The Insight Meditation Society is located in central Massachusetts, in Barre. We are just about equidistant between Amherst and Worcester. The society is a spiritual refuge for all who seek freedom of mind and heart. They offer meditation retreats rooted in the Theravada Buddhist teachings of ethics, concentration and wisdom. These practices help develop awareness and compassion in ourselves, giving rise to greater peace and happiness in the world. The practice of insight meditation is the simple and direct practice of moment-to-moment mindfulness. Through careful and sustained observation, the meditator experiences the ever-changing flow of the mind/body process. This awareness leads them to accept more fully the pleasure and pain, fear and joy, sadness and happiness that life inevitably brings.
The Retreat Center will be celebrating its 40th anniversary this year! The silent meditation program began in 1976. It provides a full yearly schedule of over 30 meditation courses, ranging in duration from a weekend to three months. The Forest Refuge opened in 2003. There, experienced vipassana meditators can undertake a more independent, less-structured personal retreat, exploring freedom within a supportive environment. The duration of personal retreats ranges from seven nights to stays of a year or more. Courses for specific audiences are also taught each year for people of color, women, our LGBTIQ community, teens (aged 14-19), and young adults (18-32 year olds).
All retreats are led by recognized insight meditation teachers from around the world. A group of senior teachers, known as the Guiding Teachers, provides regular guidance and direction for both centers. They determine IMS’s annual retreat programming as well as the selection of retreat teachers. The teachers are continuing the ancient Buddhist monastic tradition of freely offering the teachings, meaning that most Retreat Center teachers receive no compensation for teaching and instead rely on the generosity of course participants for a sustainable income. At the Forest Refuge, where retreatants often stay for long periods, IMS supplements teacher dana as needed to provide an adequate offering. At both the Retreat Center and the Forest Refuge, there is an opportunity to offer donations to the teachers at the end of retreats.
http://www.dharma.org/meditation-retreats/forest-refuge
Contact Information:
IMS Retreat Center- rc@dharma.org
Forest Refuge – fr@dharma.org