Kamala Masters first entered meditation practice in the mid-1970s, joining retreats in the Theravada tradition. In 1977, she met Anagarika Munindra, who became her first teacher. He had trained with Mahasi Sayadaw (1904-1982), a highly respected monk widely regarded as one of the foremost elders of the Theravada tradition in Myanmar at that time.
After several years of practice with Munindraji, he encouraged Kamala to study with Sayadaw U Pandita of Myanmar, who had assumed Mahasi Sayadaw’s role as the principal monk of the Mahasi meditation center after his passing. In 1985, she attended a one-month retreat with Sayadaw U Pandita. She found his guidance, both there and in later retreats, to be clear, thorough, and deeply inspiring. His refined understanding of practice was especially supportive during difficult periods on the path. From then on, Sayadaw U Pandita remained one of her main teachers, alongside Munindraji.
In 2005, Kamala began practicing cittanupassana, or mindfulness of mind, with Sayadaw U Tejaniya of Myanmar. Bringing U Tejaniya’s teachings into the West proved especially valuable, as they emphasized steady continuity of effort without striving.
With her teaching partner and husband, the late Steve Armstrong, she co-founded Vipassana Metta Foundation and helped develop the Maui Dhamma Sanctuary on Maui, offering mature students the opportunity to continue their practice in longer silent retreats under their guidance. During this period, she also served as one of the editors on the Vipassana Metta Foundation Translation Committee for Mahasi Sayadaw’s Manual of Insight, published by Wisdom Publications in 2016.
Kamala continues to maintain her meditation practice in daily life and makes a point of spending extended periods in self-retreat each year. She also values time with her family, including her four children and seven grandchildren. Now in her semi-retirement years, she is grateful to continue serving the Dhamma primarily at Cloud Mountain, Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Society, and online. Kamala is also an Emeritus Core Guiding Teacher of the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts.