Teachers

Who teaches at IMS?

Each year IMS hosts over 50 highly-trained lay and monastic Buddhist teachers from around the world.

A group of senior teachers, known as the Guiding Teachers, provides regular guidance and direction for both the Retreat Center and Forest Refuge programs. They determine IMS's annual retreat programming as well as the selection of retreat teachers.

The meditation practices taught at IMS are rooted in the Theravada tradition – the oldest surviving school of Buddhism. Today, this lineage is found throughout many parts of Southeast Asia. Insight meditation (vipassana) is a central part of this tradition.

Many revered Asian masters have visited or taught at IMS. These include Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw, Ven. Sayadaw U Pandita, Pa Auk Sayadaw and Sayadaw U Tejaniya from Burma, Ven. Ajahn Chah from Thailand, Dipa Ma and Anagarika Munindra from India, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Senior teachers from Asia continue to visit and offer teachings at both centers.