What we’re about
The Sky Creek Dharma Center ( https://skycreekdharmacenter.org ) is a non-profit, donation-based meditation center founded in 2004 that attracts a diverse group of meditators and spiritual seekers from Chico and the surrounding area. There are meditation groups meeting every Sunday through Thursday evening, and on Sunday mornings. Each of the groups are hosted and run by individual volunteers as mentioned below. We have no paid staff, and board members are not paid.
Note that these groups have been meeting for many years independent of Meetup.com, and we are cross-posting these meetings to promote them, thus signups on meetup.com do not reflect the true attendance to these events. The typical weekly attendance for each of these groups varies from 4 to 20+ people.
If you are an experienced meditator, we welcome you to our dedicated communities. Group meditation can be a powerful support for those seeking to develop and maintain a regular practice. Come explore translations of the Tao Te Ching on Sunday mornings, the Soto Zen of the Wednesday night group, the mystery of Zen koan practice on Thursday night, or the Five Mindfulness Trainings with the Monday night Thich Nhat Hanh group. If you are new to meditation, group leaders and experienced volunteers will provide basic instructions and guidance.
There is never a charge for joining us in meditation, but we accept donations to support the center. Although the groups are run by volunteers and the center has no paid staff, we do have a regular monthly mortgage and operating expenses that paid solely through voluntary donations.
Buddhism is a practice and a religion. There is a full spectrum of regular members who vary on the continuum of religiosity, some seeing meditation as a spiritual/religious practice, while others practice mindfulness meditation and see it as a purely secular activity to reduce stress and improve mental health; we welcome all!
Slowly Ripening Sangha
Monday Night 6:45 – 8:45PM. Practicing Zen Buddhism in the Plum Village tradition of Vietnamese monk, scholar, author and poet Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. The weekly sitting group leader is Jasper Lerch. It is affiliated with Plum Village and the Order of Interbeing and its hundreds of sanghas (groups) throughout the world. See https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/thich-nhat-hanh. We meditate and socialize in accordance with the Five Mindfulness Trainings. Currently masks are optional. For your first visit, come at 6:45pm. Meditation begins promptly at 7PM. No meditation experience needed. We welcome newcomers and a brief orientation & instructions will be provided. We begin with an hour of meditation— two sitting meditations and one walking meditation. After a short fellowship break, we return to the hall for a brief ceremony, reading, or discussion of our individual practices. Group Contact: Jasper Lerch, jasperlerch@sbcglobal.net
The Heart of the Lotus Sangha
Tuesday Night 6:30 - 8:15 PM. The group leader for this meditation group is Rebecca Cook, with weekly sittings and discussion led by a rotating list of volunteers. This is a peer-led group that practices Vipassana, or Insight Meditation and is loosely affiliated with Mountain Stream Meditation Center in Nevada City. This is Vipassana in the Western Insight Tradition, typically associated with Spirit Rock Meditation Center, in Marin County, and teachers such as Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, Joseph Goldstein, and Tara Brach are often an inspiration to our sangha in the form of books chosen for dharma study. We encourage those new to the center and/or meditation to join us 15-20 minutes early.
The Chico Serene Reflection Meditation Group
Wednesday evenings 6:00 – 7:30 PM. We are affiliated with the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives and Shasta Abbey Buddhist Monastery near the town of Mt Shasta, California. Our practice is Soto Zen, also known as Serene Reflection Meditation. The primary group leaders are Ja'nice Hoobler and Chris Perske. Our practice includes: meditation, ceremony and study of the Dharma. Our weekly meetings consist of meditation, both sitting and walking. Afterwards we have tea, cookies and discuss some aspect of the Dharma. We cordially invite newcomers and visitors to come any time to learn about our practice. Please contact Chris at [3perskes@gmail.com](https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=2perskes@gmail.com) or [srmchico@gmail.com](https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=srmchico@gmail.com) with questions.
Mud and Sky Sangha
Thursday evenings 7:00 – 8:30PM. The mission of our Sangha is to help one another open our minds and hearts to the Buddha nature inherent in all beings. Our practice is one of silent meditation, koan inquiry, and Dharma conversation. The use of koans – stories which provide a bridge between the spoken and the unspoken, and thereby provide a path to fuller embodiment of spiritual practice – is key in our Sangha. We begin with silent meditation, a koan having been dropped into the silence at the beginning of meditation. After silent meditation, both sitting and walking, we have a dharma talk, usually by Chris Gaffney. After the talk, we share experiences we have had in our meditation and in the conversation. Questions? Contact Chris at cgaffney@csuchico.edu (530-588-4941).
3pm - 5pm Afternoon Open House. Come visit, take a tour, discuss meditation and our groups. Check our Google calendar to confirm that there are no special events planned.
Sunday Morning
The Chico Taoist Group meets 11:00 AM-Noon Sunday to practice ongoing contemplative meditation and discuss the 81 Chapters of Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching.
We welcome you to the practice. There is no right or wrong way to be in the Tao. As soon as we try to name it, it eludes us. Yet speaking and our sitting with these paradoxes, we find, helps us to drop our suffering, recognize our common humanity and to live more openly in the world. We are all seekers and guides upon this path.
Newcomers are welcome. Instruction in meditation available on request.
For further information, contact David Philhour dphilhour@csuchico.edu.
Vipassana
Sunday Evening 6:00-7:00pm. We practice Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin. This is a weekly group sitting for experienced students, as no instruction is provided. Here is a short introduction on the tradition. This organization conducts donation-based 10-day silent meditation retreats in Kelseyville (Clear Lake) California. Please contact: Lee at laltier@csuchico.edu
The Wisdom of Not Knowing: Cultivating Beginner's Mind in Every Moment
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/daylong-meditation-retreat-with-adam-stonebraker-tickets-1306186481929
In the practice of Insight Meditation, we train ourselves to see clearly the unfolding of each moment, with mindfulness as our guide. Yet, the habit of clinging to certainty or familiar patterns can cloud our ability to meet experience with freshness and curiosity. Inspired by the Zen teaching of shoshin (beginner’s mind), this retreat invites us to let go of preconceived notions and rediscover the joy and freedom that arise when we meet life with openness and non-judgment.
Through stationary and walking meditation, dharma reflections, and time for discussion and Q&A, we will explore how beginner’s mind supports the development of mindfulness, curiosity, and equanimity. Drawing on foundational Buddhist teachings, we will practice "not knowing" as a doorway to deeper insight and liberation.
$35 suggested donation, register here (marking "Going" here in Meetup.com will not reserve a spot for this special event)
Whether you are new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner, this retreat offers an opportunity to begin again, moment by moment. Please wear comfortable clothing and bring a lunch, as we will have a midday break.
All are welcome, regardless of experience level. Bring a bag lunch or $10 for pizza.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- The Wisdom of Not Knowing, a Daylong Meditation Retreat with Adam StonebrakerSky Creek Dharma Center, Chico, CA
The Wisdom of Not Knowing: Cultivating Beginner's Mind in Every Moment
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/daylong-meditation-retreat-with-adam-stonebraker-tickets-1306186481929
In the practice of Insight Meditation, we train ourselves to see clearly the unfolding of each moment, with mindfulness as our guide. Yet, the habit of clinging to certainty or familiar patterns can cloud our ability to meet experience with freshness and curiosity. Inspired by the Zen teaching of shoshin (beginner’s mind), this retreat invites us to let go of preconceived notions and rediscover the joy and freedom that arise when we meet life with openness and non-judgment.
Through stationary and walking meditation, dharma reflections, and time for discussion and Q&A, we will explore how beginner’s mind supports the development of mindfulness, curiosity, and equanimity. Drawing on foundational Buddhist teachings, we will practice "not knowing" as a doorway to deeper insight and liberation.
$35 suggested donation, register here (marking "Going" here in Meetup.com will not reserve a spot for this special event)
Whether you are new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner, this retreat offers an opportunity to begin again, moment by moment. Please wear comfortable clothing and bring a lunch, as we will have a midday break.
All are welcome, regardless of experience level. Bring a bag lunch or $10 for pizza.
- SPIRIT QUESTSky Creek Dharma Center, Chico, CA
SPIRIT QUEST
NEW EARTH MARKET, CHICO. 864 East Avenue, Chico, CA 95926
Saturday, April 26th, 9:45 amTopic: Mindfulness Methods
Mindfulness has grown rapidly over recent years for many reasons. Some say that it is just another form of meditation. While others contend that it is a powerful extension of meditation that is evolving as people carry it around with them in their daily lives and share the results with others. Let’s discuss the origins, nature and the possibilities of this burgeoning system of meditative techniques that may dramatically alter the future of the human race. Please join us and share your thoughts with others, some of whom are practicing various forms of this dynamic phenomenon.
SCHEDULE
9:45 am: Those who wish to have a beverage get coffee or other drinks.10:00 am: The Group Guide says a few words and this person lightly manages the discussion. People sit in the back room area and those who have a topic that they have previously submitted by email start the discussion.
11:00 am: Those who chose to participate will join walks and meditation circles with light chanting in the back yard area.
This particular meeting will take place at the New Earth Market, Chico. Those who wish can stay that the market after the discussion and have food and beverages.
Hike for Saturday:
To be announcedYou can contact me any time for more information:
Will Otey
willotey1@gmail.com - The Art of Compassionate Communication, NVC-inspired Workshop with Jonah RichmanSky Creek Dharma Center, Chico, CA
Click Here to Register via Eventbrite
Have you ever curled up on your couch, blankly scrolling social media on your phone, after your closest friend declined your invitation to get together for the fifth consecutive time?
Have you ever found yourself awake at night with the thought, “I love him, but something is off with our communication. If this doesn’t change I may have to leave this relationship.”
Have you ever stood frozen as your adult child drove away after telling you they never want to see you again?
When relationships break down, it affects more than just the connection —it impacts our wellbeing.
Harville Hendrix said “"We are born in relationship, we are wounded in relationship, and we can be healed in relationship.”
The reason we create disconnection in our relationships is because of how we’ve been trained to communicate.
Many of us, at our best, attempt to communicate using 'I-statements' and taking deep breaths, but these attempts can still leave people feeling misunderstood, unheard, or even patronized.
And at our worst, we fall into criticism, hurtful insults, and threats which erode connection.
This workshop will redefine how you approach communication, empowering you to break cycles of misunderstanding, frustration and combative language at the root level.
In this workshop you'll learn:
- How society has conditioned us to create disconnection, even when our deepest desire is to connect?
- Anger and frustration’s role in communication and how to keep these feelings from creating havoc in your relationships.
- Why communication skills, including Compassionate Communication (aka NVC), can turn into a form of manipulation if you're not careful – how to avoid this mistake and drop into true connection.
- The full Compassionate Communication (also known as Nonviolent Communication) method along with Jonah’s unique perspectives and tips after having been a practitioner for over 15 years.
Whether you're seeking to heal family dynamics, enrich a romantic partnership, prepare for future relationships, deepen friendships, or simply become a more powerful presence in the world, this workshop will give you the skills to create meaningful connections in every area of your life.
______Jonah Richman is a skilled workshop leader and certified counselor who, over the past 10+ years, has guided hundreds of participants through transformative experiences.
His journey with Compassionate Communication began in 2009, during a challenging time following a breakup with the mother of his twin daughters. Struggling with self doubt and depression, Jonah discovered the power of Compassionate Communication and experienced remarkable personal and relational growth. Inspired by this transformation, he became dedicated to sharing these life-changing tools with others.
Jonah’s workshops consistently help individuals heal relationships and feel more empowered in their personal lives. His passion for Compassionate Communication is woven into every aspect of his work and life.
Certified through the Interchange Counseling Institute, Jonah also specializes in helping holistic practitioners and coaches communicate their message through story telling.
Jonah in a long-time Chico local and Sky Creek meditator and has generously made this workshop a fundraising event for Sky Creek Dharma Center. All proceeds to help support and maintain our building and programs. Thank you Jonah! Please register and donate what you can, Click Here to Register via Eventbrite
