Press Room

Charlottesville, Va. – April 21, 2009:  Sharon Salzberg, cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society and one of the nation’s most renowned Buddhist teachers and authors, will visit Charlottesville on May 9 and 10 for a non-residential retreat hosted by the Insight Meditation Community of Charlottesville (IMCC). Salzberg will join Pat Coffey to present the topic “The Force of Kindness”.

The 2-day retreat program will include periods of meditation, discourse and discussion practice and is suitable for beginners and experienced meditators.  The event will take place at the Jefferson Area Board for Aging (JABA), 674 Hillsdale Drive in Charlottesville, Va. 22911. To learn more about this event and to register, visit www.imeditation.org or email renest@embarqmail.com.

 “We are honored to host Sharon Salzberg who is recognized internationally as one of the foremost meditation teachers in the world. She founded the Insight Meditation Society at Barre MA, has taught worldwide, published numerous books and articles and appeared on panels with the Dalai Lama ,” commented Pat Coffey, IMCC founder and meditation teacher.

The retreat theme, “The Force of Kindness” is timely given the issues and circumstances people are facing today. “Retreat participants will get a boost to their meditation practice and learn how to better meet the current worldly challenges with wisdom and an open heart,” stated Coffey. The theme will also examine cruelty and what propels people to hurt others.

Printable Document: Coffey Salzberg Retreat Press Release.doc

 Charlottesville, Va. – January 20, 2009:  Sharon Salzberg, cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society and one of the nation’s most renowned Buddhist teachers and authors, will visit Charlottesville on Tuesday, February 10 for an event hosted by the Insight Meditation Community of Charlottesville (IMCC). Salzberg will present “Working with Your Enemies: Finding Freedom from Hostility and Fear”. The presentation will include periods of dialogue, discourse and meditation practice.

The evening event will take place at the Jefferson Area Board for Aging (JABA), 674 Hillsdale Drive in Charlottesville, Va. 22911. Open to the public, the event begins at 7:30 PM. Guests are encouraged to arrive early due to the large crowd expected. “We are honored to host Sharon Salzberg and we welcome the public to join us for a truly memorable and valuable evening,” commented Pat Coffey, Charlottesville IMCC meditation teacher. For more information about this event, visit www.imeditation.org.

A sought-after author, speaker and expert on many topics associated with Buddhism, Salzberg helped introduce the Asian Buddhist practice of meditation to the West. In 1976, with Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield, Salzberg established the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts. IMS is now considered one of the most prominent and active meditation centers in the Western world.  

Sharon Salzberg returns to Charlottesville in a teaching role for the third time. In 2007, she led a day long retreat in Charlottesville for the benefit of the Blue Ridge Prison Project. “Sharon is a truly gifted and inspiring teacher who knows how to communicate about applying Buddhist practices to life’s daily challenges,” explained Pat Coffey.  A colleague of Salzberg’s, Coffey has over 30 years of intensive meditation experience and is a former Board Member at the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts. Charlottesville is one among many destinations worldwide where Sharon Salzberg has engaged listeners and shared insights. For more information about Sharon Salzberg, visit: www.sharonsalzberg.com.