Learn Meditation, Vipassana & Buddhism for Mental Wellbeing

Dhammawood Meditation Center of California (Mahamevnawa Bhavana Monastery of California) is a non-profit organization based out in Riverside CA, dedicated to fostering individual spiritual development through meditation and the ancient teachings of the Buddha. Our mission is to provide a serene space for everyone, regardless of background or experience, to cultivate a calm and peaceful mind.

We’re excited to share the transformative power of meditation through free programs offered by our monks in various cities. Our current Riverside space is limited to 70 people per session, so we’re aiming to expand the Dhammawood Meditation Center to accommodate more participants. Your generous contribution will help us build or acquire a larger hall, allowing us to reach more individuals and provide a welcoming space for spiritual growth.

We offer several Free Programs for All and also community events like blood donation campaigns, and life release events.

We’re thrilled to share the transformative power of meditation. Our monks travel to Irvine and various cities, offering these programs free of charge. But we often face difficulties with booking larger conference halls to accommodate as many people as possible. Our current space in Riverside CA is limited, accommodating only up to 70 people per session.

To reach more individuals and create a welcoming space for spiritual growth, we are embarking on a journey to expand the Dhammawood Meditation Center. Our goal is to build or acquire a larger conference hall that can host a greater number of participants, allowing us to extend our offerings to the community.

How You Can Help: Your generous contribution will directly support the expansion of our meditation center. By building or purchasing a larger space, we can create a more inclusive environment and enhance our ability to provide free programs that promote peace and mindfulness.

Please join us in Building a Calmer World: Every donation, no matter the size, brings us one step closer to our goal. Let’s come together to support the expansion of Dhammawood Meditation Center and make a positive impact on the well-being of individuals in our community.

Thank you for being a part of our journey towards a more peaceful world!

Current Month

Find More Events

Meditation Teacher -The founder mahamevnawa monastic order

The Founder of

Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastic Order

Most Venerable Kiribathgoda Gnānānanda Thero is the founder of the Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastic Order. He was born in Sri Lanka in 1961.

After a traditional Sri Lankan monastic education, while studying for the Sinhala Honours Degree at Sri Jayawardhanapura University, he had an unexpected opportunity to read the Buddha’s discourses in the Pāli Canon; because of this, he abandoned temple life and began to frequent forest monasteries and hermitages, offering his life to the Dhamma with a great desire to practice it.

Learn More About Our Teacher

What People Are Saying About Us

I learned a lot. It felt like a massage for my mind. I will definitely go to the next event. Thank you so much to the organizers for making this happen.

★★★★★ 5/5

Marie Lo

I’m new to meditation and I didn’t know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere was welcoming, I love the monk’s speaking voice, and when he speaks softly, I can feel myself calming down.

★★★★★ 5/5

Katalena

Thank you sooo much for all the inspiration, guidance.🙏💫 It has truly been a life changing teaching for me personally, enhancing my life for the better, so I am utmost grateful that you continued to provide us a space to feel safe and welcomed every week to meditate together 🙏💫🧘🧘🏻‍♂️🧡

★★★★★ 5/5