Inner Sangha: Healing and Transformation with the Life and Teachings of Larry Ward

In this Wednesday Night Dharma Talk, Valerie Brown honors the life and legacy of Dr. Larry Ward, a pioneering African-American Dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition. Valerie recounts Larry’s journey from his Baptist roots to his work with Thich Nhat Hanh and his creation of the first BIPOC retreat in North America, and shares his teaching on the “inner sangha”—a community of compassion and wisdom within. “It is really important to know who your core community is inside,” he taught, “just like we do externally with Sangha.” Reflecting on her own practice of healing, Valerie describes a moment of self-compassion when she wrapped her arms around herself and said, “I’m going to be with you. You are totally safe.” The talk closes with Ward’s encouragement: “A full and open heart of just one person is enough to change the world.”