We will hold a series of beginning meditation classes starting on July 12, 2026 that will run through August 9, 2026. The classes will be on Sunday afternoons from 1:30 pm until 3:00 pm at All Saints Episcopal Church, 1322 Kimball Avenue in Richland. The first class will be held in the main sanctuary of the church, upstairs in the front of the church, with the rest of the classes held in the Parish Hall on the lower level in the rear of the church.

There is no charge for the classes; donations are accepted. Registration for the classes is now open. 

Please send an email to insightmeditation.midcol@gmail.com to register for the classes.

The five classes are intended to work together to provide an introduction to meditation for those new to meditation or serve as a useful “touchstone” for more experienced practitioners. You are welcome to attend any or all of the classes, especially if you’ve taken one or more of the classes before. Each class can be a stand alone class, and will focus on a different topic.

The classes will be taught by Chris Murray and Fabiola Robinson, meditation teachers with Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia.

The dates and topics for the class series are:

July 12 – Introduction to Mindfulness and Mindfulness of the Breath

July 19 — Mindfulness Meditation and the Body

July 26 — Mindfulness of Thoughts and Emotions in Meditation

August 2 — Compassion & Loving Kindness Meditation Practices

August 9 – Insight Meditation and Open Awareness

Warm regards,

Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia

Over the next couple of months we’ll explore the Buddha’s teachings on mindfulness and the four areas of experience where he suggested we focus our mindful awareness. They include mindfulness of the body, of feeling tones, of the heart and mind, as well as mindfulness of the ways in which we experience the teachings in our lives. We have links to resources available on the internet for these topics on our Updated Resources page.

After the 7:00 pm online meditation on Thursday, July 2, 2026, Chris will give a talk on mindfulness, what it is and ways in which we can cultivate it. This will include ways to practice meditation and also ways in which we can bring mindfulness into our daily lives. The following Thursday, July 9, we’ll have an open discussion of our experience of mindfulness. Below you can find resources with more information about mindfulness and how to develop it.

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Beginning Meditation Classes Start July 12, 2026

We will begin a series of beginning meditation classes on July 12, 2026 that will run through August 9, 2026. The classes will be on Sunday afternoons from 1:30 pm until 3:00 pm in the Parish Hall of All Saints Episcopal Church, 1322 Kimball Avenue in Richland. There is no charge for the classes; donations are accepted. Registration for the classes is now open. 

Please send an email to insightmeditation.midcol@gmail.com to register for the classes.

The five classes are intended to work together to provide an introduction to meditation for those new to meditation or serve as a useful “touchstone” for more experienced practitioners. You are welcome to attend any or all of the classes, especially if you’ve taken one or more of the classes before. Each class can be a stand alone class, and will focus on a different topic.

The classes will be taught by Chris Murray, guiding teacher of Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia, and Fabiola Robinson, a new meditation teacher with the IMMC.

The dates and topics for the class series are:

July 12 – Introduction to Mindfulness and Mindfulness of the Breath

July 19 — Mindfulness Meditation and the Body

July 26 — Mindfulness of Thoughts and Emotions in Meditation

August 2 — Compassion & Loving Kindness Meditation Practices

August 9 – Insight Meditation and Open Awareness

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Tri-Cities Cancer Center Meditation Support Group Meets July 16th

We’ll continue our monthly mindfulness meditation support group meeting at the Tri-Cities Cancer Center in May. The Cancer Center is located at 7350 West Deschutes Avenue, Kennewick and the next meeting will be Thursday,7/16/2026. The sessions, which are held on the third Thursday of each month, are meant for cancer patients, cancer survivors, and their caregivers. The session will begin at 12:00 pm at the Cancer Center in the Fireside Room. If you have a serious illness other than cancer, or are a caregiver for someone who is ill, you’re welcome to attend the sessions. Each session includes a brief review of mindfulness and mindful self-compassion meditations and the role they can play in reducing the anxiety arising from diagnosis and treatment, an opportunity to ask questions, and the chance to practice meditation with others. Please contact Lorie MacIsaac to register for the support group session by email at Lorie.Macisaac@kadlec.org or call 509-737-3412.You’re welcome to attend even if you aren’t registered.

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Upcoming Meditation Retreats

Two meditation retreats and associated talks have been scheduled for this summer. All events will take place in Richland, in person.

Chris Murray, guiding teacher of IMMC, will offer a talk and meditation the evening of August 14, 2026, from 7:00 – 8:30 pm, and a meditation retreat on Saturday, August 15, from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. Registration for this retreat will open in mid-July.

Keri Pederson, Senior Teacher at Seattle Insight Meditation Society (SIMS), will offer a talk and meditation on Friday, September 11, from 7:00 – 8:30 pm. She will also offer a retreat the following day, September 12, from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Keri will be assisted by Temira Lital, a Local Dharma Leader with SIMS. The retreat will open for registration in mid-August.

More information, including topics and exact locations, will be provided later.

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Weekly Meditation Schedule

In-Person Meetings:

Our in-person meetings take place at All Saints Episcopal Church, 1322 Kimball Avenue in Richland. Our in-person meditation meetings are offered on Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. We meditate for half an hour, followed by an optional time for sharing and conversation after meditation. No problem if you just want to meditate and then leave. 

Chairs are available in the meeting hall. However, if you prefer to use your own chair, blanket, cushion or bench, you are welcome to bring it. The meetings have recently moved indoors and meet in the Parish Hall at the rear of the church.

Those who regularly attend the in-person meetings have developed a masking policy for the times we meet indoors. The community levels of Covid will be checked each time we publish a newsletter. When community levels are low; masks will be optional. When community levels are medium or high, masks will be required. If there is any attending member that feels more comfortable with everyone masking, we will all mask in support of the most vulnerable among us.

Currently, the Covid community levels are low in Benton County; masks are optional on Saturday and Wednesday morning unless any participant feels more comfortable with everyone masking. Please bring a mask to all of the in-person sessions in case the meeting is moved indoors and there is an attending member with greater vulnerability.

We’re looking forward to welcoming some of you in person and being there online for others.

Online Meetings:

In addition to our in-person meetings we have three online meditations a week, on Wednesday morning, Thursday evening, and Saturday morning. The Zoom links for those meetings can be found on the Events Calendar. You’re welcome to join us online for any of the 3 meetings each week.

During the Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday online meetings, we “sit together” for meditation for half an hour. Meditations include guided meditations, meditations with some initial guidance and instruction, and silent meditations. The Wednesday morning meditation starts at 9:30 am, with half an hour of meditation, followed by half an hour of sharing. On Thursday evenings there is a talk or discussion and sharing following meditation. Meditation is from 7:30 until 8:00 pm, with the talk and discussion ending at about 9:00 pm. The Saturday morning meditation starts at 8:00 am, with half an hour of meditation followed by half an hour of sharing.

If you can’t or don’t wish to join the online sessions you can just meditate at the same time as we’re meeting and know that there are others from the group who are meditating with you. 

We’re looking forward to welcoming some of you in person and being there online for others.

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Volunteers at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center

The Insight Meditation group has supported Buddhist meditation groups at the state prison in Connell, WA since 2003. Those visits were on hold during the height of the pandemic but resumed last year. Currently we have two volunteers visiting the medium-security prison on Monday afternoons and we are seeking additional volunteers to support that effort, especially when our lead volunteer isn’t available.

There are several requirements for those volunteering at the prison.  Orientation and training are required. Applicants also need to undergo a background investigation. Applicants with a criminal background need to be off of supervision or parole for a year before applying. 

Those applying to volunteer should have a regular meditation practice and at least some knowledge of Buddhist teachings and be willing to learn more so that you can discuss Buddhist practice with the inmates. If you’re interested, please contact Chris Murray for more information about volunteering at Coyote Ridge.

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Online Donation Form for Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia

Please use our online donation form if you wish to contribute to the meditation group.

Warm regards and thank you for your support,

Insight Meditation of the Mid-Columbia

Phillip Moffitt provides a helpful introduction to mindfulness that looks at the ethical and philosophical orientation of the Buddhist practice of mindfulness. In either Buddhist practice or the secular practice of mindfulness, the relief of suffering is one of the main motivations for the practice of mindfulness. You can find Moffitt’s article here: What is the Mindfulness of the Buddha?

Mindfulness practice enables us to go beneath the surface level of our moment-to-moment life experiences, which are clouded with emotions and habitual thinking, and allows us to see the truth of what is happening. In daily life, mindfulness helps us see clearly what needs to be done, what we are capable of doing, and how it relates to the larger truths of life. Obviously, it isn’t easy being mindful in such a manner, but we can develop mindfulness through the practice of formal mindfulness meditation practice and by practicing “walking around” mindfulness. What is the Mindfulness of the Buddha?

~ Phillip Moffitt