|
|
Change Your Mind Day Teachers
|
Rev. Hye Wol Sunim,
was first ordained in Sri Lanka in 1977 and took robes in
the Korean Zen tradition in 1984. Rev Sunim studied with
Buddhist masters in Sri Lanka, Thailand, China, Australia,
Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. He arrived in the US in 1991
and is currently creating a Meditation Center in Acton,
California. He translates Pali text and teaches the early
Pali canon. Sunim founded the Meditation Center for
Zen Communities and is the guiding teacher for LA Dharma.
|
Michael Attie
has been a student of Eastern spirituality
for forty years. He has studied with with Buddhist and hindu masters
in Japan, India and the U.S. In 1973 Neem Karoli Baba instructed him
to teach dhamma in the West. In 1988 Michael founded the Don't
Worry Zendo in Los Angeles. His first book, Don't Worry Zen:
a Guide to Meditation for Awakening and Fun emphasized the theme
of approaching our life and meditation with playfulness and an open
heart. His latest book is Many Ways, Middle Way, No Way: A Guide
to meditation, spiritual awakening and fun.
|
Michele Benzamin-Miki
is a meditation
teacher, artist, and martial arts teacher with two fourth-dan black
belts and one fifth-dan black belt in Aikido and Iaido. She has led
meditation retreats and workshops for 20 years. She trained with
vipassana meditation teachers from Asia and North America as well as
with Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh whose student she was for
thirteen years. She is cofounder of Ordinary Dharma and Manzanita
Village Retreat Center in California.
|
Rev. Kusala,
an American born monk ordained in the Vietnamese Zen Tradition. In 1980
he became interested in Meditation and found his way to the International
Buddhist Meditation Center and the Vice Abbot, Shinzen Young. In 1981 he
took refuge, accepted the five precepts of a lay Buddhist and was given the
name Kusala.
In 1994 he took novice vows and was given the Dharma name Kusala Ratana Karuna
(skillful jewel of compassion). In 1996 he received full ordination as a
Bhikshu and was given the name Thich Tam-Thien (heavenly heart mind) with
the Ven. Dr. H. Ratanasara and the Ven. Karuna Dharma as two of his ordaining
masters. Along with his Bhikshu ordination he received a B.A. in Buddhist
Studies, from the College of Buddhist Studies, Los Angeles.
Rev. Kusala now lives and works at the International Buddhist Meditation
Center in the Korea town section of Los Angeles. He cares for the grounds
with the Vice Abbot Rev. Shanti and facilitates meditation and discussion
groups. He continues to give presentations at local schools and colleges and
speaks in local churches on Buddhism and social action.
|
Akasa Levi,
was a former ordained American Buddhist forest monk for 6
years in Sri Lanka and India in the 1970's - trained and
ordained into the Theravada monastic order by Sri Ananda
Maitreya - Maha-Nayake Thera of Sri Lanka. Akasa was an
early Vipassana student of S.N. Goenka and Anagarika
Munindra in Bodhgaya, India. He was a Vajrayana initiate
with Lama Thubten Yeshe & Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan, Nepal and
Dharamsala, India – later a student of Sri Nisargadatta
Maharaj in Bombay. Akasa is a Bodhi-vacharya
'lineage-holder' of the Theravada teaching transmission. |
Caitriona Reed,
is a meditation teacher, group
facilitator, and poet who has led retreats and workshops in Buddhism,
deep ecology, and social responsibility around the world. She has
trained with Buddhist teachers since 1971, including Thich Nhat Hanh,
in whose lineage she taught for 10 years. She is cofounder of Ordinary
Dharma and Manzanita Village Retreat Center.
|
Michael Shiffman,
founded LA Dharma in 1999 and has practiced meditation since 1994.
He studied with Shinzen Young, Jason Siff, has taken courses with
S.N. Goenka, and sat with many teachers from Spirit Rock. He
currently studies with Rev. Hye Wol Sunim. Michael received his Ph.D.
from UCLA and has an extensive background in trauma and healing,
substance abuse and recovery, gender and violence, and body-oriented
energetic practices.
|
Juliet Soopikian,
is a psychotherapist with over 17 years of experience working with mental illness,
addictions, dual diagnosis and family related issues. She practiced various meditations
since age 8 in Iran, and, after a life threatening illness, learned Vipassana in 1998.
She is part of the LA Dharma core, and has taken courses at the California Vipassana
Center, sat with many teachers from Spirit Rock, and currently studies with
Rev. Hye Wol Sunim. Juliet has a private psychotherapy practice in Westwood. |
|
