Overview
Portland Dharma House was established in the fall of 2017 to create a supportive environment where residents and community members can come together to explore meditation, dharma, and socially-engaged practice. Please see our Events page for current offerings.
The Dharma House is made up of three apartments with a shared backyard, in the East End neighborhood of Portland. While we currently do not have children living in the building, the space is flexible enough to accommodate a family.
Resident Life
For residents, the overarching intention at the house is to create the structure and support needed to maintain a committed meditation and engaged dharma practice while allowing for the flexibility necessary to maintain a job, go to school and live in a lay context. The cultivation of joy, play and creative expression is also an integral part of the culture of our household.
As residents we come from varied Buddhist traditions. We have in common the aspiration to develop our capacity for wisdom and compassion on three levels: self, household and community. Each resident is committed to doing their own spiritual work, within a sangha of spiritual friends. This then feeds our skillful engagement with wider circles of community in Maine, and within broader social and racial justice movements.
Current Residents
The current and past residents of the Dharma House practice in Zen and Insight traditions. We have extensive experience in retreat practice, including previously serving as retreat managers, retreat support and as resident volunteers at Buddhist centers. Our professional work includes serving as a Buddhist chaplain, teaching at a public middle school, and leading bereavement groups and counseling young adults. Previous residents have supported organizational leaders in handling intra-organizational conflict, provided meditation coaching, served as a line cook, blogged about mental health, and helped community-based organizations align their values with their day-to-day work. We especially value co-creating community, practicing self-acceptance, and fostering supportive space for meditation and socially engaged practice. We are invested in steady Buddhist practice for collective liberation, and in watering the seeds of good work in Maine for the long haul.
To inquire about joining us as a resident, please contact us. We generally seek residents who are able to commit to a year or longer of residency, and occasionally have availability for shorter term stays. Residents pay an affordable rent, and work exchange is sometimes available for a portion of the rent.