Vimalasara Mason-John
www.valeriemason-john.com
Valerie Mason-John aka Vimalasara worked as an international correspondent covering Aboriginal deaths in custody, interviewed Sinn Fein prisoners and ex rebels from the Sierra Leone war. Their work in the field of conflict transitioned into working with gangs, the incarcerated, bullies and challenging behavior. They trained in mindfulness and is a senior teacher in the Triratna Buddhist Community. They are one of the founding facilitators of Dr Gabor Mate’s Compassionate Inquiry and also trained in Internal Family Systems. They have also completed short intensive training in Embodied Somatics, Breathworks and Shamanism training. The award winning author of ten books including Detox Your Heart Meditations for emotional Trauma, Eight Step Recovery Using The Buddhas teachings to overcome addiction, and more recently their shortlisted book for two Canadian Awards I’m Still Your Negro an Homage to James Baldwin. Their next book A First Aid Kit for the mind – Breaking the cycle of habitual behaviours. They are also one of the founding creators of freedom together a blaipoc mindfulness training by and for blaipoc only. They work as an international public speaker in the field of mindfulness for trauma and addiction, and offer training in this field. And as an interviewer Wisdom For life. Interviews have included Robert Thurman, Resmaa Menakem, Tarana Burke, Sharon Salzberg, Gabor Mate, Jack Kornfield, Ken Hardy, Luisah Teish, Carl Hart, Ruth King and many others. Valerie/Vimalasara has a private practice and lives in Canada with their partner.
Kevin Griffin:
www.kevingriffin.net
Kevin Griffin is a Buddhist teacher and author best known for his work integrating Dharma and recovery. He is a co-founder of the Buddhist Recovery Network, and the author of several books, including One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps. He has been practicing Insight meditation for over forty years and teaching since the late 1990s. His recovery dates from 1985. He has taught in a wide range of settings including Esalen, Kripalu and Omega Institute; diverse Buddhist centers; academic and research institutions; treatment centers, rehabs, and prisons. His latest book is Living Kindness: Metta Teachings for the Whole of Our Lives, an exploration of the broad meaning and purpose of the Buddha’s teachings on lovingkindness. His interest in the suttas of the Pali Canon is now a prime source of study and teachings.
George Johns:
George Johns is a longtime student of Vipassana meditation and Theravada Buddhism. He is the founder of the Noble Steps organization, offering meetings, meditation instruction, teaching and discussion for people incorporating Buddhist and 12-step teachings into their lives. He lives in New Jersey with his wife Kathy and their dogs, Trout and Scully.
Ralph Steele
Ralph Steele has taught meditation since 1987. He completed a year of intensive practice as a Theravada monk in Myanmar and Thailand; in 2000 he completed a four year teacher training with Jack Kornfield. Born on Pawleys Island, S.C., Ralph began his meditation practice while in high school in Japan. He studied with Tibetan masters Ven. Kalu Rinpoche and Lobsang Lhalungpa, and worked on H.H. The Dalai Lama’s meditation team at the San Francisco conference of Nobel laureates. Ralph is a Vietnam veteran, and spearheaded the establishment of annual retreats for People of Color at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and Insight Meditation Society. He is the guiding teacher of Life Transition Meditation Center, and director of Life Transition Therapy, Inc a clinic offering meditation-based treatment for trauma in Santa Fe, N.M., and the author of Tending The Fire: The Path of War and Meditation.