January 18 @ 2:00 pm 4:00 pm PST

Maranasati: Mindful of Death, Alive to Life

This is a 12-month course lead by SIM Teacher Diane Wilde. Course participants meet in-person, monthly in 2026 from January through December on the third Sunday of each month from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. For more information, visit the course overview page at Maranasati: Mindful of Death, Alive to Life.

Registration

Registration for this course is closed and the wait list is full. To view a list of other upcoming courses that we’re offering, visit https://sactoinsight.org/events/category/upcoming-classes/list/.

$50.00 – $100.00 REGISTRATION CLOSED

The fee is $50.00 per person due before the start of the first class meeting. If you are able and interested in further supporting SIM financially, you have the option of a registration fee of either $75 or $100 dollars. For the registration fee, we also accept personal checks; please contact the registrar for more information.
Before registering for this course, please click here to review SIM’s Registration Refund Policy.

After we receive payment, SIM will confirm your registration within 48 hours. If the class fills up, the registration fee automatically secures your place on the course wait list.

Maranasati – 12-month Course

$50.00

Course Full – SOLD OUT

Contact the Registrar

If you have any questions, please contact the registrar for information or assistance.

Sacramento Dharma Center Building

3111 Wissemann Drive
Sacramento, CA 95826 United States
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To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

This evening’s presentation is the first in a series of six offered by the SIM Faculty on “The Buddha’s Antidotes for Challenging Times.” Each presentation will explore a positive mind state that can be cultivated to bring happiness and contentment into our life while reducing the stress and dissatisfaction we cause ourselves and others. The faculty will conclude each session with questions for reflection, which will serve as prompts for the kalyāņamitta groups that SIM is forming (see the announcement elsewhere in this newsletter for details). From October 23 to 25, the faculty will offer an in-person mini-retreat to devote an extended practice period to each of these mind states, as well as further instruction on applying the practices in daily life.


In this first session, SIM Community Teacher Rich Howard will introduce the entire series, then focus on the quality of compassion (karunā in the ancient Pali language). With wisdom from Joanna Macy, Bhikkhu Anālayo, Andrea Gibson, the Dalai Lama, and others (offered as a handout for future reference), we will touch on what mindful compassion looks like, what it is not, and how to increase its appearance in our daily life.

Hybrid Event

January 6 @ 7:00 pm 9:00 pm PST

Overview

Participants meet for six weeks on Tuesday evenings 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 registration payment form displays “SOLD OUT” because the course is full and the wait list is closed. Click here for a list of other SIM courses are upcoming on the calendar.

Registration

$50.00 Registration is CLOSED

If registration is open, select the “REGISTER” button to indicate you’ll be attending. For the registration fee, we also accept personal checks; please contact the registrar for more information.
Before registering for this course, please click here to review SIM’s Registration Refund Policy.

Beginning Meditation 6-week Course

$50.00

SOLD OUT – Course Full

Contact the Registrar

If you have any questions, please contact the registrar for information or assistance.

Sacramento Dharma Center Building

3111 Wissemann Drive
Sacramento, CA 95826 United States
+ Google Map

November 29, 2025 @ 9:00 am 4:30 pm PST

Dennis Warren

Daylong Retreat/Workshop with SIM Founding Teacher Dennis Warren

For biographical details of the teacher Dennis Warren, click here.

Retreat Theme

Artificial Intelligence & Buddhist Practice: Harnessing AI to Support Study, Meditation and Daily Life
This day of practice explores how emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can meaningfully support the study, meditation and integration of Buddhist teachings into daily life.
Participants will move beyond common technology-related concerns to engage with a grounded, practical framework for working with the opportunities and challenges of using AI into a contemplative practice.
The day is structured around real-world AI examples drawn from the teacher’s experience around three themes: What you can do with AI; How to do it; and What not to do.
Participants will leave with specific guidelines and hands-on tools they can use immediately.
Topics will include:

  • What AI is, and isn’t, from a technological perspective.
  • What AI is, and isn’t, from a Buddhist perspective.
  • What a helpful Buddhist relationship with AI could look like.
  • How AI can support and deepen our study, meditation, and daily use of Buddhist teachings.

During this one day, we’ll have at least one period of mindful movement, so please bring your yoga mat. The session will be led by Sandra (Sam) Halford, a member of our community who is both a therapist and a trauma-sensitive certified yoga instructor.

No prior AI experience is necessary. The day is appropriate for all levels of practice and experience. Please bring a pen/pencil and paper, and your own lunch. Plan on staying on-site at the Sacramento Dharma Center all day during the retreat.

About This Onsite Retreat
  • The teacher will present in-person at the Sacramento Dharma Center. All participants will attend in-person as the retreat will not be available via Zoom.
  • 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 that you’ll be attending in-person, registering early helps us determine how many people the meditation room should accommodate.
  • After you’ve registered you may later offer a donation in gratitude of the teacher. To offer teacher dana, visit https://sactoinsight.org/retreat-dana-online/.
Summary of Important Dates
  • 10/11/2025 – Registration opens.
  • 11/29/2025 – Attend and enjoy the wonderful retreat.
  • 11/29/2025 – For registration after the retreat, send a message to the registrar to arrange payment.
Registration

Select the Register Now button to indicate you’ll be attending 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.

November Daylong registration – Attend in-person

$25.00 – $50.00

Register Now
Questions 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.

Sacramento Dharma Center Building

3111 Wissemann Drive
Sacramento, CA 95826 United States
+ Google Map
Virtual Event

November 25, 2025 @ 7:00 pm 8:30 pm PST

Practicing with the Five Hindrances: a 4-week course with Diana Clark 

This meeting is part of an online four week course lead by SIM teacher Diana Clark. For course details or to make a teacher donation while participating in the course, visit the course over page Click-Here.

Sacramento Dharma Center Building

3111 Wissemann Drive
Sacramento, CA 95826 United States
Virtual Event

November 18, 2025 @ 7:00 pm 8:30 pm PST

Practicing with the Five Hindrances: a 4-week course with Diana Clark 

This meeting is part of an online four week course lead by SIM teacher Diana Clark. For course details or to make a teacher donation while participating in the course, visit the course over page Click-Here.

Sacramento Dharma Center Building

3111 Wissemann Drive
Sacramento, CA 95826 United States
Virtual Event

November 11, 2025 @ 7:00 pm 8:30 pm PST

Practicing with the Five Hindrances: a 4-week course with Diana Clark 

This meeting is part of an online four week course lead by SIM teacher Diana Clark. For course details or to make a teacher donation while participating in the course, visit the course over page Click-Here.

Sacramento Dharma Center Building

3111 Wissemann Drive
Sacramento, CA 95826 United States

December 18, 2025 @ 6:00 pm 9:00 pm PST

You’re invited! Join us for SIM’s annual holiday community potluck on Thursday, December 18, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, in person at the Sacramento Dharma Center.

Let’s come together to celebrate the season with festive decorations, nonalcoholic drinks, delicious food, and warm company.

This evening is a special opportunity to connect as a sangha — sharing good food, laughter, and gratitude. It’s a joyful way to spend time with familiar friends and welcome new ones as we close out the year together.

Bring A Dish to Share
Bring a vegetarian or vegan dish to share (8-10 servings). Please go to SignUpGenius to indicate what dish you would like to bring.
Tell us if you’re Coming
Your RSVP helps us plan for tables and chairs. Please use the form below if you (or you and a friend/partner) are planning to attend.

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Sacramento Dharma Center Building

3111 Wissemann Drive
Sacramento, CA 95826 United States
+ Google Map
Hybrid Event

December 11, 2025 @ 7:00 pm 9:00 pm PST

Insight Meditation and Dharma Talk with SIM Teacher Diane Wilde

For biographical details of the teacher Diane Wilde, click here.

* The teacher will present in-person at the Dharma Center.
Hybrid events can be attended via Zoom or onsite at the Sacramento Dharma Center.

Are You Listening?
Really listening to another is an incredible skill… it’s almost magical.  When we listen to another, we are not only giving them the gift of our whole-hearted attention, we are also taming the ego-driven addiction of impatiently waiting for OUR turn to speak.  When the Buddha spoke about Right Speech, he was including both sides of the communication equation; skillful means of intentional speech as well as intentional listening to others.  Intentionally listening also means listening to ourselves, to our own innate wisdom which we often ignore. Skillful Listening is a mindful practice that changes attitudes and beliefs as well as enhances empathy and community.  It is a great gift to bring into this New Year… for ourselves, our friends, and to those with whom we disagree.

Offer a Teacher Donation

Diane Wilde will receive at least 75% of your donation.

Use the following donate button and select Talk – Dec 11 Diane from the dropdown list.

How to Attend Remotely

Join online meeting: https://zoom.us/join or join by phone at 1-669-900-6833
( Meeting ID: 893 8282 0540 and Passcode: 121034)
For tips and instructions to join the meeting, click here to check this news blog.

Sacramento Dharma Center Building

3111 Wissemann Drive
Sacramento, CA 95826 United States
+ Google Map