Mission & Goals

Our Mission

IMS is a spiritual refuge for all who seek freedom from the suffering of mind and heart. We offer meditation retreats rooted in the Theravada Buddhist teachings of ethics, concentration and wisdom. These practices help develop awareness and compassion, giving rise to greater peace and happiness in the world.

Our Vision

The vision of IMS is to uphold the possibility of liberation for all beings.

Our Guiding Values

Core Value: The Buddha-Dharma

The Teachings - IMS’s purpose is to offer the dharma in the West by passing on the Buddha’s teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the liberation from suffering.

The Practice - We embody this by offering retreats and a place of refuge; practicing and encouraging the practice of meditation; and practicing service, renunciation, ethical conduct and lovingkindness as a society of yogis (retreatants), teachers and staff.

The Culture: Our Shared Beliefs on Keeping the Core Value

Moderation - We value simplicity of life as a way of living the Teachings. In this we make every effort to use resources wisely, respect the environment, and practice the principle of moderation.

Diversity - We value making the dharma accessible to as many people as possible, and we value diversity in staff, yogis and teachers.

Harmony - We value harmony in our community life. We seek to resolve conflicts non-violently and honestly, recognizing that harmony can exist amidst diversity and disagreement. In areas of conflict, individual needs are considered in light of community needs; and the needs of the community normally take precedence over individual needs or wants.

Right Communication - We value right speech, honest communication, respectful listening, healthy expression of disagreement, and openness to divergent views.

The Organization: A Society of Yogis, Teachers and Staff in Mutual Service

Stewardship - We value responsible stewardship of financial, human and natural resources.

Organizational Clarity - We value the clarity that comes with a structure that allows for the exercise of authority and promotes accountability at all levels of the institution.

Participation - Within that structure we value the inclusion of staff in mindful decision making that is transparent, efficient, and considerate of everyone’s needs.

Stability - We value the ease that comes with organizational stability.  We support all staff being able to stay at IMS as long as they are able to contribute to the work, meet the needs of the institution, and support the life of the society.

Our Goals

Programs

In order to meet the practice needs of the growing community of meditators, we will increase the number and variety of courses offered. The courses will remain firmly rooted in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, while representing a broader spectrum of emphasis and duration. We hope that these changes will invigorate and enhance the quality of the retreat experience, while continuing to provide teachings appropriate for both new and experienced students.

Finances

We are committed to providing broad access to IMS, and to ensuring a lasting legacy of the Buddha’s teachings for future generations. We intend to stabilize and eventually reduce retreat fees, while continuing to provide an optimal experience for meditators and staff. We will achieve these goals by increasing our endowment, and operating cost-efficiently.

Organization

To support our programming and financial objectives, we will strengthen our organizational team of teachers, board members and staff by clarifying lines of authority, streamlining the decision-making process, and improving communication and conflict-resolution skills.

Facilities

We will explore greater use of environmentally-friendly designs and resources. We will upgrade existing facilities as needed.

Diversity

We will cultivate diversity across all aspects of the IMS community. We envision a vibrant community of retreatants, donors, friends, teachers, board and staff, representing all racial and economic backgrounds, ages, genders and levels of wellness.

Succession

In recognition of the importance of long-term support for current teachers, we will train new teachers who will be well-experienced to offer the Dharma to the next generation. We will establish board and staff development programs so that greater responsibility can be assumed whenever needed.

Outreach

We will significantly increase awareness of IMS programs by expanding our outreach to individuals and groups seeking access to the Buddha’s teachings. Our efforts will include cultivating media relationships and opportunities, developing an enhanced and interactive website, collaborating with other sanghas to promote the Dharma, and producing timely literature of interest to experienced and potential retreatants, and to existing and prospective donors.

May our work together continue to benefit all beings.