Fifty years of Dharma service.
Our Legacy
Since its founding in 1976, the Insight Meditation Society has been a foundational home for the transmission of Buddhist meditation in the West.
What began with a handful of teachers and a simple building in Barre has grown into a community of hundreds of thousands—from beginners taking their first sit to lifelong practitioners deepening their insight and service.
Key milestones
- 1976: IMS’s flagship Retreat Center opens, guided by Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, and Jack Kornfield.
- 2003: The Forest Refuge opens, supporting long-term, self-guided retreat practice.
- 2020: IMS Online launches in response to the pandemic, dramatically expanding global access.
A living lineage
IMS has trained and supported an entire generation of Dharma teachers, many of whom now lead centers and communities across the world. We’ve helped transmit ancient teachings in modern form—anchored in tradition, accessible in format, and timeless in relevance.
Now, we take the next step in that lineage.
With your help, we can ensure that IMS continues to serve for the next fifty years and beyond—offering refuge, insight, and the path of freedom to all who seek it.
