Our mission is to help people free their hearts and minds from stress and experience the freedom of the Buddha’s awakening. We do this through our centers for the learning and formal practice of Buddhist insight meditation.
At our centers—led by ordained Buddhist monastics and experienced lay teachers—we emphasize the importance of developing a meditation or mindfulness practice that permeates one’s daily life. Accordingly, we teach a tradition of Buddhist insight meditation that does not require the body to be still, or the eyes closed, so it can be practiced at any time, and in any situation (Mahasati Meditation). We also actively reach out to the non-Buddhist community with nonsectarian mindfulness offerings in our effort to help as many people as possible have more peace and happiness in their daily lives.
In addition to providing physical centers for our local communities, we serve as an international resource for those interested in our practice by offering both on-site and off-site residential retreats, as well as online offerings.
In pursuit of our mission, we uphold the following core values:
Kindness
We believe all beings should be treated with kindness and dignity.
Integrity
Our teachers are trained to ensure that what is offered is true and accurate, that our offerings do not harm any participants, and that personal boundaries are respected.
Social justice and inclusivity
We strive to provide a place of practice that values and honors the diverse experience of all members of our society. We welcome all regardless of race, ability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or level of financial resources.
Acceptance of all faiths
We welcome people of all religious and cultural backgrounds. We do not try to convert anyone taking part in our offerings to the Buddhist religion.