Guest Dharma Teachers

Hugh began his meditation practice in the late 80s, when he was introduced to Tibetan Nyingma Buddhist meditation practices and philosophy by Peggy Lippitt. The focus of this practice, as it was taught by Peggy [...]

Allan Cooper has practiced vipassana and samatha meditation practices since 1974. His primary teachers are the Burmese meditation master Sayadaw U Pandita, his student, Sayadaw U Vivekananda, Abbot, Panditarama Lumbini International Vipassana Meditation Center, Lumbini, [...]

Kelli Schonher started practicing insight meditation in Thailand in 1991, while earning Bachelor degrees in South East Asian studies and Economics. The study and application of economic theory was the focus of her earlier career. [...]

Maria Straatmann, a former scientist and businesswoman, has been a student of Gil Fronsdal since 1997. Since her retirement she has variously served as chaplain, hospice volunteer and trainer with Zen Hospice Project, and Vipassana [...]

Kim Allen began meditating in 2003, seeking both a path out of suffering and the deeper truths of life. She trained for many years with her principal teacher, Gil Fronsdal, as well as Theravādan [...]

Peter began practicing vipassana at the Insight Meditation Society in 1982 during a two-week meditation retreat led by Ruth Denison and since then has participated in dozens of retreats lasting from one week to three [...]

Melissa McKay has been practicing meditation since the mid 90’s. She has trained in vipassana (insight, mindfulness) meditation and metta meditation in Burma and the U.S. She began teaching in New York City in 2003 [...]

Ayya Anandabodhi first encountered the Buddha’s teachings in her early teens, igniting a deep interest in the Buddha’s Path of Awakening. She lived and trained as a nun in the Forest Tradition at Amaravati and [...]

Matty Weingast is co-editor of Awake at the Bedside and former editor of the Insight Journal at Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. With almost two decades of meditation experience, Matty completed much of the work [...]

Jon Joseph, Roshi is the practice leader of San Mateo Zen, and holding teacher for Desert Lotus Zen in Phoenix. He began sitting Zen over 40 years ago with a group of high school friends, [...]

Chris Clifford has practiced insight meditation since 1995. She appreciates the integration of intensive meditation retreats with daily life Dharma practice and service. Chris is an instructor, mentor and coordinator for Insight Meditation Center’s Eightfold Path Program [...]

Tony Bernhard is a Buddhist chaplain and teacher. He maintains an active practice with inmates in Folsom Prison and hosts sitting groups in Davis. He sits on the board of the Sati Center for Buddhist [...]

Sharon Allen is a long time practitioner and teacher of mindfulness meditation and different forms of movement. She taught Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for many years, and now directs IMSB's Thursday Evening Program in Saratoga. [...]

Misha Shungen Merrill is the primary teacher for Zen Heart Sangha in Menlo Park and Woodside, California, as well as the guiding teacher for the Twining Vines Sangha of New York. She has been practicing Zen [...]

Margaret Gainer began Buddhist meditation practice in 1995 and teaches at several Bay area meditation groups and churches. Margaret completed Sati Center Buddhist Chaplaincy Training, and since 2005 has taught a weekly meditation class for [...]