About IMCW

IMCW Vision Statement: That all living beings realize the freedom of their true nature and that our world be filled with the growing expression of love, compassion, wisdom and peace.The Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW) is a spiritual community that teaches and practices Insight (Vipassana) meditation in the Washington, DC metro area. IMCW has grown from a small group gathered around Tara Brach in the Fireside Room at the River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation (RRUUC) to a large and thriving community.

Tara Brach continues to lead the weekly Wednesday night meditation class of over 250 people at RRUUC in Bethesda, MD. There is also now an extensive program of ongoing meditation classes, day-long, weekend, week-long residential meditation retreats and special classes throughout the Washington DC area led by a growing IMCW teacher body of over 50 teachers in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia.

In addition to founder and senior teacher, Tara Brach, IMCW is guided by a collective of over 50 teachers and a board of directors.

Over two dozen Spiritual Friends (Kalyana Mitta) groups continue to support individual practice, and affinity groups including LGBTQ, People of Color, Women, Singles, and Children & Teens offer a space for practicing meditation and sparking friendships with communities of like-minded people.

IMCW is committed to both the deepening of individual practice and the growth of spiritual community (sangha). We are supported by a part-time administrative staff of three, but the majority of programs and activities are generated and supported by active and dedicated volunteers, who do everything from managing retreats and teaching classes to setting up chairs.

In 1998 IMCW was recognized as a non-profit religious organization by the State of Maryland and was granted tax exempt status by the IRS.

The mission statement of IMCW is to support: