The White Heron Sangha

"Our Buddhist practice, deep and simple, is a way of life. It is a life-long study and practice... It can be a profound study, with inner meanings and depths endlessly expanding before us, and it can also be extremely simple, just teaching the basic ethical practices of daily living, practices of unselfishness, compassion, and good will toward every living being."

 -Zen Roshi Maureen Stuart

The lotus, with its cool beauty arising from the muck of a stagnant pool, is a traditional symbol of Buddhism. Lotuses, unfortunately, are pretty scarce on the Central Coast, so we chose the image of the white heron instead. Even though our world is filled with the suffering caused by greed, hatred, and delusion, the white heron symbolizes the ever-present possibility to wake up to the perfect stillness that is always with us.

What is the White Heron Sangha?

Originally, Sangha was the Sanskrit word for the community of monks who gathered around the Buddha. Today, the term is used more broadly for any group of people who are supporting each other in their efforts to walk the Buddhist path. The White Heron Sangha is a nonsectarian Buddhist group made up of people in and around San Luis Obispo County who have come together to pursue their common spiritual quest.

We have no formal affiliation with any outside groups, lineages, or styles of Buddhism, or with any particular teacher. We accept the value and usefulness of all traditions and attempt to learn whatever we can from the unique approach of each.

We are, nonetheless, a Buddhist group. That does not mean that we think other spiritual traditions are wrong while we are right, that we reject anyone else's spiritual insights and understanding because they are not Buddhist, or that we think we should only open our hearts and minds to Buddhist teachings. But it does imply a special kind of respect, even reverence, for the thousands upon thousands of our ancestors who have walked this spiritual path before us. It means that we are actively involved in the community of Buddhist practitioners. And, it means we are participating in an ongoing dialogue with the Buddhist tradition and are committed to developing our understanding of the vast wisdom it contains.

Our Sangha started when several friends began to meet once a month for meditation in the fall of 1991. We now have around 200 people on our mailing list, and attendance at our Sunday meetings ranges from 20 to 50, depending on the time of the year and the program schedule. White Heron Sangha is incorporated as a non-profit religious organization, with a board of directors, officers, and various committees supported by volunteers from the larger group.  We make every attempt to make decisions through discussion and group consensus, but of course the board of directors has final say. There is no formal membership, and anyone can attend our meetings and special events, and sign up for our mailing list.