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.
Regular Offerings
BMC currently meets every Thursday from 7:00pm to 8:30pm ET. 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.
BMC also meets every day from 6:30am to 7:15am ET for daily morning meditation. As a silent, peer-led practice period, morning meditation provides a consistent time and structure to begin or sustain a personal, daily meditation practice.
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:
February 13 - Working with Conceptual Thought in the Practice of Meditation
A Half-Day Meditation Retreat with Michael Bresnan
Description
Most people recognize that their thinking minds frequently make them miserable, and meditators, in particular, often see uninvited thought as the bane of their practice. The problem is that, as human beings, we cannot live without conceptual thought. This dilemma, that thought makes us miserable, but we can’t live without it, can be resolved when we stop perceiving thought as self. In this half-day retreat, we will discuss the role that narrative thought plays in establishing and sustaining mental/emotional suffering. We will also learn how we can change our relationship to conceptual thought with insight meditation, by cultivating the ability to recognize thought as sense contact, rather than self, and seeing that we can therefore choose whether to engage it or not.
This retreat will involve both discussion and silent practice, and is suitable for all levels.
When
Saturday, February 13 from 9:30am to 1:00pm ET
Where
A Zoom link will be emailed before the program.
Cost
$25 Base
$35 Sustaining
$45 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. Scholarships are available for anyone experiencing financial hardships.
Teacher
Michael Bresnan is a licensed psychologist, with a specialty in mindfulness, and has been practicing traditional insight meditation for over 25 years. He is the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Mindfulness & Insight Meditation in Wenham, MA, and the Redding Center for Meditation in Redding, CT. He has practiced in the Thai Forest tradition for many years with teachers, Ajahn Da Nilpant, Ajahn Thong Abhakaro, and Ajahn Niphen Nontamart.
Next Home Retreat:
April 16–18, 2021 - Spring Retreat: The Joy of Daily Refuge
2-Night Home Retreat with Chris Crotty
Description
In keeping with the tradition of putting aside time for meditation practice, dharma teachings, and connection with community, BMC’s spring retreat, taught by guiding teacher Chris Crotty, will offer teacher guidance and dharma talks, structured support for your meditation practice, alongside opportunities to experiment with different ways to integrate meditation into daily life. In order to accomplish this, the spring retreat will balance the amount of time spent practicing as a group with time for individual self-supported practice, minimizing screen time and creating the opportunity for both community and independence. Practicing in this way helps us to achieve agency and confidence in our meditation practice, while learning to find true refuge in the midst of all that makes up our daily lives.
This short retreat (Friday night through Sunday midday) is designed to fit easily into your schedule while providing a substantial opportunity to balance daily responsibilities with the quiet, calm, and joy of the Dharma. Good for experienced practitioners who want to refresh their practice and for anyone who has not taken retreat yet and wants to try a short format. The spring retreat is also offered at a low cost.
When
Friday, April 16 – Sunday, April 18 (2 nights)
Friday: 6:30am – 8:30pm EST
Saturday: 6:30am – 8:00pm EST
Sunday: 6:30am – 12:00pm EST
Where
A Zoom link will be emailed before the program.
Cost
$110 Base
$145 Sustaining
$180 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 dana (generosity) for the teacher at the end of the program.
Please let us know if finances are an obstacle. Scholarships are available for anyone experiencing financial hardships.
Teacher
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.