MDZG is truly a lotus in muddy water. There are few places one can go to find refuge and support of…read morea Zen teacher whose generous spirit and depth of understanding offers encouragement to persevere in this challenging time. Baika's sitting group is both steeped in tradition and blooms with contemporary expression. Every time I meditate with MDZG I have deeply felt the tranquility of the space cultivated over the past ten years since its founding. I encourage everyone reading this to cross their threshold and experience for themselves "Plum Blossom's Complete Illumination" --Dōgen Zenji Rev Ross ULC Minister

MDZG has been wonderful. Zazen with them over zoom each morning at 8 am has helped me start off the…read moreday with a very meaningful meditation practice (just sitting). Grateful to Myosho Baika and everyone at Mount Diablo Zen Group.

Serene and beautiful monastery grounds. Happy to discover a hidden gem in the hills. When you first…read moreturn in you'll drive along a small tree-lined road and go up the hill to their gated entrance. You may have to call their intercom to enter through the gate if they are not currently hosting an event. When you first visit, go to the reception office for an intro about the monastery and their activities. You can join their regularly scheduled meditation classes and dharma classes. The building to the left of that is where they hold Buddhist classes and talks. To the left of that is a small hill and walking nature loop to see a Kuan Yin statue placed within a circular, eight petaled lotus mandala. The walk has beautiful views of the surrounding distance. Down towards the right is the temple, which is only open to the public during events. They recently finished some renovations inside their main temple and outside gardens. The gardens behind and below the temple opens to expansive views too, yet is still undergoing construction. You can see a small pagoda with a Kuan Yin statue and a rectangle platform with a statue of the Buddha. Inside the temple, it is common etiquette to remove your shoes, place them in a shoe cabinet along the wall, and wear socks inside (no bare feet allowed here) during events. There are bathrooms and a water station too. I joined a recent Friday meditation gathering and it was nicely organized and run very well. They have a welcoming sangha community too.

Me and my family go every year they are super nice there and it's beautiful to walk aroundread more

Casey was wonderful! My friend and I brought our daughters in for a mother daughter tarot card…read morereading. We were all very impressed with how intuitive she was, all our readings were so accurate! Overall she was so personable, knowledgeable, and fun! I really appreciated how she took what came from our tarot card readings and translated it into things we could do to connect with these deeper parts of ourselves and our needs. She also added in some breath-work guidance and a sound bath afterwards! I left feeling very relaxed and connected to myself. Thanks Casey! I'll definitely be back!

This is the first time I've ever had my cards read so I didn't really know what to expect but Casey…read morewas amazing. There was a group of us and she did a fantastic job of handling all 4 of us and providing insights that were tailored to us as individuals. She is very gifted and explains things well - and isn't too generic where the reading could apply to anyone! She clearly had a good sense of parts of us that we still need to better understand for ourselves. Very thought provoking, relevant and reassuring. Thank you Casey

Most advanced & deep meditation techniques are taught here. In every session The Spiritual Master…read morewill guide you & take you to a different journey for your soul. You come out very calm, relaxed and rejuvenated. Staff is very polite respectful & helpful. Ambience is so white as if you are clouds. Highly recommended for Spiritual seekers.

I have been attending workshops at EBMC sporadically for close to 2 years now. I am not a regular…read moremeditator, despite my intentions, I accept what is for now lol. I value EBMC so much as a learning space. The workshops I have attended always provided information for me, whether about the nature of things or about my inner world that was right on time! I have definitely grown as a result and feel helped along through life's challenges & lessons. I love the gift economics model they use, I just wish we could venmo our donations or some other way online where eventbrite doesn't charge fees. I try to pay cash on site instead when I have it, but yea I hate the fees. Tip: scent free space, and they mean it! I actually love fabric softener (it was a luxury my family did not afford when I was a kid) and now I dump it enthusiastically all over my laundry, so attending events at EBMC requires some extra planning on my part, but I appreciate that they are serious to make it accessible for everyone and it's well worth my effort.

Super welcoming, efficient and kind... Keep trying the various teachers and I find there's someone…read morefor everyone in terms of style and Dharma offerings with the various programs in wide variety of teachers... Improvement could be made with donating one portal easy like IMC Redwood City and I would really appreciate less aggressive dana talks and an easier portal /platform for donating going to each individual teachers platform and having to sign up with the platform is not a solution and I appreciate your kind attention and hope this can be made easier for all beings to donate to East Bay Meditation Center because basically I'm waiting until the teachers come to Insight Meditation Center Redwood City and donating to them at that venue because easier. Also another Meditation Center that even has an easier platform for donation is Flagstaff Meditation Center you go in pull down the teacher's name click in the donation arrives to the teacher and or Center....

Their website says they have been closed for years unfortunately. I hope they re-open!read more

I am in love with this place..it is calm and the energy is clear. I am new at yoga and have been…read moregoing here for for 3months on a regular basis. I love the way I am welcomed since day one. The people who work here are certainly practicing spirituality. I was afraid to try yoga, I thought I was too clumsy. They told me they were glad I came in and talked about it! I have been going ever since, and am getting quite good.:-) I had a car accident 4 weeks ago and everyone that has taught the class, each yoga instructor have shown concern in my healing over the last two weeks. Checking in during class just to see if I am not over doing it. I am grateful I am able to come here to be a part of such a spirit centered place. Namaste

I joined this group because life can be so edgy. Its nice to get away and learn some cool…read moretechniques or just meditate with some cool people. The instructor at Happy Healthy Peach, Hailee is very instructional and informal. Loved the atmosphere and loved the tranquility I walk away with.

I'm new to meditation and took my first class with instructor Hailee at her awesome location in…read moredowntown Brentwood. I never knew how beneficial meditation could be in my life until taking her class. Her guided meditation is my personal favorite part of the class. She also guides meaningful discussions that make you open your mind to things you have never thought about before. I highly recommend checking her out!

Immense gratitude for this place demonstrates Metta. The practice will always be with me. The…read moresacred energy at IRC is a place of healing to take root.

I didn't realize I could review IMC on Yelp but it's a place after all, so why not. And it's not…read morejust a place, it's a very lovely place. It's the real real. No flash, all substance. Truly, it changed the direction of my life. I am still myself, always will be, but this place and its people transformed and impacted me in ways I couldn't have predicted. My introduction to the practice and teachings from IMC was very important for my personal development and spiritual growth. When I lived in RWC 5 years ago I was located on Main Street near the In-N-out which was walking distance to the meditation center. I ended up going to the center weekly, regularly. I've been living in Arizona since that time and I am still very much connected to this group. I come back yearly to attend silent vipassana meditation retreats at their center in Santa Cruz, simply named Insight Retreat Center. I told you, no flash. It's refreshing to support and be connected to a place that isn't part of the heavily capitalized society we live in, in which everything seems to come down to its monetary value. Not here my friend! IMC has core employees but what it really runs on is the commitment of volunteers. I typically function as a retreat manager when I come to IRC and if I lived closer I would happily give time to this place. In 2017 when I came often, it really helped me with personal challenges I was experiencing. I gained a community of practitioners that are serious about the dharma yet also kind people. I've met some amazing teachers and found my personal teachers of Gil and Max to be wonderful people in the world. 2 of my favorites :D IMC is a Buddhist meditation center that has some very excellent teachers and programs overall. It used to be a former church, turned Buddhist meditation hall. Very peaceful place. It's a place of refuge and to learn about the practice of mindfulness and get your feet wet. Or, be a longtime meditator and get your practice even more in depth. Whatever you are looking for on this path, it's there. I couldn't recommend this place enough. Don't miss it, you could easily walk by it not noticing, and never know the treasures it holds within. If you're unsure how to navigate coming here for a first time, a tip is to go online to their website. They have a robust schedule of classes, guided meditation sits, and general information about the place and people. It's very useful.

I had no real idea what Zentangle was so I took a real chance taking one of Elaine's classes…read more Elaine took the time to teach me from step one and I can't believe how much I enjoyed the class. Since then I have taken 3 more classes and 3 of her workshops. I have found the information she teaches to be calming and peaceful. Zentangle is a creative and expressive form of drawing and Elaine teaches it amazingly well!

Got my Zentangle start here. Great teaching , fun instruction and very compassionate learnig…read moreexperience for me Loved it..

I've been to a meditation class and a class about Crustal Skulls and my favorite class was a…read moreCrystal Bowl Concert! I Love it that we finally have a place to come together and learn, share and grow as a spiritual community. Till now, I have had to travel in order to get this kind of community. I am grateful to Terri for bringing her vision to life for us all. I'm grateful that I have a place that will allow me to share and teach my gifts as well! Can't wait for more!

From the owner: Awakenings is the newest addition to downtown Pleasanton's wellness scene. The Center for Self­…read moreDiscovery brings tools to better your whole life. Founded by local small business owner, Terri Carlson of Milfleur, she has envisioned a place for learning and life improvement for years. However, Carlson is not the only one teaching classes, in fact dozens of practitioners from around the Bay Area are taking part in the local enlightenment. You can learn how to meditate, discover your intuition and experience spiritual awakenings in the historical Kottinger Barn of Pleasanton. 30 inch adobe brick walls, featuring rustic wooden shutters and a original redwood ceiling bring character to the oldest building in Pleasanton. 162 years of history lives in its bones and has housed many a venture, and Awakenings will breathe new life into the treasured barn.