United States of America

Jenner
CA
http://www.dharmacreek.com/

DharmaCreek Sangha is located on 200+ acres of redwood forest coastal wilderness. In the Forest Monastery tradition, we practice mindful awareness within the awesome beauty of nature. We practice being in the moment, in bare receptivity to all that arises, as we kayak in silence at sunset/moonrise on the Russian River, hike along a redwood canyon, or meditate beside a rushing sun-sparkled creek.

Monthly weekend Mindfulness in Nature, Sunset/Moonrise kayak retreats are held just before the full moon. Dana only.

Berkeley
CA
http://www.insightberkeley.org/

The Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley promotes Buddhist teachings and meditation practices primarily from the Theravadan tradition.

 

Riverside
CA
http://www.ttvmc.org/

TTVMC is a relatively new center, however, during its short history the center has been fortunate in hosting some of the most notable Vipassana teachers in the world. The religious advisors are Venerable U Silananda, Venerable Gunaratana, and Kyaswa Sayadaw U Lakkhana, who have generously come to the center and taught retreats ranging in weekend to a month in length.

 

Redwood Valley
CA
http://kpyusa.org/

K.P.Y. was founded in honor of  Venerable Ajarn Thoon Khippapanyo in December 1999, as a non-profit organization to provide a place for the practice of Buddhist Dhamma.  The Center is set on 235.2 wooded acres in the quiet mountain of Ukiah, Northern California. It provides a secluded environment for Dhamma practice.
Many laypersons prefer to practice in a less structured environment. K.P.Y. provides the facility and teaching necessary for on-going practice and serves as a fertile training ground. Practitioners and retreaters can devote themselves to the cultivation of wisdom and insight for extended period of time.

 

San Jose
CA
http://sanjoseinsight.org/

The Vipassana San Jose sangha is a gathering of individuals who meet in order to learn, support and deepen their mindfulness meditation  practice.

San Francisco
CA
http://www.sfinsight.org/

Insight Meditation Community of San Francisco (IMCSF) is dedicated to offering the teachings of the Buddha as they develop in the West. Our orientation is toward intensive lay practice. We offer classes, meditation retreats and other events as a community (sangha) devoted to the embodiment of awakening in our lives.

Montara
CA
http://www.coastsidevipassana.org/

Vipassana meditation group, informally associated with the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City.

Grass Valley
CA
http://www.mtstream.org/

Mountain Stream Meditation Center has held Buddhist meditation groups in the Northern California Sierra Foothills since 1986. Mountain Stream was started by our resident teacher, John M. Travis. As interest in Buddhism has grown, so has Mountain Stream. Today we have meditation groups meeting in many communities, we hold retreats many times a year, publish and distribute a newsletter to over 2,000 individuals, and generally serve as a center for the Buddhist community in the Northern California Sierra Foothills.

 

Walnut Creek
CA
http://www.saddhamma.org

The Saddhamma Foundation is a Buddhist non-profit organization formed in the early 1990's to support the Venerable Sayadaw U Pandita in his efforts to encourage and support the teachings of the Dhamma throughout the world. The Saddhamma Foundation has facilitated retreats for Sayadaw U Pandita in the United States and Myanmar (Burma).

 

Half Moon Bay
CA
http://www.tbsa.org

The  Theravada Buddhist Society of America (TBSA) was founded in 1980 to support the sasana activities in general and the Dhammananda Vihara activities in particular.

 

Redwood City
CA
http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/

The Insight Meditation Center (IMC) is a community-based urban meditation center for the practice of Vipassana or Insight meditation. The group is guided by Gil Fronsdal.

 

Sebastopol
CA
http://www.saetawwin2.org/

Sae Taw Win II was founded in 1997 by Dr. Thynn Thynn, a Burmese-born, retired physician.
Dr. Thynn is the resident teacher and yogi at the Sae Taw Win II Dhamma Center in Northern California. The Center is an extension of the original Sae Taw Win Monastery in central Burma, in the lineage of the late Ven. Shwe Baw Gyun Sayadaw.

 

Seattle
WA
http://www.metta.org/

It is the mission of the Metta Foundation to foster the convergence of wisdom born of traditional meditative stillness and compassion born of human encounter. The website hosts on-line "Insight Dialogues".

Jenner
CA
http://www.dhammadharini.net/aranya-bodhi-hermitage

Inspired by the Theravada forest traditions, Aranya Bodhi: Awakening Forest Hermitage is a rustic, "off the grid" Buddhist women's monastic hermitage on 100+ acres of mountain forest and meadows on the Northern California Sonoma Coast. Aranya Bodhi is the monastic hermitage project of Dhammadharini, a religious non-profit organization in the State of California.

See also: http://awakening-forest-hermitage.blogspot.com

 

Woodacre
CA
http://www.spiritrock.org/

Spirit Rock is dedicated to the teachings of the Buddha as presented in the vipassana tradition.The practice of mindful awareness, called Insight or Vipassana Meditation, is at the heart of all the activities at Spirit Rock. The Center hosts a full program of ongoing classes, daylong, and residential retreats.

San Francisco
CA
http://www.saranaloka.org/

Saranaloka Foundation was established in 2004 to support nuns from Chithurst and Amaravati monasteries in England to come to the United States to teach. After numerous visits, enthusiasm for the presence of women monastics allowed Saranaloka to extend an invitation to the nuns' community to set up a permanent monastery here in the United States.

Sacramento
California
http://www.sactoinsight.org/

Sacramento Insight Meditation's mission is to serve as a learning, training, and community center for the development, integration, and skillful use of meditation practices and awareness in all aspects of individual, family, educational, institutional, work, and community life.

Redwood City
California
http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/

The Insight Meditation Center of the Midpeninsula has been meeting since 1986 and is a gathering of individuals who meet in order to learn, support and deepen their mindfulness practice. It is an informal group and those interested in mindfulness meditation are heartily welcome to join whenever they wish.

Pioneertown
CA
http://www.mahapajapati.com/

Mahapajapati Women's Monastery is located in the hi-desert region of the Mojave Desert. We strive to practice the teachings of the Buddha. We  observe the traditional "rains" retreat, a three month retreat, from July-Oct.
Space is limited so please call ahead to inquire. There are no fees charged at this monastery. Donations are gratefully accepted.

Menlo Park
CA
http://www.imsb.org/

IMSB, dedicated to the liberating teachings of the Buddha, was founded by Shaila Catherine to support Buddhist meditation practice in the Silicon Valley and South Bay area of California. IMSB offers training in mindfulness-based meditation, lovingkindness, ethics, concentration and jhana practices. Weekly meditation groups are held in Mountain View. Monthly daylongs, nonresidential weekend seminars, residential retreats, and Dharma study courses are offered in the nearby cities of San Jose, Campbell, Palo Alto and Menlo Park, as well as in Mountain View. Beginning and seasoned meditators are welcome.