About Us
Our Vision
The Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
promotes Buddhist teachings and meditation practices primarily from the Theravadan tradition.
We do this in a spirit of community
with members helping each other
to develop
and embody the qualities
of clarity and kindness
that are central to the teachings.
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Scroll down or click on a topic for more information:
 James Baraz has been teaching meditation since 1978 and started the Thursday group in 1980. He is a founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center where, in addition to leading retreats, he coordinates the Community Dharma Leader program and is the teacher-advisor to the Spirit Rock Family and Teen program and the Kalyana Mitta (Spiritual Friends) Network. In addition, James created and teaches the popular Awakening Joy Course, leads meditation retreats nationally and internationally, and is on the International Advisory Board of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship.
James teaches a six-week introductory meditation class in Berkeley two or three times each year
for those interested in learning or reviewing the practice of mindfulness.
Experienced meditators may arrange private interviews with him regarding their practice or for spiritual counseling.
Send an email if you would like to receive email updates about James' upcoming beginning classes, Awakening Joy Course, and other teaching activities.
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We meet every Thursday from 7:30 to 9:30 pm
to meditate,
connect, and to hear and
discuss the dharma at:
Berkeley Buddhist Monastery
2304 McKinley Ave (at Bancroft)
Berkeley, CA 94703
Note: During July and August, our Thursday meetings will be held in the chapel at:
Northbrae Community Church,
941 The Alameda (between Marin and Solano), Berkeley, CA. This site is also wheelchair accessible.
Program
- Begin at 7:30 pm with forty minutes of silent meditation. There is no introduction; so once you are settled, sit quietly and begin your meditation. Brief meditation instructions are given on the first Thursday of each month.
- Brief chant in the Pali language. Feel free to join in or to continue sitting silently.
- Community announcements.
- Ten minute break to stretch, socialize, or pick up information at the greeter table. A bell ends the break.
- Dharma talk, which is usually followed by discussion and questions.
- End at 9:30 with a lovingkindness meditation.
See our FAQ page for advice on parking, public transportation, and carpooling.
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Dana is the Pali word for 'generosity.' The teachings are priceless and are freely given in a spirit of generosity. Offering dana gives us an opportunity to express our gratitude for the teachings and to cultivate the joy of sharing. According to the Buddha, generosity, or sharing what we have, is one of the central pillars of a spiritual life. In the act of giving we develop our ability to let go, cultivate a spirit of caring, and acknowledge the inter-connectedness that we all share. The Buddha created a system to develop this quality of open-handedness whereby those who share the teachings are dependent on those who receive them.
You will find two dana baskets on the greeter table near the door of the meditation hall. One is for the teacher, the other is for Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, which provides this beautiful hall to us free of charge. Write checks for the teacher to Spirit Rock (SRMC); write checks for the monastery to Dharma Realm Buddhist Association (DRBA). All donations are tax deductible.
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Welcome to the Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley. We look forward to getting to know you. Be sure to visit the greeter table at the rear of the hall at the beginning or end of the evening or at the break to pick up a copy of our brochure and to ask any questions you may have. If you’re new to meditation or to our group, please check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Here are some tips to make your first visit comfortable:
- We meet at Berkeley Buddhist Monastery on the SW corner of Bancroft and McKinley in Berkeley. The entrance is on McKinley. The form of Buddhism practiced in this monastery is known as Ch'an, which originated in China, rather than the Theravadan insight meditation that we practice. Please expect exuberant altars with images, sculptures, flowers, and fruit.
- As you enter the main door, the meditation hall will be directly in front of you and stairs to a balcony will be on your right. Leave your shoes in one of the shoe racks near the doorway and remember to turn off your cell phone.
- Each meeting begins with 40 minutes of silent meditation with no introduction except for the first Thursday of each month when James Baraz, our teacher, gives brief meditation instructions.
- If you arrive before 7:30 pm, the monks who live at the monastery may be chanting. In that case, please wait quietly in the foyer until they have exited the hall.
- There are cushions for sitting on the floor and plenty of chairs. The front of the hall is reserved for floor sitting. Feel free to use the cushions and mats stacked along the side walls. There are also blankets available for the colder months when the monastery can be quite cool. At the end of the evening, please help out by mindfully stacking the chairs, cushions, mats, and blankets.
- If you arrive after 7:30 pm, please enter the meditation hall quietly. We reserve a row of seats at the back of the hall for latecomers. You may either sit there or in the balcony. The stairs to the balcony are at your right as you enter the main door of the monastery.
- Our community is accessible and welcoming to all who wish to participate regardless of ethnic origin, race, cultural or religious background, socio-economic class, age, gender, sexual orientation, or physical ability.
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- Email List
Subscribers to the Announcements email list receive messages with the topic for the next Thursday meeting, a monthly list of community activities, and notices of guest teachers, upcoming dharma events, and opportunities to practice socially-engaged Buddhism. This is an announcement-only list.
Join by email
Message Archive
- Email List
The Bulletin Board email list is for receiving and posting social messages; everyone is welcome to join and to post messages. Subscribers can use the bulletin board to announce events, offer services, invite others to join them at events, arrange carpools, etc. You do not need to subscribe to view message archives.
Join by email
Message Archive
Send an email
Address email to: IMCB-BulletinBoard@googlegroups.com
- Weekly Schedule of Teachers
Check the weekly schedule for a list of upcoming and past Thursday night teachers and topics.
- Recorded Dharma
Our Recorded Dharma page provides links to audio recordings of dharma talks given at our Thursday evening meetings and at other local dharma centers.
The Activities Newsletter is a listing of the activities the IMCB planning committee scheduled for the current month to encourage a sense of community in our sangha. In addition to viewing it on our website, you can pick up a copy at the greeter table on Thursday evening, receive it by email by subscribing to our Announcements or Bulletin Board email list, or view or print a PDF. (If you need a free copy of Acrobat Reader to view the PDF, please download it here.)
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley actively encourages spiritually-based friendships and a sense of community in our sangha and welcomes you to join us in the activities we offer.
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Each month IMCB offers a calendar of activities for our community. Some examples are: a book group, movie nights, hikes, daylongs, and community service. All sangha members are welcome to our events and may bring friends. Pick up a copy of our monthly Activities Newsletter at the greeter table on Thursday evening or subscribe to our email lists.
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Each month a group of Sangha members gets together to socialize and plan community activities such as, book groups, films, hikes, and community service. If you have an idea for a community activity, or if you are interested in joining the Community Planning Committee, talk to someone at the greeter table or come to a meeting. The time and place are listed in the Activities Newsletter.
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We have a potluck in the monastery dining hall on the first Thursday of each month from 6 to
7 pm. Please join us. As you enter the monastery, turn left and go through the double doors at the end of the hallway. Please note that the monastery requests that all potluck offerings be vegetarian and free of garlic, onions, scallions, or shallots.
- Membership Directory
The IMBC membership directory is a list of sangha members and their phone numbers, email addresses, and the geographic area in which they live. You may sign up to be listed at the greeter table or by emailing Linda Gallaher with the above contact information. The directory is emailed as a PDF with a security code to those who signed up; those without computers can request a printed copy. We plan to update the directory twice a year.
Volunteering to help with the various tasks needed on Thursday evenings is a great way to meet people. For example, you can help with: setting up the meditation hall, greeting community members, announcing community activities, and returning the hall to its original state at the end of the evening. Talk to someone at the greeter table for ways you can get connected.
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