The evening will be led by lay practitioner Evelyn Tan.
Evelyn Tan first learned about Buddhism, mindfulness and Vipassana meditation largely through the Ottawa Buddhist Society when she and her family moved to Ottawa some twenty years ago. She facilitated MBCT groups at The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre from 2011-2015 and is now in private practice.
Bhante Yogavacara Rahula received his bhikkhu upasampada ordination at Wat Thai Los Angeles in May 1979. After returning to Sri Lanka for some years, he came to help Bhante Henepola Gunaratana establish the Bhavana Society Forest Monastery, where he served as vice-abbot from 1986 to 2010. Now, after seven years of teaching Dhamma and leading retreats around the world, Bhante Rahula has taken on the role as managing director and chief meditation teacher at the Lion of Wisdom – Paññāsīha Meditation Center.
Catherine Collobert will lead our online meditation and dhamma teaching this evening.
Jim Bedard
In his early twenties, Jim’s spiritual angst led him to the experiential practice of meditation: Christian meditation, Transcendental Meditation (TM), and then Zen Buddhist meditation.
In 1980 Jim began practicing Zen meditation and soon after became a student of Roshi Philip Kapleau of the Rochester Zen Center. After completing his formal training in Zen, Jim began practicing with senior Vipassana teachers in the Theravada Buddhist tradition.
Today, Jim offers a balanced, direct approach to practices that point directly to the heart of the teachings. He teaches Insight Meditation at Satipañña Insight Meditation Toronto.
Jim has written two books: Lotus in the Fire and Old Pond: The Teachings of the Elders.
Randy Baker ~ Satipanna Toronto
Randy Baker began practicing Zen meditation in 1977 as a student of Roshi Philip Kapleau. His Zen training included 10 years on staff at the Rochester Zen Center. After practicing Zen for 20 years, Randy took up the practice of Vipassana. He has since worked with a number of well known Western Vipassana teachers.