Membership and Support
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We invite you to become a member of the Florida Community of Mindfulness and to join in our efforts to make the Dharma, the teachings of Buddhism, available in Florida. All FCM members, from our teacher Fred Eppsteiner to the newest student, are involved in sharing their wisdom, time, and material resources to support and enrich our practice community.
FCM "members" are practitioners who wish to regularly participate more fully in the life of our practice community, the sangha, and to make a deeper commitment to support our goals and activities. FCM members have the first option to attend FCM retreats and other practice opportunities where space may be limited. For those who wish to be included in our mailings but not practice at the level of "member," please select the "friend" option instead. Whether you become a member of FCM or not, our weekly meditation practice and teachings will continue to be available to you, as they are to all.
See our Membership Form
A Buddhist community like FCM functions on the basis of "dana," or generosity. The annual dana payments of our members help support the Florida Community of Mindfulness by
- providing the funds for appropriate meeting spaces for weekly meditations and Dharma talks,
- helping cover operating costs for meditation cushions, equipment, and supplies as well as advertising and promotional expenses to make our activities available to interested persons,
- offering financial support to our teacher, Fred Eppsteiner, so he can continue to work as a full-time Dharma teacher,
- supporting our Library Fund to make available video, audio, and reading materials to enhance our practice,
- assisting with travel expenses to bring guest speakers to our area,
- contributing toward our Retreat Scholarship Fund and charitable donations in our local communities.
The Florida Community of Mindfulness, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation and is recognized as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Service. Thus, your contributions to FCM are tax-deductible.
Please see and/or print the Membership Form for information on the annual donations for FCM membership, membership categories, and mailing instructions. For those who wish to become members of FCM but may find it difficult to make an annual pledge, other arrangements are available. Please contact Susan Ghost (susanghosh@yahoo.com) for additional information.
Dana
Since the time of Shakyamuni Buddha 2,500 years ago, the transmission of the Buddha's teachings has been supported by the members of the practice community through "dana," a Pali word usually translated into English as “generosity” or “giving."
As a fundamental part of the Buddha's Way, dana is the practice of developing a generous and open heart. Along with the cultivation of harmonious living and of wisdom, generosity is considered one of the fundamental pillars of the Dharma (the teachings and practices of Buddhism). The practice of generosity is one of the six paramitas, transformative actions that lead to liberation and enlightenment. (The other five paramitas are virtuous conduct, patience, diligent effort, concentration, and wisdom.)
Our teachers freely share their Dharma teachings and offer us the fruits of their many years of training and practice. Dana is a way for us to express our individual appreciation for our teachers' dedication to transmitting the Dharma and alleviating suffering and for us to express our gratitude for the Dharma and the unbroken lineage of teachers that began over 2,500 years ago with Shakyamuni Buddha himself.
How do we practice dana in the Florida Community of Mindfulness?
FCM relies upon its members for their annual membership pledges and other tax-deductible voluntary financial contributions, which are FCM’s sole source of funds. This dana is used to cover the support of our teacher, Fred Eppsteier, and to cover the other costs described above.
Equally important, volunteers from our local meditation groups offer their time to serve their sanghas by setting up the meditation hall, leading meditation practice, providing flower arrangements, or preparing refreshments after meditation. FCM members also practice dana by contributing their time and skills to provide needed services to FCM such as website maintenance, the development of educational programs, editing our newsletter, and providing organizational leadership.
Dana is the practice of "hidden virtue." Practicing dana with awareness allows us to work through our self-centered attachments, especially our attachment to our money, time, and self-interest, so that we can be free to truly help and support others in myriad ways.