Annual Letter

2010 Annual Update and Request

Supporting practice in three Buddhist traditions: Vipassana, Zen, Vajrayana

DANA: THE PRACTICE OF GIVING We are a member supported non-profit organization. The center’s mission includes bringing qualified teachers to our community, supporting local sangha teaching and practice activities, while maintaining our building and gardens. To accomplish these goals, we rely on the generosity of our sangha members and other Buddhist practitioners throughout the country. The Center exists entirely through the generosity of its members.

OUTREACH Each year the Dharma Center sponsors three residential retreats, facilitates daily morning and evening meditation practice, operates an outstanding Buddhist library, and provides instruction and discussion for those who wish to begin meditating or deepen an ongoing practice. At the Center all activities are offered without charge to the extended community. Our developing relationship with local universities and colleges such as Central State University, Cedarville University, University of Dayton, Sinclair College and Wilmington College encourages rich interfaith discussion.

DHARMA The Center is committed to hosting authentic teachers from each Buddhist tradition. Over the years, the Center has established relationships with teachers from Sri Lanka, California, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Burma and Nepal. These teachers bring a wealth of experience, representing both monastic and lay traditions. The Center sponsors three residential meditation retreats each year along with dharma talks open to the community. The Thursday night book discussion group meets throughout the year, reading books chosen to encourage dialogue and to foster practice. Experienced practitioners teach Introduction to Meditation classes four times each year. Each tradition maintains a weekly practice time: Saturday mornings Zen, Sunday mornings Vipassana, and Tuesday evenings Vajrayana.

WORK PRACTICE Volunteers are the beating heart of the Yellow Springs Dharma Center. Each year, volunteers contribute over a thousand hours of service. They handle a diverse range of essential tasks such as website development and maintenance, gardening, house maintenance and improvements, overseeing apartment rental and upkeep, financial management, and retreat organization. These responsibilities are managed by five committees: Finance, Resident, House and Garden, Communication and Instruction. The Center encourages service as a way of developing practice.

MEMBERSHIP The Center is its membership. When becoming a member of the center you not only become part of the Sangha, you demonstrate full support of the center’s continuing existence. Active membership takes many forms: offering a monthly, quarterly or annual fiscal donation, contributing time and expertise, participating in events, and developing your personal practice.

SUSTAINABILITY The Center is committed to compassionate action in healing and preserving the earth. This year we have improved energy efficiency by installing new boilers, stocking green kitchen equipment and household supplies, and maintaining a compost system that nourishes the grounds’ organic garden and landscape.

MAINTAINING THIS OLD HOUSE While it has been another rewarding year at the Dharma Center, maintaining our wonderful old brown house has confronted us with unexpected needs. Our 30‐year old boilers finally gave out. This presented us with an opportunity to upgrade to more energy efficient systems. The drafty basement doors have been replaced, also reducing our heat loss. The roof and the house had to be repainted and a ceiling leak in the meditation hall required repair the apartment. These larger expenditures, all in a single year, depleted our reserves by nearly two thirds, and we need your help to replenish these funds. Restoring these reserves allows us to maintain a healthy and beautiful space for sharing the dharma.

PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING AN ADDITIONAL DONATION
TO THE MAINTENANCE FUND.
502 Livermore St. Yellow Springs, OH 45387
www.ysdharma.org