The Sangha was established by Mary MacGregor. She began to have an interest in Buddhism after reading a book by Jack Kornfield in 1994. Mary then attended a retreat at the Insight Mediation Center in Barre, Mass., which led her to return to Evansville and begin offering silent meditation days once a month. Feeling that this was not enough practice, Mary began inviting people with similar interest to mediate weekly at her office. Later she traveled to France to attend a three-week retreat at Thich Nhat Hanh’s center in Plum Village and embarked on extensive individual study.

After that experience, Mary knew she wanted to focus on meditation as part of a Buddhist practice. In the fall of 1997 she began weekly meditation sessions in her home. In February the sangha was officially named as The Mindful Heart Buddha Sangha. It also participated in its first outside activity as a group during Global Ethnicity held in New Harmony, Indiana in the spring of 1998.

In November of 1999, Mary began individual study with Matthew Flickstein. Matthew is the author of 2 books and has been a long-time student of Bhante Henepola Gunaranta. He is the resident teacher at Forest Way Insight Meditation Center. That same year, The Mindful Heart Buddha Sangha was invited to help establish a sangha at Branchville Correctional Facility in Tell City, Indiana.

The following year Mary began participating in teacher training retreats with Matthew Flickstein. The sangha began hosting events in this same year with an Extended Sitting and Day of Mindfulness with Jack Lawler from Illinois. The sangha’s first overnight retreat was held in April, 2000 at Kordes Enrichment Center in Ferdinand, Indiana led by Jack. In 2001, the sangha hosted retreats with Matthew Flickstein in the spring and later in the year with Genny Morgan.

The Mindful Heart Buddha Sangha is a tax-exempt organization as recognized by the State of Indiana.

Currently, the sangha is made up of a diverse membership. Several sittings are offered weekly. Combinations of book discussions, Dharma study, walking and sitting meditations make up these sessions (See meditation times page for further details).