Sangha House LA is an intentional community in the Plum Village tradition living together in a shared house. There are currently six people living together in the house since the spring of 2025. Wake Up International spoke with Casiana (Joyful Soulmate of the Source), one of their co-founding members, to hear more about their story of how they came to be and what living in a Plum Village lay community is like.
How it started
Casiana: Most of us met at Los Angeles Compassionate Heart Sangha and became friends. During our sangha picnics and lunches there were several people that mentioned a wish for community living.
About a year and a half ago I started an e-mail list and e-mailed everyone who shared an interest to live in community. After several e-mails and meetings, five of us decided to rent a house together (Casiana, Taylor, Garrett, Sean and Rachel) . Soon after Garrett’s girlfriend Liz moved in, later they married and we celebrated their union at a local park.
Beginning Anew and embracing impermanence
Casiana: Sean moved out after four months because community living was difficult for him, but thanks to the practice of Beginning Anew we were able to stay friends and he comes to the house often still for our Wednesday evening gatherings and other events. I saw the practice of Beginning Anew in action and it strengthened my “faith” in it because I saw it works! Author and former monastic David Viafora visited our community and mediated our Beginning Anew before Sean moved out. After Sean moved out, Christopher moved in after finding out that we are looking for a new roommate from his brother Michael. Michael and I are in the same study group for the Order of Interbeing.
In the picture below you can see the current residents of the sangha house. There are six people and two dogs living here currently, but because of impermanence we know that this will change.
Current residents of the sangha house: Rachel, Taylor, Christopher, Casiana holding Penny the dog, Garrett and Liz.
Altar inside of the Sangha House LA
Living joyfully together
Casiana: Every Wednesday at 7 pm we host a gathering at our house for two hours. We offer meditation, reading and dharma sharing. We have friends join us and new folks too. It has been wonderful to see new people find us who have never meditated before. Powerful.
Every month we have a house meeting, house cleaning internally and weekly we cook in pairs of two three nights a week (6 people make 3 pairs).
We have a vegetarian house and we cook vegan meals for dinner (occasionally there is dairy but always with a vegan alternative). Having dinner together, breaking bread I found to be a glue for us and a time to connect. If someone isn’t home for the three weekly dinners they can have leftovers later when they get home. It feels really nice to come home to a cooked meal and to cook for others.
For the holidays we had a Secret Santa gift exchange that was really fun and for New Years Eve we hosted a meditation and dharma sharing with the invitation to choose a word for the new year (mine is courage!). After the singing of Plum Village songs, meditation and dharma sharing we had a vegetarian potluck followed by karaoke and party (this was a meat free and alcohol free party). We have an alcohol free house and meat free house and our New Year’s Eve party followed those guidelines also. I feel so happy 30 people celebrated without alcohol, I don’t think I have ever attended an alcohol free New Year’s Eve party before.
New Years Eve party
This past year at the house we celebrated Liz and Garrett getting married, Rachel’s birthday swing dancing, we had a vegan summer bbq, an ice cream social, a movie night showing the documentary “Mission : Joy” a conversation of the Dalai Lama with Archibishop Desmond Tutu. Looking back through all the pictures I feel so much gratitude for all we have done in the community so far.
Birthday celebration
I am very happy and proud we were able to start this Sangha House together. Living in community is countercultural in such a capitalistic society. We show care for one another and share meals, rides, a shoulder to cry on, encouragement, hugs and laughter. At one of our Wednesday meditation we offered a Laughter Yoga session once nourishing the seeds of joy, happiness and of course laughter.
Laughter yoga
Deer Park and dear friends
Casiana: We are happy to live two hours away from Deer Park Monastery and that we enjoy going there for Days of Mindfulness and retreats. We are grateful for the monastics, their love and care, their teachings and grateful to live only two hours away from this beautiful practice center.
This is a picture from June 2025 at Deer Park Monastery at the Order of Interbeing retreat. Sean, Garrett and I attended from the Sangha House with two dear friends from Los Angeles Compassionate Heart Sangha, Diana and Matt, and with new friends we met and made on retreat, young people who would like to ordain into the O.I.
Wake Up International wants to thank everyone at the Sangha House Los Angeles for sharing your story. We wish that many people will be inspired and encouraged to live in community.
You can follow Sangha House LA on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/sanghahousela/