This March marks the sixth anniversary of the Daily Sit. Bill and Susan Morgan share about how it all began, what they’ve learned along the way, and how this meaningful offering continues to hold a steady space for people to come together in practice.
How did the Daily Sit begin?
In the first week of March, 2020, having just completed a course with Bhikkhu Analayo at BCBS, we went up the hill to the Forest Refuge to begin a 2-week personal retreat. To our surprise, the Forest Refuge was closing due to the spread of COVID.
We went back to BCBS, asked and were given permission to stay there for our retreat. A few weeks turned into 16 months, but in those early days, the director asked if we’d offer something to the BCBS community.
On March 26th, the Daily Sit went live with nearly 200 folks showing up. Clearly there was a need! The separation, isolation and overall struggle the pandemic was causing made it clear that everyone needed a space where they felt welcomed. It was beautiful to see a sangha arise out of thin air and furthermore to see it continue to flourish!
How did you land on this particular idea and format?
We have always looked around the dharma world with the query, “What isn’t out there? What new offering might be relevant and accessible”? All of our teachings–the online Householder Retreats, the annual New Years Eve gatherings and our overall integrative teaching style, which has been influenced by psychology, Zen and Tibetan Buddhism—have come forward from this reflection.
In this case, despite the thousands of audio dharma talk recordings in circulation, there were few dharma teachers getting online live every day. So, especially in that strange, unsettling time of the pandemic, imagining the many lonely, anxious and relatively housebound people and practitioners who might benefit, we decided to offer a daily dose of teacher-led, zoom facilitated practical Dharma encouragement and create a welcoming space for anyone!
How did you decide upon the content or focus for the program?
At first we simply shared our inspirations of the day. In that time of stress and uncertainty it seemed best to focus on calming and settling the nervous system rather than open awareness practice.
For the first 528 consecutive days, seven days a week, we offered a daily dose of practical dharma, emphasizing kindness, compassion, common humanity, and connection.
Did you ever imagine it would still be going after 5 years?
No. We just started, and kept rolling. Though the world was re-opening, people continued to show up. The community was very much alive. Realizing that we needed reinforcements to keep the Daily Sit going, we invited several of our teacher trainee graduates, with supervision, to begin teaching with us.
We adjusted the schedule from 7 to 5 days each week, and began to offer 2 short dharma talks on Monday and Wednesday, a guided meditation on Tuesday, and Q and A on Thursday, and a silent sit on Friday. This format has continued to the present appealing to individuals’ practice ability.
Has the content changed over time?
Yes. After six months we began to offer a specific dharma subject each month – the Four Noble Truths, the Eight Fold Path, the Brahmaviharas, the Paramis, the Five Remembrances, etc. This allowed for deeper exploration of each topic.
The Daily Sit is approaching its 6th anniversary! Did you consider ending the program when the pandemic began to recede?
We imagined that attendance would fade right along with the pandemic. But to our surprise, people kept coming! And so did we! We realized that a vibrant online community had been born, and it wanted to live on! Currently there is a large ever-changing sangha, with a core group of practitioners who “anchor” the meditation space, many of whom have been here from the beginning.
How has the Daily Sit affected you/changed you/impacted you personally?
First, the Daily Sit has been a way for us to offer back into the world what we had so generously received from our teachers, the Buddha, and the practice itself. This is dana for all the dana we have received and benefited from.
Secondly, it is a joy! …an absolute joy to come into a virtual “space” every day and be met with a group of folks who “want to practice, who want to be in good company each day, to drink in, to grow, hold, tenderize, heal, to let the heart feel a sense of companionship with other like-minded “hearts”.
Thirdly, sitting with sangha inspires and invigorates our aim to keep waking up.
Do you have a longer term vision for the program?
As long as people keep coming and as long as we are able, we’ll keep offering the Daily Sit.
Any parting comments?
We need each other now more than ever.
Sangha is where it’s at in this world on fire!
Come, check out the Daily Sit.
All are welcome.
Our heartfelt gratitude to Bill and Susan Morgan, and to the facilitators and practitioners whose presence, dedication, and generosity continue to sustain the Daily Sit.
The Daily Sit is freely offered and supported by the generosity of our community.
Join the practice, explore past teachings, or support this offering:
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