Our Vision

Our dream is to create a community in Aotearoa committed to intensive meditation practice, social engagement, generosity, and a deep care for the earth. At the heart of this community is the collective aspiration to transform dissatisfaction into freedom and compassion.

Inspired by the teachings of the Buddha, we see the dharma as the process of opening to new ways of perceiving that release suffering and open us to beauty. The practice cultivates an inner abundance and well-being that supports a radical, often challenging, investigation into the causes of our dissatisfaction and the nature of our hearts and minds.

Dharma is not just an individual pursuit. For us, it is a communal undertaking and a form of collective action. It allows us to imagine and embody relational ways of being in the world—rooted in care and connection instead of the exploitation and isolation prevalent in Western society today.

A central aspect of our vision is the annual offering of a long silent meditation retreat. All of us have been fortunate to sit silent meditation retreats ranging from one to three months. Long retreats undertaken in silence are a radical way of living in community. They provide the conditions needed to cultivate deep peace, compassion, and transformative insight. We believe that the effects of this communal undertaking ripple out to the wider community and, ultimately, to all beings

Dana

All our offerings will be based on dana. Dana means the practice of giving. For over 2,600 years, the Buddha’s teachings have been offered freely. We believe that the dharma is a priceless gift, and it is diminished when consumed as a product. The practice of dana helps shift our collective understanding of "worth." It takes us out of transactional relationships and into relationships based on trust, kindness, and generosity.

In practice, this means we will never charge a "fee" for any of our offerings. Anyone with the sincere aspiration to practice will never be turned away due to financial barriers. Our offerings will be supported solely by gifts that have been freely given.

Diversity

We wish to hold space for people of all backgrounds. Part of meditation is meeting experience with a welcoming heart. Part of our practice of community is meeting every individual with a welcoming heart—sensitive to differences in backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We are committed to engaging with the complexity of this process and invite diverse voices to help us co-create this community.

We acknowledge that ongoing work will be needed to make our community a refuge for all those with an aspiration to practice the dharma.

Founding Friends

Kalyānamitta is a Pali word that translates to "beautiful friendship" (Pali is the language spoken by the Buddha over 2,500 years ago). Celebrating the integral role of friendship on the spiritual path is a core value of our collective.

All of the founders of this collective knew and loved each other long before we began practicing meditation. Ned and Moss are brothers. Oliver grew up just down the road from them. Ned and Sam met at university and lived together. Ned and Carter have been friends since birth.

What brought us to practice is unique to each of our hearts, but we have been fortunate to be supported and nourished by friendship. We hope to offer an ever-expanding circle of friendship to all those with the sincere aspiration to practice the dharma in Aotearoa and beyond its shores.