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Kathe McKenna

Kathe McKenna was one of the founders of Haley House in 1966 when she and her husband welcomed men who were homeless into their apartment. For the next 42 years she merged her background in Christian contemplation with service. In the 1980s, she walked for peace and chanted with the Nipponzan Myohoji monks and nuns. She was introduced to Dzogchen by Sogyal Rinpoche and became a student of Lama Surya Das, under whose guidance she went on a 100-Day Wisdom Retreat. It is Tibetan Buddhism with its practices that turn poison into medicine - in oneself and the world - that is her path.

Kathe teaches NWC Meditation in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Paul Mintzer

Paul teaches NWC Meditation in Putney, Vermont and Northampton, MA.

Bob Morrison

Robert Morrison is a writer living in the Boston area. Since meeting the late Nyoshul Khenpo Rinpoche in 1994, he has studied and practiced Dzogchen and other teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, primarily with his main teachers: Lama Surya Das, Lama John Makransky, Lama Willa Miller, Charles Genoud and Brendan Kennedy. He has been leading practices of Natural Wisdom and Compassion for many years, and is also an associate teacher with Natural Dharma Fellowship. As an avid hiker, his special interests include the awakening power of nature and, as a cancer survivor, the challenges of cancer as spiritual opportunities.

Bob teaches NWC Meditation in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Philip Osgood

Philip Osgood has been a Buddhist practitioner over the last 3 decades and has experience in the Vipassana, Zen and Tibetan traditions. For the last 10 years, he has practiced intensely in the Dzogchen tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and has studied with John Makransky since he first introduced his teachings on Natural Wisdom and Compassion. Philip is a freelance writer and assisted with the editing of Lama John's book, Awakening Through Love.

Philip teaches NWC Meditation in Brooksville, Maine.

Rebecca Spainhower

Rebecca has been practicing Tibetan Buddhism since being introduced to it in 2002 by Jane Moss and Julie Forsythe; she has been under Lama Willa Miller's guidance since 2006. She has completed numerous meditation retreats including four cloistered 100-Day retreats at Dzogchen Osel Ling in Austin, Texas, under the guidance of Lama Surya Das, Lama John Makransky, Lama Willa Miller, Charles Genoud, and Brendan Kennedy. Her eclectic background includes the study and practice of tai chi, hatha yoga, Tibetan yoga, and (for fun!) knitting, quilting, and sewing. She is preparing to attend graduate school for acupuncture and oriental medicine. She currently lives in Tallahassee, Florida, with two parents and one small dog.

Sandra Talansky

Sandra is a practicing psychotherapist in Pollenza, Italy. She has been a contract professor for 8 years at the University of Bologna and University of Macerata, Italy. She has been a practicing buddhist since 2002, having as her teachers Lama Denys Rinpoche, Adzom Gyalse Pema Wangyal Rinpoche, Lama Surya Das, Lama Willa Miller and Lama John Makransky. She has taken the initiations of Ngondro, Phowa, Shitro, the Sadhanas of Green Tara and Chenresig, and practices regularly the Meditation of Natural Wisdom and Compassion as taught by Lama John. She is "full of gratitude to the Awakened Ones, my teachers and heart friends for their on-going guidance and love."

Sandra teaches NWC Meditation in Pollenza, Italy.

Andria Whited

In 1999 Andria Whited decided to end a 10-year-long pursuit of acting and thus began her meditation practice. She was introduced to Lama John and natural wisdom and compassion meditation at her first Dzogchen retreat in 2003. Up until the birth of her son, she attended retreats twice a year and in 2006 completed Lama John's Vajrayana retreat. Lama John's accessibility and expert pith instructions quickly established him as her main teacher. His instructions, over the matter of a few minutes, cut through her long-held ego fixations. Also in 2003, Andria applied to graduate school for social work. Upon completion of her MSW at Columbia, she began working at the New York State Psychiatric Institute in mental health program management and research.

Andria teaches NWC Meditation in New York City.

Ronnie Wilson

Ronnie Wilson is a retired nurse of 38 years who is now working full time as an artist/painter, which she has done all her life. She has participated in meditation for inmates in her local prison and truly loved that involvement. She has just completed a Buddhist Pilgrimage to India with Meditation Teacher Charles Genoud.

Ronnie teaches NWC Meditation in Portland, Maine.

Eric Zeeb

Eric Zeeb has had a meditation practice since 1999 and has been a student of John Makransky’s since 2006. The meditation of Natural Wisdom and Compassion has been his primary access point to the Dharma and it continues to be the foundation of his practice. He loves how this profound practice transcends differing worldviews and he enjoys sharing it from either a Buddhist, Christian or secular perspective. Eric lives on the Central Coast of California in San Luis Obispo with his wife and two children where he is a practicing Anesthesiologist.

Eric teaches NWC Meditation in San Luis Obispo, California.

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