Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center — Local services in Barre

I am an experienced African American practitioner who successfully completed the IMS 3 month silent retreat in 2017 writing about concerns about my treatment at IMS. It was my first IMS retreat and my fourth long silent retreat.

During the first half of this 3 month retreat, my teachers made the following statements to me:

1.”I don't care about them;”(referring to the support group of students of color who met regularly during the retreat.) “I assume you are meeting with them.” “You don't like it here do you.” Repeated twice during my “teaching” sessions.

During the first half of this 3 month retreat my teachers and a retreat staff member also made many jingoistic and demeaning remarks to me about the fact that I had sought psychotherapy in 2014 which I shared on my application..

Finally, toward the end of that first half of the full three month retreat, my teachers informed me they had decided to send me home at the end of the first half of the full 3 month retreat despite that IMS had already approved me for the full three months because they (my two teachers for the first half of the full 3 month retreat) were concerned I might have problems during the second half of the retreat due to my history of having sought psychotherapy. They confirmed to me that I had had no problems during the first half, but they were concerned about the second half.

They never asked me to see the staff psychiatrist at IMS.

The Ethics Committee reversed the teacher's decision and I continued on with my practice. Despite that my teachers never had claimed I had had any problem, the Ethics Committee made my continuation contingent upon my successfully completing the first two weeks of the second half of the long retreat. Again, they did not require me to see the staff psychiatrist at IMS.

I completed the entire retreat without any problems just like I had the first part of the retreat.

I applied to IMS earlier this year to participate in the second half of this 3 month silent retreat for this year (2019) as I continued to see the benefits of the 2017 retreat continue to roll in. I asked only to participate in the second half of this 3 month retreat as the teacher who made the phone calls to me required. . Shortly after my application I received an email from the IMS ED rejecting my application saying:

“Dear Maria,

I am writing to let you know that unfortunately IMS is not able to accept your application for a retreat this fall.  We have credited your card with a full refund of $375 today.

After the many difficulties you experienced during the 3-month retreat in 2017, your many written communications while on retreat, and the teacher/staff resources necessary to support you during your retreat, we have come to the conclusion that the IMS silent, intensive retreat environment, whether in the 3-month or a shorter retreat, is not suitable for you at this time.

If you wish to continue with your insight meditation practice, it might be helpful for you to find a qualified teacher in a community near you and follow their guidance in classes and daily practice situations. They would then be in a position to advise you on best steps to continue to deepen your practice.

I am sorry for the disappointment, but hope that I am communicating with you early enough that you can find another fall retreat that supports your ongoing practice.

Warmly, Inger”

The esteemed ED's remarks are first inaccurate as I experienced no difficulties at all during the 2017 IMS silent retreat, and her decision overruling my teachers' decision to send me home verifies this. As well, my teacher from that second part did infact invite me to participate in the second part of the IMS Silent Retreat in 2018 which I decided not to do as described above. Third, in my recent request to IMS, I asked only to participate in the second half of the IMS silent retreat as instructed by “my teacher.”

And then I awoke and realized I had been asleep dreaming the whole time!!!!! Jut like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz! A dream of the mind. In truth, all was...

I had an absolutely horrific experience doing the six week retreat. We immediately went into silence without any type of safety container created. There was no opportunity to speak with any of the other people attending the retreat before hand or for six weeks and this was psychologically difficult. The short interviews with teachers were often late and short because they were so busy helping all the other yogis. At one point an ambulance showed up and took a girl away to the hospital from a mental break. I feel like a six week retreat in silence is psychologically dangerous and very very wrong for the human brain. This is not evolution this is torture ask a psychiatrist before you go. I did a retreat six years ago and I’m still dealing with the repercussions. It has changed my life in such a...

What’s great about IMS is you come in to leave the outside world behind and go inside yourself for the duration of your stay. It’s the oldest retreat center in the west so I liked you could count on its authenticity. I used to have a lot of respect for IMS and viewed the retreat center very highly but my last retreat changed my outlook.

Politics do not belong in a Buddhist retreat. I think politics is the one thing to really test your mindfulness. It has nothing to do with Buddhism. I can’t wait until this cultural stuff is over and IMS can go back to being neutral and a safe space for everyone again. I would not suggest IMS during this phase if you do not align with woke culture.

KISS-keep it super simple, Go back...