Still Waters Sangha is sustained entirely by the generosity and interconnectedness of our community. If you feel nourished by our offerings or supportive of our mission, please consider giving what you can. Your donations keep the dharma flowing. Thank you.
We gather online every Sunday from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm central time. Simply send us an email stating you would like to join us, and a volunteer will send you the Zoom link to attend. Our email is info@stillwaterssangha.org. We are based out of Bay View, a historic neighborhood along the shores of Lake Michigan in the city of Milwaukee. We hope to one day have the space to meet in person.
No experience is needed. Still Waters welcomes beginners and seasoned practitioners alike. It can be helpful to have a copy of the Recovery Dharma book/pdf on hand, since we read from that at every gathering. A free e-file can be found on their website at https://recoverydharma.org/book/
We honor the teachings of the Buddha while welcoming people from every tradition, identity, and lived experience. Come as you are.
Our gatherings are primarily guided by Kara Catrelle, PhD, a Jungian psychoanalyst, musician, and Buddhist practitioner offering a gentle approach to meditation and insight teachings and practice. Kara's spiritual path has been shaped by more than two decades of immersion in depth psychology principles and Buddhist and Vedic traditions.
She has received multiple initiations and teachings, including Tantric initiations and Vedic instruction in India. In August 2023, she received the Padmasambhava Guru Rinpoche Empowerment from Khenpo Nyima Dondrup, a senior khenpo in the Palyul Nyingma lineage.
Her journey has also included being part of a live, in-person teaching with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Washington, D.C., as well as receiving in-person darshan from Sri Sathya Sai Baba and Amma (Mātā Amritānanadamayī Devī). These encounters have deeply influenced her approach to compassion, service, the inner path, and living consciously and authentically in the world.
Kara weaves these teachings with her training in Jungian psychology, trauma-informed practice, contemplative studies, and depth-oriented healing, offering a non-sectarian, inclusive, and grounded path of practice for modern life.
We start with simple introductions, followed by a guided meditation to settle the mind and body. We read something inspiring to spark Dharma talk and reflection, and open space for sharing and vipassana practice. Near the end of the evening, we read a passage from the Recovery Dharma book and offer up whatever is on our hearts. We may run through a few announcements before we close the evening in shared silence.
We offer our weekly gatherings and teachings freely, trusting in the practice of generosity. If you feel nourished by our offerings, please consider supporting the space and teachings through a donation. We are deeply grateful for every contribution. No one is ever turned away for lack of funds.
