The popularity of classical Buddhist meditation in Western countries has grown from a niche interest back in the 1960s to a more accepted form of self-care and spiritual exploration.
If you look around today, “mindfulness” is everywhere. It’s in our sleek smartphone apps, in corporate boardrooms, and even in school curriculums. But where did this modern wave of awareness actually come from? It didn’t just spontaneously appear.
Much of the current popularity of mindfulness in the West can be traced back to a specific, highly influential cultural current known as the “Insight Meditation movement.”
For many Westerners curious about meditation but wary of religious dogma, this movement provided the crucial bridge. It offered a way to access ancient wisdom traditions—specifically traditions aligned with Early Buddhism which I am calling here “classical Buddhism” —in a language that was practical, psychological, and deeply relevant to modern life.
Here is a look at what this movement is, who started it, and the centers popular with Westerners both to learn classical Buddhist meditation practice and to refine their practice in intensive meditation retreats offered throughout the year.
The First Wave
The story begins in the late 1960s and early 1970s. A generation of young Western adventurers traveled to Asia—primarily India, Burma, and Thailand—looking for answers that Western psychology and materialism couldn’t provide.
They immersed themselves in rigorous monastic settings, studying under great masters of the Theravada Buddhist tradition. They learned Vipassana, a Pali word roughly translating to “clear-seeing” or “insight.”
Among these travelers were three pivotal figures: Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, and Sharon Salzberg.
When they returned to the United States, they faced a unique challenge. They had experienced profound transformations through these ancient practices, but they knew that the cultural trappings of Asian Buddhism—the robes, the chanting in foreign tongues, the complex rituals—might act as barriers for most Americans.
Their brilliant innovation was one of translation. They stripped away much of the cultural “luggage” to reveal the essence of the teaching: a systematic practice for understanding the mind and ending suffering. They focused not on converting people to “Buddhism,” but on offering tools for liberation.
The Hubs of the Movement
To teach this practice seriously, they needed dedicated spaces away from the distractions of daily life.
In 1975, Goldstein, Salzberg, and Kornfield founded the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts. Housed in a former Catholic novitiate, IMS became the flagship institution. It is famous for its silent, intensive retreats lasting anywhere from a weekend to three months, focusing on deep, sustained contemplation.
Eventually, Jack Kornfield moved west to California. Recognizing a need for teachings that integrated deep meditation with the realities of work, relationships, and psychological health, he helped co-found Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Marin County. Spirit Rock became a massive hub, known for blending traditional insight practices with emotional healing and engaged spirituality.
As the movement matured, a second generation of teachers emerged. A prime example is the Insight Meditation Center (IMC) in Redwood City, California, guided by Gil Fronsdal. Fronsdal, trained by Jack Kornfield and also ordained in Zen, represents the evolution of the movement into accessible, community-based urban centers that support daily practice amidst a busy life, while still maintaining deep roots in early Buddhist texts.
What Are They Actually Teaching?
So, what defines the “Insight” approach taught at these centers?
It is grounded in what is often called “Early Buddhism”—referring to the core, practical teachings attributed historically to the Buddha before centuries of later religious developments.
The focus isn’t on worshipping a deity or accepting a belief system on blind faith. The focus is empirical. It is an invitation to “come and see for yourself.” Through the practice of mindfulness (settling the mind) and insight (investigating experience), practitioners learn to observe the impermanent, often unsatisfactory nature of their thoughts and sensations without reacting to them.
Better yet- have a listen to a few talks from prominent teachers below.
The ultimate goal of this movement isn’t just stress reduction—though that is a welcome side effect. The goal is freedom. It is the radical idea that by understanding how our minds create suffering through clinging and aversion, we can learn to let go and live with greater wisdom and compassion.
The Insight Meditation movement took an ancient map of the human mind and translated the legend into English. In doing so, they sparked a quiet revolution of consciousness that continues to reshape the West today.
Here are photos of four popular centers in the USA where folks come to learn and practice authentic meditation passed down over many generations from Asian teachers of early Buddhism. The pics are clickable.
Below please explore a few talks given by well known and highly respected Western teachers of these meditation traditions and practices.
The speakers below are considered pioneers in the early adaptation of classical Buddhist meditation in the West, taking care to preserve early Buddhism principles into their talks and meditation instructions.
Empty Cloud Monastery, located in West Orange, New Jersey, is a gender-inclusive, non-sectarian Buddhist monastery providing a communal space for practitioners of all genders to engage in traditional Buddhist practice.
The Insight Meditation Center (IMC) in Redwood City is an urban refuge for the practice of mindfulness meditation and Buddhist ideals. It welcomes all people, providing a supportive community for cultivating peace and wisdom in daily life.
The Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, is a renowned retreat center, founded in 1975, dedicated to the Theravada Buddhist meditation practice, co-founded by Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, and Jack Kornfield.
The Spirit Rock Meditation Center, established in 1988 in Woodacre, California, founded by Jack Kornfield and a community of teachers, it offers extensive silent retreats and programs.
My curated list of six talks given by prominent contemporary teachers of classical Buddhist meditation.
Joseph Goldstein is a key figure in introducing Insight Meditation to the West. He is co-founded the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, in 1976. He is also a prolific author, known for books like Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening and One Dharma.
Gil Fronsdal is a Buddhist teacher known for integrating Zen and Insight Meditation. He founded the Insight Meditation Center (IMC) in Redwood City, California. Fronsdal has practiced in the U.S. and Asia since 1975, and holds a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Stanford University.
Sharon Salzberg is a pioneer in bringing Insight Meditation to the West, co-founding the Insight Meditation Society (IMS). Tuere Sala a retired prosecutor, teaches at Seattle Insight Meditation Society and brings meditation to those with past trauma.
Kamala Masters teaches at the Insight Meditation Society and co-founder of the Vipassana Metta Foundation on Maui. Practicing since the 1970s, she emphasizes kindness, awareness and compassion in everyday life.
Leigh Brasington has practiced meditation since 1985. and is a senior student of the late Ven. He specializes in the Jhanas—which are deep states of mental focus. He is the author of Right Concentration: A Practical Guide to the Jhanas.
Steve Armstrong has practiced Insight Meditation since 1975. He co-founded Vipassana Metta Foundation on Maui and teaches mindfulness, awareness, and liberating understanding internationally.
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