Dear IMFW Friends,

It’s mid-May and spring has arrived in full force. The colors seem more beautiful than ever. Is it this way every year and I haven’t taken as much time to notice?

While there is excitement in our state around the opportunity to be able to gather together in community again, the IMFW Board of Directors will make decisions regarding our opening at Sangha House slowly and cautiously. Never wanting to put our community in harm’s way, we believe it is better to err on the side of caution, that it is better to be safe than sorry.

Chaplains, who work in intensive care units that solely serve patients with COVID-19 in Indianapolis hospitals, in a recent interview, shared heartfelt information about what they have seen and done as they ministered to the sick and dying. One Chaplain said, “It’s hard. It’s really hard here. We are asking you to help us, not make it harder. I don’t want you to be in a situation where I am the one who is trying to help your family talk to you for the last time over an iPhone.”

We hear these stories and ask you to please just be patient. Continue to open your circles of contact slowly and cautiously. We don’t have to be all together in one place at one time to be in community. We have the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. We are all in this together.

And please join us for Tuesday night Zoom gatherings. If you have never used this app and wish to try it out, please contact me at tamaradyer6@gmail.com and I’ll be happy to assist you in whatever way I can. I miss you all so very much and can’t wait to give you all a big hug.

We hope you are well and looking out for one another in whatever way you can. Please consider wearing masks, keeping a safe distance, making a phone call to someone just to say hello, and taking care of your own body and mind and heart.

While Sangha House is shut down, I am available by phone, email, or video Zoom. If you wish a personal call, please email or phone me, and I would be most happy to respond.

With lovingkindness,

The first training the Buddha gave to everyone was the practice of giving.

"And how is a person of integrity a person of integrity in the way he gives a gift? There is the case where a person of integrity gives a gift attentively, with his own hand, respectfully, not as if throwing it away, with the view that something will come of it. This is how a person of integrity is a person of integrity in the way he gives a gift."

(MN 110.23 tr. Thanissaro Bhikkhu)

Please consider opening your heart and giving to Insight Mediation Fort Wayne. A gift of time or money is always appreciated and will help support the Sangha and Sangha House. Normally, we have a collection box for dana offered after teaching or sitting meditation. Since, we are now meeting via technology; I’m respectfully asking you to consider giving in the same way.

Here is a link to donate on line:

We would also welcome any dana sent (checks can be made out to Insight Meditation Fort Wayne) to:

“According to the Buddha’s teachings, true happiness is something that, by its nature, gets spread around.”

(from Thanissaro Bhikkhu, “Generosity First” chapter, Meditations)

If you are interested in donating your time or talents, please let me know your interest at InsightMeditationFW@gmail.com.

A deep bow of gratitude to: the awesome team of gardeners who came together to weed and do spring clean-up of the flower beds at Sangha House; JD Nye, Kathy Stark, Barb Lahman, and Tammy Dyer. Thank you! It was an absolute joy to actually be in the presence of friends and many hands made quick work of the chores.

Welcome to the Board of Directors, JD Nye! JD works tirelessly to keep the grounds and building at Sangha House clean and looking nice. JD is a welcome addition to our Board. He brings a wonderful enthusiasm and commitment to the practice. Please thank and welcome JD.

We continue to meet as a Sangha in virtual meetings. Tammy and Drew have been offering a Tuesday night meditation and Dharma talk via the free app Zoom. Please join us! It is a shortened version of the Tuesday night gathering – in the comfort of your own home. It’s only a click away. For anyone who has been a bit resistant to embrace the new technology the meeting is opened up a bit early to help people sign in and deal with any technical difficulties.

The Sangha House building remains closed. All classes or meetings that normally take place there are on hold or have found a new technology to meet! There are presently no sitting meditations at Sangha House. KM groups have transitioned to meeting via Zoom, until further notice.