Highlighted Events

Insights into Emptiness

November 7 – 17, 2024
RESIDENTIAL RETREAT
Hampton, GA

Insights Into Emptiness

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

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

Awaken the Boundless Heart

October 14 @ 7:00 pm PDT - 8:30 pm PDT

Awaken the Boundless Heart

October 21 @ 7:00 pm PDT - 8:30 pm PDT

Awaken the Boundless Heart

October 28 @ 7:00 pm PDT - 8:30 pm PDT

Doorways to Insight

November 18 @ 7:00 pm PST - 8:30 pm PST

Local Events

Awaken the Boundless Heart

October 14 @ 7:00 pm PDT - 8:30 pm PDT

Awaken the Boundless Heart

October 21 @ 7:00 pm PDT - 8:30 pm PDT

Awaken the Boundless Heart

October 28 @ 7:00 pm PDT - 8:30 pm PDT

Doorways to Insight

November 18 @ 7:00 pm PST - 8:30 pm PST

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

We are hoping to restart our weekly meetings in Mountain View and we need help!

Monday evenings
7:00 – 8:30pm

Saint Timothy’s Epicopal Church
2094 Grant Road
Mountain View, CA 94040