Dharma (as used in the name of the organization) is one of several key "vocabulary words" in our practice.  Let's start by explaining what that's all about.  

Because the foundation of teaching in our group is based on ancient Indian philosophy, dhamra is a Sanskrit word.  In the Buddhist tradition, it means "the teachings of the Buddha."  It can also have  related but nuanced interpretations such as "the Truth" in other contexts.

Sangha is the community we share when we are together as laypeople learning Buddhist concepts.  It can also be used in the context of other communities in the Buddhist tradition.

Fortunately, you will find a glossary of words in the book we use for readings that will remind you what they mean.

The path started with a man born several centuries before the Common Era.  His name was Siddhartha Gautama.  As an adult, Siddhartha became known as Buddha, a title that translates to 'the awakened one' in English. His life-long pursuits and teachings resulted in the foundation of Buddhism.

Buddhism as we know it today is not one commonly agreed thing.  To some it is a spiritual path that leads in theological directions.  To others it is a path of deep self-knowledge and logical inquiry leading to wisdom, ethical living and self-mastery. 

Meetings in our sangha have a standard format most of the time, with one or more readings from the book, an open discussion of the reading and a period of meditation. 

Meetings are led by a facilitator who guides the agenda to completion based on the agreed time limit.  There are often informal discussions and greetings (by Zoom chat messages) during or after the meeting.  The length of a normal meeting agenda runs to 60 minutes.  Informal conversation sometimes occurs afterward.