Vimalasara (Valerie) Mason-John was the co-founder and guiding teacher of Healing and Insight, an online faculty that explored the sharp edges of suffering. Award-winning author of 11 books, they are the co-founder and co-author of Eight Step Recovery: Using The Buddha’s Teachings to Overcome Addiction, with 8 step meetings in 3 continents. This year their new book a First Aid Kit for the Mind: Breaking the Cycle of Habitual Behaviours was published. They are one of the founding facilitators of Dr Gabor Mate’s Compassionate Inquiry. They live on the unceded territory of Kanata.
www.valeriemason-john.com
Next Events
First Aid Kit For The Mind – San Francisco Dharma Collective
April 26 @ 7:15 pm - 8:45 pm PDTSan Francisco, CA 94110 United States + Google Map
Vimalasara shares their wisdom, and insights into working with habits. The majority of us become more of our habits as we age, in this nugget of a book Vimalasara explores ways to become less of our habits. Join us for an evening of conversation, inquiry and breath. Vimalasara (Valerie) Mason-John is the award winning author of 11 books, including Eight Step Recovery: Using the Buddha’s Teachings to Overcome Addiction and Detox Your Heart: Meditations for Emotional Trauma. They are one of the founding facilitators of Dr Gabor Mate's Compassionate Inquiry, and are also trained in Internal Family Systems and Mindfulness. They have a private practice and also offer supervision. They are a senior teacher in the Triratna Buddhist Community. First Aid Kit for the Mind: Breaking the Cycle of Habitual Behaviors is Vimalasara's newest publication, an illustrated, accessible guide to choosing recovery over addiction, reactivity, and unhelpful habits. It is a workbook, a guide to reflection, and a prompt for greater embodied mindfulness – turning away from ‘stinking thinking’ to what is meaningful in your life and relationships. The book is accompanied by guided meditations and reflections recorded by the author. Join us in person at 2929 24th street OR online via Zoom: https://tinyurl.com/SFDharma (password: 108108) or 301-715-8592 to join by phone. Meeting ID: 545 039 806 This class is open to everyone. No prior meditation experience is required. Suggested donation $15 - $30. All are welcome. No one is ever turned away for lack of funds.
Staying Sober During Turbulent Times – with Vimalasara Mason-John and Shawna Adkins
April 27 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm PDT

Book Listings
Previous Teachings
MBAR (Mindfulness Based Addiction Recovery) Course
28 days of support during xmas and new year – one 15 minute coaching video sent a day – and meet Vimalasara on a webinar if you have extra time to...
December 2024 BRN Academy Teaching – Great Compassion
Opportunity! MBAR (Mindfulness Based Addiction Recovery) Course December 9, 2024 – January 4, 2025 28 days of support during xmas and new year – one 15 minute coaching video sent a day –...
First Aid Kit for the Mind Breaking the Cycle of Habitual Behaviors
August 25, 2024 @ 9:30 am - 4:00 pm PDTSeattle, WA 98125 United States
ONE DAY WORKSHOP at the Seattle Buddhist Center Sunday, August 25, 9:30-4:00 For questions, contact: info@seattlebuddhistcenter.org This workshop will attend to the resilient heart/mind with meditation, breath work, inquiry...
Freedom of Heart – Kevin Griffin and Vimalasara, MA – ONLINE
June 2, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm PDTFreedom of Heart: Mindfulness Practices for Healing Addiction (KG1H24) Kevin Griffin and Vimalasara, MA While we all long for safety and freedom in our lives, many of us struggle with...
Bringing the New Year in with Wisdom
Every day is a new year, and it’s an opportunity to do something different because the past has gone . However so many of us hold onto the past or...
A Taste of Freedom
This month in our Buddhist Recovery Workshop series Vimalasara led us in a guided meditation and Dharma talk.
Meditating during Uncertain Times
With the American election coming up, and the spike in COVID cases around the world, it is inevitable that many people may be experiencing PTSD, panic attacks, worry and concern....
Watch the Triggers: The Festive Season is Here
Top up on tips and coping mechanisms to deal with the holidays. Do the festive season with a sense of freedom and joy.
Coming Home To The Body with Breath
Imagine not being able to find your way home to your loved one’s, to your friends and family. Imagine how traumatic this would be. And this is the same trauma...
All Academy Teachers
- Anshin Devin Ashwood
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- Fresh “Lev” White
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- Ven Pannavati Bhikkhuni
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