangha. It has been a privilege to walk this path together. We hope that the pain of recent months actually leads us back towards the heart and that we might understand compassion, clarity and change ever more deeply. As we have learned from practice, great pain does not erase goodness, but in fact, informs it.

Dipa Ma said, “There is nothing ultimately to cling to in this world. However, life is not to be rejected. It is here. And as long as it is here and we are here, we can make the best use of it.”

May we make the best use of our lives. Whatever freedom arises, may this be a cause and condition for less suffering and more safety in our world.

Love,
ATS Board of Directors
ATS Teachers Council
ATS Grievance Council

09/29/2018

On Sunday Sept 30, we will hold a Rite of Passage in each of our centers. Join with teachers, facilitators and other sangha members for remembrances, ceremony and sharing. We are marking the closing of the physical space as well as honoring what has been. We hope to see you either at Santa Monica at 11am, Melrose at 2pm or both.

Please be advised that we do not have any chairs or cushions. You are welcome to bring your own or stand or sit on the floor.

09/24/2018

We're moving into our final week with at Against the Stream. If you have been coming to classes you have probably noticed the changes. Thank you for your support and patience as we move through this difficult period. For your information, we have very few chairs now in Santa Monica so most likely you will have to sit on a cushion if you come to class.

09/15/2018

A Morning of Practice with Mary Stancavage. Come spend a few hours sitting and walking.

A Half Day Retreat with Mary Stancavage Come spend a few hours and give yourself the luxury of quiet practice. With our busy lives we sometimes let our practice slip away. This morning will be an opportunity to let go...

09/13/2018

As we move into the final two weeks in our physical space we are looking at the pragmatic side of closing our centers along with maintaining the usual schedule. Our classes are continuing where the teachers and facilitators hold space for the community. We are planning ceremonies for Sept 30, both in Santa Monica and Melrose and everyone is invited to participate. We will have more info on that soon. However, you may begin to notice some changes at the centers. Since we are closing, everything must be moved and just about everything is for sale. You may see price tags on things and we will we have a list of available items on the website. This may be jarring. We apologize for that and appreciate your understanding. We know also that many of you have expressed an interest in our furnishings. We're happy to have everything go to a good home. Thank you for your support as we all move through this phase and we are grateful to you for your offers of help. If you have any questions, please feel free to respond to this email.

We will send an email on how to contact the teachers and facilitators or where they will be teaching next. We want to facilitate this continued connection as much as we can. The website will stay up for a while and our intention is to insure that the library of podcasts and the YouTube channel remain available as a legacy after our closure. If you know about such things, please contact us. We will communicate via our social media outlets as appropriate.

09/08/2018

TOMORROW: In our recent letter to the community we promised to hold community meetings to help us digest and process the hugely impactful news. All last week, open discussions were held in our regularly scheduled classes in San Francisco, Melrose and Santa Monica. This coming Sunday, September 9, from 2 PM to 4 PM, we’ll be holding an open community gathering at the Melrose center. We offer this time and space as another opportunity to reflect and share feelings about the closing of ATS, as well as open a discussion about what’s next for our sangha.

09/05/2018

In our recent letter to the community we promised to hold community meetings to help us digest and process the hugely impactful news. All last week, open discussions were held in our regularly scheduled classes in San Francisco, Melrose and Santa Monica. This coming Sunday, September 9, from 2 PM to 4 PM, we’ll be holding an open community gathering at the Melrose center. We offer this time and space as another opportunity to reflect and share feelings about the closing of ATS, as well as open a discussion about what’s next for our sangha.

08/27/2018

It has been a difficult two days with a lot of emotions swirling around. We wish you ease as you process it. The sadness and pain are real and not anything we get used to.

We have received many questions on what will be happening, where are people going, how you can help and so on. First of all classes will continue as usual. As appropriate teachers and facilitators will make space for the community to share. There will be additional opportunities for the community to gather during this transition. We will announce these as they are scheduled.

We will share info on how to reach teachers and what they will be doing. We will also update you on other administrative matters as needed. Thank you for your patience as we maneuver through this uncharted territory.

Take care of yourselves and take care of each other.

08/03/2018

Sunday is our People of Color and Allies Group. JoAnna Hardy will be leading what will be her last session at this location. Join us!

07/24/2018

If you're new to meditation or would like a refresher, don't miss the opportunity to spend a few hours with Mary Stancavage this Saturday at Melrose! For more info or to RSVP: https://www.againstthestream.org/event/intro-to-meditation-4-2/

07/23/2018

Full moon! Dharma Day! This Friday, July 27, at ATS Santa Monica!!
https://www.againstthestream.org/event/full-moon-ceremony/2018-07-27/

07/16/2018

A great way to cultivate contentment & ease is through the practice of lovingkindness. Don't miss out on the opportunity to dive deep into this powerful practice. Register today!
https://www.againstthestream.org/event/metta-meditation/2018-07-23/