We are a volunteer-led group based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, in Aotearoa, New Zealand who meet regularly to explore the transformative practice of insight meditation or vipassanā.

Insight meditation combines mindfulness of our thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations, with practices that develop kindness, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity, to develop a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Regular practice of insight meditation helps to reduce stress and anxiety, improve emotional regulation, enhance concentration and focus, and cultivate greater empathy for ourselves and others. As both wisdom and compassion get stronger, we’re able to live with greater ease, contentment and freedom, and to make a positive contribution to our families, workplaces and communities.

Although insight meditation practice comes from the Buddhist tradition, it’s not necessary to be Buddhist to experience its benefits, and no particular belief system is required.

At Auckland Insight Meditation we aspire to create a warm and welcoming community where people of all backgrounds and experience levels can come together to support each other in their meditation practice. We welcome people from all cultural, religious and non-religious backgrounds - including race, ethnicity, socio-economic class, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, education, and physical ability - to explore these transformational teachings with us, for the benefit of all beings.

Through our guiding teacher Jill Shepherd, we are connected to a world-wide network of insight meditation centres and communities, including the Insight Meditation Society and the Forest Refuge in Barre, Massachusetts, and the Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre in New South Wales, Australia.

We offer regular meditation sessions, workshops, as well as meditation retreats, both in-person and online.

Our Thursday evening group meditation is held in Westmere, Auckland, and most of our meditation retreats are offered in association with Te Moata Retreat Centre near Tairua on the Coromandel Peninsula. We also meet on Monday mornings for an online meditation led by our guiding teacher Jill Shepherd or facilitators from our Auckland Insight Meditation community.

Whether you are new to meditation or have been practising for years, we invite you to join us to explore the profound benefits of insight meditation in the supportive company of fellow practitioners.

We look forward to meeting you soon!