Mei Elliott
Residential Retreat Teacher
Mei Elliott is a Dharma teacher rooted in the Theravāda tradition, dedicated to guiding practitioners toward greater joy and freedom. She began meditating in 2004 and entered residential monastic training at Tassajara Zen Monastery in 2014, where she received lay ordination from her teacher, Linda Galijan. Over the next eight years, Mei trained residentially at San Francisco Zen Center temples, where she guided Young Urban Zen—a sangha for people in their 20s and 30s—and served as the Director.
Throughout this time, Mei also practiced in the Western Insight tradition. She was authorized to teach by James Baraz, and completed Insight Meditation Center’s four-year Dharma Teacher Training under the guidance of Gil Fronsdal and Andrea Fella. Mei currently resides at Insight Retreat Center, where she volunteers as Co-Managing Director. She continues to offer teachings that support practitioners in cultivating kindness, clarity, and virtue through deepening meditation and daily-life integration.
Mei Elliott's Upcoming Programs
Retreat | On-Land
November 14 - November 21, 2025 | Friday - Friday | 7 nights
Natural Radiance: Exploring the Freedom of Awareness
Registration Open. Awareness is a beautiful, hidden jewel that is innate in everyone. Awareness illuminates experience, which supports clarity, understanding, and insight. It is a foundation for wisdom, compassion, and awakening. In this silent meditation retreat, we will explore this quality of awareness—what it is, and how to cultivate and abide in awakened presence.
Retreat | On-Land
December 12 - December 17, 2025 | Friday - Wednesday | 5 nights
Equanimity: Finding Balance in Uncertain Times
Registration Open. Equanimity (upekkhā) is a highly-valued quality in Buddhist teachings. But what is it, and how do we cultivate it in our meditation practice? How can we access equanimity in daily life, especially in the midst of uncertainty, fear, and sadness over the suffering in the world? This retreat will offer instructions, talks, sitting and walking meditations, and practice discussions to support the development of equanimity in our formal practice. We can then apply equanimity to our life off the cushion.
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Mei Elliott through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.