NEWS

End-of-Year Message from the SIM Board

Rooted in the Dharma: Creating the Future Together

Dear SIM Friends,

What a remarkable year it has been! Thanks to your generosity and dedication on, our sangha has flourished, creating a vibrant community where the Dharma comes alive and nourishes all who participate.

The heart of this vitality lies with our teachers, whose offerings have guided our practice throughout the year.
Diana Clark, Walt Opie, and Vance Pryor joined us this year with fresh perspectives, offering inspiring talks, daylong retreats, courses, and a transformative weeklong residential retreat at the Mercy Center in Auburn this spring. At the same me, Dennis Warren, Diane Wilde, and Rich Howard continued to share their steady wisdom and guidance, along with our dedicated visiting teachers Tony Bernhard, Seth Castleman, JD Doyle, and Heather Sundberg. Together, these teachers have made this year a me of deep learning, connection, and inspiration.

This year, SIM offered four rich courses: A Year to Live, Experiencing Insight, Beginning Meditation, and The Five Hindrances. These programs provided opportunities for deepening practice and reflect on. We also hosted a talk series on The Buddha’s An dotes to Challenging Times, supported by kalyāṇami a groups and the October mini-retreat which offered practical support for bringing the teachings into daily life.

Behind the scenes, our dedicated staff, including the Operations Manager, Web_Manager/Bookkeeper, and AV support, have provided a strong and steady foundation. Their work ensures that every program runs smoothly and allows our teachers and Board members to focus fully on offering the Dharma.

Looking ahead, our Board and faculty remain committed to SIM’s five-year plan, strengthening our teaching, leadership, and community. These efforts are helping SIM grow as a refuge for practice and awakening, and we are excited for what the next year will bring.

Your support has made all this possible. Our Rooted in the Dharma fundraising campaign was a wonderful success, sustaining and strengthening SIM’s programs and foundation. Even so, the year-end period remains a special opportunity to help ensure that our momentum continues into the new year and beyond.

With your continued generosity, SIM will thrive and remain rooted in the Dharma for generations to come. You can support SIM in these ways:

If you are 70½ years old, make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from a traditional IRA Thank you for your continued generosity and commitment to the Dharma. Together, we create a living expression of wisdom and compassion that touches our community and beyond.
With gratitude,

Amy Kovak, on behalf of the SIM Board of Directors and Faculty

Make a one- me donation or set up a recurring monthly contribution

Increase your monthly contribution (Contact Us)

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Adopt-a-Family: Spread Holiday Joy with SIM!

This holiday season, SIM is once again participating in the Saint John’s Adopt-a-Family Program. Our goal is to raise $1,500 to purchase gifts for a family, helping bring warmth and joy to women and children who are working hard to build brighter futures.

Any funds raised beyond what is needed for holiday gifts will go toward SIM’s monthly meal for St. John’s residents. Each month, SIM volunteers shop for groceries, cook, and serve a comforting dinner of meatloaf, broccoli, rice, salad, and clementines for more than 80 people. This cherished tradition costs about $300 each month and is deeply appreciated by all who share in it.

Your generosity helps keep this beautiful circle of giving alive. Thank you for helping us make the season brighter for the women and children at St. John’s Program for Real Change.

NOTICE: We thank everyone that helped make this 2025 adopt-a-family campaign a success and the donation link is no longer accepting donations. Throughout the year, you may still contribute to support the meal program. For more information, click here.

To make a general donation to Sacramento Insight Meditation, click here.

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Registration Now Open (Beginning Meditation)

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We hope you’ll join us in SIM’s Beginning Meditation course. Participants meet for six weeks on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm from January 6 through February 10, with a daylong retreat on Saturday, January 31 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 pm. For more information, visit the course overview page.
The following link includes all registration details, or you can visit https://sactoinsight.org/event/beginning-meditation-2026jan/

(Hybrid) Beginning Meditation (6-week course)
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Announcement: Faculty Update

Announcement: Faculty Update

Vance Pryor

We’d like to share that Vance Pryor, who joined our SIM Faculty and leadership team earlier this year, has decided to step down from this core teaching and administrative role to focus on his teaching and other endeavors.

We are deeply grateful for Vance’s contributions to SIM during this past year and for the wisdom and care he brings to his teaching. We’re pleased that he will continue his relationship with SIM as a visiting teacher and remains committed to teaching our 2028 residential retreat with Diana Clark and Walt Opie.

We wish Vance all the best as he continues his work in sharing the Dharma, and we look forward to welcoming him back to teach at SIM in the future.

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Registration Now Open (From Meditation Obstacles to Meditation Objects)

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Registration is now open for this four week online course facilitated by SIM Teacher Diana Clark.

As anyone who has tried to establish a meditation practice knows, different mind states often arise that make meditation (and living our wisest life) difficult. Please join us as we explore and discuss well-known obstructions, the “Five Hindrances.” In this course we’ll explore how to skillfully address sensual desire, ill will, sloth & torpor, restlessness & worry and doubt using mindfulness and practical antidotes. We’ll practice how to turn these potential stumbling blocks into stepping stones to greater ease and happiness. The course will include talks, guided meditations and discussions. 

This course meets remotely via Zoom for four consecutive Tuesday evenings on November 4, 11, 18, 25, 2025 from 7pm to 8:30pm.
For registration details, visit https://sactoinsight.org/event/5-hindrances-2025/

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Three-Day Teacher Weekend with Vance Pryor

Join us for the final 2025 teacher weekend! Vance Pryor will be in Sacramento for the Thursday night sit and Dharma talk, an informal gathering on Friday, and the Saturday daylong retreat. This is a wonderful opportunity to practice with Vance and get to know him better. We hope you can join us! 

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Kalyāṇamitta Groups for The Buddha’s Antidotes for Challenging Times

This August, SIM is launching a new opportunity to help our community connect more deeply with the Dhamma and with each other. As part of our upcoming six week talk series, The Buddha’s Antidotes for Challenging Times, we invite you to join a Kalyāṇamitta group — a small circle of spiritual friends who will explore these teachings together.

About the Talk Series
The series will offer practical teachings on timeless qualities that can help us meet difficult times with wisdom and care:

  • August 21 — Introduction & Karuṇā (Compassion)
  • August 28 — Mettā (Loving-kindness)
  • September 4 — Gratitude
  • September 11 — Forgiveness
  • September 18 — Generosity
  • September 25 — Equanimity & Wrap-up

How it works

  • Groups can meet weekly or biweekly during the series.
  • Groups can meet in person, on Zoom, or a mix — whatever works best for everyone.

Why try it?
Gathering in spiritual friendship helps bring the teachings to life, creates connection, and reminds us that we don’t walk this path alone — especially in challenging times.

How to join
If you’d like to be part of a kalyāṇamitta group for this series, please sign up by August 15 by filling out the form below. We’ll create the groups and send out an email with your other group members.

Questions? Please reach out to David Guerrieri, davidg@sactoinsight.org

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Upcoming SIM Courses – Save the Dates

We’re delighted to share some new opportunities to explore core teachings of the Buddha together at SIM. Each course will be offered via Zoom so you can join from wherever you are.
Whether you’re new to these teachings or wish to deepen your understanding, we invite you to join us and strengthen your practice. Click here to view the registration pages for these courses.

Teacher: Diana Clark

Practicing with the Five Hindrances

This online course meets 4 consecutive Tuesday evenings – November 4, 11, 18, 25, 2025

For course details, visit https://sactoinsight.org/activities/study-groups/the-five-hindrances/

Teacher: Walt Opie

The Seven Factors of Awakening

This online course meets 5 consecutive Tuesday evenings – February 10, 17, 24, and March 3,10, 2026

For course details, visit https://sactoinsight.org/activities/study-groups/the-seven-factors-of-awakening/

Questions?

If you have any questions, use the following form to contact our course registrar.

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Please let us know what's on your mind. Have a question for us? Ask away.

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Join Us for a SIM Community Event – July 17

Tree inside a lotus medallion.

Rooted in the Dharma: A Celebration of Generosity
Join us for a special evening of community and celebration as we mark the success of our Five-Year Pledge Campaign and look ahead to the opportunities unfolding in our sangha.

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With Deep Gratitude – Celebrating Our Pledge Campaign Success

Tree inside a lotus medallion.

Dear Friends,

We’re thrilled to share the incredible success of our pledge campaign.

A heartfelt thank you to the 34 generous donors who have pledged a total of $32,750 annually—bringing us to an astounding $163,750 over the next five years. That’s 99% of our $165,000 goal! What we’ve achieved together is truly something to celebrate.

This extraordinary outcome reflects the strength of our community and the deep commitment we all share to SIM’s future. Your support ensures that our vision is not just a dream, but a living reality for years to come.

As we conclude the active phase of the campaign, please know the pledge form will remain open. If you’d still like to join in or adjust your existing pledge, you’re always welcome to do so.

With deep gratitude and joy,

Amy Kovak

On behalf of the SIM Board

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