Grit City Dharma
Grit City Dharma is a meditation community in Tacoma, WA, founded in 2025 by Joe Conniff. Joe has been studying the dharma for 11 years, having come to mindfulness and meditation following his experiences of addiction, mental illness, homelessness and incarceration, and all the ups and downs that came with them. Joe became a certified mindfulness instructor in 2018, and has studied under several renown western dharma teachers. He has taught within the criminal legal system and treatment centers. Joe currently offers lay dharma teachings in the Seattle-Tacoma area.Aside from his interests in mindfulness and the dharma, Joe published his memoir, Causes...
Finding Peace in an Uncertain World
Talk on peace and stability in difficult times, followed by a guided appreciative joy meditation
Mindfulness 101: An Overview of the 4 Foundations
Talk and exploration of the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness
Dealing w/ Difficult People Talk and Guided Meditation
Talk on working with difficult people and compassion meditation.
Brahmavihara Series 4/4-Equanimity Talk and Guided Meditation
Equanimity talk and guided meditation wrapping up our 4 part Saturday series on the divine abidings.
Who and What is This Sense of “I”? Talk and guided meditation
Talk on the 5 Aggregates w/ lightly guided meditation.
Brahmavihara Series 3/4 Appreciative Joy/Gratitude Talk and Guided Meditation
Talk on cultivation and access of Joy/mudita w/ guided meditation
Faith in the Dharma Amid an Uncertain World
Talk on relying on the dharma in a difficult world and guided meditation
Brahmavihara Series 2/4 Compassion Talk and Guided Meditation
Talk on karuna/compassion w/ meditation
The Dharma as a Story of Redemption
Talk on the dharma as a redemptive practice w/ guided forgiveness meditation.
Brahamavihara Series 1/4: Metta Talk and Guided Meditation
Talk on Metta w/ guided meditation
Walking the Dharma-Deep and Wide Paths Talk and Guided Meditation
Talk on the deep and wide paths w/ guided meditation
What If There’s Nothing Wrong With You Talk and Guided Meditation
Talk on our Buddha nature, innate potential for awakening w/ guided metta meditation
Freedom From is Freedom To
Talk on Freedom from greed, hatred and confusion w/ guided meditation
The Wound That Seeks the Arrow Talk and Guided Meditation
Talk on the wound that seeks the arrow, the Buddha’s unanswered questions and the story of the 2 arrows
The Tyranny of Expectations Talk and Guided Meditation
Talk on Expectations, 3 marks of existence and meditation
5 Spiritual Faculties Talk and Meditation
Talk on 5 spiritual faculties with lightly guided meditation
Importance of Teachers and their Qualities, Talk and Short Guided Meditation
Talk on teacher qualities and virtues
3 Poisons/Unwholesome Roots Talk and Guided Meditation
Talk on Greed, Hatred and Confusion/Ignorance, Antidotes and Guided Meditation
Accessing Liberation in this Lifetime
Considerations towards freedom and non-reactivity through integrating the dharma as householders
5 Aggregates Talk and Guided Practice
Talk on the 5 Aggregates, arising of self and guided meditation.
Wise Livelihood Talk and Meditation
Talk on livelihood and using mindfulness and intention to cultivate a way of meeting basic needs through work that doesn’t cause harm to self and others.
8 Worldly Winds Talk
Talk on the Vicissitudes
Firm Grips on Identity-Exploring Labels and Anatta
Talk and guided meditation on “No-Self, me my and I” labels, and integrating the sense of I that we experience navigating the world and roles
Talk on the 5 Hindrances w/ Short Guided Meditation
Wednesday evening talk on the hindrances with a short meditation
Taking Refuge in the Triple Gem: Buddha, Dharma & Sangha
Talk on the Three Jewels, Buddha, Dharma & Sangha and Guided Meditation
Approaching Experience with a Beginner’s Mind
Talk on Beginner’s Mind; cultivation and application
7 Factors of Awakening Talk and Guided Meditation
Talk on the 7 Factors of Awakening followed by Guided Meditation
Parable of the Raft and Swimology
Overview of the parable of the raft and story from S.N. Goenka on swimology talk and guided meditation
The 5 Remembrances: A Wake Up Call
Talk on the 5 remembrances and guided meditation
Wise Speech in Relation to the Past
Talk on “Remember When” convos and being skillful with speech related to the past.
Navigating Grief through the Dharma
Talk and guided meditation on grief, impermanence and acknowledgement.
Papanca-Talk on the Proliferation of Thoughts and Guided
Talk from our Wednesday evening sit in Tacoma
Freedom From Resentment Through Forgiveness Talk & Guided
Talk on Freedom From is Freedom To
Anapana Meditation
Short Anapana (Breath) Meditation
Coming Out of Ignorance-Vipassana Course Reflections
Talk on Vipassana practice supported by the 5 precepts, and application of practice to lay folx.
Equanimity Talk and Guided Meditation 3/21/2026
Talk on Equanimity w/ Guided Practice
The Art of Letting Go: How to cultivate Space for the Present-Talk and Guided 3/14/2026
Talk on letting go and and cultivating gratitude and space for the present.
4 Tasks and the 8fold Path Talk (Part 3 of 3) 3/7/2026
Talk on Effort, Mindfulness and Concentration
4 Tasks and the 8fold Path Talk and Guided (2 of 3) 2/28/26
Part 2 of 3 on the 8fold path, discussing Speech, Action and Livelihood
4 Tasks and the 8fold Path Talk and Guided (1 of 3) 2/21/26
Weekly talk on the 4 Tasks (truths) and first two path factors
