We don’t just meditate. We practice good qualities.
Meditation is where it starts. Kindness, generosity, patience and care for every living being are what we carry out into the world. Our special events bring the community together to practice those qualities in action, through charity, service and time in nature.
What you’ll find here
Beyond our regular classes and retreats, we hold occasional events that turn practice into shared action.
Special programs
One-off sessions that join meditation with something new, from mindful walks in nature to guest talks.
Charity & fundraisers
Events that support the center and the wider community. Like all our programs, they are free and donation-based.
Community events
Gatherings, celebrations and service days where friends old and new practice together.
Mindful Birdwatching & Loving-Kindness Meditation
Look closely. Listen gently.
- When
- Saturday, October 24, 2026
- Time
- 10:00 AM – 1:15 PM
- Starts at
- Meadowside Nature Center, Rockville
- Admission
- Free · donations welcome
A slow morning bird walk
Join local birder and photographer Sanka Perera for a 1.5-hour walk. It is an invitation to slow down and pay close attention to the nature around us. Late October brings late migrant birds still passing through, changing leaves and a calm energy in the air.
Along the way, Sanka will share tips for spotting and identifying birds by sight and sound, and for observing wildlife patiently and respectfully. You don’t need to know anything about birds. Just bring your curiosity and a willingness to look and listen.
- What to bring: binoculars if you have them, comfortable walking shoes, layers for the cool morning air, and your curiosity
Snacks, bird life and loving-kindness
After the walk, we gather at the center for a snack break and a 30-minute talk about the lives of the birds we’ve just seen.
We close with one hour of loving-kindness (mettā) meditation guided by a Buddhist monk from the Buddha Meditation Center, extending the care we felt for the birds outward to ourselves, to others and to all living beings.
- Can I join only this part? Yes. You’re welcome to come straight to the center.
Sanka Perera
Sanka is a local birder and wildlife photographer. He will lead the walk at Meadowside and share tips for spotting and identifying birds by sight and sound, and for observing wildlife patiently and respectfully. Every bird photo on this page is his.
@sanka.perera
Buddhist monk from the Buddha Meditation Center
Our meditation host is the Buddhist Chaplain at George Washington University and an IMTA-certified mindfulness teacher. He will guide the hour of loving-kindness meditation at the center.
All bird photos © Sanka Perera Photo.
The morning at a glance
Saturday, October 24
- Bird walk with Sanka PereraMeadowside Nature Center · 1.5 hours
- Travel to the centerAbout 15 minutes by car to 5004 Stone Rd, Rockville
- Snack break & the lives of birdsBuddha Meditation Center · 30 minutes
- Loving-kindness meditationGuided by a Buddhist monk from the Buddha Meditation Center · 60 minutes · ends at 1:15 PM
Two places. One shared morning.
Help us keep the meditation hall comfortable in every season
Like all our programs, this event is free and donation-based. Every gift goes toward upgrading the heating and cooling system in our meditation hall, so everyone who comes to practice, in every season, can sit in comfort.
Giving is itself a practice. In Buddhist teaching, generosity (dāna) is the first of the perfections.
Save your place
The morning is free and open to everyone. Signing up helps us plan snacks and space in the hall.
Would you like to support the meditation hall? Make a voluntary donation toward its heating and cooling upgrade.
Before you come
Do I need birdwatching or meditation experience?
No. Both parts welcome beginners. Sanka will explain what to look and listen for, and a Buddhist monk from the Buddha Meditation Center guides the meditation.
Do I have to donate to attend?
No. The event is free. If you’d like, you can make a voluntary donation toward our meditation hall’s heating and cooling upgrade.
Where do we meet?
The morning starts at Meadowside Nature Center at 10:00 AM. At 11:30 we drive to the Buddha Meditation Center (about 15 minutes) for snacks, the bird-life talk and meditation.
Can I join only part of the morning?
Yes. Just let us know when you register. If you’re coming only to the center, arrive by 11:45 AM.
Upcoming special events
Programs, charity drives and community gatherings, in date order. New events are added as they’re announced.
-
Oct17Sat
Three Traditions: A Buddhist Gathering at GW
Practitioners from the three main Buddhist traditions, Theravāda, Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna, come together for an evening of shared practice and conversation.
GW students: please contact CISL to attend.
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Oct24Sat
Mindful Birdwatching & Loving-Kindness Meditation
A bird walk with Sanka Perera, snacks and a talk on bird life, and loving-kindness meditation. Donations support our meditation hall’s heating and cooling upgrade.
See event details ↑ -
Oct31Sat
Winter Coat Donation Drive
Help keep our neighbors warm this winter. Drop-off details and what to bring will be posted here soon.
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Nov8Sun
Kathina Robe-Offering Ceremony & Parade
Kathina is the annual ceremony where lay supporters offer robes to the monks at the end of their three-month rains retreat (Vassa). Join the procession, take part in the robe offering, and stay for a Sri Lankan lunch together afterwards.
Last year’s Kathina parade · Watch on YouTube ↗
Sign up for Kathina
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DateTBA
Sports Gear for Students
A donation drive for sports accessories for students at underprivileged schools. More details coming soon.
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DateTBA
Community Blood Drive
Give blood, help save lives. Our community has hosted blood drives at the center before, and we’re planning the next one. Date and sign-up details coming soon.
Our last blood drive
