Upekkha, whose name means “equanimity” or “non-discrimination,” is Sangha House NOLA’s beloved temple cat and dharma companion. She has been a steadfast presence since the launch of the Great Aspiration, accompanying Venerable Dayananda across the country during the three-year mobile monastic pilgrimage.

A lover of nature, fish, and belly rubs, she greets everyone who enters the temple, Upekkha embodies the practice her name honors: moving through the world with acceptance, curiosity, and equanimity. She reminds us that all beings belong in sacred space and that hospitality can take many forms.