Cambridge Insight Meditation Center

The Cambridge Insight Meditation Center (CIMC) was established in 1985 as a nonprofit, nonresidential urban center for the practice of Insight meditation. Located in the heart of Cambridge, CIMC provides an environment where the contemplative life can be developed and protected amid the complexities of city living. Here, people of all religious and secular persuasions can come together to learn, support and deepen practice. CIMC’s Guiding Teachers are Larry Rosenberg Narayan Helen Liebenson Insight meditation, or Vipassana, is one of the central meditation teachings of the Buddha. Vipassana has been practiced and passed on within the Theravadin Buddhist tradition for the past 2,500 years. The core of insight meditation is the practice of mindfulness, the quality of awareness that sees without judgment. Sitting and walking meditation, the first steps in formal practice, become the foundation and the continuous inspiration for meeting all aspects of life with a greater openness and willingness to learn. As we grow in the practice, it becomes possible to use the challenges of daily life to increase our capacity for mindful living. For additional information, see For Beginners. Mission Rooted in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center is a welcoming refuge and teaching center for all who seek inner peace through the liberating practice of insight meditation. As a community of practitioners, and as an institution, we endeavor to follow the Buddha’s path of ethics, tranquility, wisdom and compassion. An urban center, CIMC is dedicated to the integration of practice into every aspect of community and daily life. CIMC is a vibrant and relevant center of Dharma practice and learning. CIMC is financially stable, with a balanced budget, broad donor base, and sufficient contingency funds. Generosity is a shared community value and is experienced as an opportunity for people to deepen their practice and to support the practice of others. The programs offered at CIMC are available to all, regardless of personal circumstances. CIMC provides a safe and supportive environment for all members of its sangha to practice and participate according to their individual needs. CIMC teachers are well supported in their teaching. CIMC is efficiently run with a well-supported staff, a diverse, engaged and committed board, and a large, active volunteer community. Our building and gardens are beautiful and well-maintained.