If you want to attend any of our Thursday night talks remotely via Zoom (April 2 through June 25), use this button at the time of the meeting to join in.
If you don’t have a computer/smartphone/internet access, you can still join a meeting by regular phone. If you’re in California, dial 1-669-900-6833. To find a local number in a different state or country, visit (https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kgzz84Yos). After you dial the Join-Zoom number, enter the Meeting ID: 894 1555 3957& Passcode: 538462.
Note: When Zoom is an option for any event at SIM, you can always locate the Join Meeting link by checking our calendar (click here) for the specific day and time of the event of interest.If a meeting link ever fails, try this alternate link https://www.zoom.us/join and manually enter the posted meeting ID and passcode.
Starting July 2, 2026, the Join Meeting on Zoom details will change to use Meeting ID: to be announced and Passcode: to be announced.
https://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/video-conference-5363856_640.png421640Sabitrehttps://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.pngSabitre2026-04-01 04:00:002026-04-10 16:50:42Thursday Night Talks Zoom Link (Apr-May-Jun)
On December 1, 2022 we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of SIM’s supporting those practicing in the Insight (Vipassana) Meditation tradition. This could not have happened without the dedication of the Sangha, our volunteers, and financial supporters. We are deeply grateful to you.
In addition to our longtime faculty of Dennis Warren, Rich Howard, and Diane Wilde, visiting teachers rounded out a rich year of teaching at SIM.
Because of your dana in 2022 we were able to:
continue to offer hybrid events and classes at the Sacramento Dharma Center, allowing us to meet again in person in the meditation hall, as well as on Zoom. Meeting together strengthens our community.
hold our annual week-long residential retreat at Mercy Center Auburn under the leadership of Senior Teacher Greg Scharf. Our thanks to the volunteer Retreat Committee, Greg, the caring staff at the Mercy Center, and the generous dana of attendees.
create the Legacy Project, a plan to carry SIM into the future by nurturing and supporting new teachers in the Vipassana tradition. Details of the Legacy Project will be presented at the December 1 anniversary celebration.
Our fund-raising goals for 2022 include the continued expression of gratitude to our faculty through a year-end dana contribution as well as ongoing support for SIM’s Teaching and Development Initiative, including the new Legacy Project.
As you plan your year-end giving, we sincerely hope that you will continue to support SIM. You can do so through a one-time, year-end contribution and/or signing up for a monthly, automatic on-line contribution to SIM. Monthly contributions are key to our long-term financial health; all donations are received with deep gratitude.
Use the DONATE button below to make a year-end or monthly donation to Sacramento Insight Meditation. To donate online without a PayPal account, enter a donation amount and select “PayPal” along with the button “Donate Now”. Then select “Donate with a Debit or Credit Card“. To donate by personal check, enter a donation amount andselect the “Offline Donation” option.
Celebrating the end of the Residential Retreat 2022
To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.
Everyone has heard the phrase “being your own worst enemy” which points to the way we can sometimes use negative self-talk to sabotage or hold ourselves back from progress on the path. This talk will highlight the importance of befriending our own mind and accepting it rather than fighting it. Then, as the meditation master Dipa Ma once said, “it ceases to be a problem.”
https://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.png00David Guerrierihttps://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.pngDavid Guerrieri2026-04-23 22:00:002026-04-23 21:13:044/23/2026 “Befriending Your Own Mind” with Walt Opie
To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.
Gil Fronsdal writes: “Some people have a strong tendency to resist change of any type, including new perspectives and understandings.” “Not me” we might think, “I know about impermanence.” But this practice teaches us that “knowing about” a concept is quite different than “living into” an experience or insight.
While a general understanding of changes in the seasons may be helpful, a more precise awareness can reveal the discomfort that accompanies the transition from one moment to another. Given that change is built into this human life, our practice of using the practice of meditative awareness to work with transitions, uncertainty, and discomfort can serve us well, especially in difficult times in our lives and the world. Further, it can also reveal that change itself can bring great benefits.
This evening will be an opportunity to reflect on our relationship to uncertainty and change and to learn from each other about how to work with them.
https://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.png00David Guerrierihttps://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.pngDavid Guerrieri2026-04-16 22:00:002026-04-16 22:37:094/16/2026 “Change, Uncertainty, Discomfort and Faith” with Rich Howard
Sacramento Dharma Center Movie Night – How to Cook Your Life A Zen priest in San Francisco and cookbook author use Zen Buddhism and cooking to relate to everyday life. For event details, click here.
Sacramento Dharma Center Building
3111 Wissemann Drive Sacramento,
CA
95826United States+ Google Map
https://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.png00Sabitrehttps://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.pngSabitre2026-04-16 13:05:562026-04-16 13:07:43Film Screening: How to Cook Your Life
SIM has participated in the Big Day of Giving (BDOG) for several years now. It is the premier fundraising effort for nonprofit organizations throughout the Sacramento Region. This year, we would like to have our most successful campaign ever, and you can help! Volunteers have already stepped up to write stories of how SIM benefits the community for our fundraising web page. In addition, we have folks to help in acknowledging donors on the day of the event, Thursday May 7.
You can reach out to your circle to encourage them to donate, spreading the word about our vibrant community. Feel free to post on social media; this can bring in donors who are new to SIM but believe in the healing power of meditation and mindful awareness. Encourage them to donate from May 1 to May 7. Thanks for your support of SIM’s mission!
What is Big Day of Giving? Big Day of Giving is a once-annual 24-hour giving challenge to help local nonprofits raise funds to make a difference in the Sacramento region. It’s the culmination of an entire year’s worth of community-building and collaboration led by the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, with support from community partners like Western Health Advantage, and made possible by people like you!
How can I help? GIVE: You can donate to SIM by visiting www.bigdayofgiving.org on or before Thursday, May 7, and making a gift with a credit or debit card (donations from May 1-7 are especially welcome!).
Donations as little as $10 make a big difference
Your gifts can help us win some of the prizes that are up for grabs!
Give with a Golden 1 Credit Union debit or credit card to boost your impact. Golden 1 Credit Union is proportionately matching its members’ gifts — up to $100,000!
https://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.png00Sabitrehttps://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.pngSabitre2026-04-12 13:47:402026-04-17 10:57:35Big Day of Giving 2026
To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.
Why do we practice, and how do we practice, in a life that keeps moving, changing, and asking things of us, especially in times like these, when the world feels intense, fast, and fragile?
https://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.png00David Guerrierihttps://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.pngDavid Guerrieri2026-04-09 22:00:002026-04-09 21:20:124/9/2026 “Wise Attention: Why We Practice, How We Practice” with Adam Stonebraker
To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.
If there is a goal in meditation practice, perhaps it could best be described as inner transformation of the heart. In Satipatthana Meditation: A Practice Guide, Buddhist scholar Bhikkhu Analayo writes, “Meditation practice should result in an improvement in the way we are, how we relate to others, and how we deal with outer circumstances.” He also describes this as “a genuine opening of the heart to the qualities of kindness and compassion.” During this talk, we will explore this further, with the aid of stories and poems, and perhaps discover ways it might manifest in our own experience.
https://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.png00David Guerrierihttps://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.pngDavid Guerrieri2026-04-02 22:00:002026-04-02 21:15:364/2/2026 “Inner Transformation” with Walt Opie
Daylong Retreat with Visiting Teacher Tony Bernhard
For biographical details of the teacher Tony Bernhard, click here.
Note – The retreat schedule of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm is currently tentative.
About This Hybrid Retreat
The teacher will present in-person at the Dharma Center. Participants may attend this Hybrid event via Zoom or in-person at the SDC.
Pre-registration is required and we recommend you pay the registration fee in advance using the registration button shown below. Since your registration choice indicates if you’ll be attending via Zoom or in-person, registering early helps us determine how many people the meditation room should accommodate.
mm/dd/2026 – Registration opens approximately six weeks prior to the start of the daylong.
07/25/2026 – Attend and enjoy the wonderful retreat.
07/25/2026 – For registration after the retreat, send a message to the registrar to arrange payment.
Registration
$25 – $50 Registration fee
After registration opens, select one of the following registration “ATTEND” buttons to indicate if you’ll be attending via Zoom or in-person. The fee is $25.00 per person due before the start of the event. If you are able and interested in further supporting SIM financially, you have the option of a registration fee of either $35 or $50 dollars. For the registration fee, we also accept personal checks. No one will be turned away for lack of funds; please contact the registrar for more information. Before registering for this event, please click here to review SIM’s Registration Refund Policy.
After we receive your registration payment, SIM will confirm your registration within 48 hours. Thanks for your patience.
If you need to contact the retreat registrar with any questions, click here.
Teacher Dana
Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha. To make a donation for this event using a credit card or PayPal account, click here to DONATE ONLINE.
How to Attend Remotely via Zoom
The link to attend the retreat via Zoom appears in three places: The Zoom link is on this page – select the button “Join Retreat Online” to connect to the meeting.
The Zoom link is included in the automated email sent with your “Attend on Zoom” registration.
https://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/TonyBernhard-400x-e1757526602383.jpg200200Sabitrehttps://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.pngSabitre2026-04-02 16:40:402026-04-02 16:40:58(Hybrid) Daylong Retreat with Tony Bernhard
For biographical details of the teacher Diana Clark, click here.
Note – The retreat schedule of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm is currently tentative.
About This Hybrid Retreat
The teacher will present in-person at the Dharma Center. Participants may attend this Hybrid event via Zoom or in-person at the SDC.
Pre-registration is required and we recommend you pay the registration fee in advance using the registration button shown below. Since your registration choice indicates if you’ll be attending via Zoom or in-person, registering early helps us determine how many people the meditation room should accommodate.
mm/dd/2026 – Registration opens approximately six weeks prior to the start of the daylong.
06/27/2026 – Attend and enjoy the wonderful retreat.
06/27/2026 – For registration after the retreat, send a message to the registrar to arrange payment.
Registration
$25 – $50 Registration fee
After registration opens, select one of the following registration “ATTEND” buttons to indicate if you’ll be attending via Zoom or in-person. The fee is $25.00 per person due before the start of the event. If you are able and interested in further supporting SIM financially, you have the option of a registration fee of either $35 or $50 dollars. For the registration fee, we also accept personal checks. No one will be turned away for lack of funds; please contact the registrar for more information. Before registering for this event, please click here to review SIM’s Registration Refund Policy.
After we receive your registration payment, SIM will confirm your registration within 48 hours. Thanks for your patience.
If you need to contact the retreat registrar with any questions, click here.
Teacher Dana
Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha. To make a donation for this event using a credit card or PayPal account, click here to DONATE ONLINE.
How to Attend Remotely via Zoom
The link to attend the retreat via Zoom appears in three places: The Zoom link is on this page – select the button “Join Retreat Online” to connect to the meeting.
The Zoom link is included in the automated email sent with your “Attend on Zoom” registration.
https://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Diana-Clarkx400.jpg400400Sabitrehttps://sactoinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SIM-logo-trans.pngSabitre2026-04-02 16:25:272026-04-02 16:31:36(Hybrid) Daylong Retreat with Diana Clark
To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.
SIM’s mission is to integrate meditative awareness into all aspects of daily life. The core faculty will explore this topic together on this evening. Walt, Diane, and Rich will reflect on their own daily life practices and leave plenty of time for reflections from the community.
Thursday Night Talks Zoom Link (Apr-May-Jun)
NewsIf you want to attend any of our Thursday night talks remotely via Zoom (April 2 through June 25), use this button at the time of the meeting to join in.
Optionally, you may download and import this iCalendar (.ics) file (click here) to your calendar system.
If you don’t have a computer/smartphone/internet access, you can still join a meeting by regular phone. If you’re in California, dial 1-669-900-6833. To find a local number in a different state or country, visit (https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kgzz84Yos).
After you dial the Join-Zoom number, enter the Meeting ID: 894 1555 3957 & Passcode: 538462.
Note: When Zoom is an option for any event at SIM, you can always locate the Join Meeting link by checking our calendar (click here) for the specific day and time of the event of interest. If a meeting link ever fails, try this alternate link https://www.zoom.us/join and manually enter the posted meeting ID and passcode.
Starting July 2, 2026, the Join Meeting on Zoom details will change to use Meeting ID: to be announced and Passcode: to be announced.
Your generosity helps SIM thrive!
NewsDear SIM Friends,
On December 1, 2022 we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of SIM’s supporting those practicing in the Insight (Vipassana) Meditation tradition. This could not have happened without the dedication of the Sangha, our volunteers, and financial supporters. We are deeply grateful to you.
In addition to our longtime faculty of Dennis Warren, Rich Howard, and Diane Wilde, visiting teachers rounded out a rich year of teaching at SIM.
Because of your dana in 2022 we were able to:
Our fund-raising goals for 2022 include the continued expression of gratitude to our faculty through a year-end dana contribution as well as ongoing support for SIM’s Teaching and Development Initiative, including the new Legacy Project.
As you plan your year-end giving, we sincerely hope that you will continue to support SIM. You can do so through a one-time, year-end contribution and/or signing up for a monthly, automatic on-line contribution to SIM. Monthly contributions are key to our long-term financial health; all donations are received with deep gratitude.
To donate today, use the form shown below or visit https://sactoinsight.org/what-is-dana/.
Sara E. Denzler
Treasurer, SIM Board of Directors
4/23/2026 “Befriending Your Own Mind” with Walt Opie
Audio DharmaEveryone has heard the phrase “being your own worst enemy” which points to the way we can sometimes use negative self-talk to sabotage or hold ourselves back from progress on the path. This talk will highlight the importance of befriending our own mind and accepting it rather than fighting it. Then, as the meditation master Dipa Ma once said, “it ceases to be a problem.”
4/16/2026 “Change, Uncertainty, Discomfort and Faith” with Rich Howard
Audio DharmaGil Fronsdal writes: “Some people have a strong tendency to resist change of any type, including new perspectives and understandings.” “Not me” we might think, “I know about impermanence.” But this practice teaches us that “knowing about” a concept is quite different than “living into” an experience or insight.
While a general understanding of changes in the seasons may be helpful, a more precise awareness can reveal the discomfort that accompanies the transition from one moment to another. Given that change is built into this human life, our practice of using the practice of meditative awareness to work with transitions, uncertainty, and discomfort can serve us well, especially in difficult times in our lives and the world. Further, it can also reveal that change itself can bring great benefits.
This evening will be an opportunity to reflect on our relationship to uncertainty and change and to learn from each other about how to work with them.
Film Screening: How to Cook Your Life
SDCApril 17 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm PDT
Sacramento Dharma Center Movie Night – How to Cook Your Life
A Zen priest in San Francisco and cookbook author use Zen Buddhism and cooking to relate to everyday life. For event details, click here.
Sacramento Dharma Center Building
Sacramento, CA 95826 United States + Google Map
Big Day of Giving 2026
NewsSIM has participated in the Big Day of Giving (BDOG) for several years now. It is the premier fundraising effort for nonprofit organizations throughout the Sacramento Region. This year, we would like to have our most successful campaign ever, and you can help! Volunteers have already stepped up to write stories of how SIM benefits the community for our fundraising web page. In addition, we have folks to help in acknowledging donors on the day of the event, Thursday May 7.
You can reach out to your circle to encourage them to donate, spreading the word about our vibrant community. Feel free to post on social media; this can bring in donors who are new to SIM but believe in the healing power of meditation and mindful awareness. Encourage them to donate from May 1 to May 7. Thanks for your support of SIM’s mission!
What is Big Day of Giving?
Big Day of Giving is a once-annual 24-hour giving challenge to help local nonprofits raise funds to make a difference in the Sacramento region. It’s the culmination of an entire year’s worth of community-building and collaboration led by the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, with support from community partners like Western Health Advantage, and made possible by people like you!
How can I help?
GIVE: You can donate to SIM by visiting www.bigdayofgiving.org on or before Thursday, May 7, and making a gift with a credit or debit card (donations from May 1-7 are especially welcome!).
4/9/2026 “Wise Attention: Why We Practice, How We Practice” with Adam Stonebraker
Audio DharmaWhy do we practice, and how do we practice, in a life that keeps moving, changing, and asking things of us, especially in times like these, when the world feels intense, fast, and fragile?
4/2/2026 “Inner Transformation” with Walt Opie
Audio DharmaIf there is a goal in meditation practice, perhaps it could best be described as inner transformation of the heart. In Satipatthana Meditation: A Practice Guide, Buddhist scholar Bhikkhu Analayo writes, “Meditation practice should result in an improvement in the way we are, how we relate to others, and how we deal with outer circumstances.” He also describes this as “a genuine opening of the heart to the qualities of kindness and compassion.” During this talk, we will explore this further, with the aid of stories and poems, and perhaps discover ways it might manifest in our own experience.
(Hybrid) Daylong Retreat with Tony Bernhard
Online Remote, RetreatJuly 25 @ 8:30 am – 4:30 pm PDT
Daylong Retreat with Visiting Teacher Tony Bernhard
For biographical details of the teacher Tony Bernhard, click here.
About This Hybrid Retreat
Summary of Important Dates
Registration
After registration opens, select one of the following registration “ATTEND” buttons to indicate if you’ll be attending via Zoom or in-person. The fee is $25.00 per person due before the start of the event. If you are able and interested in further supporting SIM financially, you have the option of a registration fee of either $35 or $50 dollars. For the registration fee, we also accept personal checks. No one will be turned away for lack of funds; please contact the registrar for more information.
Before registering for this event, please click here to review SIM’s Registration Refund Policy.
After we receive your registration payment, SIM will confirm your registration within 48 hours. Thanks for your patience.
April Daylong registration
$25.00 – $50.00
Registration not open yetQuestions for the Registrar?
If you need to contact the retreat registrar with any questions, click here.
Teacher Dana
Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha. To make a donation for this event using a credit card or PayPal account, click here to DONATE ONLINE.
How to Attend Remotely via Zoom
Sacramento Dharma Center Building
Sacramento, CA 95826 United States + Google Map
(Hybrid) Daylong Retreat with Diana Clark
Online Remote, RetreatJune 27 @ 8:30 am – 4:30 pm PDT
Daylong Retreat with SIM Teacher Diana Clark
For biographical details of the teacher Diana Clark, click here.
About This Hybrid Retreat
Summary of Important Dates
Registration
After registration opens, select one of the following registration “ATTEND” buttons to indicate if you’ll be attending via Zoom or in-person. The fee is $25.00 per person due before the start of the event. If you are able and interested in further supporting SIM financially, you have the option of a registration fee of either $35 or $50 dollars. For the registration fee, we also accept personal checks. No one will be turned away for lack of funds; please contact the registrar for more information.
Before registering for this event, please click here to review SIM’s Registration Refund Policy.
After we receive your registration payment, SIM will confirm your registration within 48 hours. Thanks for your patience.
Daylong registration
$25.00 – $50.00
Registration not open yetQuestions for the Registrar?
If you need to contact the retreat registrar with any questions, click here.
Teacher Dana
Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha. To make a donation for this event using a credit card or PayPal account, click here to DONATE ONLINE.
How to Attend Remotely via Zoom
Sacramento Dharma Center Building
Sacramento, CA 95826 United States + Google Map
3/26/2026 “Practice in Daily Life” with Diane Wilde, Rich Howard, & Walt Opie
Audio DharmaSIM’s mission is to integrate meditative awareness into all aspects of daily life. The core faculty will explore this topic together on this evening. Walt, Diane, and Rich will reflect on their own daily life practices and leave plenty of time for reflections from the community.