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Programs

Short Retreat
Saturdays April 25, May 23,
June 20 2026

Days of Mindfulness with Karen Lawrie

In-person at Mountain Rain Zen Community, 2016 Wall St, Vancouver, BC

Email Karen Lawrie at karenlawrie77@gmail.com for registration details.

Join Karen Lawrie for a day of mindfulness. This offering runs once a month on Saturdays. Registration is $20.00 plus teacher dana. Please email Karen at karenlawrie77@gmail.com for more information and to register.

Hybrid retreat
Fri Mar 27 - Sun Mar 29, 2026

Pascal Auclair Hybrid Retreat

UBC Asian Centre, Vancouver BC or Online

Registration is open!

Clearly Seeing, Lightly Treading: A Silent Weekend of Insight & Presence

Pascal Auclair
Pascal Auclair
Long Retreat
Sat Apr 18 - Sat Apr 25, 2026

Residential Retreat

Sea to Sky Retreat Centre, Whistler, BC

This Retreat is SOLD OUT. Please join the waitlist!

Metta in the Mountains

James Lowe
James Lowe
Jeanne Corrigal
Jeanne Corrigal
Community Gathering
Sat May 9, 2026

Vesak Community Gathering and Swap

St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church, Vancouver, BC

Vesak is the traditional Buddhist celebration of the birth, awakening, and death of the Buddha. Let's gather in person to mark the occasion! Everyone is welcome.

Long Retreat
Sat May 16 - Sun May 24, 2026

Residential Retreat

Bethlehem Retreat Centre, Nanaimo BC

This Retreat is SOLD OUT. Please join the waitlist!

Two Wings of Awakening: Mettā and Insight Retreat

Tempel Smith
Tempel Smith
Kristina Baré
Kristina Baré
Online Dharma Talk
Wed May 27, 2026

Dharma Talk: This Messy, Gorgeous Love

Online

This Messy, Gorgeous Love: Buddhist Wisdom for Real Relationships - An Evening Dharma Talk with devon and nico hase

Long Retreat
Fri Jun 26 - Thu Jul 2, 2026

Residential Retreat

Rivendell Retreat Centre, Bowen Island, BC

Registration opens: Mar 26, 2026

Financial assistance deadline: Mar 12, 2026

Trusting the Experience of This Moment

Rachel Lewis
Rachel Lewis
Vance Pryor
Vance Pryor
Online Retreat
Fri July 17, 2026

Daylong Retreat with Oren Jay Sofer

Online

Freedom in the Body

Oren Jay Sofer
Oren Jay Sofer
Long Retreat
Sat Aug 15 - Sun Aug 22, 2026

Residential Retreat

Bethlehem Retreat Centre, Nanaimo BC

Registration opens: Apr 15, 2026

Financial assistance deadline: Apr 1, 2026

Simply Present for Insight

Tempel Smith
Tempel Smith
Jeanne Corrigal
Jeanne Corrigal
Short Retreat
Fri Sep 25 - Sun Sep 27, 2026

Non-Residential Retreat

UBC Asian Centre, Vancouver BC

Registration opens: Jun 25, 2026

Save the date! Detailed retreat information is coming.

Anushka Fernandopulle
Anushka Fernandopulle
Long Retreat
Fri Oct 16 - Mon Oct 19, 2026

Residential Retreat

Sea to Sky Retreat Centre, Whistler, BC

Registration opens: Jun 16, 2026

Financial assistance deadline: Jun 2, 2026

Save the date! Detailed retreat information is coming.

James Lowe
James Lowe
Short Retreat
Fri Nov 6 - Sun Nov 8, 2026

Non-Residential Retreat

UBC Asian Centre, Vancouver BC

Registration opens: Aug 6, 2026

Save the date! Detailed retreat information is coming.

Nikki Mirghafori
Nikki Mirghafori
Long Retreat
Mon Dec 28, 2026 - Sat Jan 2, 2027

New Years Residential Retreat

Bethlehem Retreat Centre, Nanaimo BC

Registration opens: Aug 28, 2026

Financial assistance deadline: Aug 14, 2026

Save the date! Detailed retreat information is coming.

Rachel Lewis
Rachel Lewis
Adrianne Ross
Adrianne Ross
Online Sitting Group

Daily Sit with Rachel

Online, 7:00-7:30am

Meeting Frequency: Daily
Join Rachel directly via the Zoom link below.

Rachel Lewis
Rachel Lewis
Online Sitting Group

North Shore - Mondays

Online, 7:30-9:00pm

Meeting Frequency: Weekly on Mondays
Email Patti Wall at pattiwall50@gmail.com for details.

In-Person Sitting Group

Duncan - Tuesdays and Wednesdays

In-person (Duncan)

Meeting Frequency: Weekly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

We sit Tuesday from 6:30 - 8 p.m. and Wednesday from noon - 2 p.m.
Our group also also does periodic residential retreats.
Email Judith Green at duncansangha@shaw.ca for details.

In-Person Sitting Group

Evening Sit with Karen Lawrie - Tuesdays

In-Person, 7:30-9:00pm

Meeting Frequency: Weekly on Tuesdays

Email Karen Lawrie at karenlawrie77@gmail.com for details.

Karen Lawrie
Karen Lawrie
In-Person Sitting Group

Queer and Trans Peer Led Meditation Group - First Tuesday of the Month

Mountain Rain Zen Community, 2016 Wall Street Vancouver, BC

Meeting Frequency: Once a Month

In-Person Sitting Group

2SQTBIPOC Practice Group - Third Tuesday of the Month

In-person at Mountain Rain Zen Community, 2016 Wall Street Vancouver, BC

Meeting Frequency: Third Tuesday of the Month
A group for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour who are also 2SLGBTQIA+
Email Arti Mehta at arti.a.mehta@gmail.com for details.

Online Sitting Group

Evening Sit with Sānta Aloi - Wednesdays

Online, 6:45-8:15pm

Meeting Frequency: Weekly on Wednesdays

Email Sānta Aloi at santa.aloi@gmail.com for details.

Sānta Aloi
Sānta Aloi
Hybrid Sitting Group

Salt Spring Insight Meditation Community - Wednesdays

Online and In-person (Salt Spring Island)

Meeting Frequency: Weekly on Wednesdays

We presently meet every Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. both in person and on Zoom. The group is lead by Christine Mauro and David Rumsey. For further information, email: saltspringimc@gmail.com

Hybrid Sitting Group

Sweet Refuge IBPOC Sangha - Every Second Wednesday

Online and In-person (Victoria)

Meeting Frequency: Generally, 2 times a month; schedules are confirmed at the beginning of each season. Please sign up for email updates by contacting sweetrefugesangha@gmail.com.

As a peer-lead IBPOC sangha (by and for Indigenous, Black and People of Colour) committed to the path of dharma, we gather to build community in the spirit of collective liberation. With humility and gratitude we sit on the unceded traditional homelands of the Lkwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples.

Hybrid Sitting Group

Evening sit with Mia Tremblay - Wednesdays

Online and In-person (Nanaimo)

Meeting Frequency: Weekly on Wednesdays.
Email Mia Tremblay at mia@telus.net for details.

In-Person Sitting Group

Morning Sit with Karen Lawrie - Thursdays

In-person (Vancouver)

Meeting Frequency: Weekly on Thursdays

Email Karen Lawrie at karenlawrie77@gmail.com for details.

Karen Lawrie
Karen Lawrie
Online Sitting Group

Judy Witheford's Sitting Group - Thursdays

Online, 7:00-9:00pm

Meeting Frequency: Weekly on Thursdays

Email Judy Witheford at bohachewski@yahoo.ca for details.

Judy Witheford
Judy Witheford
In-Person Sitting Group

Victoria Insight Meditation Society - Sundays

In-person at Helga Beer Yoga Studio 202-1600 Bay Street, Victoria, BC

Meeting Frequency: Weekly on Sundays

VIMS Sunday night sits are an opportunity to practice meditation and listen to dharma talks with our community sangha. The sits are led by dharma teachers and dedicated peer leaders. Everyone is welcome.

In-Person Sitting Group

Quadra Island - Sundays

In-person at the Children's Centre, West Road, Quadra Island, BC

Meeting Frequency: Weekly on Sundays

Email Don McEachern at donm10@telus.net for details.

Online Sitting Group

Gen X / Millenial Group - Monday *On hold*

Online, 7:00-8:30pm

Meeting Frequency: Weekly on Mondays

Group is currently on hold. Sign up to be notified when it resumes.

Jason Leslie
Jason Leslie
Online Sitting Group

DIY Dharma -Wednesdays

Online, 7:30-9:00pm

Meeting Frequency: Weekly on Wednesdays

Open to all practitioners of Buddhist meditation. No experience necessary.

FILTER PROGRAMS

WELCOME to BCIMS

Indigenous Land Acknowledgment

BCIMS is based in what is now known as Vancouver, BC. With heartfelt gratitude we acknowledge that we come to you from the beautiful, traditional, and unceded lands of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples, who live on and have stewarded this land for thousands of years.  

 

BCIMS, as a settler-led organization, recognizes the ongoing benefits of the theft of this land and its resources to all settlers. BCIMS is committed to continuous learning about genocide, the history of colonization, and their ongoing impacts on Indigenous communities. May our practices today centre this reality as a call to action to support Indigenous peoples’ sovereignty and liberation more fully beyond the practice of this land acknowledgement, and move us towards non-harming, restitution, healing, and reconciliation.   

Asian Heritage Acknowledgement

We would like to name and honour the lineage of the ancient teachings offered by BCIMS, and we offer our deep gratitude to the rich lineage of Theravadan Buddhist teachers whose wisdom continues to support our practice. These teachings originated in Asia with the Buddha’s teachings, specifically in Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India. 

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