Insight Western Mass

Insight Western Mass An insight meditation center in Western Massachusetts dedicated to sharing the Buddha's teachings. No one will be turned away for inability to donate.

Insight Meditation Community of Western Massachusetts (formerly Insight PV) is a Buddhist center in the Insight Meditation tradition serving western Massachusetts since 1998. Our mission is to share the Buddha's teachings with all who are interested. Insight WM offers non-residential sittings, dharma talks, classes, and retreats to help sustain and deepen meditation practice and bring wisdom and compassion into daily life. We are currently offering most offerings via Zoom.

Jean Esther, MSW began formally training in meditation over 50 years ago. Since 1982, she has been training in the Thera...
05/23/2026

Jean Esther, MSW began formally training in meditation over 50 years ago. Since 1982, she has been training in the Theravada tradition with senior Western teachers, as well as Asian and Western monastics. She began extensive teacher training in 2008. Jean’s dharma teaching is informed by over 45 years of practice as a psychotherapist integrating spiritual inquiry, psychological understanding, and somatic awareness. For over 20 years, she trained with renowned Jungian analyst Marion Woodman, and in numerous mind/body trauma-informed practices over the past 4 decades. She continues to be inspired by the Buddha’s teachings on love and wisdom and is committed to transmitting them with respect for, and understanding of, social and cultural diversity. Jean serves on the Guiding Teacher’s Council at Insight Western Mass, is a Guiding Teacher of True North Insight in Ontario, Canada, teaches regularly at Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, as well as across the US and Canada. In addition, she maintains her psychotherapy practice in Northampton, MA.

Join us this Wednesday May 27, 7-8:30pm ET for an Open Community Practice and Dharma Talk with Jean Esther, in person at IWM & hybrid. More info at the link in our bio.

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The Social Justice Practice Group gathers on last Saturdays to practice Meditation in Action and Engaged Buddhism. Some ...
05/22/2026

The Social Justice Practice Group gathers on last Saturdays to practice Meditation in Action and Engaged Buddhism. Some of the activities we can engage in include sitting outdoors for justice, attending rallies, having discussions, writing postcards, hosting potlucks and phone banks, folding origami cranes for peace, and doing everything and anything we are drawn to do together.

Our next meeting is Saturday May 30th, 10:30am-12pm ET, in person at IWM. Last Saturdays monthly.

If you can’t make it, and want to learn more, or would like to be added to the Social Justice Google Group, please email Cheryl Kiras at [email protected] and your message will be passed along.

The social justice practice group food drive continues, with a box always available at the center for non-perishable food items. Gratitude to all who continue to donate.

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Tara Mulay teaches and mentors dharma practitioners on retreat and in daily life practice. She teaches nationally, was ...
05/16/2026

Tara Mulay teaches and mentors dharma practitioners on retreat and in daily life practice. She teaches nationally, was trained and authorized by the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, serves as a Guiding Teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center.

Her journey into dharma practice began during her 20-year career as a criminal defense attorney. Tara’s teachings are rooted in the Mahasi Sayadaw lineage, enriched by influences from other Theravadan and Early Buddhist traditions.

Of South Asian heritage, Tara was initially drawn to dharma practice by the Buddha’s teachings rejecting caste as a measure of worth and capacity for awakening. She believes that classical Buddhist practices—fostering compassion, non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion—are powerful tools for empowering marginalized communities.

Join us this Wednesday May 20, 7-8:30pm ET for ‘It’s in Your Nature to Come Awake’, an Open Community Practice and Dharma Talk with Tara Mulay, via Zoom. More info at the link in our bio.

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The Chronic Illness/Disability Affinity Sangha meets on Thursday May 21st, 6:30-8pm ET, via Zoom only. Third Thursdays m...
05/14/2026

The Chronic Illness/Disability Affinity Sangha meets on Thursday May 21st, 6:30-8pm ET, via Zoom only. Third Thursdays monthly.

We welcome anyone living with chronic illness/pain and/or disability. Our group includes people with a wide range of physical, emotional, and/or mental health challenges. Together we take time to practice, share, give support (no advice unless asked), and reflect on the Dharma. How does the Dharma help us navigate the sorrows and joys of living with illness, pain, and/or disability? What is the difference between compassion and pity? How do we discern right action and right speech for us as individuals and as a collective society? We share our experiences, compassion, and wisdom, supporting people where they are at in their lives and practice.

See link in bio for details and zoom link.

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For over 20 years nakawe has and continues to be a practitioner in the Buddha Dharma. Her first Buddhist teacher was Goe...
05/09/2026

For over 20 years nakawe has and continues to be a practitioner in the Buddha Dharma. Her first Buddhist teacher was Goenka. She is also a graduate of the Spirit Rock Dedicated Practitioners Program, Community Dharma Leaders Program and the IMS Teacher Trainer Program. At present she teaches retreats and is a community Insight Meditation teacher with New York Insight and other centers. Her ancestral home–Puerto Rico–includes Spanish, African and Taino Indian traditions which flow from her ancestors to give her guidance and strength. She identifies as Nuyorican–blending her Puerto Rican and New York roots. Nakawe believes we all have the potential to live a life of wisdom and compassion. These are the teachings of liberation that she wants to share.

Join us this Wednesday May 13, 7-8:30pm ET for an Open Community Practice and Dharma Talk with nakawe cuebas, via Zoom. More info at the link in our bio.

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The Q***r & Trans Affinity Sangha meets on Tuesday May 12th and Thursday May 28th, in person/hybrid. All LGBTQIA2S+ iden...
05/05/2026

The Q***r & Trans Affinity Sangha meets on Tuesday May 12th and Thursday May 28th, in person/hybrid. All LGBTQIA2S+ identities are welcome! We will practice together and have time for discussion and building community. Second Tuesdays and Fourth Thursdays monthly, 7:15-8:45pm ET.

See link in bio for details.

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***rdharma ***r

Join Éowyn Ahlstrom for an enriching afternoon retreat rooted in vipassana with an emphasis on strengthening equanimity....
05/05/2026

Join Éowyn Ahlstrom for an enriching afternoon retreat rooted in vipassana with an emphasis on strengthening equanimity. This mini-retreat offers a blend of guided meditations, gentle mindful movement, and community reflections. This retreat is intended to support balancing quiet and peace with clarity and understanding.

Through a series of simple yet profound practices, participants will be invited to explore:
-Pausing to recognize the burdens in our lives right now.
-Exploring gentle movements to arrive at stillness.
-Engaging in silent and guided meditations, deepening mindfulness and equanimity.
-Connecting in small-group conversation, reflecting on how to bring more balance into daily life, even in difficult situations.

Suitable for newcomers and seasoned practitioners alike, this retreat emphasizes invitational, inclusive practice. All are welcome, regardless of experience or means.

Schedule:
1:30–1:45 PM – Welcome & Orientation
1:45–2:15 PM – Guided Sitting Meditation
2:15–3:00 PM – Guided Mindful Movement: Gentle yoga and qi gong -inspired movement to settle into the body and cultivate awareness.
3:00–3:30 PM – Guided Standing/Reclining or Sitting Meditation emphasizing Finding Stillness
3:30–3:50 PM – Walking Meditation with Instructions for Deepening Mindfulness
3:50–4:15 PM – Guided Equanimity Practice
4:15–4:45 PM – Guided Small Group Mindful Speaking and Listening
4:45–5:15 PM – Closing Meditation & Reflection
5:15–5:30 PM – Closing Remarks & Dana: Offerings for the teacher, final words, and logistical notes.

Join us for Mini Retreat into Equanimity with Éowyn Ahlstrom
🗓 Saturday, August 1 | 1:30–5:30pm ET
📍 In person at IWM
🔗 Sign up at the link in bio
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The 35 & Under Affinity Sangha meets on Sunday May 10th & 24th, 5-6:30pm, in person at IWM. This group provides an oppor...
05/03/2026

The 35 & Under Affinity Sangha meets on Sunday May 10th & 24th, 5-6:30pm, in person at IWM. This group provides an opportunity for those aged 35 and under to gather in community and practice the dharma in a supportive setting. Meetings offer time for meditation, reflection, sharing, and socializing. Second and fourth Sundays monthly.

See link in bio for more details and in-person location.

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#35&Under

Yenkuei Chuang 莊琰珪 is a meditation teacher, licensed psychologist, and somatics practitioner, ordained in Thich Nhat Han...
05/02/2026

Yenkuei Chuang 莊琰珪 is a meditation teacher, licensed psychologist, and somatics practitioner, ordained in Thich Nhat Hanh’s Order of Interbeing and trained in Insight Meditation and Early Buddhism. She loves writing, parenting, dancing, cooking, eating, and doing nothing. She co-founded the Dandelions of the Heart Sangha in 2010, and has since become a recognized Insight Dialogue Teacher, and a facilitating teacher of Venerable Analayo’s courses on Satipatthana and Anapanasati at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies.

Keenly aware of culture, gender, race, class, and other social differences that shape our perceptions and identities, Yenkuei wrote her doctoral dissertation on the Development of Bicultural Competence. Her recent writings have been published in Lion’s Roar (Erased No More, 2020), The Arrow (Dukkha of Racism, 2022), Mindfulness (Yesterday I Died, 2021), and Mindfulness Bell.

Yenkuei enjoys helping people transform their suffering and find freedom, belonging, and power in the richness of their intersectional identities. She is grateful to the Buddha and all her teachers for showing her how to live happily in the midst of uncertainty and change.

Join us this Wednesday May 6, 7-8:30pm ET for an Open Community Practice and Dharma Talk with Yenkuei Chuang, in person at IWM & hybrid. More info at the link in our bio.

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Does it ever feel like the world is unraveling?Between war, rising cruelty, ecological collapse, and the loneliness of m...
04/29/2026

Does it ever feel like the world is unraveling?

Between war, rising cruelty, ecological collapse, and the loneliness of modern life, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or numb. You might care deeply—but wonder what one person can really do.

This daylong retreat is a chance to pause and find a different kind of ground. Together, we’ll gently explore the crises we’re living through—not to deepen despair, but to see clearly. We’ll name the grief, fear, and trauma so often pushed aside, and begin to reconnect with something deeper: belonging—to the Earth, to each other, and to ourselves.

We’ll ask: *What kind of ancestors do we want to be?*

And we’ll focus on a tangible path forward: creating small, resilient “pods” of mutual care. Imagine 5–8 people you can be real with, lean on, and grow alongside—like life rafts helping you navigate the storm.

Through meditation, journaling, and small-group sharing, you’ll reconnect with your inner clarity and leave with a renewed sense of connection, ease, and direction—not alone, but in community.

This retreat is for you if you:
• Want to connect with others who care deeply about the world
• Feel the weight of these times and want to turn it into purpose
• Are curious about meditation as a tool for resilience
• Long for real belonging beyond the noise of the world

Come as you are—grief, hope, fear, and all.

Join us for *Finding Anchor in a Storm: A Day of Meditation, Connection, and Courage* with Kritee Kanko
🗓 Sunday, July 19 | 11am–6:30pm ET
📍 In person at IWM + hybrid
🔗 Sign up at the link in bio

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Address

116 Pleasant Street Ste 242
Easthampton, MA
01027

Opening Hours

Monday 5:15pm - 7pm
Tuesday 9am - 8:30am
Wednesday 6:45pm - 8:30pm
Thursday 7:45am - 8:30am
Friday 5:45pm - 8:15pm

Telephone

+14135270388

Website

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