The popularity of classical Buddhist meditation has grown from a niche interest back in the 1960s to a more accepted form of self-care and spiritual exploration.
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 supported by the non-profit Buddhist Insights. It provides a communal space for monastic and lay practitioners of all genders to engage in traditional Buddhist practice. Empty Cloud serves as a refuge for transforming hearts and minds through the ancient wisdom of the Buddha.
The Insight Meditation Center (IMC) in Redwood City is an urban refuge for the practice of mindfulness (Vipassana) meditation and Buddhist ideals. Guided by Gil Fronsdal and Andrea Fella, the center offers a broad schedule of sittings, dharma talks, and classes freely through the practice of dāna (generosity). 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 practices of Vipassanā (insight) and Mettā (lovingkindness). Co-founded by Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, and Jack Kornfield, it offers silent retreats of varying lengths in a serene refuge, supporting the cultivation of wisdom and compassion for all.
The Spirit Rock Meditation Center, established in 1988 in Woodacre, California, is a premier center for Insight Meditation (Vipassanā) on the West Coast. Founded by Jack Kornfield and a community of teachers, it offers extensive silent retreats and programs. Its mission is to support the realization of wisdom and compassion and to integrate the Buddha’s teachings into contemporary daily life.
My curated list of six talks given by prominent contemporary teachers of classical Buddhist meditation.
Joseph Goldstein is a highly respected Dharma teacher and a key figure in introducing Insight Meditation (Vipassana) to the West. He is a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, established in 1976. Since 1974, he has led retreats worldwide, sharing the practice of mindfulness and wisdom. He is also a prolific author, known for books like Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening and One Dharma.
Gil Fronsdal is a prominent Buddhist Dharma teacher known for integrating Zen and Vipassana (Insight) Meditation. He is the guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Center (IMC) in Redwood City, California. Fronsdal has practiced extensively in the U.S. and Asia since 1975, was ordained as a Zen priest, and holds a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Stanford University. He is also recognized for his translation of the classic text, The Dhammapada.
Sharon Salzberg is a world-renowned pioneer in bringing Insight Meditation (Vipassana) to the West, co-founding the Insight Meditation Society (IMS). Tuere Sala is a guiding teacher at Seattle Insight Meditation Society and a retired prosecuting attorney, known for advocating urban meditation and making the Dharma accessible to those with high stress or past trauma. Together, they represent influential voices in contemporary Buddhist practice.
Kamala Masters is a respected Dharma teacher in the Insight Meditation (Vipassana) tradition. She is a Core Guiding Teacher at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) and co-founder of the Vipassana Metta Foundation on Maui. Practicing since the 1970s, she trained in the Mahasi tradition with teachers like Anagarika Munindra and Sayadaw U Pandita. She emphasizes a practice that balances precision and kindness—cultivating continuity of awareness and compassion in everyday life.
Leigh Brasington has practiced meditation since 1985 and is a senior student of the late Ven. Ayya Khema. Authorized to teach by her and Jack Kornfield, he has led over 160 retreats. He specializes in teaching the Jhanas—which are deep, blissful states of mental focus achieved when the mind is fully absorbed in a single object. This type of focus, known as Right Concentration, is used to develop clarity and insight in meditation. He is the author of Right Concentration: A Practical Guide to the Jhanas.
Steve Armstrong is a respected Dharma teacher who has practiced Insight Meditation (Vipassana) since 1975. He was a senior teacher for the annual three-month retreat at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) and was a monk in Burma for five years under Sayadaw U Pandita. He is a co-founding teacher of the Vipassana Metta Foundation on Maui and teaches mindfulness, awareness, and liberating understanding internationally.
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