There is a unique kind of beauty that unfolds when experienced practitioners link together in open dialogue, and share in the Dharma. In a world increasingly dominated by screens and pixelated connections, gathering in person to share our practice, our insights, and our lives feels more vital than ever.

This is an open-to-all-lineages, peer-led Buddhism discussion group (i.e., no teacher) rooted in mutual respect, curiosity, and shared wisdom. We warmly welcome folks from all cultural backgrounds, traditions, and life experiences to help enrich our collective growth. Our midlife focus connects individuals sharing the unique joys and challenges that come with this stage of life.

We invite you to join our circle if you:

• Are navigating the unique landscape of midlife (ages 35–65)

• Have been on the Buddhist path for 7+ years

• Maintain an ongoing meditation practice

• Are seeking deep, peer-to-peer collaboration

Our first meeting will take place in early 2027, at 7pm.

Our Flow Together

We start with a 30-min meditation.

A participant of our community offers a brief 10-to-15-min reflection or presentation.

We open the floor for 45-mins of collaborative, open-hearted discussion where every voice and perspective is valued.

We close our formal time together and transition into an optional 30-min space for tea and casual conversation.

The Details

When: Every first and third Friday, 7pm to 9pm PST. To protect the stillness of our practice container, doors will lock and phones will go off at 7:05pm to begin our meditation.

Where: The event takes place at a group office space in Emeryville. Address provided after emailing group facilitator.

What to bring: Your own meditation cushion, bench, and/or yoga mat since we’ll be meeting in a large group office space, and the space only provides chairs.

Cost: $10 to pay for the cost of the space (Venmo @tim-holtzman).

Do you know anyone who would be excited to hear about this group? Please share it with them! Since this is a niche group that will take time to spread via word of mouth, we may have an intimate circle for the first few meetings.

Honoring the Space & Each Other

To ensure our circle feels calm, inclusive, and accessible for everyone, our discussion guidelines will follow the wisdom of those formulated by EBMC: Multicultural Agreements formulated by the East Bay Meditation Center.

To care for community participants with chemical sensitivities, we create a gentle, fragrance-free environment. We ask that you join us free of scented lotions, perfumes, or colognes.

Connect With Us

If you resonate with the vision of the group, or if you have any questions about the group or about our next gathering, please reach out to Tim at timholtzman@yahoo.com. Or, get on our announcement list by sending an email to: east-bay-peer-sangha+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Our community facilitator, Tim Holtzman, brings five years of experience co-facilitating meditation groups (Saturday Night Sangha) and over a decade of leading a variety of therapeutic groups throughout his career as a psychotherapist.

To ensure everyone has a voice in shaping the group's direction, all community participants are invited to an optional community check-in meeting held every other month on the second or fourth Friday at 7pm. The basic governance model: the facilitator makes day-to-day decisions that need immediate attention. The community gets final say on decisions, and makes sure the facilitator serves the group’s best interests fairly and transparently.