California

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.

 

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.

Santa Monica
CA
http://www.insightla.org/

InsightLA, under the direction of Trudy Goodman, guides the practice of Buddhist meditation individually, in sitting groups, and through retreats in the Los Angeles and Southern California area. We offer a range of programs which include the practice of Insight Meditation, also known as Vipassana in the Buddhist tradition.

Redwood Valley
CA
http://www.abhayagiri.org/

A Buddhist community in Redwood, California, in the tradition of Ajahn Chah, Ajahn Sumedho & Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Berkeley
CA
http://www.buddhistpeacefellowship.org

BPF's programs, publications, and practice groups link Buddhist teachings of wisdom and compassion with progressive social change.

Valley Center
CA
http://www.watmetta.org

Wat Metta, headed by Ajaan Geoffrey Thanissaro, is a Thai forest monastery located in an avocado orchard on a hill surrounded by the mountains and chaparral of northern San Diego county. Metta Forest Monastery offers the opportunity for lay people to come and stay for individual retreats of long or short duration. Although Metta is primarily a monastery, part of the hill is set aside for lay visitors who want to come on individual retreats and follow the daily schedule.