The Compassionate Heart of Jamie Roberts
by Jon Twersky
Since the establishment of Delaware Valley Insight (DVI), Jamie Roberts has been an invaluable presence within our community. A founding steering committee member, Jamie has offered her time, wisdom, and heart through leading a semi-monthly sitting group and facilitating our Sunday Sutta studies. This August, she will travel to Sri Lanka to deepen her practice and immerse herself more fully in the teachings of the Buddha. While we will surely miss her steady presence, we are filled with gratitude for all she has shared and excited for her path ahead.
Jamie’s earliest memory of Buddhist teachings was at about six years old. She recalled her father having a collection of books in his library that introduced her to ideas about kindness to herself and others. This simple, powerful teaching resonated deeply for Jamie and planted the seeds of what would become a lifelong practice.
Years later that seed began to take root. One of the first Buddhist books Jamie read was Lovingkindness by Sharon Salzberg, which had been recommended in an online group. Sharon’s words struck a chord and steered her toward online resources like Dharma Seed and the suttas. From there, she began listening to dharma talks, explored early Buddhist teachings, and developed a regular meditation practice. “There was this sense of continually returning to compassion,” she reflects. “That really spoke to me.”
“For me,” Jamie says, “DVI provides a sense of community, it reminds us that we’re not alone.” She feels deep appreciation for DVI’s commitment to bringing teachers to our region, creating opportunities for practice and connection for those who might not otherwise be able to travel to places like Insight Meditation Society (IMS) or other residential retreat centers.
“DVI has grown so much over the years,” she observes. “There are more neighborhood sitting groups now, increasing attendance at monthly events, and a stronger, more visible sense of sangha. It’s a community that allows me to deepen my practice and give back in a meaningful way.”
In 2023 Jamie completed a three-month retreat at IMS. “It gave me a taste of what it might be like to live a life truly informed by the ethical precepts and principles of early Buddhism,” she says. That experience sparked a deeper inquiry into the possibility of monastic life, something she had long considered an intriguing option once she retired from teaching.
“I began looking into countries where women are welcomed into monastic communities,” Jamie explained. “A close friend of mine, originally from Sri Lanka, returned home several times and helped identify places where I could be both welcomed and supported in living in accordance with early Buddhist teachings.”
This August her dream will come true, as Jamie embarks on this next phase of her practice journey in Sri Lanka, a step taken with courage, curiosity, and deep devotion.
Although we will miss Jamie’s steady presence, thoughtful guidance, and warm spirit at DVI, her contributions will continue to ripple throughout our community. We send her forth with boundless gratitude, heartfelt joy, and the sincere wish that her path be filled with peace, wisdom, and ease.