One morning, as I sat in meditation, an ancient chant filled the room:

“Buddham Sharanam Gacchami… Dharmam Sharanam Gacchami… Sangham Sharanam Gacchami.”

The chant is an affirmation of the Three Jewels of Buddhism:

🪷 Buddha — awakening to our true nature.

📖 Dharma — the wisdom and practices that guide us toward freedom.

🤝 Sangha — the community that supports us along the way.

As I listened, I realized that these timeless principles are quietly unfolding in my own life through four extraordinary communities that have become sacred gifts.

🌿 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute reminds me that learning never ends. Every class I teach and every class I attend deepens my understanding of what it means to live with curiosity and purpose.

🪷 Lila Yoga Studio is where I return to my body, my breath, and the ancient practice of yoga. It is where healing becomes an experience rather than an idea.

🙏 First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City is my Sangha—a community rooted in love, compassion, justice, and service. It continually reminds me that we are not meant to walk this journey alone.

✨ Davidji Meditation Academy has become the place where I deepen my daily Sādhana—my spiritual practice. Meditation invites me into stillness, presence, and the quiet wisdom that lives beneath the noise of everyday life.

Together, these communities don’t replace the Three Jewels.

They help me live them.

The lotus grows in muddy water, yet blossoms untouched by the mud.

In much the same way, our lives are shaped not by avoiding difficulty but by the practices, the wisdom, and the communities that help us grow through it.

For me, these four communities are living expressions of awakening, wisdom, community, and daily practice.

They have become the soil in which my own lotus continues to bloom.

May we all discover the people, places, and practices that help us awaken to the fullest expression of who we are meant to be.

With love and gratitude,

Sandi

About the Author

Sandi Greene is a writer, meditation guide, teacher, and lifelong learner dedicated to helping people create lives of greater clarity, purpose, joy, and well-being through The Art of Living Well.

Her work is inspired by the timeless wisdom of A Course in Miracles, Davidji Meditation, yoga philosophy, and the transformative power of mindfulness, reflection, and authentic community.

Sandi is an Instructor and Ambassador with the University of Utah Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, where she teaches courses that encourage lifelong learning, meaningful connection, and personal growth. She also serves on the Board of Trustees at the First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City, teaches New Member classes, and facilitates small groups that foster belonging and thoughtful conversation.

Whether through her writing, meditation, teaching, or individual conversations, Sandi invites others to reconnect with their inner wisdom and discover that nothing essential is missing.

The Art of Living Well • Meditation • A Course in Miracles • Osher Lifelong Learning • Well-Being