Bhikkhuni
Vimala (bhikkhuni means female
monk) has been a student of Bhante Sujatha since 2006, and
a Buddhist since 1995. She began her
Buddhist studies as a member of the Milwaukee Shambhala Center,
but upon meeting Bhante 11 years
later, she recognized him as her teacher and made the move
to Theravadan Buddhism. In 2007, she was
ordained as a samaneri (novice nun), and in 2010 she traveled
to Sri Lanka with Bhante Sujatha for her
higher (final) ordination.
Vimala lives in Wisconsin and teaches meditation classes and retreats there and
in Illinois with
Blue
Lotus Buddhist Temple in Woodstock. She has two adult children,
two adult dogs, and in her lay life has been a
writer, a copyeditor, an ESL teacher in Japan, and most recently a teacher in
the juvenile corrections
system. She believes her multi-faceted life experiences give her a broad-brush
view of life and deepen
her understanding of the Buddha's teachings. A strong sense of humor doesn't
hurt either!
Living Without Running Away: Using Mindfulness Practice
to Work with Our Difficult Emotions, December 11, 2011.
Allan Cooper's meditation practice began in 1973 in India, and since 1986 he has practiced Buddhist meditation in the Theravada and Vipassana tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw. He has studied with many prominent monastic and lay teachers in the Burma, U.S.A, and Nepal, including the Venerable Sayadaw U Pandita, Joseph Goldstein, and the Venerable Sayadaw U Vivekanada, abbot of Panditarama International Meditation Center Lumbini, Nepal. Allan has served as a hospice and mental health nurse for approximately 20 years in a variety of settings and locations.
Our Thoughts Lead to Our Habits:
Conditioning Towards or Away From Freedom, September 17-19, 2010, September
23-25, 2011, October 5, 6, & 7, 2012
This weekend Vipassana retreat provided the chance to directly experience how conditioning in our minds, speech and actions defines who we are. We learned that through meditation our habits limit opportunities to think, speak, and act with a clear and compassionate Heart and Mind. We also learned how meditation helps us loosen and free ourselves from habit and prejudice.
Bhante Punna Akurugoda is a Theravadan monk from Sri Lanka. He was ordained in 1983 and has extensive teaching experience in the United States and abroad. Bhante has been busy expanding the Blue Lotus Temple in various parts of the U.S. and was in Las Vegas working with the Blue Lotus Insight Meditation Group to help establish a center here. Bhante Punna graciously led Lotus in the Desert Group one or two times a month from January to April 2010 focusing on
shamatha using loving-kindness and
vipassana. You can email Bhante at
punna93@gmail.com.
Kevin Griffin is a longtime Buddhist practitioner and 12-Step participant, he is a leader in the mindful
recovery movement and one of the founders of the
Buddhist Recovery Network. Kevin has trained with the leading Western Vipassana teachers,
among them Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, and Ajahn Amaro. He completed the Community Dharma
Leader Training at
Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Marin County, CA.
Kevin is the author of
One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps (Rodale Press, 2004) and
the forthcoming
God, Buddha, and the Path of Recovery (Hay House, 2009). Kevin teaches nationally
in Buddhist centers, treatment centers, professional conferences, and academic settings. He specializes in
helping people in recovery connect with meditation and a progressive understanding of the 12 Steps.
Desire and the End of Desire: Letting Go Of Addictive Behaviors: October 3-4, 2008
The Buddha taught that we all experience desire; however, with practice we can better manage the affects
of desire. We know that without mindfulness, desire can lead to addictive behaviors that lead us away
from healthy relationships with ourselves and others. We explored practices of mindfulness and
concentration, loving kindness and compassion that help us open into states of awareness, clarity and
peace. During this daylong retreat, between periods of sitting and walking meditation, Kevin gave talks
about desire, how to end desire, and letting go of addictive behaviors.
Shaila Catherine has been practicing meditation since 1980, with seven years of accumulated silent retreat
experience, and has been teaching since 1996. She has studied with masters in India, Nepal and Thailand.
She founded
Insight Meditation South Bay in California in 2006. Shaila’s current focus is the
development of concentration and the deep state of absorption called jhana. She completed a one-year
intensive meditation retreat focused on jhana as the basis for insight (2003-2004) at
Insight Meditation
Society in Massachusetts. She is the author of the book
Focused and Fearless: A Meditator’s Guide to
States of Deep Joy, Calm, and Clarity and
Widsom, Wide and Deep: A Practical Handbook for Mastering Jhāna and Vipassan, from Wisdom Publications.
Loving Kindness: A Practice of Happiness: November 1-3, 2002
Loving kindness is a profound quality of friendliness
toward all life. The gentle art of connecting with an open
heart through this ancient systematic meditation practice
is called “metta” in Theravadan Buddhist countries.
Metta meditation cultivates a heartfelt wish that all beings
be happy beginning with ourselves and gradually expanding
the field of loving kindness to embrace those whom we love,
and those who are difficult to love until this caring radiates
to all beings without exception. Loving kindness practice
heals the heart, meets the pains of life with sensitivity,
and cultivates the ability to forgive. It is an ideal compliment
to mindfulness meditation as well as a complete practice
within itself.
Focused and Fearless: An Evening of Meditation, Discussion & Book Signing: November 14, 2008
Shaila discussed how to cultivate non-distracted attention in daily life and
on retreats as well as rarely talked about meditative states (jhanas) that
can lead to liberating insight.
Awakening with Insight: November 15-16, 2008
The Buddha taught that to be fully awake is to be enlightened. During this
two-day, non-residential retreat, Shaila focused on cultivating a calm, clear
awareness, so we can dissolve any suffering that may entangle our hearts and
discover our freedom in the midst of daily lives. We exploreed practices
of mindfulness and concentration, loving kindness and compassion that will
help us open into states of awareness, clarity, and peace. Rather than going
through our days on “automatic,” we
begin to wake up and bring ourselves in touch with inner wisdom and moment-by-moment
awareness of what we experience and feel. Between periods of sitting and walking
meditation, Shaila gave talks about “Awakening with Insight.”
Bhante
Sujatha is from Sri Lanka and is a monk in the Theravadan tradition
and founder of the
Blue Lotus Temple in
Woodstock, Illinois.
Mindfulness & Metta Meditation Discussion & Practice: June 1, 2008
Guest Teacher: January 11, 2009
Caitriona Reed was a senior
teacher in Thich Nhat Hanh's Order of Interbeing, and received
the Lamp transmission from him in 1992. She has led retreats
since 1981, and has studied with teachers in Asia, Europe,
and the U.S. since 1970. Caitriona is a Clinical Hypnotherapist
in practice since 1985. Her teaching is informed by the tradition
of Engaged Buddhism, the idea that the spiritual life is not
separate from other aspects of living, and that meditation
and mindfulness training are ways to cultivate awareness in
all of life's situations. Caitriona is currently affiliated
with
Manzanita
Village.
Mindfulness Meditation Retreat: October
23-25, 1998
Mindfulness Meditation Retreat: January 22-24,
1999
Mindfulness Meditation Retreat: March 3-5, 2000
Richard Shankman is an experienced meditation
instructor with over 25 years experience. Richard is the co-founder
of the
Sati Center for Buddhist
Studies, certified by the Spirit Rock Community Dharma
Leader Training Program, and teaches at numerous San Francisco
Bay Area meditation groups. Richard has been instrumental
in starting a meditation program in the San Mateo County Jail
system. He has been a facilitator with the Alternatives to
Violence Project for several years, presenting three-day workshops
primarily in San Quentin State Prison, and in the community.
Advance by Retreating!: June 21-23, 2002
Day of Vipassana Meditation: September 28, 2002
Cultivating the Mind of Love and Peace: June 6-8,
2003
Cultivating the Mind of Love and Peace: November
5-7, 2004
Breath Meditation: A Vehicle for Liberation: March
24-26, 2006
The Anapanasati Sutta - literally, the In-breath Out-breath
Mindfulness Discourse - contains the Buddha's most detailed
meditation instructions. It also explains how those instructions
function within the context of the entire path of practice.
This weekend will combine a detailed exploration of the
sutta and related texts, with practice periods emphasizing
how to put the insights of the texts into practice.
Deepening Meditation and Dharma Practice: February
23-25, 2007
The Buddha taught that the possibility of freedom and happiness
exists in any moment, regardless of the situations in our
lives. During this weekend we will spend periods of sitting
and walking meditation, as well as talks and discussion
about using all aspects of our lives for awakening. We will
explore practices of mindfulness and concentration, lovingkindness
and compassion, which open into states of awareness, clarity
and peace. Rather than going through our days on "automatic,"
we begin to wake up and bring ourselves in touch with inner
wisdom and moment-by-moment awareness of what we experience
and feel.
Woods Shoemaker is an experienced Vipassana
meditation teacher who is on the visiting faculty for the
Barre Center for Buddhist studies. He is a student and teacher
in the lineage of Desikachar of Madras, India and taught yoga
at the Krishnamurti school in England. Woods served
on the faculty of the Omega
Institue for Holistic Studies.
Vipassana-Vinyoga Retreat: August 2-4,
2002
Vinyoga is a form of yoga from the tradition of T.K.V. Desikachar
incorporating mindful breathing and body movement with spine
strengthening, preparing the body for sitting meditation.
Eric Kolvig earned a Ph.D. from Yale University
and has edited a number of books in the Theravada Buddhist
tradition. He has been a dharma teacher since 1985 after practicing
intensively and continuing to practice with the Insight Meditation
Society. Two of Eric’s main teachers have been Joseph
Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg. From 1997 to 1999, he was resident
teacher for the Santa Fe Vipassana Sangha. In recent years
he has led many retreats around the country in a wide variety
of environments with diverse practitioners including some
for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered individuals.
Eric also leads retreats at Spirit Rock.
Practice is the Path to Liberation: October 31
- November 2, 2003
Lucinda Green, Ph.D. is the president and
founder of
Rocky
Mountain Insight(RMI). She has been a student of eastern
meditation since 1968. Lucinda began the practice of vipassana
meditation in 1975 as part of her professional training
as a mind/body integrative therapist. Since that time, she
has lived and studied Buddhism intensively in India and
Sri Lanka. In addition, she studied at the Nyingma Institute
(Tibetan Buddhist) in Berkeley and created the Buddhist
women’s Sangha in 1982. Her teachers have included
Munindra, U Silananda, Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein,
Pema Chödrön, Thich Nhat Hahn, Rina Sircar and
Christopher Titmus. Since 1994, Lucinda has held weekly
meditation meetings and weekend retreats in Colorado Springs.
Opening the Six Sense Doors: April 1-3, 2005
Waking up to the Present Moment: September 30 - October
2, 2005
Carla Brennan is the Guiding Teacher for
Bloom of the Present Insight Meditation Sangha in Santa Cruz, CA and is an insight meditation teacher through Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Carla also offers "Innate Compassion Training" with the Foundation for Active Compassion. She has studied and practiced in the Theravada, Zen and Tibetan Buddhist traditions for 40 years. Carla’s love of wild nature as well as her background as a psychologist and artist enrich her approach to spiritual practice.
In addition to Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein
and other Vipassana teachers, she has practiced with Zen
master Seung Sahn, Lama Surya Das and Adyashanti. Carla also trained
with Jon Kabat-Zinn and teaches Mindfulness–Based
Stress Reduction.
The Freedom of Impermanence: Learning to Let Go:
December 1-3, 2006
In this retreat we explored the “three marks of existence”
(impermanence, dissatisfaction and nonidentity). This understanding
helps us release the unnecessary resistance, contraction,
and holding that cause suffering in the heart, mind and
body; we then find a new freedom in ease, openness and radical
acceptance.
Movement and Stillness: Deepening our Awareness of the Flow of
Life: October 5-7, 2007
In this retreat we explored the fundamental nature
of awareness. The days alternated between sitting and walking meditation,
guided movement and short teaching periods. We practiced both narrow-focused
attention that cultivates concentration for steadiness of mind and open awareness
that brings clarity, peace and insight in the midst of any activity. In both
cases, the emphasis was on practicing "resting in awareness."
We learned to distinguish the difference between awareness,
thinking and the flow of experience and discover how
awareness is the "ground of being" that brings freedom
and peace.
Fearless Presence: Meeting All of Life with Radical Mindfulness: April 1-3, 2006
During this weekend retreat we made the shift from judging, controlling and manipulating our experience into fully opening to and befriending it. Pure awareness has no agenda; it is awake, inclusive and allowing. Radical mindfulness embraces all sensations, feelings and perceptions equally. We can learn to relax into the now and come to rest. We practiced the subtle and powerful approach of “letting be,” a willingness to be open again and again to what is as it is. An emphasis was on “compassionate mindfulness of feeling”. We focused on acknowledging the sensations of the body and the emotions of the heart with a kind, connected presence. The day alternated between silent sitting and walking meditation, guided instructions, talks, Q & A, and Chi Kung.
