photo of two young people with hands in anjali
BMC group photo 12/2018
BMC summer retreat at IMCN
Chris, Sayadaw, Mimmi
Chris and Rod
About
Boston Meditation Center (BMC) is a Buddhist sangha in the Insight tradition serving greater Boston and the East Coast. Emphasizing the development of wisdom and kindness through traditional practices made accessible and relevant to modern-day lives, BMC welcomes everyone who seeks greater freedom and happiness in their lives. Central to our vision is the belief that the path of awakening is attainable by all and should be available to all. Our guiding teacher is Chris Crotty.
We offer weekly meditation classes and dharma talks, as well as daylong and residential retreats. We are currently located in Cambridge (Harvard Square).
Weekly Meditation
BMC meets every Thursday from 7:15 to 8:45 p.m. at Karma Yoga Studio in Harvard Square (1120 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge). Meetings typically begin with 20 to 30 minutes of guided meditation, followed by a dharma talk and discussion with our guiding teacher, Chris Crotty, or another teacher or facilitator. Donations are gratefully accepted.
Though grounded in the Theravada tradition, we strive to expose our members to diverse approaches to the dharma by occasionally hosting teachers from other traditions, such as Tibetan or Zen Buddhism.
Next Day Program:
May 25: Embodied: Mindfulness Yoga & Meditation
A Half-Day Retreat with Chris Crotty and David Schouela
Description
Yoga and Buddhism share the same aim – the liberation of body, mind, and heart. Postures and breath practice support the body and mind for meditation, and mindfulness enables a more intentional, awareness-based yoga. This program is open to anyone interested in exploring the relationship between yoga asana (postures) and insight meditation. Together these mutually supportive practices foster self-awareness and insight into the conditions that underlie greater well-being and personal freedom.
This half-day retreat includes alternating periods of 
yoga postures and guided meditation based on the Four Foundations of mindfulness, and is aimed at helping students deepen concentration and investigate the true nature of mind and body. Yoga sessions will draw from yin, kripalu, and vini-yoga, and will be accessible to all levels of practitioners (of both yoga and meditation), including beginners.
When
Saturday, May 25
2 – 5:30 p.m.
Where
The Arlington Center
369 Mass Ave
Arlington, MA
Cost
$35 Base
$45 Sustaining (actual cost of the program)
$55 Contributing
Paying at the highest level you can afford helps us make our programs available to as many people as possible. There is also an opportunity to offer additional dana (generosity) for the teacher at the end of the program. Please let us know if finances are an obstacle.
Registration
To register, select your preferred pricing option from the drop-down menu below and then click the button to submit payment via PayPal; in a day or two you will receive a confirmation email. Please email us at info@bostonmeditationcenter.org with any questions.
Teachers
Chris Crotty, a Buddhist teacher, pastoral counselor, and adjunct professor in alternative medicine, is the guiding teacher of Boston Meditation Center. He has practiced meditation since 1998 with Burmese monastics Sayadaw U Inndaka and Sayadaw U Tejaniya, as well as Bhikkhu Analayo; Western monastics of the Zen and Thai Forest tradition; and senior western Vipassana teachers. Chris is an active member of the Center for Spiritual Care and Pastoral Formation. Learn more about Chris here.
David Schouela is a workshop facilitator and certified yoga teacher-trainer. David is on the teaching faculty for the trauma-sensitive yoga certificate program offered through the Trauma Center in Brookline, MA. In 2004, David cofounded True North Insight, a Canadian charitable organization offering a full schedule of Buddhist Insight meditation retreats and courses in English and French. David is a founding board member of Boston Meditation Center and is currently pursuing a masters in social work at Simmons University in Boston.
Next Residential Retreat:
June 6-13: The Path of Peace & Freedom: Spring Insight Meditation Retreat
With Sayadaw U Inndaka, Chris Crotty, & May Myint Oo
Cosponsored by BMC and IMC Newburyport
Description
Insight meditation (vipassana) is the central Buddhist practice aimed at awakening. The Buddha taught that the cause of discontent and suffering can be understood, and this insight, or wisdom, is the natural foundation for greater peace, well-being, and freedom. Through the practice of insight meditation we calm and stabilize the mind, and then we investigate the mind’s true nature. We wake up to the truth of life, and we enjoy the freedom of our awakened mind.
On this retreat, Burmese meditation master Sayadaw U Inndaka and Chris Crotty will guide students in the development of insight through guided meditation, extended silence, individual interviews, and dharma talks. This is a unique opportunity to practice and learn with Sayadaw U Inndaka, and to rest your mind in the quiet natural surroundings of Insight Meditation Center Newburyport.
When
June 6-13, 2019 (Thursday to Thursday)
Where
Insight Meditation Center of Newburyport
West Newbury, MA
Cost
Residential: $630 (base); $770 (sustaining); $980 (contributing)
Commuter: $350 (base); $490 (sustaining); $560 (contributing)
Saturday only: $90
This retreat has both residential and commuter options; the residential option allows for a more immersive retreat experience, while the commuter option allows you to sleep at home each night for a lower cost. There are three payment levels for each option; paying at the highest level you can afford allows us to offer our programs to as many people as possible. In addition, there is a Saturday-only daylong option which runs the full day, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. or as late as 9 p.m. (your option).
Registration
To register, click the link below to download the registration form; if you need financial assistance, you may also download the scholarship application form. Fill out and return the registration form either by mail or email; to pay, you may send a $200 deposit along with your registration form, or you may pay in full now by selecting a payment option below and clicking “Register.” If you are registering for the Saturday-only option, you do not need to complete a registration form, you may just submit the $90. Further details are on the forms, but if you have questions, please email us at info@bostonmeditationcenter.org.
Registration Form and Waiver
Scholarship Application Form
Teachers
Sayadaw U Inndaka was born in 1952 in Upper Burma and ordained in 1972. Starting in 1976 he practiced vipassana meditation in the Mahasi Meditation Center in Mandalay. In 1996 he became the abbot of the newly established Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Center on the outskirts of Yangon, the capital of Burma (now called Myanmar). Sayadaw U Inndaka’s books on the practice of metta meditation and the factors of enlightenment have been translated into English and German.
May Myint Oo (Mimmi) has been practicing meditation since 1992. She sat intensive retreats for many years at the Chanmyay Yeiktha Meditation Center, where she studied under Sayadaw U Janaka and was a volunteer translator and assistant to meditators. Since 2004 she has translated on a volunteer basis for Sayadaw U Inndaka at Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Center and on his teaching trips to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Switzerland, Germany, the United States, and elsewhere.
Chris Crotty is a Buddhist teacher, pastoral counselor, and adjunct professor in alternative medicine. Practicing meditation since 1998, he has taken retreat with Burmese monastics Sayadaw U Inndaka and Sayadaw U Tejaniya, scholar-practitioner Bhikkhu Analayo, western monastics of the Zen and Thai Forest tradition, and senior western Vipassana teachers. Chris was authorized to teach Buddhadharma in 2015, and in 2016 was encouraged to teach vipassana and metta by Sayadaw U Inndaka.