Celeste Young is a Theravadin Buddhist mindfulness and Dharma teacher. She has been practicing meditation and sitting retreats since 2002. She was one of the first teachers to be empowered at InsightLA, a nonprofit Buddhist and secular mindfulness organization based in Los Angeles.
Since 2011, Celeste has worked with thousands of meditation and Dharma students teaching Buddhist Dharma and mindfulness classes, leading silent meditation retreats, and working with individual students. She teaches both in the US and internationally. Additionally, she has led corporate sessions and retreats for organizations such as Netflix and the University of Southern California.
For the last 13 years, her own practice has been centered around yearly long silent retreats in the Insight meditation tradition lasting from one to three months in length. In 2022 she also became a certified Life Balance Strategist and is extremely passionate about this work which empowers people to make mindful change in their lives. She sees life balance work and Dharma teaching and practice as a pragmatic way of supporting people in living their deeper values and navigating their lives with much more clarity and well being. Sharing in the Dharma with others brings her immense joy.
Events with Celeste Young
Simplicity and Stillness: Cultivating the 5 Spiritual Strengths [On Land]April 24 - 30, 2025
Early bird discounts extended to November 30th! This in-person retreat is open to both beginners and experienced practitioners. During this weeklong spring insight meditation retreat, we will learn to slow down and attune to the fresh simplicity of our present moment experience, rest in stillness, and connect with the heart’s inner capacity for healing and freedom. We will be exploring the cultivation of the 5 spiritual strengths or the 5 spiritual faculties that the Buddha taught: cultivating mindfulness, confidence and trust, persistence, concentration, and wisdom to support the development of our meditation practice. We’ll tend to the heart and mind…
Simplicity and Stillness: Cultivating the 5 Spiritual Strengths [Online]April 24 - 30, 2025
This online retreat is open to both beginners and experienced practitioners. During this weeklong spring insight meditation retreat, we will learn to slow down and attune to the fresh simplicity of our present moment experience, rest in stillness, and connect with the heart’s inner capacity for healing and freedom. We will be exploring the cultivation of the 5 spiritual strengths or the 5 spiritual faculties that the Buddha taught: cultivating mindfulness, confidence and trust, persistence, concentration, and wisdom to support the development of our meditation practice. We’ll tend to the heart and mind with compassionate mindfulness and strengthen our connection…
Resting in Metta: Cultivating an Awakened HeartNovember 11 - 18, 2025
Open to both beginners and experienced practitioners. Registration for this retreat closes on October 28, 2025 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. If looking to join after this date, please inquire at guestservices@bigbearretreatcenter.org Join us in the beauty of the San Bernardino mountains as we relax into the four qualities of an awakened heart: Lovingkindness (Metta), Compassion (Karuna), Appreciative Joy (Mudita) and Equanimity (Upekkha). Allowing ourselves to be held in this beautiful and secluded retreat setting, we will learn to slow down and attune to the fresh simplicity of our present moment experience. Combining the heart qualities with mindfulness, we will ease…