Regular Practice
The Open Door Sangha offers three regular opportunities each week to sit together in community, along with twice-monthly extended morning retreats. All gatherings are held at Unity Church in Santa Barbara and are open to practitioners of all experience levels.
Monday Night Sitting Group
Small Chapel, Unity Church, 227 East Arrellaga Street (between Garden and Santa Barbara Streets; parking lot behind the church off Valerio Street). This group sits for 45 minutes and visits briefly afterwards to share issues in meditation practice or in bringing the dharma into daily life. On the first Monday of each month, one of the members gives a short talk.
Thursday Night Sitting Group
Led by experienced sangha members, this evening includes a longer sitting period and a dharma talk. Speakers are drawn from the community and from visiting teachers.
Tuesday Morning Retreats
Held at the Chapel at Unity Church. These twice-monthly morning retreats offer an extended period of silent sitting and walking meditation in a supportive group setting.
What to Expect
All programs follow the Insight (Vipassana) tradition of Buddhism. As a peer-led community without a resident teacher, the sangha draws on the experience of senior students who have participated in many periods of extended retreat practice.
Newcomers are welcome at any sitting group. No prior meditation experience is necessary, and chairs and cushions are provided.
In addition to weekly programs, the sangha brings well-known Buddhist teachers for non-residential weekend retreats several times a year and offers introductory mindfulness class series. Visit the Events page for upcoming special programs.
Dharma talks from Thursday nights and retreats are available on the Talks page.
The Open Door Sangha's weekly programs are designed to support the gradual cultivation of wisdom, compassion, and freedom through consistent practice. Each gathering offers a welcoming and inclusive environment where practitioners of all levels can sit together in stillness, develop loving-kindness, and explore the Buddha's teachings as they apply to daily life. Beyond the regular sitting groups, the sangha periodically offers longer retreats and special events that deepen one's understanding of mindfulness and insight meditation. These varied offerings provide a balanced path of practice, allowing participants to build a steady foundation while also engaging in more intensive periods of reflection and community learning.