FAQ | Dharma Homies

 Nope. Our teachings come out of Buddhist lineages and we name that clearly, but you don't need to identify as Buddhist, believe anything in particular, or have any background at all. Plenty of folks who sit with us daily wouldn't call themselves Buddhist. Come as you are.

Yes. Morning Mindfulness is designed so that a first-timer and someone with twenty years of practice can sit in the same room and both get something real. Each session includes guidance, so you're never left wondering what to do. There's nothing to prepare and no experience required.

Morning Mindfulness runs 8:45–9:30am PT, seven days a week on Zoom. A teacher from the crew opens, and invites each person to share their name, pronouns, and a couple words about what's bringing them here. The teacher might offer a short reflection or dharma talk (we call these dharmettes), then guides a period of meditation. We always close with a go-round where each person shares one thing they are grateful for in that moment. Simple, structured, and full of wisdom, compassion, and care. You're welcome to keep your camera off. You're welcome to be in bed. Some people are outside, some are in their cars on a break.

 It means what it says. Suggested donation for morning mindfulness is $5–$15, and no one is ever turned away for lack of funds. There's no verification, no form, no explaining yourself. If money is tight, sit with us for free — that's the point.

For classes and retreats, we use tiered pricing so you can choose the level that reflects your actual financial reality. BIPOC scholarships are available and abundant; just ask.

This model comes from dana, the practice of generosity that has carried these teachings for millennia. If you have more, giving more helps someone who has less sit alongside you.

Most meditation is practiced alone, in silence, with your eyes closed. Relational mindfulness is the practice of staying present while in connection with another person — noticing what happens in your body when you're seen, when you speak, when you listen. It turns out that's where a lot of our conditioning lives, and it's often where the deepest shifts happen. And we can practice in connection with the more-than-human world also.

It means we build our spaces knowing that many of us are carrying things — personal, ancestral, systemic. Practically: we prioritize the wisdom of ease rather than forcing, we invite rather than command, we try to have a predictable flow, so nothing is a surprise, and we make it clear you can always modify a practice or step away. You stay in charge of your own experience.

It doesn't mean our sessions are therapy or a substitute for it. If you're working with acute trauma, we'd encourage seeing a mental health professional.

We're a collective of teachers, not a single-teacher center. Each member of the crew brings their own lineage, life experience, and voice — Theravāda, Zen, Vipassana, Vedic, ecodharma. Meet everyone on The Crew page.

Dharma Homies is open to everyone, and we center marginalized voices. Many of our teachers and community members are BIPOC and queer/trans. Our scholarship funds prioritize BIPOC practitioners. If you've felt out of place in other meditation spaces, you will find people here who get it.

Yes, usually. Our sessions include time where we hear from each other, and you'll be invited in. This isn't a broadcast you watch, it's a room you're in.

If you'd rather pass on a given day, just say so.

Subscribe to our newsletter for a short dharma reflection from one of the crew plus upcoming events. You can also add our calendar to your own so morning mindfulness, classes, and retreats show up automatically.

Reach out — we usually respond within a few days.