Against The Stream Buddhist Meditation Society

AGAINST THE STREAM WAS FOUNDED TO MAKE THE TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA AVAILABLE TO ALL WHO ARE INTERESTED. WE WISH TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN COMMUNITIES OF HEALTHY, ACCOUNTABLE, WISE AND COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE FROM EVERY WALK OF LIFE. WE WELCOME PEOPLE FROM ALL RACIAL, ECONOMIC, SEXUAL, SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS BACKGROUNDS AND BELIEVER THAT THE PATH OF AWAKENING IS ATTAINABLE BY ALL AND SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ALL. WE STRIVE TO CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL WHO COMET TO PRACTICE.

2015 IS IN THE BOOKS AND ALL WE CAN SAY IS "WHAT A YEAR!" OUR SF CENTER OPENED IN APRIL AND HAS QUICKLY BECOME A DHARMA HUB IN THE BAY AREA. OUR 2 CENTERS IN LA CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A VARIETY OF WEEKLY CLASSES, DAYLONGS, SERIES AND YEAR-LONG PROGRAMS. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COME THROUGH OUR DOORS EACH MONTH, AND COUNTLESS OTHERS ARE PART OF OUR VIRTUAL COMMUNITY CONNECTED THROUGH RETREATS, PODCASTS AND SOCIAL MEDIAL. IN OCTOBER, 12 TEACHERS GRADUATED FROM OUR MOST RECENT ATS TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM AND ARE IN LA, SF, NY, BOSTON AND OTHER PLACES INT HE US AND EUROPE SHARING THE DHARMA WITH ALL WHO ARE INTERESTED. WE STARTED ADVANCED FACILITATOR TRAINING AND A MENTOR TRAINING PROGRAM. WE RECEIVED A $15,000 HEMERA FOUNDATION GRANT WHICH PROVIDED FELLOWSHIPS TO OUR RETREATS FOR TEACHERS AND OTHERS WORKING IN K-12 SCHOOLS. WE'RE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE'RE THE RECIPIENT OF THIS GRANT AGAIN FOR 2016. WE ALSO RECEIVED A VERY GENEROUS DONATION WHICH ALLOWED US TO OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS TO WHOMEVER NEEDED ONE FOR OUR 2015 RETREATS. THE DETAILS: 1)39 WEEKLY CLASSES OR SITTING GROUPS IN ALL OUR LOCATIONS (31 IN LA AND 8 IN SF) 2)37 SPECIAL CLASS SERIES AND DAYLONGS (26 IN LA & 11 IN SF) 3)180 RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT (12% OR ALL ATTENDEES) 4)24 DANA-ONLY CLASSES AND EVENTS (19 IN LA & 5 IN SF) 5)2269 ATTENDED ALL SPECIAL SERIES AND DAYLONGS (1484 IN LA & 785 IN SF) 6)WE HAVE A SPANISH MEDITATION CLASS IN SF. 7)ABOUT 2800 PEOPLE COME THROUGH OUR DOORS EACH MONTH (1,900 IN LA AND 900 IN SF). 8)WE HAD 6 RETREATS ON 2 COASTS (OVER 24% OF 455 TOTAL RETREAT ATTENDEES RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT).