Highlighted Events

Insights Into Emptiness

January 8 – 16, 2025
RESIDENTIAL RETREAT
in Loma Mar, CA

Timeless Wisdom: Exploring Buddhist Teachings through Similes and Stories 4

February 8 – April 12, 2025
ONLINE COURSE
Co-sponsored with Bodhi Courses

Spiritual Experience: Bold Talk on Awakening

April 11 – 13, 2025
ONLINE RETREAT
On Zoom

Concentration, Jhana Factors, and Jhana States

May 6 – 16, 2025
RESIDENTIAL RETREAT
in Loma Mar, CA

Local Events

Half-Day Meditation | Los Altos | Ten Fetters: Focus on Restlessness

January 25, 2025 @ 1:30 pm PST - 5:30 pm PST

Half-Day Meditation | Los Altos | Ten Fetters: Focus on Ignorance

February 22, 2025 @ 1:30 pm PST - 5:30 pm PST

Half-Day Meditation | Los Altos | Focus on Good Friends

March 22, 2025 @ 1:30 pm PDT - 5:30 pm PDT

Half-Day Meditation | Los Altos | Focus on Virtue

April 26, 2025 @ 1:30 pm PDT - 5:30 pm PDT

Local Events

Half-Day Meditation | Los Altos | Ten Fetters: Focus on Restlessness

January 25, 2025 @ 1:30 pm PST - 5:30 pm PST

Half-Day Meditation | Los Altos | Ten Fetters: Focus on Ignorance

February 22, 2025 @ 1:30 pm PST - 5:30 pm PST

Half-Day Meditation | Los Altos | Focus on Good Friends

March 22, 2025 @ 1:30 pm PDT - 5:30 pm PDT

Half-Day Meditation | Los Altos | Focus on Virtue

April 26, 2025 @ 1:30 pm PDT - 5:30 pm PDT

buddhist meditation book Cover: The Jhanas by Shaila Catherine

REVISED EDITION of Focused and Fearless

The Jhanas

A Practical Guide to Deep Meditative States

  • clarifies critical points
  • offers twenty-one additional exercises

About IMSB

Shaila Catherine, Guiding Teacher

Shaila Catherine
Guiding Teacher

Insight Meditation South Bay offers mindfulness meditation instruction in Silicon Valley, California. We organize meditation retreats, provide guidance in vipassana meditation, teach methods that develop concentration and the deep absorption states of jhana, and support contemplative practices that promote joy and inner peace in the midst of everyday living.

The core of our current program is a monthly Saturday meditation event in Los Altos. In addition, we co-sponsor retreats and online courses led by Shaila Catherine, and periodically coordinate local meditation classes, sutta study, and special events.

Our founder and guiding teacher is Shaila Catherine.

Affiliated Websites

Bodhi Courses

An Online Dhamma Classroom

Shaila Catherine

Shaila’s Website

Offerings

Saturday Meditation Events

Monthly on Saturdays
1:30 pm  PT – 5:30 pm PT

Foothills Congregational Church
461 Orange Ave
Los Altos, CA

Often includes individual meetings with the teacher during periods of walking meditation.

Retreats

We offer both in-person and online retreats.

Intensive silent retreats may focus on themes of cultivating mindfulness, concentration and jhāna, awakening through insight meditation, mindfulness with breathing, or mettā meditation.

Online Courses

Shaila Catherine offers online courses that strengthen concentration, develop satipatthana practices, enhance loving-kindness (metta), and explore the Discourses of the Buddha.

Volunteer Opportunities

If you would like to support our activities and Shaila’s teachings by offering your time and talents, please contact us. We welcome volunteers who are interested in coordinating events, hosting study groups, maintaining our website, or expanding our publicity.