• BUDDHIST TEACHINGS & MEDITATION in THE UPPER VALLEY of NH and VT •
Valley Insight garden seating

Valley Insight Meditation Society is a spiritual refuge for all who seek freedom of mind and heart. We provide opportunities and support for exploring the teachings of Buddhism and practice of vipassana, also known as insight meditation.

We offer weekly sitting groups suitable for beginners and experienced meditators; non-residential retreats; and instruction in meditation and mindfulness practice. Our teachers and formal practice are closely aligned with that of Insight Meditation Society (IMS), Barre Center for Buddhist Studies (BCBS), and Spirit Rock Meditation Center.

UPCOMING

  • Retreat (“Sharing Refuge in Stillness and Community”), with Doreen Schweizer and Subha Srinivasan, December 8-9. Details »
  • Drop-in Mindfulness Series, last Saturday of each month. Details »
  • ‘Mindfully Exploring Race Together’ is an ongoing, monthly, exploration. Details »
  • Daily Gatherings for Refuge and Clarity, weekdays at 7:30 AM (Eastern time). Details »
  • Weekly meditation/study/discussion every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday; click links below for login information & weekly updates.
  • Join our Sangha Circle, third Sunday of every month. Details »

SIT SCHEDULE

MONDAYS

5:30-7pm
Held in our Online Dharma Hall
Details & Sign up →

TUESDAYS

5:30-7pm
Held in our Online Dharma Hall; in-person once a month in Norwich
Details & Sign up →

THURSDAYS

11am – 12:30pm
Hybrid: Held in our Online Dharma Hall and in-person in Lebanon
Details & Sign up →

Mask, Vaccination, and Attendance Policy  for In-Person Events: We invite those who attend our in-person events to wear a mask, or not, as is necessary for personal safety and feelings of comfort. We encourage people to wear masks if they are immunocompromised or feel as if wearing a mask helps them to feel more comfortable in a room with other people. We also acknowledge that visiting teachers may ask people who attend their events to wear masks indoors and we support them in doing so. But we no longer require everyone who attends to wear a mask during our in-person events.
In consideration of the Buddhist precept of not causing harm to our fellow beings, we want our events to be as safe as possible. For that reason, we recommend that everyone who attends our in-person events will remain up-to-date with immunizations against COVID-19.
In the spirit of non-harming, people who are experiencing symptoms of any illness, especially respiratory illness (such as cough, nasal congestion, shortness of breath, sore throat, or fever), should not attend in-person sits or other events.
While the above precautions significantly reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission, we remind everyone that these precautions cannot reduce transmission risk to zero. Only avoidance of in-person contact can truly negate all risk. Thus, we expect everyone to be guided by their concern for others and by their own level of comfort when choosing whether or not to attend an in-person event. Most of our events will offer an option to attend through our Online Dharma Hall – an option we believe will help all sangha members to feel included.
We are grateful for your patience, your understanding, and your shared commitment to our collective safety and wellness. May we continue to find refuge in curiosity, kindness, beauty, space, breath, gratitude, and one another. If you have any questions or concerns about these policies or our approach to sits and other events, please contact one of the teachers or a board member.
Adopted September 20, 2023 by the Valley Insight Board of Trustees
Diversity Policy: Valley Insight Meditation Society is committed to offering a safe, welcoming environment for people of all races, cultures, ethnicities, sexual orientations, classes, religions, abilities and ages in which to practice meditation and to explore the ideas put forth in the Buddha’s teachings. We recognize that all people hold unexamined beliefs, assumptions, fears and prejudices about others, and especially about those who seem different from themselves, and we acknowledge that these beliefs are a great source of suffering for individuals and societies. We strive for inclusivity, kindness and generosity toward all, in our programs and in our hearts.