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11/13/2025 “Greatest Blessings” with Rich Howard

To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

In this season of gratitude, Rich will bring reflections on the “greatest blessings” from the Maha-Mangala Sutta (Sutta Nipata 2.4). When asked to tell the greatest blessing, the Buddha gave a short discourse in verse containing 38 blessings. This beloved sutta reminds us that, even in the midst of loss and grief, our ordinary lives contain so many sources of gratitude and happiness. In balancing our awareness of suffering with the uplifting conditions in life, we come closer to seeing things as they are. This awareness provides a balance to our daily life practice and a motivation for skillful action in the world.


Rich last offered a reflection on this sutta three years ago, as we celebrated 20 years of SIM. This evening will be structured differently, as we will explore the Buddha’s examples in small group discussions to find sources of happiness relevant to our lives today.

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Buddha statue holding a lotus blossom with a few coins underneath.

(Hybrid) Non-residential, Silent Retreat with Diana Clark and Walt Opie

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Hybrid Event

March 16 @ 9:00 am – March 18 @ 4:30 pm PDT

Diana Clark
Walt Opie

Non-residential, Silent Retreat with SIM Teachers Diana Clark and Walt Opie

Both teachers will be IN-PERSON at the Sacramento Dharma Center for all three days.

For biographical details of the teachers, click the links Diana Clark / Walt Opie.

Retreat Theme

A Heart at Ease: Awareness and Wisdom in Challenging Times

About This Retreat

This three-day, non-residential silent meditation retreat invites participants to cultivate awareness and wisdom as a pathway to a heart at ease. Inspired in part by the teachings of Sayadaw U Tejaniya, we’ll practice paying careful attention to the present moment experience—not only during formal sitting and walking meditation, but also throughout the flow of daily life. With an emphasis on continuity of awareness, both at the retreat center and in the hours before and after, participants are encouraged to nurture a gentle, receptive heart that learns to meet each moment with wisdom and ease.
Non-residential retreats offer a unique opportunity for deep and sustained meditation practice in the company of others, while returning home to one’s own space at night. For some, this format provides a gentle introduction to the rhythm of residential retreats. For others, it allows for intensive practice while remaining available for evening responsibilities. Whatever the circumstances, a non-residential retreat offers a precious chance to strengthen mindfulness, cultivate continuity of awareness, and experience the support and inspiration of practicing together in person.

This daily schedule is tentative. Check back soon for updated details.

Monday, Mar 16 Overview
  • 9:30 am to 12:30 – Sitting & Walking w/Instructions
  • 12:30 to 1:30 – Lunch
  • 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm – Sitting and Walking with Dharma Talk
Tuesday, Mar 17 Overview
  • 9:30 am to 12:30 – Sitting & Walking w/Instructions and Practice Groups
  • 12:30 to 1:30 – Lunch
  • 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm – Sitting and Walking with Dharma Talk
Wednesday, Mar 18 Overview
  • 9:30 am to 12:30 – Sitting & Walking w/Instructions
  • 12:30 to 1:30 – Lunch
  • 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm – Sitting and Walking with Q&A
Registration
$100 – $200 Registration fee includes all three days

Select the registration “REGISTER NOW” button and indicate if you’ll be attending in-person or attending on Zoom. The fee is $100 due before the start of the event. If you are able and interested in further supporting SIM financially, you have the option of adding an optional donation above the base rate. Registration is for all three days; there is no option to register for individual days. Everyone is welcome. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. If paying the full registration fee is a barrier, please contact the registrar to discuss reduced-rate or no-cost options.
Before registering to this event, click here to review the refund policy and terms of use for this website.

Registration, Retreat non-residential

$100.00 – $200.00

Register Now
Donate to Teachers

Visit the retreat donation page (click here) . Please change the setting from “Choose the retreat…“ and replace it with the NON-RESIDENTIAL option instead.

Questions for the Registrar?

If you need to contact the retreat registrar with any questions, click here.

Some of the dharma talks for this retreat will be recorded. If you attend this retreat, click here and enter the password to access the recordings.

Hybrid (in-person and online)

3111 Wissemann Drive (or *ZOOM)
Sacramento, CA 95826 United States
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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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11/6/2025 “Mindfully Facing Our Own Mortality” 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.

One of the keys to understanding the Buddhist practice of death contemplation is remembering that it’s not just about all things being impermanent. Rather, it’s about mindfully facing our own death and understanding it could come at any time. The good news is that this practice can lead to lessening our fear of death and learning to live more fully (and even joyfully) each day.

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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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10/30/2025 “Demystifying the Two Dimensions of Reality” with Dennis Warren

To download this talk, right-click and select ‘save audio as’ or select the 3-dot menu to the right of the speaker icon.

The Historical Buddha’s teachings invite us to explore two profound dimensions of reality. Traditionally known as the Relative and Absolute (or Conventional and Ultimate) “truths”.  They are often misunderstood as abstract philosophical concepts.


Instead, these two dimensions offer us complementary and inter-dependent ways of understanding our lived experience here on planet earth, in this universe. They also open two distinct pathways for practice that can enrich and deepen our journey.
Join us this evening as we explore together: what each dimension really means; the unique role each plays in our practice; how each relates to the other; and why weaving both experiences into our daily lives is essential for moving towards greater satisfaction, peace, and awakening.

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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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