WHO WE ARE
Insight Meditation Community of Columbia is a growing community of people practicing and learning Vipassana Meditation and Loving Kindness (Metta) practice. Vipassana is sometimes called insight or mindfulness meditation. We are a peer-led group of practitioners with diverse levels of experience who meet for meditation and discussion. We are welcoming and our meetings are open to all. Persons of all faiths and beliefs who seek freedom of heart and mind are welcome. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have about our community or our practice. We also study and practice Mindfulness with the intention of integrating wisdom and manifesting compassion in all aspects of our lives.
What is vipassana?
In the Pali language of the early Buddhist texts, vipassana means insight. It is often used to describe one of the two main categories of Buddhist meditation (the other being samatha or tranquillity).
What is Theravada Buddhism?
The southern form of Buddhism now found mainly in Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar. It is the oldest living tradition and its core teachings are based on the word of the Buddha as found in the earliest texts.
Are your courses only for Buddhists?
Definitely not! Most of our participants are not Buddhist. We always have a wide range of people of many different faiths (and of no faith) on our courses. We explain the context in which these particular meditation practices developed but our aim is to help people to learn to meditate, in a clear and systematic way, to see if it is useful in their lives – whatever their existing beliefs.
MEET THE DHARMA LEADERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
I wanted to start an Insight Meditation Community that would offer a platform for meaningful dialogue about Insight Meditation practice and its implications in daily life. I love the sense of community, and the feeling that we are figuring this out together. I have been practicing mindfulness meditation since 2007. I participate in classes, retreats, and learning sessions at , Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, Insight Meditation Society in Barre MA, Southern Dharma in Hot Springs NC and at Upstream in Columbia, SC.