06/17/2026
The Bryan Times : “We’re using this place for the meditation programs; we’d like to teach people how to practice loving-kindness meditation,” said Bhante (a reverential title for Buddhist monks) Talangama Devananda, one of the monks in charge.
“We want to share loving-kindness thought,”
Devananda said.
On Saturday, there will be a Walk for Peace at 9 a.m. starting at Garver Park.
The grand opening ceremony will continue at the meditation center.
A pet blessing will also be held.
“Anybody who has any kinds of questions about Buddhism or culture, they can ask, no problem,” Devananda said.
This will be Devananda’s third location in the country, having temples in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Los Angeles, California, as well. Devananda said they would like to invite everyone into the meditation center to share in their spiritual activities.
For Mary Beth SanGregory, loving-kindness meditation has helped her become more self-aware, with a better sense of self. “I don’t react spontaneously, I think before I react,” she said. “I’m a psychiatric nurse and it really helps me help my patients. A lot of people are suffering, anxious and have a lot of racing thoughts. We try to teach them meditation.”
Devananda said many people live with stress, whether from school or work or health problems. Practicing meditation can help with that stress. “Meditation is good medicine, actually, if you’re having some kind of stress or some kind of problem,” Devananda said.
Not known for its Buddhist community, Bryan is receiving this center through the actions of building owner Trippy.
“It was a selfish motive because I didn’t want to drive an hour to the Indiana Buddhist temple every once in a while, so I said Would you come here?” he said. “They came here and began doing meditations and one thing grew after another.”
Since Trippy purchased the building in 2005, he said has always wanted it to be a spiritual place.
“When COVID hit, things changed and it was the perfect time to put in what I really wanted from day one, something really spiritual,” he said. “What could be better? How do you fight loving kindness?”
