Welcome to Insight Western Mass (IWM)

Kalyana Mitta Groups

IWM offers ongoing Kalyana Mitta (spiritual friendship and study) groups of 12 or fewer members. There are currently four ongoing groups running. New groups and openings in ongoing groups happen periodically. If you are interested in a KM group, please sign up for our email list to see notices of openings, or check our Offerings page to look out for future KM groups.

Kalyana Mitta is a Pali word meaning “spiritual friend.”  A Kalyana Mitta group usually reads a dharma book or other written dharma teachings together.  A typical meeting will include meditating together, check-ins, discussions about the book or other dharma material, and possible group process time, closing with a short practice, chant or dedication of merit.  Kalyana Mitta groups are small, respectful, peer-facilitated groups that provide an opportunity for:

• Cultivation of a group of Dharma friends who can provide support for each other's practice.
  
• Increased integration between formal practice and daily life, nurturing our Dharma practice in an on-going way. A group may choose to focus also on how the teachings and our practice relate to social change efforts in the world.
  
• A deepening understanding of the relational aspects of Dharma practice and the importance of sangha connections.​
  

White & Awakening in the Dhamma: Creating Antiracist Sanghas

IWM is currently offering White and Awakening in the Dhamma (WAD), a six-month, 12-session study and practice program for white-identified practitioners. WAD is designed to afford the opportunity to turn with mindfulness, wisdom, and compassion towards the manifestations of racism, white supremacy culture, and privilege in our society and in ourselves. Registration has already closed, but we intend to offer more programs like this in the future.