What we’re doing when we “take refuge” is finding sanctuary (refuge) within these three things, often called The 3 Jewels: The Buddha (which represents our own capacity for awakening); the Dharma (the teachings we have received and experienced; and The Sangha (the group of us who meet weekly to practice together, as well as the larger sangha of like-minded people who are also courageously looking within their own hearts, bodies, and minds to discover peace and freedom.)