Wenham Insight Meditation Center

Wenham Insight Meditation Center All are welcome! In-Person Meditation Classes Sat 9:30am & Wed 7pm

Weekly Words to Inspire Practice!"The Buddha’s insight into life’s interconnectedness has powerful implications for how ...
04/20/2026

Weekly Words to Inspire Practice!

"The Buddha’s insight into life’s interconnectedness has powerful implications for how we treat the natural world on earth, its wildlife, and each other. Because we depend so deeply on nature and on one another, we recognise that all life is as valuable as our own.

This understanding inspires us to live by the principles of lovingkindness and non-harm. As the Buddha taught: when we harm another being, we also harm ourselves.”

- Garavachitta

Please donate to our Spring Campaign!Your generosity can help us close out this campaign and reach our goal of raising $...
04/16/2026

Please donate to our Spring Campaign!

Your generosity can help us close out this campaign and reach our goal of raising $10,000 by the end of April. We're about halfway to our goal, and there's only 2 weeks left to raise the remaining $5,100!

By making a gift today, you'll help us repair the meditation center. This includes repairs to the ceilings and bulkhead doors that were caused during winter.

Your support makes it possible for us to expand access to the Dhamma by installing audio equipment, repairing the lights at our road sign, and refreshing our road sign.

Weekly Words to Inspire Practice!"Deep time in the wildness will ground you in reality and will defuse the hecticity tha...
04/13/2026

Weekly Words to Inspire Practice!

"Deep time in the wildness will ground you in reality and will defuse the hecticity that renders most of us too distracted to be effective. Meditation provides the same grounding, and is a portable refuge that will make you more patient, more caring, more present, less angry, less stressed and less prone to burnout. If that is not enough, the Buddha also assured that meditation would improve your complexion, help you sleep better and draw rare, shy animals near! Don’t just take my word, or the Buddha’s. See for yourself.”

- Brad Meiklejohn

Weekly Words to Inspire Practice!"Listening teaches us a key ingredient in Nature Meditation practice, which is receptiv...
04/07/2026

Weekly Words to Inspire Practice!

"Listening teaches us a key ingredient in Nature Meditation practice, which is receptivity. We simply put ourselves outside and open up to the myriad sounds nature provides. Listening happens by itself, we simply have to be present for the performance!”

- Mark Coleman

Join us for our Mahasati insight meditation practice and Dhamma discussion via Zoom on Monday evenings (US). The practic...
04/05/2026

Join us for our Mahasati insight meditation practice and Dhamma discussion via Zoom on Monday evenings (US). The practice sessions begin at 7:00 p.m. and conclude at 8:00 p.m. US Eastern Time. There will be a 40-minute meditation practice, followed by a brief Dhamma reflection and discussion.

Mahasati does not require the adoption of any religious beliefs, and this offering is suitable for both new and experienced meditators.

Ajahn Sutthisart (Nos) is a Theravada monk and is Abbot of Ashrama Viriyadhamma in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. He was a student of the respected Thai master, Luangpor Khamkhian, and is also part of Luangpor Teean’s lineage. Ajahn Sutthisart is a revered teacher who is very much in demand throughout Thailand and parts of mainland China due to the clarity and engaging quality of his teachings.

Maechee Ampika (Ying) is an ordained Buddhist nun who is also based at Ashrama Viriyadhamma. In addition to being an experienced practitioner herself, she is a skilled translator and will be assisting Ajahn Sutthisart in this capacity.

Michael Bresnan is a licensed psychologist, founder of the Center for Mindfulness and Insight Meditation/Wat Sati-Ma in Redding, CT, founder of Wenham Insight Meditation Center in Wenham, MA, and author of Awareness in Action: A Practitioner’s Guide to Mahasati Insight Meditation. He has been practicing Mahasati Insight Meditation for over 30 years.

Weekly Words to Inspire Practice!"Attitude is everything. While there are many meditative strategies, what makes the dif...
03/30/2026

Weekly Words to Inspire Practice!

"Attitude is everything. While there are many meditative strategies, what makes the difference in terms of spiritual awakening is your quality of earnestness, or sincerity. Rather than adding another 'should' to your list, choose to practice because you care about connecting with your innate capacity for love, clarity and inner peace. Let this sincerity be the atmosphere that nurtures whatever form your practice takes.”

- Tara Brach

Weekly Words to Inspire Practice! “When the mind is not trained, it is like a monkey. We have a lot of energy, but that ...
03/23/2026

Weekly Words to Inspire Practice!

“When the mind is not trained, it is like a monkey. We have a lot of energy, but that energy is scattered and you could not focus. Meditation helps you focus. Once you are focused, you will settle and it is like water when it is clear. Then you can see things down. Same with our wisdom. You are planning something, but the mind is so cloudy. You can plan but cannot see through — how can you bring about this? It is important for any profession, that you must have clear mind in order for you to be productive. It is important, not only for enlightenment, but for our day to day life.”

- Venerable Dhammananda Bhikkhuni

Please consider donating our Spring Appeal fundraising campaign in order to support the center!
03/22/2026

Please consider donating our Spring Appeal fundraising campaign in order to support the center!

Weekly Words to Inspire Practice!“Each one of our breaths holds immensity within itself and is related to the universe b...
03/16/2026

Weekly Words to Inspire Practice!

“Each one of our breaths holds immensity within itself and is related to the universe because the very same energy that makes us breathe also sets celestial bodies into motion.”

- Sofia Stril-Rever

Join Chris Crotty for a weeklong silent retreat at Wonderwell Mountain Refuge, NH.Natural Awakening: Insight Retreat Mar...
03/15/2026

Join Chris Crotty for a weeklong silent retreat at Wonderwell Mountain Refuge, NH.
Natural Awakening: Insight Retreat
March 25–29, 2026
In-person and online via Zoom
This silent retreat offers a grounded and supportive environment to deepen meditation practice through insight meditation and daily dharma talks. Drawing from Theravada, Tibetan, and Zen traditions, the retreat explores how meditation cultivates freedom, clarity, and compassion, and how the path of meditative development unfolds naturally under conducive conditions.
For centuries, practitioners have turned to quiet places in nature to observe mind and body and receive liberating insights transmitted through generations of Dharma practitioners. Held within the quiet beauty of Wonderwell Mountain Refuge, and supported by sangha and daily teachings, this retreat offers continuity with that long-standing tradition.
Participants are invited to:
• Reflect on Buddhist literature across multiple traditions
• Explore the virtues of renunciation, kindness, and community
• Deepen meditation practice with guidance in insight meditation
• Recite the Three Refuges and Five Precepts as part of shared retreat practice
Whether you are new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner, and regardless of lineage or spiritual background, this retreat offers an opportunity to meet life and practice with renewed depth, clarity, and care.

For the residential retreat, registration will close on March 18th. Online registration will close on March 24th.

Learn more and register at https://buff.ly/bVXFNFW

Weekly Words to Inspire Practice!“When I’m moving, shopping, everything, I’m always doing it with mindfulness. I know th...
03/09/2026

Weekly Words to Inspire Practice!

“When I’m moving, shopping, everything, I’m always doing it with mindfulness. I know these are things I have to do, but they aren’t problems.”

- Dipa Ma

This Saturday - Boundless Metta: Loving-kindness Meditation Retreat with Chris Crotty​​March 7th, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM​Mett...
03/06/2026

This Saturday - Boundless Metta: Loving-kindness Meditation Retreat with Chris Crotty​
​March 7th, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM​

Metta reflects the heart qualities of benevolence and friendliness. As a mind state that can be cultivated through meditation, metta functions as a wellspring of goodness–the metta mind naturally emphasizes the inherent goodness in self and others and is thus a foundation of boundless friendliness. Metta also eradicates irritability, anger, and ill-will, leaving the mind contented and happy, and serves as a support for the development of insight, greatly enhancing one’s vipassana meditation practice.

In this day-long retreat Chris will provide an overview of metta, step-by-step meditation instructions, and share teaching stories from Buddhist texts as well as his personal metta retreats in Burma/Myanmar.

Additional Information

The retreat format will consist of alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation, silence, and teacher-led discussion, Q&A periods, and instructional dhamma talks.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend, beginners and experienced meditators alike.

Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be provided. Please bring your own lunch (full use of WIMC kitchen will be available).

If you are traveling to attend this retreat and want to discuss staying in the self-retreat quarters at WIMC, or want help finding accommodations near WIMC please reach out to WIMC's Operations Manager, Andrew, at andrew@wenhaminsight.org

Address

72 Grapevine Road
Wenham, MA
01984

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