Welcome to Community Village!

A community-first approach to meditation

What is Community Village?

Community Village is a community-first approach to meditation oriented towards people in their 20s and 30s - and open to ALL (we don’t check IDs! :)). Whether you want to learn how to meditate, or are an experienced practitioner: our intention is to co-create welcoming and supportive environments to build meaningful connections, get inspired and learn how to bring practice into everyday life. We are a peer-led community, co-created by its members. Some come join in!

What’s happening in the community?

CV Sangha Time (San Francisco): A weekly community heartbeat for connection, inspiration, and practice in SF. Together, we meditate, learn from wisdom teachers, share, listen, connect, and create the community together. Join us every Thursday, 6:45-8:45pm PST. Learn more & sign up here.

Community Gatherings - Members and Community Stewards often host gatherings like meditations, sharing circles, mindful dinners, hikes, visiting local meditation centers, daylong meditation retreat, and more! Join our local WhatsApp Group to get updates in your city (Live in Berlin and SF)

30 Day Meditation Journeys - you’ll embark on the journey with a small group of 8-10 people. Together, we’ll meet weekly to meditate, learn, and connect. With shared intentionality & values, our intention is to create a safer environment where connection can thrive. Click here to sign up for our next journey! Or click here to sign up for the June ‘24 Special Edition teacher-led Journey that Nina is offering!

What’s the vision?

Our mission is to support the development of community and wholesome friendships amongst meditators (referred to as “Kalyna mitta” in Pali). We do this through peer-led, co-created initiatives that:

  1. Foster community & connection

  2. Offer inspiration & reminders

  3. Integrate meditation practice into our daily lives

  4. Empower community co-creation

Our goal is to create a community that we’ll want to be a part of for years to come. To grow, share and connect with like-minded & like-hearted meditators. If this resonates with you - Community Village is a shared project, built from everyones’ ideas and contributions. Join the community today and become a part of creating it with us! (to learn how, check out the Community Village Wiki)

What We Stand For

With all the troubles of the world, we are becoming increasingly lonely, disconnected, and confused. We often don’t have the tools and support that we need to engage deeper with our lives and meet the challenges we encounter as individuals, and as a society. We believe that everyone should have free and equal access to the tools and support they need to find happiness, peace, and ease in their relationships and life experiences.

How Do We Do This?

Grounded in non-violence, we are committed to co-creating inclusive and welcoming environments for all. Spaces to explore our hearts and minds - and to do so in relationship with others. We believe this is a foundation from which we can support ourselves, support each other, and take care of the world.

Join us for our next 30 Day Meditation Journey

The “River Journey” provides members with a comprehensive overview of meditation from various angles, including psychology, neuroscience and Buddhist Philosophy. In 30 days we will build our meditation habits and learn about and practice meditation in a community where we all support each other. Once per week for 5 weeks, we meet for group get togethers where we meditate, get to know each other, and share. It’s a place where you can feel comfortable asking questions, sharing insights, and learning together! Suitable for beginners & experienced meditators.

Learn more & sign up here

About Us

  • Co-Founder

    Hi there, I’m Nina. I first encountered meditation in Asia in 2013 and discovered there how it enabled me to become aware of what's going on in my body, heart & mind in a way I hadn’t known before. Back then, I felt that some of those feelings and thoughts I REALLY didn’t want to look at. It brought up personal trauma and pain. At the same time, I could see how meditation provided me with resources to see it all in a more wholesome, more truthful way. By turning towards and listening sincerely, rather than turning away.

    My practice is rooted in the Western Insight tradition. At the same time, I'm inspired by and grateful to teachers of many wisdom traditions who have passed their knowledge down to us for thousands of years.

    I am currently a mindfulness meditation teacher in training, in the MMTCP program by teachers Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. My program mentor is Insight meditation teacher James Baraz.

    What I love about this path is that it encourages me to be curious and investigate, to see for myself what is true and wholesome, and to live by that.

  • Co-Founder

    Hey, I’m Caleb! I discovered meditation in 2012 because I wanted to understand what was going on in my mind. I was influenced by cultural startup ideas of growth, productivity and time optimization. But I struggled when I was unable to implement the tricks I was learning. “What’s wrong with me?” I thought. And even when I could do it - it didn’t make me any happier.

    I approached meditation like a productivity hack, but learned over time it is so much more. I began to realize that meditation is about being aware. About recognizing what’s going on - in my head, in my body, in the world, without judgement, but with understanding. And then taking that understanding and using it to interact with life in a more skillfull way.

    One thing I enjoy about meditation is getting out of my comfort zone. For example - when I first started practicing metta (loving-kindness meditation) where you repeat phrases that you love yourself and others, I thought it was super corny. Later, I understood from a neuroscience, evidence-backed way, that just like strengthening your arms requires a different exercise than strengthening your legs, strengthening attention requires a different meditation practice than strengthening compassion. By repeating phrases of love, we are literally conditioning our minds to be more compassionate. And it works. This was a real “a-ha” moment for me and opened up a new connection between the emotions of my heart and the logic of my mind.

    My practice has been influenced most by Carol Wilson, Gil Fronsdal, Sam Harris, Sharon Salzberg, Thich Nhat Hahn, Jack Kornfield and Sayadaw U Tejaniya and I continue to find new influences everyday - from teachers and friends. I look forward to learning from you :)

Want to know more? Have a question or idea?

You can send Caleb a WhatsApp message at: +49 1512 3569506 or e-mail at caleb@community-village.org :)

“It is possible the next Buddha will not take the form of an individual. The next Buddha may take the form of a community, a community practicing understanding and lovingkindness, a community practicing mindful living. And the practice can be carried out as a group, as a city, as a nation.” - Thich Nhat Hanh