In 1972 a hatha yoga group met at Patricia Shelton’s East-West Center. This marked the humble beginning of the Dharmadhatu Buddhist Center in Boston. The early days were far from polished. The group initially gathered at Persis McMillen’s estate in Concord. Meditation instruction happened under a tree. Walking meditation took place in the fields.
The Boston Dharmadhatu found a small loft on Charles Street in Beacon Hill. Only twelve to fifteen members attended Monday night meetings. Wednesdays featured a forty-minute sitting and a Rinpoche tape. Early practices were a curious mix. Some sat against walls others lay prone. Some attempted full lotus. Walking meditation resembled a performance. Outbursts of anger and depression were considered serious practice. Politeness was deemed middle-class.
Over the next few years the group shed middle-class comforts. Husbands wives jobs even bras were left behind. Some traded vegetarianism for alcohol. Others gave up drugs for cynicism and a distant light. Rinpoche’s talks were like timed capsules meant to detonate years later. They were evocative haunting. The Boston Dharmadhatu’s culture fermented slowly in the heat of its muddled practices. Learning became undoing.
Two festivals marked the early years. The 1973 Dharma Festival brought uneasy partnership with Ram Dass followers. Buddhists were small nervous alcoholic and smoky. The Ram Dass group were tall handsome vegetarian and minty. The 1975 Mandala Festival was entirely Buddhist. It featured Tibetan art a Peter Serkin concert poetry readings and a panel discussion. Despite the snow it lost $10000.
The search for a permanent home was fraught with clashes over dogs non-meditating husbands and marmalade brands. The Dharmadhatu’s political system was rampant democracy. Discussions about tables lasted eight hours. External problems arose with the powerful McLaughlin family. Complaints of topless men led to the center developing reputations for both gentility and orgies.
Eventually the Dharmadhatu found a large loft off Copley Square. Conveniently located near gay bars and Filene’s bargain basement. By 1979 the center had a fully developed schedule. Shambhala Training daily sittings and evening classes were commonplace. Elegant receptions with occasional visits from Rinpoche and the Regent were common. The Dharmadhatu Buddhist Center in Boston had evolved. From its humble beginnings it had grown into a vibrant and influential community. The journey from a small yoga group to a thriving practice center was a testament to the perseverance of its members and the enduring power of Buddhist teachings.