Napa Valley Insight Meditation

28/02/2026

Save the Date: On Saturday, May 2, from 9:30am - 4:00pm, NVIM is hosting our next daylong. We will be blessed to have Victoria Cary guide us on this day of practice.

Victoria is a deeply practiced teacher and the theme for this event will be Inclining Towards the Beautiful Factors of Mind. Victoria shares that “The Buddha taught that whatever the mind frequently inclines toward becomes the tendency of the heart. This teaching highlights the vital role of cultivating mental habits that support our well-being, deepen our practice, and open the way to liberating insight. These beautiful factors not only steady the heart and mind, but also serve as essential conditions for clarity, and wisdom.”

Victoria adds, “I teach not from a place of mastery, but from deep practice and love for this path. I'm heart-based and faith-based—trusting in the possibility of awakening, in the teachings, and in community. I do my best to meet people where they are, especially when they’re trying—however imperfectly—to live the Dhamma in their everyday lives.”

To register for this in person event go to: https://events.humanitix.com/daylong-with-victoria-cary

17/02/2026

The River Cannot Go Back - Kahlil Gibran

It is said that before entering the sea
a river trembles with fear.
She looks back at the path she has traveled,
from the peaks of the mountains,
the long winding road crossing forests and villages.
And in front of her,
she sees an ocean so vast,
that to enter
there seems nothing more than to disappear forever.
But there is no other way.
The river can not go back.
Nobody can go back.
To go back is impossible in existence.
The river needs to take the risk
of entering the ocean
because only then will fear disappear,
because that’s where the river will know
it’s not about disappearing into the ocean,
but of becoming the ocean.

19/01/2026

22/12/2025

This is just a reminder that we will be “closed” this week for a Winter Break - both on Tuesday evening, December 23rd, and Thursday morning, December 25th. But NVIM will be back up and running on Tuesday evening, December 30th, and on Thursday morning, January 1st.

14/12/2025

An Evening Of Music & Dharma With Eve Decker: Tues, Dec 16th @ NVIM

This Tuesday, December 16th, from 7:00 - 8:30pm, we are excited to welcome Eve Decker back to our sangha. Eve began Insight Meditation practice in 1991, and is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley; the Path of Engagement (social justice and spiritual practice training); and Community Dharma Leader training at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California. She has also trained in the Hakomi Method (a mindfulness centered somatic healing practice) and Mindful Self Compassion as developed by Kristen Neff and Christopher Germer. Eve is an accomplished musician, and has released four collections of “Dharma Music” (songs inspired by Buddhist teachings) for adults, and a fifth for children and families. She offers weekly classes and coaching, and has a podcast, “Loved: Mindful and Musical Perspectives on Daily Life”. Eve lives with her wife, Diane, in Berkeley, CA.

12/10/2025

MATTHEW BRENSILVER DAYLONG - WISE INTENTION & THE CULTIVATION OF FAITH (NOV 1st): Join Matthew and our NVIM community on Saturday, Nov 1st, from 9:30am - 4:00pm, for this day of silent and guided periods of meditation, dharma talks and opportunities for dialogue. All are welcome. Sliding scale: $35 - $100. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Learn more and register at: www.napainsight.org.

20/09/2025

NVIM's annual Sunset Sangha series completed last Tuesday evening when our community, once again, was nourished by practicing outdoors while the evening sun went down. Thanks to all who helped set up/break down this 6 week event that has become a cornerstone of our summer!

22/07/2025

“To be alive in this beautiful, self-organizing universe — to participate in the dance of life with senses to perceive it, lungs that breathe it, organs that draw nourishment from it — is a wonder beyond words.” — Joanna Macy

Joanna Macy, 1929 - 2025

Joanna died peacefully at her home in Berkeley, California, after a period of ill health. She was 96 years old. She leaves behind a cherished legacy as a widely respected Buddhist teacher, author, eco-philosopher, and environmental activist.

21/07/2025

FRESH LEV WHITE - JULY 22 @ NVIM: We're delighted to share that our friend Fresh "Lev" White will be joining us again this Tuesday evening, July 22, from 7:00 - 8:30pm. Whenever Lev can make the trip from Oakland to be with us, it brings such richness to our gathering. For this session, Lev will explore the teachings on allowing grief as a way to support resilience as we try to cope with the complexities of our current moment. To learn more go to: www.napainsight.org.

14/07/2025

Join us this Tuesday, July 15, from 7:00 - 8:30pm as Eve Decker will be our Special Guest Teacher @ NVIM. Her topic for the evening will be: Some Buddhist Responses to Anxiety.

Eve began Insight Meditation practice in 1991, and has attended more than 50 silent retreats ranging in length from 8-90 days. She is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley; the Path of Engagement (social justice and spiritual practice training); and Community Dharma Leader training at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California. Eve has been a great supporter and friend of NVIM for many years and we are excited to have her back with us!

25/06/2025

"If we wish to ensure everyone's peace and happiness, we need to cultivate a healthy respect for the diversity of our peoples and cultures, founded on an understanding of the fundamental sameness of all human beings." - Dalai Lama

05/04/2025

Please join us for a special daylong retreat on Saturday, April 19th, from 10:00am - 4:00pm, to explore the relationship between joy and sorrow from a Buddhist perspective. The focus will be on both inner work as well as our relationship to external world events through guided meditation, contemplative practice, music, and community reflection. This experience invites practitioners to discover how embracing both emotional states can deepen their meditation practice and enhance their capacity for compassion. Led by NVIM teachers Fresh "Lev" White and Forrest Hill, this retreat offers diverse perspectives for navigating our complex world with wisdom and an open heart. All are welcome.

Daylong: The Dance Of Joy and Sorrow