About Shaila Catherine

Shaila is a Buddhist meditation teacher and highly acclaimed author of three books on concentration (jhāna) and insight (vipassanā) meditation. She teaches meditation retreats world wide, and founded Bodhi Courses, an online dharma classroom. Shaila is the principal teacher for Insight Meditation South Bay, a center for mindfulness, compassion, and wisdom in Silicon Valley in California. She appreciates deep retreat practice, loves to read the discourses of the Buddha, and is dedicated to the liberating potential of the meditative path.

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Training with Great Masters

Shaila Catherine was introduced to meditation in 1980 and began a lifetime of dedicated dharma practice.

She has studied with renown teachers in the United States, England, India, Thailand and Nepal. She trained with the founders of western insight meditation centers including Christopher Titmuss and Joseph Goldstein, as well as eminent Asian teachers H.W.L. Poonja, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche and Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche.

She has twice completed the rigorous jhāna and vipassanā training program of Pa-Auk Sayadaw and honed her satipaṭṭhāna practice while teaching with Anālayo Bhikkhu.

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Extensive Teaching Experience

With more than nine years in intensive silent retreat and a lifetime of dedicated study, Shaila embodies the teachings of the great masters with whom she has trained. She loves deep meditation, and appreciates a wide range of approaches to exploring, developing and liberating the mind.

Shaila has been leading meditation retreats worldwide since 1996. Her profound teachings emphasize deep concentration, jhāna and the path of liberating insight. An accessible and compassionate teacher, she is recognized for her depth of meditative attainment and clarity in expressing the teachings.

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What people say about Shaila’s teaching …

Shaila Catherine represents a new generation of Dharma practitioner in the West, with in-depth experience studying with some of the greatest masters of both the Theravadan and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Her commitment to intensive practice has been matched by her dedication to study, and her exploration of the practice of concentration and jhanas reflects both these strengths.

— Sharon Salzberg, author of Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience

Shaila brings a wealth of personal experience to the Dharma that exceeds teachers who are a generation older than herself. Like yogis of old, she loves entering into extensive periods of silence and personal retreat. Such commitment gives her voice enormous authority. I would encourage everyone, from the complete beginner to the most seasoned meditator and mind/body professional to listen to the teachings and guidance of Shaila.

— Christopher Titmuss, author of An Awakened Life

Shaila is a terrific Dharma teacher and accomplished Buddhist practitioner, a genuine Bodhisattva. I have known her for many years, in both India and America. We studied and practiced together under some of the same master teachers and now enjoy a close collegial friendship. She has a clear mind and a generous, loving and unselfish heart. I believe that anyone interested in our practice tradition would benefit by studying with her.

— Lama Surya Das, author of Awakening the Buddha Within

Shaila is profoundly serious about her teaching and her students, and she is never more than a couple of seconds away from a hearty and joy-filled laugh, no matter what the topic. I think this is a wonderful combination of qualities in a teacher.

— Michael M., California

Studying with Shaila is a precious gift. She has something to offer everyone, from beginner to advanced practitioner. Her pragmatic teaching style ensures that I always walk away from her classes with not only a deeper understanding of the Dhamma, but also a clear understanding of how the Dhamma applies to my own spiritual practice.

— Kathleen N., Indiana

Shaila’s love and passion and faith in the dharma is an inspiration to me! She embodies the joy and happiness that she teaches, and this too, inspires.

— June K., California

Opportunities to Study with Shaila Catherine

Present links to the following: Online Courses, Retreats, Meditation in Silicon Valley, Invite Shaila. It is also possible that this section could be moved to the home page with only the Invite Shaila left on the About page.

Online Courses – Bodhi Courses is an online Dhamma classroom where Shaila offers 2-3 courses every year that each run for 2-3 months. Periodically she also offers online and local courses and sutta study through Insight Meditation South Bay.

link to BC and IMSB online calendar.

Retreats – Intensive silent retreats may focus on theses of cultivating mindfulness, concentration and jhāna, awakening through insight meditation, mindfulness with breathing, or mettā meditation.

Meditation Programs in Silicon Valley. Insight Meditation South Bay offers a variety of programs including:

drop-in meditation groups
6-week classes
lecture series
sutta study
daylong events

Invite Shaila. Shaila welcomes invitations to teach from across the United States and internationally. If you wish to invite Shaila to lead a retreat for your community or engage in a podcast contact: sit.