Wake Up Dallas YES

02/24/2026

Tuesday 24th 2026 Preview:
This is Where I am now: using Mindfulness to Ease the Condemning Mind
Dear Friends on the Path,

Hello, this is Jiyoon bowing in.
We just had a wonderful Bell training led by our fearless leader Christina, and I am so happy to introduce our recent graduate ;) Rain as the bellmaster for this Tuesday! So the first hour of meditation, Rain will lead us! Yay!

For the second hour, Jiyoon will share the video of Cori Berg's talk on the Sunday talk on Feb 22nd. She has a few reasons to share Cori's talk1. Our very own Cara gave the Engaged Buddhism talk to Sunday group the other week, and Cori loved her talk & I think this talk of Cori's is in conversation with Cara's talk on Engaged Buddhism 2. I would love Tuesday community to see the conversation that got Sunday community and their group chat excited in. (yes Sunday group has whatsapp group too!). I love the thought of the Dallas Meditation Center MahaSangha reflecting on the same powerful talk and exploring with the questions.

See below for the Cori's bio and talk description. It always invigorate me to see Cori's talk that adds authenticity and powerful advocacy for justice. I am sure you will find Cori's talk wonderful too. Jiyoon bowing out.
This is Where I Am Now: Using Mindfulness to Ease the Condemning Mind

The Buddha has said it is easier to conquer a battlefield of enemies a thousand times than to conquer the one’s own mind. Aversion to negative experiences and craving what we desire are two sides of the same coin. In this talk, I will discuss how we practice self-compassion and awareness in painful moments. Our practice shines light on our deeper mind habits, softens the ego, and helps dissolve barriers to interpersonal connection.

Cori Berg is a teacher, administrator, and trainer in the field of Early Childhood Education. She has a Master of Arts degree from United Theological Seminary in Art and Religion and a Bachelor’s Degree from Valparaiso University, where she studied theatre, art, and philosophy. She is currently pursuing her Masters of Education in Curriculum & Instruction. She loves to paint, cook, and dance salsa. Her writing, speaking and storytelling focus on themes of beauty in frailty, compassion in community, and mindfulness.

As always, we welcome both in-person and virtual participants. Here are the details for those joining us virtually:

Meeting ID: 815 1177 0135
Passcode: wakeup
Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81511770135?pwd=VGVMTGlKd1dCbVRhRkdBcjY2cnN4Zz09

If you're interested in being a guest speaker or training to be a facilitator, simply reply to this email or let any facilitator know before or after our meetings!

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02/03/2026

Dear Sangha Siblings,

Hey y’all! Cara bowing in. I’m excited to share that I will be guiding us through tonight's gathering, Wake Up YES, at the Dallas Meditation Center. I invite you to join us for our meditation practice at 7PM, followed by a collective reflection starting at 8PM!

I will guide us in both walking and sitting meditation, and facilitate a discussion on the different ways we can show up for community, how we maintain our capacity for showing up with mindfulness and grace, and how we can grow our compassion in the face of chaos.

I’ll be drawing on the wisdom of peace activist and spiritual teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, insight from thought leaders like Joanna Macy, and reflections from current actions like the Walk for Peace conducted by a group of Theravandan monks.

I bow in gratitude for all of your presence, and I look forward to sitting with you this evening!

As always, we welcome both in-person and virtual participants. Here are the details for those joining us virtually:

Meeting ID: 815 1177 0135
Passcode: wakeup
Link:

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

01/31/2026

Interested in Facilitating Meditation? Join Our Free Training 2/21!

Are you curious about facilitating meditation on Tuesday nights? If so, we invite you to join us for a free exploratory gathering at the Dallas Meditation Center Saturday, February 21 from 2-4:30 PM.

This training is designed for anyone who is interested in learning what it means to facilitate meditation - there is no prior experience required and no commitment expected from attending.

By attending, you will:
- Learn how to ring the meditation bells in the Plum Village tradition
- Receive an overview of what it takes to facilitate the Tuesday evening Wake Up Dallas YES gatherings
- Have space to ask questions about facilitating meditation
- Connect with other like-minded individuals in their 20s and 30s

This is simply an opportunity to explore whether facilitating meditation feels like a meaningful next step in your own practice. We look forward to learning with you!

01/27/2026

PLEASE NOTE WE ARE MEETING VIRTUALLY TONIGHT AT THE BELOW LINK AS THE WINTER STORMS ARE STILL IMPACTING TRAVEL

Here at the Dallas Meditation Center, we say, "Experience the JOY of Mindful Living." We can look to our spiritual practice for some practical tools to do just that.

Tonight, Christina will be facilitating and we'll be looking at the practice of mudita, or Sympathetic Joy. Compassion leads us to empathize with others' pain, allowing us to tune into their suffering. But what about joy? Mudita introduces us to the art of connecting with others' happiness, sharing in their well-being, and nurturing joy within ourselves.

The joy experienced in response to others' happiness might seem elusive if we're not in tune with our own joy. However, by nurturing joy within ourselves, we unlock the ability to rejoice in others' happiness as well as our own well-being. Mudita is a joy that is filled with peace and contentment. Joy is for everyone!

Here are the details to join tonight's meeting:

Meeting ID: 815 1177 0135
Passcode: wakeup
Link:

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

01/22/2026

POSTPONED - BELLS TRAINING

Hi all, out of an abundance of caution, we are rescheduling our bells and facilitator training, which was originally going to be held this Sunday due to the impending freeze and winter storm.

We are rescheduling to Saturday Feb 21 from 2-4:30 and are excited to practice, learn, and share alongside you then!

Interested in joining? Join the WhatsApp group here for announcements and resources!

01/20/2026

Hi friends, this is Byron bowing in. Tonight, I’ll be highlighting a topic that has been very relevant for me. We’ll explore the way we develop harmony and balance and the way it takes shape in each aspect of our life.

We will begin with a guided meditation, followed with discussion and reflection. Discussion will center around the idea of harmony within the context of our practice, and how we can grow and explore this concept. A space of reflection within small groups will be provided for us to explore how to bring this idea into our lives!
As always, we welcome both in-person and virtual participants. Here are the details for those joining us virtually:

Meeting ID: 815 1177 0135
Passcode: wakeup
Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81511770135?pwd=VGVMTGlKd1dCbVRhRkdBcjY2cnN4Zz09

01/06/2026

Happy new year friends!! We are so excited for what we have planned for tonight! Please join us for a new years intention and aspiration setting ceremony anchored in the Eightfold Path.

Drew⁩ and Christina will be offering mediations, reflections, and journaling activities intended to create space for us to reflect on the year behind and the year ahead. All materials will be provided, but those with their own personal journals are encouraged to bring them if they would like.

Please note that Zoom will be an option to join tonight, and encourage those who feel under the weather to join remotely.

Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

Meeting ID: 815 1177 0135
Passcode: wakeup
Link:

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

12/30/2025

🔥TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT!🔥
Join us tonight for our end of the year burning bowl celebration as we close out 2025 together! Tonight will be an opportunity to come together, reflect, and release what no longer serves us.

Tonight, you can expect music, sharing, silent reflection, and a burning bowl ceremony led by our facilitator team, where we will have the opportunity to offer what no longer serves us into the fire with intention and care. We’ll close the night with final reflections and shared intentions as we step forward into the new year.

It’s an honor to share this special evening with you and we look forward to welcoming the new year alongside you!

Please note, due to the planned activities for this evening, we will *not* be streaming to Zoom. Tonight will be in-person only!

12/23/2025

Reminder that Wake Up is NOT meeting tonight - we look forward to celebrating with you at our end-of-year celebration on Tues, Dec 30!

12/21/2025

Hi friends,

Due to the holiday week, please note that Wake Up will NOT be meeting this Tuesday, December 23rd in person or on Zoom. We hope you have a safe, healthy, happy holiday season and are grateful to have practiced with you this year!

Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, December 30th, as we will be offering an end-of-year celebration in a space of reflection, presence, community and joy to close out 2025.

Finally, we ask that you join our end of-year fundraiser to keep our programs sustainable and to help us enter 2026 in a place of financial stability from which we can continue to grow.

Thank you for helping us keep our mission alive. Donate here:

✨ End of Year Giving 2025: Help Us Reach $15,000 and Keep Our Doors Open to All ✨The Dallas Meditation Center takes pride in our commitment to our mission, “Mindfulnes...

12/16/2025

Hey there, this is Cara bowing in! I’m excited to share that Christina and I will be guiding this evening's gathering!

Christina will be guiding us in both walking and sitting meditation, and then I will facilitate a discussion on how we can bring all that is arising in our complex lives into fuel that can sustain us on our path and in our practice.

Drawing upon dharma talks, Buddhist texts, and personal reflections, I will offer a lens to integrate the work we do in meditation and the ways we walk in our lives.

We will engage in individual contemplations, explore these ideas in small group discussions, and share reflections together at the end!

I look forward to seeing everyone there!
As always, we welcome both in-person and virtual participants. Here are the details for those joining us virtually:

Meeting ID: 815 1177 0135
Passcode: wakeup
Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81511770135?pwd=VGVMTGlKd1dCbVRhRkdBcjY2cnN4Zz09

12/09/2025

Hi friends, this is Drew bowing in. Tonight, I'm excited to share thoughts and reflections on the book Being with Busyness by Brother Phap Huu and Jo Confino.

As hosts of Plum Village's The Way Out Is In podcast, the authors come with wisdom and insight guided by decades of intimate experience with Plum Village and its teachings. I'm looking forward to exploring how we can apply these teachings to the busiest parts of our lives - be it work, school, or volunteering - and reclaim feelings of joy, resilience, and peace amidst the whirlwind of life.

As always, we welcome both in-person and virtual participants. Here are the details for those joining us virtually:

Meeting ID: 815 1177 0135
Passcode: wakeup
Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81511770135?pwd=VGVMTGlKd1dCbVRhRkdBcjY2cnN4Zz09