I found Sangha House NOLA during a tumultuous time in my life. I had recently broken up with a partner I shared 4 years with, I was struggling with substance abuse issues with Marijuana and Alcohol, and I was having a difficult time applying the job skills I had obtained the previous year for becoming a bartender and finding it challenging to maintain a consistent work schedule that wasn’t overwhelming. Personally, I felt I was in shambles, life seemed very dark and limited, like I was just broken with nothing to do but to sweep the pieces of myself up and find someway to bring myself back together. I can say with great gratitude that Sangha House NOLA helped me to realign my spiritual practices through the lense of Buddhism and Mindfulness practices.
As someone who studied Buddhist and Vedic philosophy for years on my own, it has been an immense blessing to find a spiritual home at Sangha House NOLA. I’ve suffered through various mental health issues, substance abuse issues and a general sense of disconnect from my community, but honing my spiritual practices while taking refuge in the Three Gems of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha has brought me to a new level of awareness and understanding with a deeper focus and commitment to my community in New Orleans. I’ve always considered myself a loving and kind person, but to put that into practice on a daily basis in my own work and alongside my beloved Sangha family transmuted a great deal of that suffering, allowing me to blossom into much happiness, much joy, much gratitude, much peace and abundance regardless of my circumstances. Making a suitable income and finding a sense of balance within the hospitality industry and non-profit industries can lead to burn out, which I’ve suffered from on multiple occasions. But practicing at Sangha House NOLA and with my community has lit a fire in my heart, rekindled my passionate spirit, and has honed my mind into a diamond that brilliantly reflects all of my experiences so that I’m able to share the fruits of my labor with my community in New Orleans.
When you donate and contribute to Sangha House NOLA, you help practitioners like myself fund the endeavors they take on like working to create spiritual retreats for the community, to be able to prepare and offer food and beverages to the Sangha and community, and support short-term and long-term stays at Sangha House to help practitioners hone their spiritual practices. Your support helps us to continue to work to envision and enact a better future for ourselves and community through the spiritual teachings provided by Buddhism and Mindfulness. When we are able to transform our hearts and minds, we can transmute the suffering we collectively face into a better present and future for all beings. Thank you for your support and contributions.
Much love and great gratitude to you!
— Maazy, Sangha core group “Whats A Maazy”