JACK KORNFIELD – Jack trained as a Buddhist monk in the monastaries of Thailand, India, and Burma and has been teaching in the Vipassana tradition since 1974. Vipassana or insight meditation is a gentle practice of observing the body and the mind through the tools of perception. Over time as concentration deepens and attention expands, the meditator has a more direct experience of the present moment and gains insight into the heart of suffering. I began studying with Jack in 1998 when I decided to get certified as a yoga teacher. Sitting still and being quiet were not skills I had achieved at that point in my life but Jack encouraged me to keep showing up assuring me that eventually my mind would quiet down and my heart would open. His teachings on loving-kindness, compassion, and forgiveness have guided my own path of healing and those I serve. His gentle spirit, tender heart, and deep wisdom have been and continue to be a source of inspiration for my work and my practice. 

ADYASHANTI – Adya studied Zen Buddhism in the Bay area for 10 years before founding the Open Gate Sangha in 1996. His teachings in the way of liberation orient students toward the task of awakening to our true nature and embodying this awakened condition in the context of our daily lives. I began studying with Adya in 2008 when I decided it was time to commit to a 10-day silent retreat. His teachings have guided me on the journey of meditation to rest deeply into the silence of being that exists beyond thoughts or a sense of self. He taught me how to drop out of the head and the ‘figuring out’ energy of seeking and rest in the breath allowing awareness to descend into the heart. It was through this deep felt experience of wholeness that I realized that awareness is always and already present and the more I rested in this recognition, the more peace I experienced in my life. 

JOE WELDON –  Licensed Psychologist and Rubenfeld Synergist and my high school counselor in 1982. I met Joe when I was 16 years old and struggling to make sense of the chaos of my world. He was the first person to notice that I was suffering since I managed to channel my stress into school and always stay in the top ten in my class. That simple act of bearing witness changed my life. I still remember that day I felt breath return to my body and faith return to my soul. He taught me how to trust again and love again and believe in myself again. In 2012 at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck New York, I ran into Joe again. I had not seen him for over 20 years. The following year I began to study Rubenfeld Synergy with him and quickly realized it was time to get my masters degree and pursue my career in counseling. Today I dedicate my practice to teens as a gesture of gratitude to Joe and the sparkle in his eyes that guided me home.