https://www.insightchicago.org/news daily 0.75 2019-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1510208872052-753BLJCZZ48W4CTVV18V/splash-of-purple.jpg ICMC News and Views https://www.insightchicago.org/news/spiritual-geometry monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://www.insightchicago.org/news/mind-of-a-master monthly 0.5 2019-08-20 https://www.insightchicago.org/news/lucid-dreaming monthly 0.5 2019-07-28 https://www.insightchicago.org/news/ajahn-brahm monthly 0.5 2019-06-19 https://www.insightchicago.org/news/progress-towards-peace monthly 0.5 2019-06-03 https://www.insightchicago.org/news/dealing-with-loss monthly 0.5 2019-05-26 https://www.insightchicago.org/news/empty-empty monthly 0.5 2019-04-15 https://www.insightchicago.org/news/right-speech monthly 0.5 2019-04-01 https://www.insightchicago.org/news/illusion-and-understanding monthly 0.5 2019-03-20 https://www.insightchicago.org/news/obscurations monthly 0.5 2019-03-06 https://www.insightchicago.org/news/transformative-power-of-metta monthly 0.5 2019-02-18 https://www.insightchicago.org/news/mental-fabrications monthly 0.5 2019-02-04 https://www.insightchicago.org/news/importance-of-friendship monthly 0.5 2019-01-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1548434209628-6TCDE0OW0J0MK2O0Y1N6/Inquiring-Mind.PNG ICMC News and Views - 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Save the Date - Residential Retreat with Tuere Sala - Make it stand out Tuere Sala is a Guiding Teacher at Spirit Rock Retreat Center and Seattle Insight. She is a retired prosecuting attorney who has practiced Vipassana meditation for over 30 years. Tuere is committed to lay practice and inspired by bringing the Dharma to nontraditional places. She is a strong advocate for practitioners living with high stress, past trauma and difficulties sitting still. Tuere has been teaching since 2010 and has a long history of assisting others in establishing and maintaining a daily practice. Tuere’s Dhamma talks can be found on https://www.dharmaseed.org. You can contact Tuere at https://tueresala.org. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2026/3/25/reconnecting-with-our-elemental-nature-daylong-with-jon-aaron monthly 0.5 2026-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/64f524b1-ac2b-429a-a0ef-5bbba16ca286/Jon+Aaron+%28steps%29.png Workshops & Retreats - Reconnecting with Our Elemental Nature - Make it stand out Jon Aaron is a Dharma teacher in New York and most recently in Chicago. He has long been associated with the New York Insight Meditation Center and teaches nationally and beyond.His approach combines a grounding in Theravāda Buddhism with non-dual and Mahayana perspectives, emphasizing the integration of Buddhist teachings into daily life to address personal and social challenges. He is a certified teacher and teacher trainer of Mindfulness-BasedStress Reduction. With his partner Upayadhi, he founded Space2Meditate in response to the pandemic, providing daily meditation sessions online since March 2020. Jon also co-hosts "Diggin' the Dharma," a podcast with Buddhist scholar Doug Smith, now in its fourth season. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2026/3/21/save-the-date-daylong-retreat-with-jan-sheppard monthly 0.5 2026-01-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/10ef94cc-66c2-435d-b372-1006d9126a77/Jan+Sheppard+Profile+pic.png Workshops & Retreats - Returning to the Heart of Buddha's Teaching: Living the Four Noble Truths - Make it stand out Jan Sheppard (Cittasubha) embodies a quiet strength grounded in deep practice and integrity. A meditation teacher since 2002, she has guided countless individuals along their spiritual paths. She holds an MA and PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, training that deepens her capacity to serve diverse communities with sensitivity and insight. Jan is a trained Community Dharma Leader through Spirit Rock Meditation Center and a Lay Buddhist Minister in the Theravada Thai Forest tradition, where she received the Dharma name “Cittasubha” from Luang Por Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. Her teaching is marked by humility, steadiness, and a lifelong commitment to service. She has led a weekly meditation group for over twenty years, teaches in spiritual and secular settings, and leads retreats that support profound inner growth. A founding member of the Wisconsin Prison Mindfulness Initiative, Jan also brings mindfulness and pastoral care into Wisconsin prisons. Her legacy is one of compassion, wisdom, and unwavering dedication to her students https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2026/1/8/weekly-in-person-sitting-group-with-jon-aaron monthly 0.5 2026-01-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/8f386a0c-da38-4281-a9a4-bff9522df4a6/Jon+Aaron-transparent+background.png Workshops & Retreats - Hyde Park Insight Meditation Sangha - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2026/2/8/finding-the-stillness-within monthly 0.5 2026-01-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/8f386a0c-da38-4281-a9a4-bff9522df4a6/Jon+Aaron-transparent+background.png Workshops & Retreats - Finding the Stillness Within - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2025/10/26/87zcklxk44l15au747lbuqp4kmobkf monthly 0.5 2025-10-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/5b10e425-92d1-41ab-ae69-d2075039818d/Andrew+Getz+%281%29.png Workshops & Retreats - New Year's Retreat with Andrew Getz- Heart Practices for Uncertain Times - Make it stand out We are happy to welcome Andrew Getz back to Chicago (via Zoom) as our teacher and guide. Andrew has been leading meditation retreats for Insight Chicago since 2004. He has practiced Vipassana meditation for over 30 years, including four years as an ordained monk in Burma and Thailand. He has taught at Spirit Rock and The Insight Meditation Center in Barre, MA. Additionally, Andrew is a hospice nurse and psychotherapist and was trained as a mindfulness based stress reduction instructor by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn. He has worked extensively teaching mindfulness in healthcare community settings and with incarcerated teens. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2025/10/9/hyde-park-weekly-insight-meditation-with-jon-aaron monthly 0.5 2025-09-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/8f386a0c-da38-4281-a9a4-bff9522df4a6/Jon+Aaron-transparent+background.png Workshops & Retreats - Hyde Park Weekly Insight Meditation with Jon Aaron at Bond Chapel - Make it stand out Jon Aaron is a Dharma teacher in New York and most recently in Chicago. He has long been associated with the New York Insight Meditation Center and teaches nationally and beyond.His approach combines a grounding in Theravāda Buddhism with non-dual and Mahayana perspectives, emphasizing the integration of Buddhist teachings into daily life to address personal and social challenges. He is a certified teacher and teacher trainer of Mindfulness-BasedStress Reduction. With his partner Upayadhi, he founded Space2Meditate in response to the pandemic, providing daily meditation sessions online since March 2020. Jon also co-hosts "Diggin' the Dharma," a podcast with Buddhist scholar Doug Smith, now in its fourth season. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2025/10/26/the-world-is-our-practice-finding-presence-and-peace-in-the-midst-of-it-all-in-person monthly 0.5 2025-09-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/ffa00732-e750-44a9-9ec9-b873c1b1c083/Jon+Aaron-transparent+background.png Workshops & Retreats - The World is our Practice: Finding Presence and Peace in the Midst of It All (In-Person) - Make it stand out Jon Aaron is a Dharma teacher in New York and most recently in Chicago. He has long been associated with the New York Insight Meditation Center and teaches nationally and beyond.His approach combines a grounding in Theravāda Buddhism with non-dual and Mahayana perspectives, emphasizing the integration of Buddhist teachings into daily life to address personal and social challenges. He is a certified teacher and teacher trainer of Mindfulness-BasedStress Reduction. With his partner Upayadhi, he founded Space2Meditate in response to the pandemic, providing daily meditation sessions online since March 2020. Jon also co-hosts "Diggin' the Dharma," a podcast with Buddhist scholar Doug Smith, now in its fourth season. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2025/9/24/thoughtsmaster-or-servantmonster-or-magic monthly 0.5 2025-09-24 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2025/8/12/save-the-date-fall-2025-retreat-in-person-with-santikaro monthly 0.5 2025-09-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/fd280120-36ab-437d-9a85-db95c847e7f7/Santikaro+-transparent+bkgrnd.png Workshops & Retreats - The Dhamma of Kindness - Residential Retreat with Santikaro - Make it stand out Santikaro studied with Ajahn Buddhadasa during the last nine years of his life, became his primary translator, and continues to share his "naturalist" approach to Buddha-Dhamma. Ordained as a Theravada Bhikkhu in 1985, Santikaro spent most of his monastic life at Suan Mokkh (southern Thailand). During this time, he led Dawn Kiam, a small monastic community for foreigners and was active among socially engaged Buddhists in Asia. He returned to the USA in 2000 and left monastic life in 2004 to found Kevala Retreat (then Liberation Park). His understanding of life has been enhanced by the Enneagram, feminism, cancer recovery, and trauma healing. He continues to teach nationally and internationally, and to translate the work of his teacher. He teaches Buddhism and meditation with an emphasis on the early Pali sources. He has led meditation retreats for more than thirty-five years, with a special fondness for mindfulness with breathing. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2025/5/31/all-sangha-picnic monthly 0.5 2025-05-17 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2025/6/29/kim-allen-in-person-half-day-retreat monthly 0.5 2025-06-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/fc1a2649-34d5-453b-bacb-816cd13a1939/KIM+ALLEN.png Workshops & Retreats - Wisdom and Heart Together - Make it stand out In 2020, Kim took formal commitment through Gil Fronsdal to living as a Lay Contemplative – basing her life on practice, study, and furthering of the Dharma – and was given the Dharma name Sumatimittā (“wise friend” or “friend of the wise”). Kim’s teaching emphasizes the willingness to look truthfully at experience, feel it fully, and soften into it with wisdom. She teaches fundamental practices like Satipatthāna and Ānāpānasati, as well as trainings in inquiry, wise perception, and samādhi. She teaches at the Insight Mediation Center (IMC) in California, as well as farther afield in the US, internationally, and online, with a focus on retreats, sutta study, and programs for integrating deep Dharma into everyday life. She is fully authorized as both a Dharma teacher and a Buddhist minister through IMC. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2025/5/18/forest-bathing-with-allison-rodenhouse monthly 0.5 2025-03-11 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2025/5/10/community-service-chicago-river-day monthly 0.5 2025-03-31 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2025/4/12/save-the-date-in-person-day-of-mindfulness monthly 0.5 2025-03-11 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2025/6/5/save-the-date-in-person-spring-retreat-with-santikaro monthly 0.5 2025-05-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/9f4dbb92-5b8f-46c9-8717-a60149782ff4/Santikaro+profile+pic.png Workshops & Retreats - Karma: Creating Ourselves Through Our Doing - Make it stand out Santikaro studied with Ajahn Buddhadasa during the last nine years of his life, became his primary translator, and continues to share his "naturalist" approach to Buddha-Dhamma. Ordained as a Theravada Bhikkhu in 1985, Santikaro spent most of his monastic life at Suan Mokkh (southern Thailand). During this time, he led Dawn Kiam, a small monastic community for foreigners and was active among socially engaged Buddhists in Asia. He returned to the USA in 2000 and left monastic life in 2004 to found Kevala Retreat (then Liberation Park). His understanding of life has been enhanced by the Enneagram, feminism, cancer recovery, and trauma healing. He continues to teach nationally and internationally, and to translate the work of his teacher. He teaches Buddhism and meditation with an emphasis on the early Pali sources. He has led meditation retreats for more than thirty-five years, with a special fondness for mindfulness with breathing. Read more about Kevala Retreat at www.kevalaretreat.org https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2025/2/11/save-the-date-in-person-daylong-with-jon-aaron-finding-the-eye-of-the-storm-with-mindfulness-of-breathing monthly 0.5 2025-02-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/b3ed3761-e378-4d73-a8a0-fb3bddfc55a1/Jon+Aaron+profile+pic.png Workshops & Retreats - In-Person Daylong with Jon Aaron - Make it stand out Jon Aaron is a Dharma teacher in New York and most recently in Chicago. He has long been associated with the New York Insight Meditation Center and teaches nationally and beyond.His approach combines a grounding in Theravāda Buddhism with non-dual and Mahayana perspectives, emphasizing the integration of Buddhist teachings into daily life to address personal and social challenges. He is a certified teacher and teacher trainer of Mindfulness-BasedStress Reduction. With his partner Upayadhi, he founded Space2Meditate in response to the pandemic, providing daily meditation sessions online since March 2020. Jon also co-hosts "Diggin' the Dharma," a podcast with Buddhist scholar Doug Smith, now in its fourth season. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2025/3/2/icmc-welcomes-kim-allen monthly 0.5 2025-02-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/fe91e3a0-3119-4ca6-80e7-19356b32d9c3/KIM+ALLEN.png Workshops & Retreats - The Middle Way, with Kim Allen (online) - Make it stand out Kim Allen teaches retreats, classes, and sutta study, in person and online. She trained primarily with Gil Fronsdal of the Insight Meditation Center, as well as with Theravada monastics and a few Mahayana teachers, and has sat cumulative years of retreat. Her website is www.uncontrived.org. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2024/12/20/jonathan-foust-the-felt-sense-of-embodied-mindfulness monthly 0.5 2024-12-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/6150cfed-21e8-450a-8b87-fd108f4fd82d/Jonathan+Foust+Pic.png Workshops & Retreats - Jonathan Foust - The Felt Sense of Embodied Mindfulness (Online) - Make it stand out Jonathan Foust, MA, CSA, is a senior teacher with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington. A former faculty member and president of Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, he learned meditation at the age of fifteen and lived for many years in a monastic setting, studying with world-renowned teachers. He has been leading retreats and trainings for over 35 years. In addition to a weekly meditation class and podcast, Jonathan teaches internationally and has offered courses and trainings for organizations such as The World Bank, the Young President’s Organization, the U.S. Senate, the House of Representatives and for the DC Superior Court Justices. He created s six-hour audio course with Sounds True, entitled “Body-Centered Inquiry: Meditation Training to Awaken Your Inner Guidance, Vitality and Loving Heart” which explores strategies for cultivating and enhancing somatic awareness. He lives outside of Washington, DC with his wife, Tara Brach and their ridiculously cute puppy. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2024/11/7/mq891c2sy9ndh6alpciq8xgffyeutw monthly 0.5 2024-11-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/3a7b6861-b243-4232-8d70-1e60c6cf3d35/Jon+Aaron+Profile.png Workshops & Retreats - Path As Practice- Daylong Meditation Retreat with Jon Aaron - Make it stand out About Jon Aaron Jon has been a teacher at NY Insight since 2006. His principal dharma teachers have been Matthew Flickstein of The Forest Way and Kittisaro and Thanissara of The Sacred Mountain Sangha. He is a Certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teacher and Teacher Trainer and has taught over 100 cycles of the seminal curriculum. He leads retreats in the US and in Europe. He is the co-guiding teacher of the Makom Meditation Havurah program at the Jewish Community Center. He is a certified Somatic Experience Practitioner® and an Accredited teacher of Mindfulness for Heath from Breathworks in the UK. Jon is a co-founder of the MBSR Teachers Collaborative of Greater New York and a founding member of the Global Mindfulness Collaborative. Recently, with his partner Upayadhi, he established Space2Meditate.com, an online community for meditators that started in the context of the pandemic and has been thriving ever since. jonaaron.net https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2024/12/29/new-year-retreat-with-andrew-getz-making-peace-with-ourselves monthly 0.5 2024-12-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/ea3a7aa1-736a-4a51-9864-d0b69912b3f1/Screenshot+2024-10-27+at+5.56.50%E2%80%AFAM.png Workshops & Retreats - New Year's Retreat with Andrew Getz: Making Peace with Ourselves - Make it stand out We are happy to host Andrew Getz again for the New Year's Retreat! Andrew has been leading meditation retreats for Insight Chicago since 2004. He has practiced Vipassana meditation for over 30 years, including four years as an ordained monk in Burma and Thailand. He has taught at Spirit Rock and The Insight Meditation Center in Barre, MA. Additionally, Andrew is a hospice nurse and psychotherapist and was trained as a mindfulness based stress reduction instructor by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn. He has worked extensively teaching mindfulness in healthcare community settings and with incarcerated teens. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2024/9/29/forest-bathing-with-allison-rodenhouse monthly 0.5 2024-09-29 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2024/7/13/the-middle-way-among-dualities-like-the-serpents-tongue-unbitten monthly 0.5 2024-11-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/99991170-c704-423a-9b8d-15269809b145/Santikaro+profile+pic.png Workshops & Retreats - The Middle Way Among Dualities: Like The Serpent’s Tongue Unbitten (Online) - Make it stand out Santikaro studied with Ajahn Buddhadasa during the last nine years of his life, became his primary translator, and continues to share his "naturalist" approach to Buddha-Dhamma. Ordained as a Theravada Bhikkhu in 1985, Santikaro spent most of his monastic life at Suan Mokkh (southern Thailand). During this time, he led Dawn Kiam, a small monastic community for foreigners and was active among socially engaged Buddhists in Asia. He returned to the USA in 2000 and left monastic life in 2004 to found Kevala Retreat (then Liberation Park). His understanding of life has been enhanced by the Enneagram, feminism, cancer recovery, and trauma healing. He continues to teach nationally and internationally, and to translate the work of his teacher. He teaches Buddhism and meditation with an emphasis on the early Pali sources. He has led meditation retreats for more than thirty-five years, with a special fondness for mindfulness with breathing. Read more about Kevala Retreat at www.kevalaretreat.org https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2024/8/4/finding-ease-in-the-midst-of-it-all monthly 0.5 2024-07-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1593d554-3493-44c0-bc9b-569af17336f1/Screenshot+2024-07-13+at+4.27.19%E2%80%AFPM.png Workshops & Retreats - Finding Ease in the Midst of It All (Online) - Make it stand out Jill Shepherd began practicing insight meditation in Thailand in 1999, and since that time has lived and worked at several meditation centres and monasteries in the US, Australia, England, and Thailand. She spent seven years on staff at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, where she participated in several long retreats and Buddhist study programmes, as well as offering weekly meditation classes at a nearby prison. She is a graduate of the IMS / Spirit Rock teacher training program in the US, under the guidance of Joseph Goldstein and Gil Fronsdal. She lives in Aotearoa / New Zealand and is the founding and guiding teacher of Auckland Insight. She teaches internationally, offering insight / vipassanā and brahmavihāra retreats and ongoing study and practice groups focused on bringing the dharma into daily life. She also leads courses and non-residential workshops exploring the relational practice of Insight Dialogue, as developed by Gregory Kramer and colleagues. Jill Shepherd’s website https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2024/5/23/vesak-full-moon-meditation-gathering monthly 0.5 2024-05-14 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2024/4/29/naturallyunfoldingdhamma monthly 0.5 2024-04-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/7e42f220-a7af-452e-8be6-3c6711fa6c8f/Jason+Bartlett.png Workshops & Retreats - Naturally Unfolding Dhamma with Jason Bartlett (Online) - Make it stand out Jason Bartlett emphasizes a practical approach to Buddha Dharma. He teaches an understanding of Buddhism which can be applied in the tumult of daily life, with the aspiration to support practitioners at all stages on the path to complete liberation. Jason continues to learn and practice Dharma from across many Buddhist traditions including: Chan, Pure Land, Vajrayāna and Theravāda Buddhism. Many teachers have greatly inspired him. Among his mentors are Venerable Sucitta Mahātherī, Santikaro Upāsaka, Leigh Brasington, Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche and Venerable Wu Kai Shīfù. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/12f9ff82-05bf-465d-97a1-8b4fd0c4ab36/Screenshot+2024-04-29+at+6.17.15%E2%80%AFPM.png Workshops & Retreats - Naturally Unfolding Dhamma with Jason Bartlett (Online) - Make it stand out Sunday Night Sangha meets weekly from 6:30pm-8pm CT. To learn more about Sunday Night Sangha and subscribe to their mailing list, go here. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2024/4/20/earth-day monthly 0.5 2024-04-17 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2024/3/15/back-to-the-body-with-love-an-exploration-of-the-first-foundation-of-mindfulness-with-jon-aaron monthly 0.5 2024-03-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/a76cda85-3b14-435b-afd9-4876de59cfa0/Profile+Pic.png Workshops & Retreats - Back to the Body with Love - An Exploration of the First Foundation of Mindfulness, with Jon Aaron (Online) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2024/2/6/save-the-date-spring-retreat-with-santikaro-in-person monthly 0.5 2024-05-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/0a221bec-0471-4e41-a89b-dcbfcc75d833/Jason+Bartlett.png Workshops & Retreats - Spring Retreat with Jason Bartlett: Practical Steps Into Liberating EmptinessThi - Make it stand out Jason Bartlett emphasizes a practical approach to Buddha Dharma, drawing practice instructions from a wide variety of traditions. He teaches an understanding of Buddhism which can be applied in the tumult of daily life, with the aspiration to support practitioners at all stages on the path to complete liberation. His specializations include jhana, liberating insight work, prajñāpāramitā, emptiness and non-dual practices. Jason continues to learn and practice Dharma from across many Buddhist traditions including: Chan, Pure Land, Vajrayāna and Theravāda Buddhism. Jason has also practiced Daoist cultivation and energy work since 1995. Many teachers have greatly inspired him. Among his mentors are Venerable Sucitta Mahātherī, Santikaro Upāsaka, Leigh Brasington, Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche and Venerable Wu Kai Shīfù. Read more about Jason at luminousdharma.org https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2024/5/11/finding-joy-in-the-refuge-of-uncertainty-with-jon-aaron monthly 0.5 2024-04-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/08446304-2db8-40f7-b50b-f4cf7a52dc95/Profile+Pic.png Workshops & Retreats - Finding Joy in the Refuge of Uncertainty with Jon Aaron (In-Person) - Make it stand out About Jon Aaron Jon has been a teacher at NY Insight since 2006. His principal dharma teachers have been Matthew Flickstein of The Forest Way and Kittisaro and Thanissara of The Sacred Mountain Sangha. He is a Certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teacher and Teacher Trainer and has taught over 100 cycles of the seminal curriculum. He leads retreats in the US and in Europe. He is the co-guiding teacher of the Makom Meditation Havurah program at the Jewish Community Center. He is a certified Somatic Experience Practitioner® and an Accredited teacher of Mindfulness for Heath from Breathworks in the UK. Jon is a co-founder of the MBSR Teachers Collaborative of Greater New York and a founding member of the Global Mindfulness Collaborative. Recently, with his partner Upayadhi, he established Space2Meditate.com, an online community for meditators that started in the context of the pandemic and has been thriving ever since. jonaaron.net https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2024/1/29/c9wlyfe3ydmt6hpa7u797o1fh4tk8k monthly 0.5 2024-02-12 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2023/11/1/the-foundational-attitudes-of-mindfulness-practice-patience monthly 0.5 2023-11-01 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2023/11/1/save-the-date-new-years-retreat-with-andrew-getz monthly 0.5 2023-12-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/adee13fa-3c04-4d45-8022-0f17ee22a168/Andrew+Getz+Profile+pic+2024+.png Workshops & Retreats - New Year's Retreat with Andrew Getz: Doorway to Awakening (online) - Make it stand out Andrew has been leading meditation retreats for Insight Chicago since 2004. He has practiced Vipassana meditation for over 40 years, including four years as an ordained monk in Burma and Thailand. He has taught at Spirit Rock and The Insight Meditation Center in Barre, MA. Additionally, Andrew is a hospice nurse and psychotherapist and was trained as a mindfulness based stress reduction instructor by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn. He has worked extensively teaching mindfulness in healthcare community settings and with incarcerated teens. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2023/8/22/circle-of-stillness-daylong-retreat monthly 0.5 2023-08-22 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2023/5/31/andrew-getz-visits-northside-sangha-online-beginners-mind monthly 0.5 2023-06-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/9a645d89-7da6-4560-a0a9-7cadac624f47/andrew+getz+profile.png Workshops & Retreats - Andrew Getz Visits Northside Sangha: Beginner's Mind (Online) - Make it stand out Andrew has been leading meditation retreats for Insight Chicago since 2004. He has practiced Vipassana meditation for over 40 years, including four years as an ordained monk in Burma and Thailand. He has taught at Spirit Rock and The Insight Meditation Center in Barre, MA. Additionally, Andrew is a hospice nurse and psychotherapist and was trained as a mindfulness based stress reduction instructor by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn. He has worked extensively teaching mindfulness in healthcare community settings and with incarcerated teens. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2023/2/18/in-person-day-of-mindfulness-hosted-by-chicago-weekly-sitting-group-and-icmc monthly 0.5 2023-02-03 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2023/1/19/splendors-of-the-luminous-mind monthly 0.5 2023-05-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/56173f7d-80b1-4a62-bd55-5319da5013ec/Eventbrite+SANTIKARO+pic.png Workshops & Retreats - Spring Retreat with Santikaro: Splendors of the Luminous Mind (Online) - Make it stand out Santikaro studied with Ajahn Buddhadasa during the last nine years of his life, became his primary translator, and continues to share his "naturalist" approach to Buddha-Dhamma. Ordained as a Theravada Bhikkhu in 1985, Santikaro spent most of his monastic life at Suan Mokkh (southern Thailand). During this time, he led Dawn Kiam, a small monastic community for foreigners and was active among socially engaged Buddhists in Asia. He returned to the USA in 2000 and left monastic life in 2004 to found Kevala Retreat (then Liberation Park). His understanding of life has been enhanced by the Enneagram, feminism, cancer recovery, and trauma healing. He continues to teach nationally and internationally, and to translate the work of his teacher. He teaches Buddhism and meditation with an emphasis on the early Pali sources. He has led meditation retreats for more than thirty-five years, with a special fondness for mindfulness with breathing. Read more about Kevala Retreat at www.kevalaretreat.org. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2023/1/29/save-the-date-fall-in-person-retreat-with-santikaro monthly 0.5 2023-09-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/413d35ea-44ae-4d48-8f0a-ba305977bf27/Eventbrite+SANTIKARO+profile+pic.png Workshops & Retreats - Residential Fall Retreat with Santikaro: The Twin Messengers- Commuter Tickets Available - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2022/12/29/the-alchemy-of-mindfulness monthly 0.5 2022-10-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/34726630-73b4-4862-88fa-d160d207f064/Andrew+Getz+pic+banner.png Workshops & Retreats - New Year's Retreat with Andrew Getz: The Alchemy of Mindfulness (Online) - Make it stand out We are happy to welcome Andrew Getz back to Chicago (via Zoom) as our teacher and guide. Andrew has been leading meditation retreats for Insight Chicago since 2004. He has practiced Vipassana meditation for over 30 years, including four years as an ordained monk in Burma and Thailand. He has taught at Spirit Rock and The Insight Meditation Center in Barre, MA. Additionally, Andrew is a hospice nurse and psychotherapist and was trained as a mindfulness based stress reduction instructor by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn. He has worked extensively teaching mindfulness in healthcare community settings and with incarcerated teens. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2022/10/1/save-the-date-fall-retreat-with-santikaro monthly 0.5 2022-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/f1be6328-9ba6-4195-8a92-b50b9e4bb61b/Screen+Shot+2022-08-24+at+08.44.56.png Workshops & Retreats - Simplicity, Solitude and the Art of Meditation, with Santikaro - Make it stand out About Santikaro Santikaro is a teacher of Dhamma & meditation according to the middle way of the early sources. He was born and raised in the Chicago area. He lived as a Buddhist monk for 19 years training under and translating for Ajahn Buddhadasa. After retiring from the monkhood in 2004 he founded Kevala Retreat, in rural southwestern Wisconsin, with his wife, Jo Marie Thompson. He teaches throughout the USA and internationally. Read more about Kevala Retreat at www.kevalaretreat.org. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2022/3/30/andrew-getz-220420 monthly 0.5 2022-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1602502396889-IDHGVZ1CWK9LZEITZA4C/andrew-getz.jpg Workshops & Retreats - Special Visit from Andrew Getz Andrew Getz grew up in Chicago and he has been leading annual retreats for Insight Chicago Meditation Community since 2004. He has been practicing vipassana meditation for over 30 years, including four years as an ordained monk in Thailand and Burma. Andrew is a hospice nurse and psychotherapist who was trained as a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction instructor by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn. Andrew has generously offered his teachings to participants in Insight Chicago sit groups and retreats over almost 20 years. We welcome him again and welcome you to join us. In lieu of dana, Andrew has suggested a donation to Partners Asia at partnersasia.org. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2022/santikaro-spring-retreat monthly 0.5 2022-03-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/73a275a1-a72a-4f92-85f0-2b20de83cbe8/Screen+Shot+2022-03-17+at+13.36.39.png Workshops & Retreats - The Unnecessary Extra That Is Suffering - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/74a99538-9c06-4dca-9fff-7b35c2fdb42f/Copy+of+SANTIKARO.jpg Workshops & Retreats - The Unnecessary Extra That Is Suffering - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2021/11/1/new-years-online-retreat-with-andrew-getz-the-four-tasks-of-awakening monthly 0.5 2022-08-25 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2021/10/21/fall-residential-retreat-with-santikaro monthly 0.5 2022-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1629321094106-XZ87ALRZW07FF30FQEX2/Screen+Shot+2021-08-18+at+16.11.26.png Workshops & Retreats - Finding Freedom & Stillness in the Midst of Saṃsāra- An Online Retreat with Santikaro - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2021/james-baraz-daylong monthly 0.5 2021-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1616699422468-D1024XOFSNWAQ0RP7NGW/Baraz.png Workshops & Retreats - Equanimity: Finding Balance in Our Practice with James Baraz James Baraz has been teaching meditation since 1978. He is a founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center where, in addition to leading retreats, he coordinates the Community Dharma Leader program, and is the teacher-advisor to the Spirit Rock Family and Teen program and the Kalyana Mitta (Spiritual Friends) Network. He is the co-author of Awakening Joy.and Awakening Joy for Kids and has led the popular online Awakening Joy course since 2003. In addition, he is a guiding teacher for One Earth Sangha, a Buddhist Platform for a Dharma response to Climate Change. James leads an ongoing meditation class in Berkeley, California where he also lives with his wife, Jane. https://www.insightchicago.org/events/santikaro-spring-2021-retreat monthly 0.5 2022-08-25 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2020/10/12/new-years-online-retreat-with-andrew-getz monthly 0.5 2022-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1602502396889-IDHGVZ1CWK9LZEITZA4C/andrew-getz.jpg Workshops & Retreats - New Year's ONLINE Retreat with Andrew Getz: Right Effort https://www.insightchicago.org/events/santikaro-brahma-viharas monthly 0.5 2020-06-19 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/santikaro-at-theosophical-society monthly 0.5 2020-01-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1578501020281-UJ47YXK0M4R4DB45ZG3T/theosophical.jpg Workshops & Retreats - Weekend Meditation Retreat with Santikaro (Theosophical Society) - The Theosophical Society in America John Cianciosi Director of Public Programs The Theosophical Society in America jcianciosi@theosophical.org Tel. 630 668 1571 x 362 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2020/1/11/kickstarting-meditation-practice-in-2020 monthly 0.5 2020-01-11 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/cyclical-change-with-santikaro monthly 0.5 2019-08-19 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/aging-illness-death monthly 0.5 2022-08-25 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/making-fear-less-fearful monthly 0.5 2019-08-12 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/santikaro-fall-retreat-2020 monthly 0.5 2022-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1598964950508-D4FZGQKF97OUCF8DXGSN/santikaro.jpg Workshops & Retreats - The Middle Way, Emptiness, and Dependent Co-Arising https://www.insightchicago.org/events/santikaro-june2020 monthly 0.5 2020-05-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1587322428628-TV61QKWCXZ8K0XAOP49J/Santikaro5.jpg Workshops & Retreats - ONLINE RETREAT: The Noble Eightfold Path: Guide for a Caring Life with Santikaro https://www.insightchicago.org/events/mark-nunberg-2020 monthly 0.5 2020-03-17 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/tara-mulay-2020 monthly 0.5 2020-03-12 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/andrew-getz-2019 monthly 0.5 2019-12-27 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2019/3/2/meditation-workshop-with-santikaro-thinking-and-not-thinking monthly 0.5 2019-05-11 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/2019/3/2/meditation-workshop-with-santikaro-living-in-uncertainty monthly 0.5 2019-05-10 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/santikaro-theosophical-society monthly 0.5 2019-01-25 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/santikaro-fall-retreat-2019 monthly 0.5 2019-07-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1563662965676-3NU3TNGCHCX60P8DTHNO/santikaro.jpg Workshops & Retreats - Dhamma Life & Practice: Embodied, Sensitive, Aware https://www.insightchicago.org/events/santikaro-spring2019 monthly 0.5 2019-02-09 https://www.insightchicago.org/events/baraz-retreat2019 monthly 0.5 2019-01-19 https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board daily 0.75 2025-07-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1628976590470-4CI0QLVK45R20692LAHB/Screen%25252BShot%25252B2021-08-14%25252Bat%25252B16.24.36.jpg Other Chicago Area Offerings https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/2025/7/3/hyde-park-insight-meditation-sangha monthly 0.5 2025-09-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/8e60361b-c749-4d2f-83b8-0fee6e1907ff/Jon+Aaron-transparent+background.png Other Chicago Area Offerings - New Weekly Meditation -- Hyde Park Insight Meditation Sangha - Make it stand out Jon Aaron has been teaching in the Insight tradition for over 20 years at New York Insight Meditation Center and other contexts, and leads retreats in Chicago and throughout the US. He is also a certified teacher and teacher trainer of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction(MBSR). https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/2025/4/14/strong-like-a-mountain-flow-like-a-river monthly 0.5 2025-04-17 https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/2025/1/8/online-finding-joy-and-grace-in-uncertainty-an-eight-week-course-with-jon-aaron monthly 0.5 2025-01-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/29e761ae-2158-478d-a0de-cad7ebd69f35/Screenshot+2025-01-06+at+7.58.22%E2%80%AFAM.png Other Chicago Area Offerings - Online: Finding Joy and Grace in Uncertainty – An Eight-Week Course with Jon Aaron - Make it stand out Jon Aaron is a Dharma and mindfulness teacher based in New York and Chicago. Since 2006, he has taught at the New York Insight Meditation Center, offering Dharma and MBSR classes. He regularly leads retreats around the U.S. He is primarily grounded in the Theravāda tradition, alongside non-dual and Mahayana approaches. His teaching emphasizes integrating Dharma and mindfulness into daily life to foster clarity in addressing personal and social challenges. His teachers include Matthew Flickstein and, more recently, Kittisaro and Thanissara through their Dharmapala program. Jon also studied contemplative care at the Zen Center for Contemplative Care and completed the Integrated Study and Practice program at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. He is a certified MBSR teacher and teacher trainer and a Somatic Experience Practitioner®. In response to the pandemic, he and his partner, Upayadhi, launched the Space2Meditate community, offering daily meditation since March 2020. Additionally, he co-hosts the podcast Diggin’ the Dharma with scholar Doug Smith, now in its third season. JonAaron.net https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/2024/11/7/the-embodied-heart monthly 0.5 2024-07-29 https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/2024/6/8/choose-compassion-over-fear monthly 0.5 2024-05-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/bb46d1bb-ad06-4d79-b19c-77941e5542d9/Compassion+Over+Fear+Jewel+Heart+June+2024.png Other Chicago Area Offerings - Choose Compassion Over Fear - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/2022/8/9/cwsmg/sheppard-haskin-retreat monthly 0.5 2022-08-09 https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/2022/1/11/red-lotus monthly 0.5 2022-01-11 https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/2021-10-09/ajahn-sucitto monthly 0.5 2021-08-17 https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/2021/9/18/uncertainty-its-not-so-bad-an-online-thaypassana-retreat monthly 0.5 2021-08-17 https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/2021/4/24/buddhist-teachings-for-cultivating-clarity-in-a-confusing-world monthly 0.5 2021-03-16 https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/2020/12/29/bloom-and-zoom-retreat monthly 0.5 2020-12-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1609273226582-DANPPUTKDC42LJZE83RM/bloom.JPG Other Chicago Area Offerings - Growing Happiness and Wisdom: A Virtual Meditation Retreat https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/2020/12/28/kevala-retreats monthly 0.5 2020-12-29 https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/2020/12/15/living-dying-and-liberation-an-online-meditation-retreat-with-ajahn-sucitto monthly 0.5 2020-12-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1607435578923-DFBP6XELBENTT3ZODYB1/Sucitto-retreat.jpeg Other Chicago Area Offerings - Living, Dying, and Liberation - An ONLINE Meditation Retreat with Ajahn Sucitto Retreat Flyer https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/2020/11/17/a-mindful-moment-online monthly 0.5 2020-11-15 https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/chi-sitting-group-dom monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/teachings-on-the-laws-of-nature-cianciosi monthly 0.5 2020-09-04 https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/enlightenment-cianciosi monthly 0.5 2020-09-04 https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/foundations-of-mindfulness monthly 0.5 2020-10-10 https://www.insightchicago.org/bulletin-board/peace-wisdom-amaro monthly 0.5 2020-10-09 https://www.insightchicago.org/faq daily 0.75 2019-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1510205288146-X3J696TWGMS1A1RQJ5PJ/man-meditating.jpg Meditation FAQ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1532004006110-ZDVS6KN81GELVN5OULOC/group.jpg Meditation FAQ https://www.insightchicago.org/daylongs-retreats daily 0.75 2019-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566997187786-ICGBXIVAH18U4A4936F3/buddha-head.jpg Workshops & Retreats https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566907379977-WS9WRRNISP7YYJKZB94E/dandelion.jpg Workshops & Retreats - Workshops & Retreats Full descriptions and registration information. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566907429210-A45RMSR27HMPMRXVKLDI/marble.jpg Workshops & Retreats - Practice Calendar All sangha activities in calendar format. https://www.insightchicago.org/evanston-meditation-sangha daily 0.75 2024-06-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1655745391066-LSQ07PAYS5HMHKHUWGS7/unsplash-image-Dj8reMyS-Z4.jpg Evanston Meditation Sangha https://www.insightchicago.org/home daily 1.0 2024-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1509936191468-UEB9RZC58CFB8UM60XR1/monk-meditationg-hero-optimized-left.jpg Insight Chicago Meditation Community https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1599242145105-M3MBZWB8000XWI13IUX6/image-asset.jpeg Insight Chicago Meditation Community Full descriptions and registration information for retreats and workshops may be found on our ICMC Events page. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566837039033-CE8EONBGJ9U52R14O3S2/image-asset.jpeg Insight Chicago Meditation Community See our Calendar page for all practice opportunities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1599222993858-9ZS4DR8UBAAUGD6MKV9Q/image-asset.jpeg Insight Chicago Meditation Community From time to time, ICMC is made aware of opportunities offered by other organizations in our area that may be of interest to our community; we post these on the Non-ICMC Events page. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1711813456264-TEVF07GF2YB80XPDN38O/unsplash-image-v6V-hfxjboI.jpg Insight Chicago Meditation Community - Sunday Night Meditation Sangha https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566869993634-EJDEUUEX0ZW557CTOKB8/northside-banner.jpg Insight Chicago Meditation Community - Northside Meditation Sangha https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566870218113-KWJLSK297SLETZNY604B/WOODLAWN+WEBSITE+BANNER+1b-1.png Insight Chicago Meditation Community - Woodlawn Meditation Sangha https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1655824585166-F545VUL7WRFTN6PB0ACF/Evanston+Buddha.png Insight Chicago Meditation Community - Evanston Meditation Sangha https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1656013473824-MHN7BQ0PPWBZFESPW9OB/Lake+Forest+Lotus.jpg Insight Chicago Meditation Community - Circle of Stillness Meditation Sangha https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566906341583-Q1IWI34Q3IIXHCSWLI1T/autumn-leaf.jpg Insight Chicago Meditation Community - Mindfulness "Mindfulness helps us get better at seeing the difference between what's happening and the stories we tell ourselves about what's happening. Stories that get in the way of direct experience. Often such stories treat a fleeting state of mind as if it were our entire and permanent self." - Sharon Salzberg https://www.insightchicago.org/sundaynight-meditation-sangha daily 0.75 2025-10-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1666970875119-T61KDZHIW4526Z0RB5SC/unsplash-image-v6V-hfxjboI.jpg Sunday Night Meditation Sangha https://www.insightchicago.org/mission-vision daily 0.75 2019-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566998440092-6XK9B21V7YSPMBCBETFV/image-asset.jpeg Mission & Vision https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566928443773-16A81D2QEYMYILUKPU36/meditator-girl-dark.jpg Mission & Vision - ABOUT ICMC Insight Chicago Meditation Community is a Vipassana meditation group active in Chicago since 1997. Our practice is based on mindfulness meditation as taught within the tradition of Theravada Buddhism. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566928673656-CZJ7UQTM9AL0JAMZPI1Y/image-asset.jpeg Mission & Vision - ALL ARE WELCOME We welcome you - whether you’re new to meditation, an experienced practitioner, or anywhere in between. We seek to promote the inclusion and participation of people of diverse identities, including those of all races, ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities, classes, religions, political views, abilities, and ages, that all may feel welcome, safe and respected within this community. https://www.insightchicago.org/contact daily 0.75 2020-10-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566997615582-013SD5ZSOVQ6D0GQE1D9/image-asset.jpeg Contact ICMC https://www.insightchicago.org/northside-meditation-sangha daily 0.75 2025-09-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1564684244259-H26Y23PLGWRHJZ3H7AC3/northside-banner.jpg Northside Meditation Sangha https://www.insightchicago.org/meditation-1 daily 0.75 2020-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1510090339167-GRBHDJ0IHAZBUD13B78Q/Meditation-Sitting-cushion-vintage.jpg Meditation 101 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1573656375623-BWX9KZ2NDLDRC0ZNSVBW/image-asset.jpeg Meditation 101 - WHAT... ICMC practices in the Theravada tradition of southeast Asia (Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Sri Lanka). Our practices are based on the suttas, or recorded talks, given by the Buddha 2500 years ago. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1510088814823-8QIG1S4JAVQQ08ASLHAO/woman-of-color-meditating.jpg Meditation 101 - WHY... People come to ICMC for many reasons, but underlying them all is a desire to find peace and ease in their lives. We invite you to explore this site for resources and to come to meet us in person at a practice or sitting group, a retreat, and at classes or social events when scheduled. No particular religious belief is required or excluded; the Buddha invited us to “be a lamp unto yourself” and to believe what he taught only when it matches your experience. Beginners are always welcome at our events unless otherwise stated. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566839692254-9VSMPP17V5W9UVVI2JQU/group-meditation.jpg Meditation 101 - Who… Individual and group meditation are both beneficial and encouraged. Participants in Insight Chicago generally have both an individual and a group meditation practice. The group or sangha provides a forum for group mediation, discussion and support in the cultivation of ones own meditation practice. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566873504895-ZU3DFJ31QD2MA9QPWWUH/image-asset.jpeg Meditation 101 - How… I can’t sit in the lotus position. Can I still meditate? There is no prescribed sitting posture other than to be able to be relaxed yet upright. Some people enjoy sitting on the floor on a cushion or on a mediation bench, while others prefer sitting in a chair. Most locations have chairs available for sitting. I can’t meditate because I can’t turn off my thoughts and have trouble concentrating. Should I try anyway? Yes. Noticing or being distracted by rambling thoughts is common among meditators. Meditation can actually be beneficial in developing concentration and calming one’s own “monkey mind.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566873988638-4XWULNKJ1J5TIB4GNMWU/image-asset.jpeg Meditation 101 - RESOURCES... Please contact your closest sangha to obtain a free introduction to meditation. Some sanghas offer special newcomer evenings (Andersonville). Others have dedicated teachers who are always available to offer basic meditation instruction (Lake Forest). Others will be delighted to offer one-on-one education half an hour prior to the regularly scheduled sit if you ask in advance (South Side | North Side | Evanston | Woodlawn). You are welcome to just turn up for your first sit at any sangha or email the sangha to ask about specific instruction. Also, our Resources page has links to many helpful books, websites and apps to support your practice. https://www.insightchicago.org/donate daily 0.75 2022-10-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566997399872-8P9S05IIJ1OBFQ5K5APO/water-bowl.jpg Donate https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1510195744596-GTYULBD4YLRT2LQMK7HJ/redflower.jpeg Donate "Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression. We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous. We experience joy in the actual act of giving something. And we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given." - The Buddha https://www.insightchicago.org/lake-forest-meditation-sangha daily 0.75 2023-11-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1655998447315-TPLUJANL55E3BMWNASDO/unsplash-image-VYnfRLhV09Q.jpg Lake Forest Meditation Sangha https://www.insightchicago.org/calendar daily 0.75 2020-11-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1510100629065-J6SY7AUQM4OF2CS9AYF8/marble.jpg Insight Chicago Calendar https://www.insightchicago.org/meditation-locations daily 0.75 2025-03-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1656097773169-OFNC5PXM5YSWGAUXPF5F/unsplash-image-V-TIPBoC_2M.jpg Chicago Area Meditation Groups https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/aa0bffa9-805c-45ab-8bac-18742826269a/sundaynight.jpg Chicago Area Meditation Groups Sunday Night Meditation Sangha is currently meeting on Sunday evenings in-person/hybrid and online via zoom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/0a4d6131-fabb-4fda-ac87-ad81de0e1721/lake-forest.JPG Chicago Area Meditation Groups Circle of Stillness Sangha is currently meeting on Sunday mornings in-person and online via zoom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/37c89bb5-a7b7-4e3e-84b0-473d197229de/evanston.JPG Chicago Area Meditation Groups Evanston Meditation Sangha is currently meeting Mondays and Thursday online via zoom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/8bf719af-f5c6-4c88-85a3-fc26e606ff40/northside-banner.jpg Chicago Area Meditation Groups Northside Meditation Sangha is currently meeting on Wednesday evenings on Zoom and has an in-person/hybrid meeting on the first Wednesday of the month. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/4d17fa71-7a31-498d-aaf5-91cfb6f40233/WOODLAWN+WEBSITE+BANNER+1b-1.png Chicago Area Meditation Groups Woodlawn Meditation Sangha is currently meeting online. https://www.insightchicago.org/dana daily 0.75 2019-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1510502955935-RMDBS5BZGUHOR53WT0HO/mindful-giving.jpg Dana https://www.insightchicago.org/mailing-lists daily 0.75 2025-07-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566913835858-O3BJTUJDXETB4CBDR9QR/image-asset.jpeg Insight Chicago Mailing Lists https://www.insightchicago.org/resources daily 0.75 2019-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1532623269264-EACY5SHAJT6HQJ5G0BJP/bells3.jpg Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1532645353312-CVFEDLP16Z0RMJILOAZ6/how-to-meditate-150.jpg Resources - How To Meditate: Tara Brach (PDF) How To Meditate: Tara Brach https://www.tarabrach.com/howtomeditate/ · Part 1: How to Establish a Daily Sitting Practice · Part 2: Common Issues for Meditators · Part 3: Sustaining a Practice & Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1532645331241-58HBY1BQ9USQ6ZOWPEB8/RealHappiness.jpg Resources - Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation: A 28-Day Program (Audiobook) by Sharon Salzberg Available at Amazon and other sources. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1532627948772-QPJBJR0DJLDFE039Q8LR/10p_card.png Resources - 10% Happier: Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics 10% Happier: Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics (APP) A helpful tool to get started in meditation by Dan Harris. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1532628768783-PSRUJ49U2TFYMYYP7IHY/logo-bowl.png Resources - Insight Timer (APP) Great tool with meditation timer & many guided meditations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1532643828161-6QYEX397FEKE9J4OQJW3/bodhiLeaf-3.png Resources - Dharma Seed Dharma Seed freely offers Western Buddhist Vipassana teachings from retreat centers and teachers across the country. https://www.insightchicago.org/woodlawn-meditation-sangha daily 0.75 2025-07-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1564876896389-FM0MN2QC7WLHNZPZQ8OL/WOODLAWN+WEBSITE+BANNER+1b-1.png Woodlawn Meditation Sangha https://www.insightchicago.org/kevala daily 0.75 2019-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566911498411-OFDP82WYPKZI8N6AE0NM/kevala3.jpg Kevala Retreat Center & Santikaro https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566914360813-V204E2ZSF1B1GPKI94XC/Kevala4.png Kevala Retreat Center & Santikaro https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566911054641-SQFP9Q89RFQPYPNFTWYC/Aj.Santikaro.jpg Kevala Retreat Center & Santikaro https://www.insightchicago.org/thankyou daily 0.75 2019-11-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1566997399872-8P9S05IIJ1OBFQ5K5APO/water-bowl.jpg Thank You https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1573835637947-EE70KP84JPV2EBB6O225/Thank-you-word-cloud.jpg Thank You https://www.insightchicago.org/icmc-board daily 0.75 2023-02-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1607886239560-0T72MHQZ30W9PX18F691/image-asset.jpeg ICMC Board https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/26ca47bc-43e6-4eeb-9c5e-87925207f518/Untitled+design.png ICMC Board https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/1607887265598-RVZK8RJBABJWP0H98LHE/Tzuming-Liao.jpg ICMC Board https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/2957a09a-b280-4994-bdc0-a1f564c990c3/Emily+Profile+Pic.png ICMC Board - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/825c18df-0b33-4d9d-b058-fb196f56a010/Soo+Profile+Pic.png ICMC Board https://www.insightchicago.org/southside daily 0.75 2025-07-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59ff0984a8b2b0625b1df9a9/cb1e964e-8ddd-459e-9888-6256e5f494ed/Screenshot+2025-07-20+at+7.04.28%E2%80%AFAM.png South Side Offerings https://www.insightchicago.org/new-page daily 0.75 2025-09-27