Teachers - Open Sangha Foundation

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Teachers

This list of teachers comes mostly from Google searches and the accuracy is up to Google data.
OSF does not endorse or promote any teacher over another. No Teacher listed here has a platform, all are treated equally


	ABHAYA DARPANA KNOXVILLE TN		Abhaya (Dustin Davis) is ordained as a Dharmacharya in the Embracing Simplicity Order under Venerables Pannavati and Pannadipa. His primary practices of Satipa·π≠·π≠hƒÅna (4 Establishings of Mindfulness) in the style offered by Bhikkhu AnƒÅlayo, ƒÄnƒÅpƒÅnasati (Breath Based Mindfulness), and the Brahma VihƒÅras (Heavenly Abidings) spring from an affinity for the approaches offered in Early Buddhism. He also has an appreciation for the later traditions, having undertaken retreats in the VajrayƒÅna and Zen traditions including formally receiving the 5 Mindfulness Trainings from Th√≠ch Nh·∫•t H·∫°nh in 2013. Having worked over 25 years in the hospital critical care setting, he brings his intimacy with the illness, death, and dying processes to bear in Dharma sharing. He is also passionate about Dharma as a central support for dealing with addictions of all kinds.

	Abuzar Khan		He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West.

	Ajahm Sucitto Chithurst West S		ntered monastic life in 1975 in Thailand but since 1978 I’ve been based in Britain. I spent fourteen years training under Ajahn Sumedho the senior Western disciple of Ajahn Chah and so I’m part of that lineage of direct practice. The lineage has an umbrella website www:forestsangha.org. I am based at Cittaviveka Monastery in Chithurst West Sussex near Petersfield in southern England (cittaviveka.org). You can visit the monastery we are receiving guests and Cittaviveka is so far back to normal.

	Ajahn Jayasaro		Jayasāro was born on the Isle of Wight in England. At the age of seventeen having been in contact with Buddhism through reading he left for India where he spent "a couple of years" travelling and learning before hitchhiking back to England. At the time he was still looking for a way of life in line with his personal principles. In Asia he heard about an Englishman who had been a monk in the Thai Forest Tradition and was leading meditation retreats. Upon hearing his stories of life as a forest monk he realised it was the way of life he was looking for.

	Ajahn-Sundara Hertfordshire UK		Ajahn Sundarā was born in France in 1946. She studied dance in England and France. After working for a few years as a dancer and teacher of contemporary dance, she had the opportunity while living and studying in England to attend a talk and later a retreat led by Ajahn Sumedho. His teachings and experience of the monastic way of life in the Forest tradition impressed her deeply. Before long this led her to visit to Chithurst Monastery, where in 1979 she asked to join the monastic community as one of the first four women novices. In 1983 she received ordination as a sīladhāra, with Ajahn Sumedho as her preceptor. After spending five years at Chithurst Monastery she went to live at Amaravati Monastery, where she took part in establishing the nuns’ community.

	Anthony Markwell Koh Phangan Surat		Anthony Markwell is an Australian Dhamma teacher and meditation instructor who shares his knowledge and practice of meditation by leading vipassana retreats, evening talks, and weekend workshops. Anthony is the founder and resident teacher at Indriya Retreat, a new English-speaking vipassana insight meditation centre on Koh Phangan, Thailand. He previously lead retreats at Kow Tahm Insight Meditation Centre between 2013-2016, where he guided thousands of meditators through silent monthly 7-day and annual 21-day vipassana retreats.

	awuso Saint Paul MN		Practicing meditation since age 3, taught by mother/grandmother/family. Precepts and Sinhala/Pail Ven. Kalukondayaawe Pannasekera, Vidyodaya Pirivena, Ven. Narada, Vajiraaramaya. In US for 38+ years. Upon reaching sufficient understanding, began Teaching/guiding meditation and Buddha Dhamma for over 30+ years: North America, Europe Asia. Secular: mindfulness coach/teacher/mentor/consultant - radical self, community, trauma care; situating practices based on original teachings within diverse cultural contexts e.g. white, Indigenous, African American etc as well as LGBQT+ and so on and institutional : K12, higher ed, health especially mental health settings; step by step instructions, for gradual training and practice, mindfulness of breathing patterns, movement, understanding mind through calmness and awareness.

	Ayya Kotte Dhammadinna Gonapola; Horana		Ayya Kotte Dhammadinna Bhikkhunī

	Ayya Medhanandi Perth Ontari		On behalf of our community, we would like to express our heartfelt joy and gratitude for your tireless support and encouragement on the Path. For many years, you have reached out to help us with bhikkhuni projects, requisites, and travel expenses. And this month, again we received your spontaneous offering of dana – which arrived soon after we completed our 10th anniversary as a Theravada bhikkhuni monastery. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu, Anumodana! It so happens that during this time our forest is being ravaged by the destructive tent caterpillars, so we really felt the stream of your kindness coming from afar to renew and uplift our spirits. We also give thanks for your many years of commitment to the growth and sustainability of the Bhikkhuni Sangha in this new millenium. Your generosity as a leadership alliance raising awareness and support creates a field of goodness for bhikkhunis around the world. Although we may face many challenges in sustaining the female monastic presence for Theravada women, your faith in our Dhamma work acts as a beacon of light that helps to strengthen and bless our communities. May whatever joy and goodness arise from our practice bring forth the riches of the Path in your lives, for your well-being and happiness. May your hearts be filled with peace.

	Ayya Medhandhi Perth, ON Ontari		Ayya Medhandhi writes of AfB’s support for Sr Anuruddha’s travel to her ordination at Dhammadharini in Penngrove, CA on Dec. 3, 2017: Thank you so much! We arrived safely, Sr Anuruddha from Vancouver and I came later after teaching a retreat in Toronto. So happy to be here and to be participating in this wonderful event. We feel great Thanksgiving to everyone at the AFB for your kindness, care and generosity in supporting Sr Anuruddha ‘s travel here. How amazing that she was able to get a visa!

	Ayya Nimmala Perth Ontari		On behalf of our community, we would like to express our heartfelt joy and gratitude for your tireless support and encouragement on the Path. For many years, you have reached out to help us with bhikkhuni projects, requisites, and travel expenses. And this month, again we received your spontaneous offering of dana – which arrived soon after we completed our 10th anniversary as a Theravada bhikkhuni monastery. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu, Anumodana! It so happens that during this time our forest is being ravaged by the destructive tent caterpillars, so we really felt the stream of your kindness coming from afar to renew and uplift our spirits. We also give thanks for your many years of commitment to the growth and sustainability of the Bhikkhuni Sangha in this new millenium. Your generosity as a leadership alliance raising awareness and support creates a field of goodness for bhikkhunis around the world. Although we may face many challenges in sustaining the female monastic presence for Theravada women, your faith in our Dhamma work acts as a beacon of light that helps to strengthen and bless our communities. May whatever joy and goodness arise from our practice bring forth the riches of the Path in your lives, for your well-being and happiness. May your hearts be filled with peace.

	Ayya Santussika Boulder Creek CA		We received the dana for the upcoming ordination–anumodana! We so much appreciate the work you are doing to help the bhikkhuni sangha grow and flourish. It is humbling and heartening to have friends in the Dhamma supporting us as we work to awaken–not only for ourselves but for all those who will benefit from the presence of fully ordained female monastics in the world. Venerable Santussika Bhikkhuni began exploring meditation in the late seventies. In 1996 she joined a Kriya yoga-based center where she deepened her meditation practice and made spiritual development the central theme of her life. In 2002 she received a Masters of Divinity degree after completing a four-year interfaith seminar program to become a minister. The program emphasized meditation study of the major world religions meticulous ethical conduct and development of the skills required in ministry such as spiritual guidance counseling support for the ill and dying teaching and conducting ceremonies. In 1999 Ayya Santussika made her first trip to Thailand to visit her son who had ordained there as a monk in Ajahn Chah’s international monastery Wat Pah Nanachat. As a guest at the monastery and mother of a monk she was able to spend a lot of time with the monks and learn from many of Ajahn Chah’s students. Over the years she traveled to Thailand once or twice each year to stay in various monasteries learning from master teachers including Ajahn Jayasaro Ajahn Anan Ajahn Dtun Luang Ta Maha Boowa and Ajahn Pannavaddho. During those years she also visited Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery many times and in 2003 formally became a student of Ajahn Pasanno. In 2004 she spent time in Australia with Ajahn Brahm and at Ajahn Kalyano’s monastery near Melbourne where she met Ajahn Plien whose teachings strongly impacted her development.

	Ayya Sudhamma Charlotte NC		Ayya (Ven.) Sudhamma was born in 1963 and raised in Charlotte NC. She was an attorney before leaving home to become a nun in 1998. She received novice ordination from Ven. H. Gunaratana (Bhante G) at the Bhavana Society in 1999.She received higher ordination as a bhikkhuni in Sri Lanka in February 2003 under her preceptor Ven. Khemacari in a ceremony led by Ven. Dhammaloka Sangha Nayaka at the Mt. Lavinia temple Tapodharanamaya.For 8 1/2 years she was the Resident Monk at the Carolina Buddhist Vihara in Greenville SC. She spent most of 2012 visiting Santi Forest Monastery in Australia. She expresses gratitude to her fellow Charlotteans for making it possible for her to return to her hometown.

	ayya yeshe bodhicitta		Ayya Yeshe Bodhicitta is a Buddhist nun of 21 years a teacher contemplative and feminist activist. Ayya is the founder and director of Bodhicitta Foundation a socially engaged Buddhist charity and girl‚Äôs home working to empower ex ‚Äúuntouchable‚Äù Ambedkarite people and poor women and children in Central India. Ayya teaches internationally and is the Abbess of Bodhicitta Dakini Buddhist Monastery Tasmania Australia. Ayya is the author of ‚ÄúEveryday Enlightenment‚Äù published by Harper Collins and has 100k hits on youtube as a sacred chants artist on the album ‚ÄúDakini.‚Äù Ayya trained mainly in Tibetan Buddhism but was fully ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh and stayed in Theravada monasteries for many years. Ayyas teachers are the Dalai Lama Thich Nhat Hanh and Bhante Sujato. She practices a fusion of Tibetan Buddhism and early Buddhism called the Mahayana Forest Tradition. www.bodhicitta-monastery.com (Australia) www.ayyayeshe.wordpress.com www.bodhicitta-vihara.com (India)

	Beth-Upton London		I have been teaching meditation since 2014 and the more I teach the more I love it. If there is one thing that I have learned in my years teaching it is that we are all different with our own strengths and weaknesses. In order to teach well I need to get to know each student individually guiding each to tap into their own innate wisdom offering instruction that fits each student’s unique circumstances. /The ten years I spent as a Buddhist nun afforded me the great privilege of being able to practise meditation in much depth and detail. I was blessed with masterful teachers and all of the support I could have hoped for. I spent five years in Myanmar training diligently in the Theravada tradition under the guidance of Pa Auk Sayadaw. I then spent a further five years training in several other methods and spent many months doing long solo retreats in various caves and forests./The opportunity to practise meditation so comprehensively has been the greatest gift of my life. My passion is now to repay that debt of gratitude by providing the same opportunity to others. Since deciding to disrobe in 2018 I have been on a sharp and wonderful learning curve reintegrating the challenges of western lay life into my Dhamma practice. Through this process not only has my appreciation of the Dhamma grown deeper but also my understanding of the students I am teaching. /As well as teaching meditation I am also enthusiastic about building community. Over the past years I have been leading Sanditthika Meditation Community in the caves of Almeria Southern Spain./To book a meeting for personal instruction please follow this link to the appointment page of my website and book an appointment from there.

	BHANTE PANNA Seattle WA		This is a small introduction about who I am and was previously and the truths I‚Äôve encountered and reasons why I see the path as I do.

	Dhamma Maha Theri		Bhikkhuni Dhamma Maha Theri

	Bhikkhuni Dhammamegha Akola, Mahara		Works at Directar M.P.G.B.T.C. Shravasti u.p. Studies at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University Goes to SRD Public Sr. Sec. School, Akola Lives in Akola, Maharashtra

	Bhikkhuni H. Supeshala San Diego, CA		Bhikkhuni H. Supeshala writes of the reconstruction of kutis and meditation hall: Your continuous effort to send the contributions towards my project is indeed of great help to me. Much merit to all the donors for their generous contributions. With the donations I received from you, the tiling of the verandah has been completed and we had a ceremony to ordain a nun in that premises last Monday.I am happy to inform you that I intend to start construction of the upper floor in the near future.May the Noble Triple Gem bless you and everyone in your organization and most importantly all the donors who has contributed so generously for this project.May you all attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana!!!

	Thiew Suthasinee Noiin Amphoe Mueang Yasoth		Bhikkhuni Suthasinee klui-ngern has developed an interactive treatment method for youths with drug addiction problems. she trains former drug users who have completed her program to counsel newcomers and…

	Bhikkhuni Visuddhi Prostejov		I want to thank you once again for providing me financial help and support. With all the politics around bhikkhunis in the world and lack of support we have I appreciate even more those people who see us and are willing to support and help us.

	Bishop Shokai Kanai Honolulu HI		This morning Bishop Shokai Kanai was installed as the new Head Minister for the Nichiren Mission of Hawaii. He comes to Hawaii by way of the Los Angeles ... SHOKAI KANAI, Bishop Installed Resident Minister, December 2018 Previous temple: Nichiren Buddhist Kannon Temple of Nevada, Las Vegas Previous rank: Bishop, Nichren Shu of North America

	DAN GOLDFIELD Bristol		Dan is a dhamma teacher in the lineage of Bhikkhu Buddhadasa. He learned the dhamma via hundreds of hours of Skype calls with Dhammarato and also received Dzogchen transmission from Tempa Dukte Lama of Olmo Ling Monastery in Pittsburgh PA. /Dan is about to earn an accredited teaching certificate in Complementary Healthcare Educational Theory & Personal Development. He is husband to a qualified Neuropsychologist who confirms his teaching from the academic perspective. /Dan became interested in dhamma first of all seeking simple stress relief. He was working hard playing hard and paying the consequences! He ’shopped around’ for a year or so before spotting a post by our own Noah Starbuck on r/streamentry where Noah was kindly offering the opportunity to speak with Dhammarato./Dan’s first call with Dhammarato lasted 3 hours and he called right back the next day for round 2. Finally Dan felt he was hearing satisfactory answers to those deepest of questions he’d had since his earliest memories. Dan enjoys a daily gratitude high for Dhammarato Bhikkhu Buddhadasa and the rest of the noble lineage. Following Dhammarato’s example Dan’s practice these days is better described as ‘play’. Dan decided early on that first jhana—as described in the suttas—sounded like a good place to hang out. So he used Anapanasati to dance along the Eightfold Noble Path until the hindrances fell behind the horizon./Dan teaches the dhamma in friendship. Conversations are casual & lighthearted. No formal structure is necessary: the dhamma is transmitted naturally in a one-to-one setting. This is what it was like for Dan learning with Dhammarato and it is a potent method. Unavoidably the Four Noble Truths and Anapanasati will show up and for those who are interested Dan enjoys sharing insights into how other wisdom teachings agree with the supra-mundane dhamma./Further for those who wish to embrace lay life Dan is currently developing a system for engaging with the world on the foundation of supra-mundane insight.

	Daniel Ingram		Daniel Ingram MD MSPH is the CEO and Board Chair of Emergence Benefactors that supports the Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium. He was an emergency medicine physician for 12 years primarily at major trauma centers. Daniel is author of Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha: An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book and coauthor of The Fire Kasina with Shannon Stein. The Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium’s website is theeprc.org. Daniel shares the maps of experience and the stages of insight of Buddhist meditation and practices that enable one to live in the now with more meaning and purpose.

	Dhammachari Anand Shakya Malvan, Mahara		Nadiad, Gujarat, India · Chandkheda, Gujarat, India · Surendranagar district, Gujarat, India · Malvan, Maharashtra, India · Bhuj, Gujarat, India · Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India · Adipur, Gujarat, India · Vadodara, Gujarat, India · Kalol, Gujarat, India · Dhrangadhra, Gujarat, India

	Dhamma Citta Cambridge		Dhammacitta works as a GP and leads study and events for women. Team. Abhayamati · Abhayamati. Centre Team; Centre Manager; Tai Chi Teacher. Dhammacitta has been practicing Buddhism and meditation since her 20s and has now on a 500 hour yoga training.

	Dhammadharini Penngrove, CA		Dhammadharini means "Upholding the Dhamma" in the female form We are a community of seekers, supporters, practitioners and teachers inspired by the Theravada Forest and Insight traditions, the Early Buddhist teachings of Mindfulness & Insight, and the Bhikkhunis' way of monastic life.

	Dhammaratana Lorong Maarof Bangsa		About The Most Venerable Datuk K. Sri Dhammaratana 拿督达摩拉达那长老 is a Sri Lankan born Malaysian Buddhist monk and the incumbent Buddhist Chief High Priest of Malaysia since the passing of his predecessor in 2006. Wikipedia Born: July 24 1948 (age 76 years) Dominion of Ceylon Organization founded: Ti-Ratana Welfare Society Title: Buddhist Chief High Priest of Malaysia

	Dhammarato Ampoe Koh Phangan Surat		Dhammarato is a dhamma teacher in the lineage of Bhikkhu Buddhadasa. Now retired into the Lay life, He spent many years as a monk in both Thailand and USA. He lives in Thailand on Kho Phangan and invites all dhamma friends to come hang out. He talks about the supramundane dhamma as instructed by Achan Pho the abbot of Wat Suan Mokkh..

	Bhikkhuni Cittananda Boulder Creek CA		I want to thank you once again for providing me financial help and support. With all the politics around bhikkhunis in the world and lack of support we have I appreciate even more those people who see us and are willing to support and help us.

	Francis Lacoste		Francis Lacoste is at heart a practitioner of the Chaos Dharma or what Shinzen Young calls a ‚Äúpoly-spiritual‚Äù. Following his curiosity and his intuition he‚Äôs deeply interested by the complementarity of different contemplative traditions. He‚Äôs now studying with Vince and Emily Horn as their non-dogmatic modular approach to meditation their individualized ‚Äúspiritual midwifery‚Äù and their plain deep humanity resonate with him. He teaches courses as part of the Buddhist Geeks selection of offerings as well as being availabe for one-on-one instruction on a dana basis. He brings his contemplative experience in his work as a manager and coach in software engineering where he helps teams and individuals in their development. He lives in Montreal QC with his wife their three sons and rabbit.

	Gabby Bernstine Dover, DE		Administrator only user Dhammarato is a dhamma teacher in the lineage of Bhikkhu Buddhadasa. Now retired into the Lay life He spent many years as a monk in both Thailand and USA. He lives in Thailand on Kho Phangan and invites all dhamma friends to come hang out. He talks about the supramundane dhamma as instructed by Achan Pho the abbot of Wat Suan Mokkh..

	Gary-Weber Peekskill, NY		The Essence of Awakening Self-inquiry vs the egos/Is - How it works - the neuroscience Updating Your Brain's Software Dancing Hands for Lower Anxiety, Higher Cognition and Awakening Right-sizing your "I", understanding confirmation bias...new studies Mindfulness works for women, but not for men?..new research Can we survive w/our current OS and buggy programs? Aleppo, Trump, Berlin, Orlandos, Nice...what can you do? Why lightning, trees, rivers, and lungs look the same... Relationships, Attachments, and Nonduality...FAQs What nonduality is (bliss) and isn't (no bliss)... There's no free will...accept it, attack it, hide it or ignore it? How to deepen your awakening practices - neuroscientifically What is an "E(e)nlightenment experience?"...a new scientific, secular model Living without a past - what's it like? Is that "human"? Dialogues with Oskar - Nondual seeing, "I" blocker, bliss, liberation, just "now" Dialogues with Oskar - Fewer thoughts, very still, 2D/3D perceptions, no doership Dialogues with Oskar...new places, losing control, fewer Oskars, love Dialogues with Oskar - Consciousness, resistance, spiritual identity, progress Dialogues w/Oskar - Stressful situations, rock climbing, loneliness, motivation

	Geshe Kelsang Gyatso London		On 19 September 2022, the NKT announced the death of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche ( Geshe Kelsang Gyatso was a Buddhist monk, meditation teacher, scholar, and author. He was the founder and spiritual director of the New Kadampa Tradition-International Kadampa Buddhist Union, a registered non-profit, modern Buddhist organization that came out of the Gelugpa school/lineage.

	Geshe Thupten Phelgye		Geshe Thupten Phelgye is a Tibetan Buddhist lama who is known for promoting vegetarianism and humane treatment of animals, and for his work as a peace activist. Geshe Thupten Phelgye represents the Gelug tradition in the Tibetan Parliament in Exile.

	Gil-Fosdale CA		Gil is the founding teacher and a co-guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California, and the Insight Retreat Center in Santa Cruz, California. He is also a founder of the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies, where he is the Dean of its Buddhist Chaplaincy training programs. He has trained as a monk and as a teacher in both Burmese Theravāda and Japanese Sōtō Zen. In addition to books on Buddhist meditation practice, his published translations of Buddhist texts, including The Dhammapada: A New Translation of the Buddhist Classic with Annotations (Shambhala, 2005) and The Buddha Before Buddhism: A Translation of the Aṭṭhakavagga with Commentary (Shambhala, 2016). His dissertation was published in 2014 as Dawn of the Bodhisattva Path: The Early Perfection of Wisdom (Institute of Buddhist Studies and BDK America).

	Jack-Kornfield Woodacre CA		Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, India, and Burma. He was ordained only a few months. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is a founding teacher of the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California. He is one of the key teachers to introduce mindfulness practice to the West, has taught internationally since 1974, and is the author of 16 books which have sold 2 million copies. He is the most expensive teacher.

	Joe Stanski Bellac Haute-		I am a 35 year old practitioner that has been practicing for about 10 years. Looking to find my way to see whats really happening in the here and now.

	Joseph-Goldstien Barre MA		Joseph Goldstein has been leading insight and lovingkindness meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. He is a cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, where he is on the guiding teachers’ Founders Council. In 1989, together with several other teachers and students of insight meditation, he helped establish the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. Joseph first became interested in Buddhism as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand in 1965. Since 1967 he has studied and practiced different forms of Buddhist meditation under eminent teachers from India, Burma and Tibet. He is the author of Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening, A Heart Full of Peace, One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism, Insight Meditation: The Practice of Freedom, The Experience of Insight, and co-author of Seeking the Heart of Wisdom and Insight Meditation: A Correspondence Course.

	Kenneth-Folk Huntsville, AL		Private Instruction: I am pleased to offer one-on-one personal dharma training and meditation coaching on a fee-for-service basis. Sessions are 45 minutes, audio only. My fee is USD $185 per session. I prefer weekly sessions but also offer biweekly, monthly, and ad hoc scheduling. I am just now easing back into work after almost two years of retirement, so I have space on my calendar for now, but this is unlikely to last; if you’re interested in private sessions, now is a good time to lock down a time slot. Please contact me at kennethfolkdharma at gmail dot com for scheduling, or for more information. Looking forward to hearing from you,

	kmar101 CO		Live in the states but enjoy connecting with others through online. Began path in Jodo Shinshu but have in the past few years changed to Theravada and Pa Auk school

	Leigh-Brasington		Leigh Brasington's Bio. Leigh Brasington has been practicing meditation since 1985 and is the senior American student of the late Ven. Ayya Khema. Leigh began assisting Ven. Ayya Khemma in 1994, and began teaching retreats on his on in 1997. He is also authorized to teach by Jack Kornfield.

	Maria Serena Donatelli		I will assume you know that these ‚Äúbiographical‚Äù introductions are generally written in the third person by the person allegedly being talked about! In the interest of transparency honesty and intimacy I am rejecting that strategy and I am going to tell you a bit about myself directly. From the age of 4 or 5 years old I‚Äôd been having experiences that only Buddhism seemed to make any sense of (once I discovered Buddhist books when I was around 10 or 11). These experiences were intimations of what the Buddhist tradition refers to as ‚Äúnot-self‚Äù and ‚Äúemptiness.‚Äù I read some books about Buddhism throughout high school but more from curiosity than from any sense of necessity or desire to take up the practice. My sister‚Äôs death from cancer when I was 16 shook me to my core and I began a deep search for meaning in the face of mortality. At 18 I began practicing at the NY Dharmadhatu where I practiced for several years before making my way to the NY Zendo Shobo-ji. After a year or so there I turned away from any formal relationship with teachers or community but I practiced informally at Zen Mountain Monastery with no inclination to become a formal student. In 1989 I began practicing in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh my dharma teachers being Lyn Fine and Patricia Hunt-Perry. By 1997 I ordained into the Tiep Hien Order. However already by 2000 no longer thrilled by what I saw happening in the community I began study with Samu Sunim who ordained me as a dharma teacher (poep sa) in Toronto on July 4th 2007. I‚Äôve earned a Graduate Level Diploma in Buddhist Studies under Peter Harvey through the University of Sunderland. Realizing I did not want an academic career I chose not to write a thesis hence no letters after my name. I have two daughters separated by 36 years and live in Tucson Arizona where I enjoy co-parenting my younger daughter. I founded and served as guiding teacher of the Empty Mountain Sangha and the Tucson Mindfulness Practice Community which has evolved into a peer-led group. I have the great joy and privilege to teach classes lecture and lead retreats and workshops throughout North and Central America as well as in Asia. I was invited by Wisdom Publications to write a book integrating the four foundations of mindfulness with the movements and postures of hatha-yoga. That book Mindfulness Yoga: The Awakened Union of Breath Body and Mind offers a fully comprehensive and integrated practice of hatha-yoga-asana with Buddhist mindfulness (vipassana) meditation based upon the instructions of the Buddha on the four Foundations of Mindfulness. I‚Äôve studied and practiced many forms of meditation and work with each student to find which techniques seem best suited to one‚Äôs life situation. The basic core practice is satipatthana (four foundations of mindfulness) which includes focused attention and inquiry into body (breath posture activities of the body parts and elements of the body and it‚Äôs dissolution); feelings (the felt-sense of experience whether pleasant unpleasant or neutral); mental formations (all other mental activities such as perception emotion thought) and dhammas (investigation into phenomena). Along with satipatthana other key practices include the four immeasurables (kindness; compassion; selfless joy and equanimity); lojong (mind training); tonglen (the exchanging of self and other); naikan (the practice of gratitude) and more.

	NOON-BALDWIN		Noon Baldwin is an ex circus artist street performer who retired from the circus in 2004 to dedicate his life to spiritual practice and iving in Dhamma centres (France South Africa) Amaravati monastery (UK). Noon co-created and co-runs Ekuthuleni a back to basics meditation center in the foothills of the French Pyrenees. Noon?s main influence is the Thai Forrest tradition of Ajahn Chah but has an interest in many spiritual traditions and has been practising with Jaya Ashmore from Open Dharma since 2008. He enjoys how the traditional open spirituality practices meet as one in his heart./Connecting with curiosity energy with a sense of embodying spiritual practice through in-depth body grounding meditations are currently Noon?s fields of exploration. He is transgendered, a two spirit person all in one.He teachers Dharma in both French and English. Noon’s influences are varied, with an interest in all spiritualities: retreats and courses with Jaya Ashmore from Open Dharma since 2008, the Buddhist tradition of Ajahn Chah since 2000, Tibetan Buddhism, sacred chanting, silent walking & movement. He enjoys how the traditional and open spirituality practices meet as one in his heart. Noon’s varied life experience brings a listening with vibrancy, an alive practice he loves to share. Connecting with curiosity & energy, with a sense of embodying spiritual practice through in depth body grounding meditations are Noon’s fields of exploration. He is transgendered… a two spirit person all in one.

	Poepsa Frank Jude Boccio		I will assume you know that these ‚Äúbiographical‚Äù introductions are generally written in the third person by the person allegedly being talked about! In the interest of transparency honesty and intimacy I am rejecting that strategy and I am going to tell you a bit about myself directly. From the age of 4 or 5 years old I‚Äôd been having experiences that only Buddhism seemed to make any sense of (once I discovered Buddhist books when I was around 10 or 11). These experiences were intimations of what the Buddhist tradition refers to as ‚Äúnot-self‚Äù and ‚Äúemptiness.‚Äù I read some books about Buddhism throughout high school but more from curiosity than from any sense of necessity or desire to take up the practice. My sister‚Äôs death from cancer when I was 16 shook me to my core and I began a deep search for meaning in the face of mortality. At 18 I began practicing at the NY Dharmadhatu where I practiced for several years before making my way to the NY Zendo Shobo-ji. After a year or so there I turned away from any formal relationship with teachers or community but I practiced informally at Zen Mountain Monastery with no inclination to become a formal student. In 1989 I began practicing in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh my dharma teachers being Lyn Fine and Patricia Hunt-Perry. By 1997 I ordained into the Tiep Hien Order. However already by 2000 no longer thrilled by what I saw happening in the community I began study with Samu Sunim who ordained me as a dharma teacher (poep sa) in Toronto on July 4th 2007. I‚Äôve earned a Graduate Level Diploma in Buddhist Studies under Peter Harvey through the University of Sunderland. Realizing I did not want an academic career I chose not to write a thesis hence no letters after my name. I have two daughters separated by 36 years and live in Tucson Arizona where I enjoy co-parenting my younger daughter. I founded and served as guiding teacher of the Empty Mountain Sangha and the Tucson Mindfulness Practice Community which has evolved into a peer-led group. I have the great joy and privilege to teach classes lecture and lead retreats and workshops throughout North and Central America as well as in Asia. I was invited by Wisdom Publications to write a book integrating the four foundations of mindfulness with the movements and postures of hatha-yoga. That book Mindfulness Yoga: The Awakened Union of Breath Body and Mind offers a fully comprehensive and integrated practice of hatha-yoga-asana with Buddhist mindfulness (vipassana) meditation based upon the instructions of the Buddha on the four Foundations of Mindfulness. I‚Äôve studied and practiced many forms of meditation and work with each student to find which techniques seem best suited to one‚Äôs life situation. The basic core practice is satipatthana (four foundations of mindfulness) which includes focused attention and inquiry into body (breath posture activities of the body parts and elements of the body and it‚Äôs dissolution); feelings (the felt-sense of experience whether pleasant unpleasant or neutral); mental formations (all other mental activities such as perception emotion thought) and dhammas (investigation into phenomena). Along with satipatthana other key practices include the four immeasurables (kindness; compassion; selfless joy and equanimity); lojong (mind training); tonglen (the exchanging of self and other); naikan (the practice of gratitude) and more.

	Rev Seishin Clark		Seishin Clark currently heads the activities of the UK Tendai Community. His small humble temple is located in Hythe Hampshire on the South Coast of England and was given the name Shikandō by Reverend Ichishima Shōshin. Shikan stands for śamatha – vipaśyanā and refers to the prime meditation practice of Tendai Buddhism. Seishin was ordained by the late Reverend Ganshin Rock on 31st July 2013. Reverend Ganshin was the first Tendai priest in the UK and a disciple of Reverend Ichishima. After Ganshin’s death in 2014 Seishin became the direct disciple of Reverend Ichishima and is currently under his tutelage. The activities of the UK Tendai Sangha take place on a monthly basis throughout the year and involve offering the daily service meditation Dharma talks and other activities.

	Rev. Densho Quintero Sensei Berkeley CA		Rev. Denshō Quintero is a Sōtō zen priest Dharma heir of Shohaku Okumura Rōshi (head teacher of Sanshin Zen Community in Bloomington Indiana). In 2013 he was appointed Sōtōshu missionary teacher. He started practicing in 1984 and received monk ordination in France in 1987. In October 2001 he received formal ordination as a monk from the Japanese Soto school from Abbot Ven. Shinyu Miyaura at Antaiji Temple Japan. After Miyaura Roshi’s death in February 2002 he became student of Shohaku Okumura Roshi. In 2009 he received Dharma Transmission (Denpo) from Okumura Roshi and completed the ceremony of Zuise in the two Head Temples in Japan Sojiji and Eiheiji. At present Denshō is the head Teacher of (Magnanimous Mind) Daishin Temple of the Colombian Soto Zen Community in Bogota. He has translated several texts into Spanish among which are the books Opening the hand of thought by Kosho Uchiyama Rōshi (Kairos Barcelona 2009) and Heart of Zen a practice without Gaining Mind from various authors (CSZC 2012). He is the author of the books in Spanish Zen Consciousness Reflections for Everyday Life (Alhue. Buenos Aires 2006) Zen Awakening the path of a Colombian monk (Intermedio. Bogota 2011) Zen a path of transformation (Kairos. Barcelona 2016) and Doubting your own understanding (destiempo. Bogota 2018). And he is co-author of Boundless Vows Endless practice (Dogen Institute 2018) and Buddhism and Christianity in Dialogue (PUJ- San Pablo. Bogota 2018). Soto Zen Buddhist Association • 2111 San Pablo Ave. #2452 • Berkeley CA • 94702 info@szba.org

	Rev. Joan Hogetsu Hoeberichts Tiburon, CA.		Joan Hogetsu Hoeberichts, Roshi LCSW, LMFT, MBA is a teacher in the White Plum lineage. She studied with Roshi Bernie Glassman, Roshi Taizan Maezumi and received Dharma Transmission from Roshi Nicolee Jikyo Miller in 2004. She founded and is now Abbot of Heart Circle Zen in New Jersey. She has been teaching Healthy Boundaries for Buddhist Leaders from the inception of the course. She is also a psychotherapist in private practice where she specializes in trauma and family therapy. She has published chapters and articles on Zen practice and psychotherapy in various publications. She received two awards for Outstanding Women in Buddhism for her work in Sri Lanka following the tsunami of 2004. She is also a wife, mother, grandmother of five and a hiker and kayaker. She and her husband now live in Tiburon, CA.

	Richard Barre MA		Deep respect and an appreciation of the profundity and transformative significance of the Buddhist tradition, critical examination, and comparative perspective each find expression in the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies’ Insight Journal, published since 1994. Explore and experience key insights of Buddhist inquiry in this freely offered, online resource. Browse all articles by author or volume.

	Sailor-Bo Melbourne Victor		In 1975 Bob went to India to live in the Ashram. In 1976/77 he spent 12 months with Nisargadatta Maharaj in Bombay. Since this time thousands of seekers from all over the world have come to his home in Melbourne, Australia for individual sessions and to join regular weekly group meetings. Bob also connects individually via Skype and holds zoom groups 3 times a week. By following Bob’s pointers seekers either settle for less suffering or earnestly continue the search untill all questions are extinguished and questioner ‘dissolves’ into nothing. Through Bob’s devotion and enthusiasm many have woken from the nightmare of belief in being separate entities. Having awoken some write books, provide their own pointers to the truth or some just quietly serve ‘themselves in others’ wherever Life places them. The potential to recognize this simplicity of presence awareness is here now, it lays right in front of us, under the veil of ever changing, passing thoughts. These thoughts are simply another way the One Essence appears and expresses itself.

	Bhikkhuni Cittananda Boulder Creek CA		We received the dana for the upcoming ordination–anumodana! We so much appreciate the work you are doing to help the bhikkhuni sangha grow and flourish. It is humbling and heartening to have friends in the Dhamma supporting us as we work to awaken–not only for ourselves but for all those who will benefit from the presence of fully ordained female monastics in the world. Ayya Cittananda took Anagarika precepts at Karuna Buddhist Vihara in March of 2015 Samaneri ordination in April of 2016 and Bhikkhuni ordination in May of ... I want to thank you once again for providing me financial help and support. With all the politics around bhikkhunis in the world and lack of support we have I appreciate even more those people who see us and are willing to support and help us.

	Samten Uong Bi		Originally from Britain but residing in S.E. Asia. Trained in Vietnamese Zen and S.B.T. (Secular Buddhist Tradition). Meditation Instructor guiding daily online meditation sessions (often twice a day). Skillful Living Instructor. Takes a secular approach to meditation and mindfulness practices.

	Dhammarato sa Koh Phangan Surat		Administrator only user Dhammarato is a dhamma teacher in the lineage of Bhikkhu Buddhadasa. Now retired into the Lay life He spent many years as a monk in both Thailand and USA. He lives in Thailand on Kho Phangan and invites all dhamma friends to come hang out. He talks about the supramundane dhamma as instructed by Achan Pho the abbot of Wat Suan Mokkh..

	Santikaro Norfork Wi		Kevala Retreat Center was inspired by Wat Suan Mokkh in Thailand. Sitting on a hill in Southwestern Wisconsin, it consists of three guest houses where people can come stay and retreat either alone or with a group. There are only a few rooms available, so not many people will be there at one time. In the front, there are two of the guest houses, one with a shared kitchen and library space upstairs, and the house of Santikaro and his wife Marie Jo. Marie Jo and Santikaro spend some time each day taking care of the wildlife, the trails, and the horses that live on the property, but they are both available to schedule a chat with at any time if you just knock on their door. Walking to the back, there is a long soft grass trail with 6 or 5 places to veer off and sit on a little bench in seclusion. It’s like a beautiful little nature park full of native flora and fauna. There is also one guest house in the back of the property that sits more secluded than the houses in front. Santikaro and Marie Jo also keep three friendly cats that wander around making friends with the guests. Guests are expected to bring their own food, keep to their own schedule, and to clean up after themselves. It’s a wonderful place to come and retreat on your own or in a group.

	SARI-MARKKANEN		Sari Markkanen was already at a young age interested in spiritual and existential questions. She fell in love with Insight meditation in 2005 after years of other meditative practices. Sari has practiced meditation on long retreats in Gaia House, in Finland and in monasteries in Thailand, and has been especially keen on exploring emptiness and jhana practices as taught by her close teacher Rob Burbea. She was invited to a teacher training guided by Rob Burbea, Martine Batchelor and Caroline Jones, which she completed at the end of 2020. Rob’s teachings have greatly informed Sari’s way of teaching dharma.

	Sayalay Khema Cari		Let me share again this short explanation of Sayadaw about his Thabarwa centers 'without limits to do good deeds'... So often people misunderstanding the benefit of welcoming all....Or they appreciate in theory but when it comes to practice want to kick out this one or that one individual who is disturbing them (and limits become always more tight and intolerance grow fast)... Recently I spent more time in our USA Thabarwa center which is easily criticised for being messy, dirty, out of control.... And we can say it is truly messy, disorganised, quite dirty....Being grown up in Switzerland these conditions are also very challenging to me BUT BUT... , what I could experience there was a great relaxation due to freedom. No control. No intolerance. No limits imposed.... People are free to do good as much as they want and over... People are accepted/tolerated as they are... People are free to relax and become better persons because they come to wish for it, not because they have no other choice than obey a standard to-be accepted.... People really develop wisdom by the time, develop wisdom as result of free wisdom and not as result of repression and constriction or control...

	Sharon Salzberg Barre, MA		Born in New York City in 1952, Sharon Salzberg experienced a childhood involving considerable loss and turmoil. An early realization of the power of meditation to overcome personal suffering determined her life direction. Her teaching and writing now communicates that power to a worldwide audience of practitioners. She offers non-sectarian retreat and study opportunities for participants from widely diverse backgrounds. Sharon first encountered Buddhism in 1969, in an Asian philosophy course at the State University of New York, Buffalo. The course sparked an interest that, in 1970, took her to India, for an independent study program. Sharon traveled motivated by “an intuition that the methods of meditation would bring me some clarity and peace.” In 1971, in Bodh Gaya, India, Sharon attended her first intensive meditation course. She spent the next years engaged in intensive study with highly respected meditation teachers. She returned to America in 1974 and began teaching vipassana (insight) meditation. Vintage Sharon SalzbergIn 1976, she established, together with Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield, the Insight Meditation

	Shinzen-Young North; Yardley PA		Shinzen is like no other teacher you’ve ever encountered. He merges scientific clarity, a rare grasp of source-language teachings East and West, and a gift for sparking insight through unexpected analogies, illustrations, humor, and firsthand accounts that reveal the inner journey to be as wondrous as any geographical expedition.

	smvan scoyoc Bartlesville		I am a wife mother and grandmother. I have worked as a psychologist for decades. I have experienced and observed dukka. Because of my experience and observing dukka in others I was drawn to Buddhism. I first attended retreats run by the Friends of Western Buddhism then on to Theravada and later on to Tibetan Buddhism. In recent years I have joined some "modern buddhism' sanghas such as Dhamachanics and Open Sangha Foundation. I am a member of Dhammarato's sangha.

	Stephen Doetsu Ca		Stephen Doetsu Snyder began practicing daily meditation in 1976. Since then, he has studied Buddhism extensively—investigating and engaging in Zen, Tibetan, Theravada, and Western non-dual traditions. He was authorized to teach in the Theravada Buddhist tradition in 2007 and the Zen Buddhist schools of Soto and Rinzai in 2022. Stephen is a senior student of Roshi Mark Sando Mininberg. Stephen’s resonant and warmhearted teaching style engages students around the globe through in-person and online retreats, as well as one-on-one coaching. He encourages students to turn toward their true nature and, with realization of their true nature, embody their true identity. Stephen is the author of four books, including Trust in Awakening, Demystifying Awakening and Buddha’s Heart. He also co-authored Practicing the Jhānas.

	SUMEDHA TN		Earlier Sari has taught secular mindfulness (MBSR) Mindful Self Compassion (MSC) and she was a pioneer in teaching mindfulness in schools in Finland and taught it for a big part voluntarily for many years. She has written two books about mindfulness kindness and compassion practices for children.

	Suvira Bhikkhuni.Smithfield NSW		Suvira Bhikkhuni.Smithfield The roses smell nicer the colours are brighter and someone has been polishing Full ordination as a Buddhist nun, or Bhikkhuni, is lifechanging for women like Ayya Suvira. "My ordination day was the happiest day of my life," says Suvira Bhikkhuni. "The motion is passed to accept you as a member of the sangha – it's a very special experience." the grass again! Joy can make a big difference in our lives boosting our health relaxing our bodies and making us forget our difficulties and worries. People generally associate Buddhism with happiness. Buddhist meditation and mindfulness are well known ways to beat stress but what role does joy have in that? What did the Buddha really say about joy? And how can we use it to improve and give meaning to our day-to-day lives? Join this interactive session to find out! About the speaker: Ayyā Suvīrā is Buddhist nun (bhikkhunī) in the Theravāda tradition and a student of Bhante Sujato. She received the going-forth ordination as a sāmaṇerī in 2016 and higher ordination as a bhikkhunī at Dhammasara Nuns’ Monastery in 2019 with Ayyā Santinī of Indonesia as preceptor and Ajahn Brahm as instructing teacher.

	Tara Brach Bethesda MD		Tara Brach, Ph.D. is a meditation teacher, psychologist and author of several books including international bestselling Radical Acceptance, Radical Compassion and Trusting the Gold. Her teaching blends Western psychology and Eastern spiritual practices, mindful attention to our inner life, and a full, compassionate engagement with our world. Tara is the founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington and, together with Jack Kornfield, has co-founded Cloud Sangha and the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training Program, which serves participants from 74 countries around the world.

	Thanissaro Bhikkhu Valley Center CA		This is Achan Thannissaro wat founded in 1990's there are a number of western monks

	Tõnn Sarv		Tõnn Sarv was born 1949 in Estonia and currently lives in Thailand. He studied biology and music theory, and has worked as a music teacher, chairman of a social movement organisation, and CEO of a booksellers company. He has been practising meditation for over thirty years, and is currently living in a Buddhist monastery. He is the author of How to be, Learn to Say Good-Bye and several other books on spirituality and self-help.

	Upali- Tazewell, TN		Upāli (Sanskrit and Pāli) was a monk, one of the ten chief disciples of the Buddha[1] and, according to early Buddhist texts, the person in charge of the reciting and reviewing of monastic discipline (Pāli and Sanskrit: vinaya) on the First Buddhist Council. Upāli belongs to the barber community. He met the Buddha when still a child, and later, when the Sakya princes received ordination, he did so as well. He was ordained before the princes, putting humility before caste. Having been ordained, Upāli learnt both Buddhist doctrine (Pali: Dhamma; Sanskrit: Dharma) and vinaya. His preceptor was Kappitaka. Upāli became known for his mastery and strictness of vinaya and was consulted often about vinaya matters. A notable case he decided was that of the monk Ajjuka, who was accused of partisanship in a conflict about real estate. During the First Council, Upāli received the important role of reciting the vinaya, for which he is mostly known.

	Ven. Dhammavijaya Bhikkhuni Yakkalamulla, Galle		Dhamma Moli is a Buddhist project based in Nepal that provides shelter and education to young Nepalese girls at risk of falling victim to human traffickers who will sell them to brothels in India. Founded by two Buddhist nuns, Venerable Sisters Molini and Dhamma Vijaya through this project will visit different villages in Nepal and talk to families about the problems with the sale of girls. They will then make requests to the parents of the at-risk girls to allow their daughters to live in Kathmandu under their supervision. Upon obtaining permission of their parents, they will bring the girls to Kathmandu to live in a monastery. The girls will then get education in basic living skills, academic subjects and vocational competence within a Buddhist monastic environment.

	Vincent Horn Antioch CA		’d say I’ve gotten more practical less idealistic about work over time because being an “expert” in the field doesn’t mean that I can build a good company. It doesn’t grant that immediately. Over time I’ve had to loosen my idealism about meditation and just focus more on the nuts and bolts of marketing of building technological systems of integrating those systems and providing good service to people. Just the basics of business — like having a two-year cash flow a good budgeting system and good relationships with investors — and all of the different dimensions and aspects of business that are their own skills. Meditation can support those skills but they don’t translate one-to-one by any stretch of the imagination.

	Visuddhi Bhikkhuni Prostejov		Bhikkhunī Visuddhi therī Bhikkhunī Visuddhi is a fully ordained Buddhist nun (bhikkhunī) in the theravāda tradition She is also a Dhamma and meditation teacher from the Czech Republic. Her first teacher, Venerable Rewatadhamma Sayado, a prominent Theravāda Buddhist monk and noted Abhidhamma scholar from Myanmar, inspired her to walk the path of Buddha’s teaching. In 2003, after practicing Dhamma for many years as a lay practitioner in the Buddhist monastery Dhammapala in Switzerland, venerable Bhikkhunī Visuddhi went to Sri Lanka and received ordination as a sāmaṇerī (novice). She lived a simple life of seclusion in Srī Gothami ārāma in Olabudowa, a small village. Together with other nuns and with her teacher bhikkhunī Matale Vijitha, during the years she spent there, she focused on teaching Dhamma, doing social work and helping families in need. Bhikkhunī Visuddhi gave special attention to poverty stricken children: She taught Sunday Dhamma school in Olabudowa and Sambodhi Vihāra in Colombo and founded Suriya Lamai project “Children of the Sun.” Its aim is to enable children from Underprivileged families to be educated and to be provided with basic needs.

	ZOHAR LAVIE		Zohar has been practicing meditation since 1995 and teaching meditation and Dharma since 2006. This journey has taken her from the meditation cushion into exploring further ways of expressing truth and love and in 2004 she co-founded SanghaSeva. She now spends her time facilitating retreats both retreats that offer service as a spiritual path and silent retreats and Dharma gatherings in India Europe Israel and Palestine. Zohar is co-founder of the scholarship fund Spring Up Foundation.