MINDFUL LIVING ALLIANCE (MLA) is an alliance of people who love to practice mindfulness meditation (Vipassana) and enjoy mindful living as a practice of the original teachings of the Buddha. We are interested in sharing our experiences and communicating the benefits of walking the path to true happiness.

Affiliation and Advisers: MLA was organized in 2004 under the spiritual guidance of the late Venerable Sayadaw U Silananda, Venerable Chuan-Tao, and Venerable Zinai. Since December 2005, Venerable Beelin Sayadaw (U Pannadipa) has become one of our spiritual advisers and our chief meditation teacher.

Meditation: Most of our members practice Vipassana meditation as described in the Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthana Sutta), or more specifically the Mahasi tradition, as that is the form that the Buddha practiced when he achieved enlightenment. We do, however, welcome practitioners of all forms of meditation to join us. Our sittings are simple and have a minimum of ritual.

Dhamma Study and Practice: We are particularly interested in the original teachings of the Buddha as expounded in the core doctrines, such as the Nikaya (Pali). We also study and practice Humanistic Buddhism, which emphasizes the caring for and purification of people in the present and on this earth. It was introduced and explained by Master Yin-Shun, a great monk-scholar and a leading authority in Buddhist studies of our time.

Activities: We have weekly meditation (both sitting and walking) and Dhamma study sessions. We also have day-long retreats at least once per season and special retreats and/or Dhamma talks from time to time. All of our events are conducted in English unless otherwise noted. (N.B. Since many of our current attendees also speak Mandarin, we sometimes have teachings and classes in Mandarin.) In any case, anyone is welcome to our events, regardless of religion or ethnicity.

Funding: MLA is an independent, tax-exempt, non-profit organization, funded entirely by individual donations.

For details about our ongoing activities and upcoming special events, please check our website and/or click here to subscribe to our mailing list and receive our weekly announcements.