{"id":23,"date":"2026-04-17T18:20:40","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T18:20:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/?page_id=23"},"modified":"2026-06-05T20:06:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T20:06:38","slug":"teachers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/index.php\/teachers\/","title":{"rendered":"Teachers"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"23\" class=\"elementor elementor-23\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1d743dc e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1d743dc\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b96213c e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b96213c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-65809ea elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"65809ea\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Guiding Teachers\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cc6f0cc e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cc6f0cc\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-32b72be elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"32b72be\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Sept-2025.-laugh-rbfoxnuzrpqhvazspwu38l7fzoqsd6bs8pp6myq9q0.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-243\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-787116a elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"787116a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-2f7b5396\"><strong>Kim Weeber<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-5c3bd908\">Kim Weeber started practicing meditation in 1987 in the yoga tradition, with Self Realization Fellowship.\u00a0 Starting in 1988, she practiced Zen koans with Danan Henry, Roshi, of the Denver Zen Center.\u00a0 She also studied with Robert Aitken, Roshi, continuing Zen practice until 1997.\u00a0 Her Zen practice included sesshin, 6 week work retreats, and membership in the Monastery Without Walls program.<br \/>She was introduced to Vipassana in 1997, and was able to study with Bhante Gunaratana, and his student, Matthew Flickstein, as well as Jacqueline Mandel, who introduced her to teaching the Dharma. She\u00a0ran a weekly meditation class for prisoners for 2 years in Ohio.<br \/>At a 5 \u00bd month retreat at Gaia House in the UK, she studied with Christina Feldman and Yanai Postelnik. Her studies included several months of jhana practice, as well as an introduction to Dzogchen from Charles Genoud, of the Ningma Tibetan tradition.\u00a0 When she moved to Northampton, she was asked by Arinna Weisman to be a practice leader at Dhamma Dena\/Insight Meditation Center of Pioneer Valley.<br \/>In 2005, Arinna Weisman invited her to train in the 3 year, Community Dharma Leader program run by Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and taught primarily by James Baraz and Tara Brach. She has continued her studies, including learning from Lama John Makransky in the Tibetan tradition, to supplement her training in the Theravadin tradition.\u00a0 Her interest in science led her to study neuroscience and meditation with Culadasa John Yates, PhD, author of The Mind Illuminated.\u00a0 She completed a 12 session Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness course, given by David Treleaven, PhD.\u00a0 She participated in Analayo\u2019s intensive Satipatthana Meditation course at Barre Center for Buddhist Studies.\u00a0\u00a0<br \/>She teaches locally and on line, and continues her training with Jill Shepherd, and other teachers in the Theravadin and Tibetan traditions.\u00a0 Her long term teacher, Arinna Weisman\u2019s\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1tC6gSebndOag1_V2MM2g1rJZNQBDWBksJJLo_f-WGuo\/edit?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lineage<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>is through U Ba Khin, a Burmese lay teacher, who was also the Burmese Accountant General.<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-00056b3 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"00056b3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0af9480 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0af9480\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d5ae5d elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"6d5ae5d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\" id=\"Visiting\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1ddc4b4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1ddc4b4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Visiting Teacher<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-63a6860 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"63a6860\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-af1a3f5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"af1a3f5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"751\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Amita-Schmidt-751x1024-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-244\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Amita-Schmidt-751x1024-1.jpg 751w, https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Amita-Schmidt-751x1024-1-220x300.jpg 220w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 751px) 100vw, 751px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e2c5730 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e2c5730\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-b4be8fc8\"><strong>Amita Schmidt<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text\">Amita Schmidt was the resident teacher at Insight Meditation Society for six years. She is the author of\u00a0<em>Dipa Ma: The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master<\/em>\u00a0(Bluebridge, 2005).<\/h5><p>Amita has been practicing meditation for over 35 years and teaching meditation since 1993. Amita is also a licensed clinical social worker in private practice in Hawaii.<\/p><p>She is the co-founder of Southwest Sangha, a self retreat meditation center in New Mexico.<\/p><p>She has studied with spiritual teacher\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.adyashanti.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Adyashanti<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0since 2003. \u00a0Amita\u2019s teaching has been deeply informed by her long history of Buddhist practice, her connection with Adyashanti, and her work as a psychotherapist.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/amitaschmidt.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Amita Schmidt \u2013 Meditation Teacher, Spiritual Coach, Psychotherapist<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-277af01 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"277af01\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-98e5b61 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"98e5b61\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"514\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Amma-in-white-portrait2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-245\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Amma-in-white-portrait2.jpg 480w, https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Amma-in-white-portrait2-280x300.jpg 280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c219a8d elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c219a8d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-efc361d9\"><strong>Amma Thanasanti<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text\">Amma Thanasanti is a teacher, mentor, and writer. They began teaching families meditation in1989, leading intensive retreats in 1995 as a Buddhist monastic in the Ajahn Chah tradition. They co-founded a 3-year program integrating Dharma study, practice, leadership skills, personal development and community building.<\/h5><p>A former monastic of 26 years, Amma\u00a0combines traditional practices and adaptive means to emphasize body awareness and inquiry.\u00a0 Amma is dedicated to attachment repair, trauma resolution and anchoring the transcendent in everyday life.<\/p><p><a href=\"http:\/\/hosted.verticalresponse.com\/762015\/778f3154a6\/1343044321\/a51a1a4106\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Vertical Response<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cf584ac e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cf584ac\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-90c1eeb elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"90c1eeb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Cheryl-09-15-Copy-683x1024-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-246\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Cheryl-09-15-Copy-683x1024-1.jpg 683w, https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Cheryl-09-15-Copy-683x1024-1-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dfd9864 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dfd9864\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-4fa62a08\"><strong>Cheryl Wilfong<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text\">Cheryl Wilfong taught at and co-founded Vermont Insight Meditation Center. They are the author of\u00a0<em><strong>The Meditative Gardener: Cultivating Mindfulness of Body, Feelings, and Mind<\/strong><\/em>, winner of 8 book awards. They also write a blog,<strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.themeditativegardener.blogspot.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.meditativegardener.com<\/a><\/strong>, winner of two blog awards.<\/h5><p>When Cheryl was 30, they discovered both gardening and attended their first retreat at Insight Meditation Society. They have a Master\u2019s degree in Counseling Psychology from Antioch University New England, with a concentration in Mindfulness. They completed an internship with John Kabat-Zinn\u2019s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program.<\/p><p>Cheryl has been teaching mindfulness for 25 years. They completed the Community Dharma Leader training program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in 2008 and the Integrated Study and Practice Program at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in Studies in 2009. Their teachers have included Shinzen Young, Leigh Brasington, and Willa Thaniya Reid.\u00a0 They previously studied non-duality with Matthew Flickstein.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0837552 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0837552\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1a45335 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1a45335\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"291\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Gabriel-Rocheleau2-300x291-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-247\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e36d623 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e36d623\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-80c8257a\"><strong>Gabriel Rocheleau<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text\">Gabriel has been practicing meditation for more than 10 years. He started meditating as a teen while exploring lucid dreams and his interest for meditation grew from there. He has completed multiple Vipassana retreats in the Goenka tradition, and spent an extended time in Burma at Pa Auk Tawya Forest Monastery under the guidance of Bhikkhu Revata.\u00a0 He has been certified to teach The Mind Illuminated by John Yates, Culadasa, having completed 3 years of training.<\/h5><p><em>Gabriel\u2019s grounding is in the Buddhist tradition and he works with meditation practices pragmatically, drawing from various traditions and belief systems.\u00a0 He teaches meditation as mind-training, with a focus on what actually works to help students deepen their practice. He mainly teaches the Samatha-Vipassana (concentration + insight) method outlined in The Mind Illuminated, supplemented by methods he has learned from other traditions. He also writes a blog and shares guided meditations at\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.updevelopment.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em><strong>https:\/\/www.updevelopment.org\/<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0468014 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0468014\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-408059d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"408059d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"170\" height=\"220\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ian-Challis-pgussgaje3ck9sa3zsgsb66b80exrc1zik0wt6ug48.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-248\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-98355b4 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"98355b4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-35b2f102\"><strong>Ian Challis\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-5a7740fd\">Ian is a practitioner of the Insight Tradition of Buddhism. He is a founding member and past guiding teacher of Insight Community of the Desert, a Buddhist sangha in Palm Springs.<\/h5><p>After many years of interest in meditation and dharma, travel in traditional Buddhist cultures, and chance meetings with teachers inspired a commitment to path and practice in 2005. His primary teacher is Leigh Brasington, and through her writings, the Ven. Ayya Khema.<\/p><p>Ian lived in Seattle for most of his life, and now makes his full-time home in Palm Springs, CA with his husband, musician David Roos. In addition to teaching at Insight Community, he is also a qualified teacher of MBSR, and a trainer at UC San Diego\u2019s Mindfulness Based Professional Training Institute.<\/p><p>Ian participated in the fifth cohort of Spirit Rock Meditation Center\u2019s Community Dharma Leaders Program, from which he graduated in 2017.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c77d4a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3c77d4a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b51d1e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1b51d1e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"187\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Janet_Surrey.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-249\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4e49b0a elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4e49b0a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-4a29e3d0\"><strong>Janet Surrey, PhD<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-e2454a66\">Janet Surrey, PhD is an Insight Dialogue Teacher. She teaches Insight Dialogue retreats worldwide and leads a monthly practice group in the Boston area. Jan has been a faculty member of Metta\u2019s Relational Insight Meditation Program and serves on Metta Programs\u2019 Teachers Council.<\/h5><p>Jan has studied with a number of Vipassana teachers for over 25 years, and has worked with Gregory Kramer since 2007. Her original teacher was Vimala Thakar, but Jan has also done many retreats with Thich Nhat Hanh and Joanna Macy. In 2008 she completed a two and a half year Community Dharma Leader training at Spirit Rock Meditation Center.<\/p><p>Jan is a practicing clinical psychologist and founding scholar of the Jean Baker Miller Training Institute at the Wellesley Centers for Women. She is on the faculty and board of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy.<\/p><p>Jan is dedicated to a lifelong exploration of the power of relationships to create suffering and the power of relationships to liberate and transform suffering.<\/p><p>Jan lives in Newton, Massachusetts.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b381e63 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b381e63\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0354381 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"0354381\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Karin-Meyers-225x300-1.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-250\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ca7e891 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ca7e891\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-26d28670\"><strong>Karin Meyers, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text\">Karin Meyers, PhD. is \u00a0Academic Director at Mangalam Research Center in Berkeley, CA, where she serves as a bridge between academic Buddhist studies scholarship and the general public. She is also co-founder of East Bay Ecosattvas, an engaged Buddhist practice group focused on the ecological crisis and decolonization. Her socially and ecologically offerings can be found at\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/buddhistcurrents.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>buddhistcurrents.org<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-739cbf9 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"739cbf9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8a920fe elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"8a920fe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"256\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Katy-Wiss-256x300-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-251\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-06c2fde elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"06c2fde\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-1c3f6a1d\"><strong>Katy Wiss<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-b1d3f8de\">Katy Wiss recently graduated from the Spirit Rock Teacher Training Program. She has also completed advanced study and practice courses at Sprit Rock Meditation Center, New York Insight Meditation Center, and Chuang Yen Monastery (with Bhikkhu Bodhi). Her practice focuses on ways to bring together the spiritual study and practice of insight and kindness with the academic and personal study of relational communication. Her aspiration is for relational communication to begin to repair suffering and for the attention to suffering to repair relational communication. She is also interested in meditation, pain, and chronic illness.<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e1825b e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"1e1825b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e4d35de elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e4d35de\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"246\" height=\"246\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Lani-Miller-246x246-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-252\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Lani-Miller-246x246-1.jpg 246w, https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Lani-Miller-246x246-1-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 246px) 100vw, 246px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-489172f elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"489172f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-7f407e60\"><strong>Lani Miller<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-ea77fea7\">Lani Miller has been practicing Insight Meditation since 1977. She is a graduate of the third Community Dharma Leaders Program. Lani is also a Singer\/ Songwriter who is interested in how music and other creative arts can be a vehicle for sharing spiritual truths and values.<\/h5><p>\u201cYou must have shadow and light source both. Listen, and lay your head under the tree of awe.\u201d Rumi<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e1566f e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3e1566f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-56130c4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"56130c4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Li-Anne-Tang-268x300-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-253\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b1b1e1 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1b1b1e1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-630f092c\"><strong>Li-Anne Tang, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text\">Li-Anne is an experienced psychotherapist, results coach and meditation teacher. For as long as she can remember, Li-Anne has been interested in the exploration of the full extent of the human mind and its potential. She explored Western psychology through a Bachelor of Psychology, Master in Cognitive Science, PhD in neuropsychiatry and postgraduate training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy.<\/h5><p>Li-Anne\u2019s unwavering belief that there was a way to transcend human suffering, in order to live life more fully and to the benefit of everyone, formed the bedrock of her exploration into human nature and her quest to pursue what, to most around her, was considered either incomprehensible, impossible or futile. She was fortunate to have encountered the teachings of the Buddha through the wisdom and guidance of numerous great meditation masters of the world. Her main mentors have been Sayadaw U Thuzana and Patrick Kearney (Mahasi tradition), Sayadaw U Tejaniya (mindfulness in daily life), Ajahn Brahm and Shaila Catherine (jh\u0101na practices), and Upasaka Culadasa (The Mind Illuminated or TMI).<\/p><p>Li-Anne has always been committed to weaving the profundity of insights gained in deeper states of meditation into practical, daily life. She can always be found meditating, whether in her role as a Buddhist Life Coach, Meditation Mentor, mother, friend, traveler, hiker or rock climber.<br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freeingourmind.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>http:\/\/www.freeingourmind.com\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf12067 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"bf12067\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2193dd0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2193dd0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"175\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Rachel-Lewis-pb0585zcnsj2mnsixx5uyxx4whby9j8jmyit8o3xc4.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-254\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-957aeb8 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"957aeb8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-c70ed41c\"><strong>Rachel Lewis<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-f9743d77\">Rachel Lewis began practicing insight meditation in 2003, while completing her physics PhD at Yale. Since 2011, she has taught dharma and meditation classes and retreats in British Columbia and beyond. She completed the IMS\/IRC 4-year teacher training in 2021, and is a guiding teacher of the British Columbia Insight Meditation Society. Her dharma teaching interests include the power of music, humour, and creativity to increase our capacity for learning, as well as the way that practice supports and is supported by social justice work.<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-385efd9 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"385efd9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff2c252 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ff2c252\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"175\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Rae-Houseman-2-puhjtwnlomri5mzufkihmh00qkvim8jd6uafjkigec.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-255\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6c4cecb elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6c4cecb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-48efacc3\"><strong>Rae Houseman<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-c7cf5181\">Rae is a meditation teacher and mindfulness coach.<\/h5><p>She has practiced extensively in both the Insight Meditation tradition and the Vajrayana tradition, and finds the interweaving of these two approaches to be complementary of a deeply compassionate and discerning practice.<\/p><p>She is committed to integrating an understanding of social justice issues into her explorations with mindfulness.<br \/>Rae holds a Masters degree in Somatic Psychology and is a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. She completed the Community Dharma Leader Training program from Spirit Rock, and was the guiding teacher of Vermont Insight.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fcbe91a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"fcbe91a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cc50814 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"cc50814\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"175\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Tom-Redden-q1rtlxlxz7r263fknge2tdi5b36ypcymnkl1ubfa10.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-256\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-25fbe02 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"25fbe02\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-ec684b36\"><strong>Tom Redden<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-3039a279\">Tom Daijo Redden, PhD, is a political science professor, ordained Zen Buddhist priest in the Zen Peacemaker Order, and an inter-faith chaplain. He has been studying and practicing consistently with a number of Roshis affiliated with the White Plum lineage and ZPO since 1980, including Bernie Glassman, John Daido Lori, Lou Mitsunen Nordstrom, Joan Halifax and Eve Marko, his present teacher. As a professor, he taught at Southern Vermont College, Marlboro College, where he was a Dean as well, and the University of Connecticut. He holds a doctorate in political science from UConn, a Masters in education from Central Connecticut State University, a Masters\/diplome from the institute d\u2019etudes de developpement, at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, and has recently completed the Upaya Buddhist Chaplaincy program. He has lived in Japan, Switzerland, Nicaragua and Mexico and travelled the world over. He is writing a book on this very topic of Buddhist politics.<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3196eaf elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"3196eaf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5d43815 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"5d43815\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-45ba22b elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"45ba22b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\" id=\"Guest\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cad82b9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cad82b9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Guest Presenters<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a4c58ed e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"a4c58ed\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e011b98 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e011b98\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"278\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Sharon-Rudnitzky-2-edited-278x300-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-257\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d33b7ec elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d33b7ec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-4691de07\"><strong>Sharon Rudnitzky<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-a97a9730\">Sharon Rudnitzky has been studying and practicing NVC since 2003 and attended numerous NVC workshops, including a 9-day intensive training in 2006 and a 7-day training in 2007.\u00a0<\/h5><p>She taught NVC for several years starting in 2005, but went on an extended break from teaching to raise twin daughters.\u00a0 Now that they are 11 years-old, she is happily finding her way back to one of her passions which is sharing her understanding of NVC with others.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-43cbde2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"43cbde2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-af53c8f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"af53c8f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ariel-Burgess-300x225-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048 wp-image-258\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-403089a elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"403089a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-d70abc3b\"><strong>Ariel K. McK. Burgess<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-733ed205\">Ariel\u00a0Burgess is an environmentalist, artist, and educator. She seeks to foster a loving and respectful relationship between humanity and the rest of life so that we can create a sustainable and thriving future for all. She teaches interdisciplinary ecological courses at Champlain College, leads ecogrief workshops, and is pursuing a doctorate in ecopsychology.\u00a0<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-29bbcb7 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"29bbcb7\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-25c373f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"25c373f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"175\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Audrey-Tanner-Walker-2-puojnmhx8p1lgt76f99vvzrb8shrrxtcaluszq1toq.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-259\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b9a1ec7 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b9a1ec7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-c2c95ef6\"><strong>Audrey Tanner Walker<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-5451144f\">Audrey Tanner Walker is a mother and survivor of a traumatic brain injury.\u00a0 She has studied ways to help those with brain injuries heal and overcome their limitations.\u00a0 Those methods include neuroplastic techniques, including specific meditations. Her near death experience has informed her spirituality.<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e4f4379 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"e4f4379\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f82b113 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f82b113\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"291\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Molly-Grover-300x291-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-260\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f9fd93d elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f9fd93d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-fc18b4be\"><strong>Molly Grover<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-5a3c23ce\">Molly Grover is a political organizer who endeavors to bring more compassion into our political system. She has worked on both Bernie Sanders campaigns, and on state issues and electoral campaigns in New Hampshire. She is also a practicing Buddhist who has been a member of the Valley Insight Meditation Society in Lebanon, NH for the past four years.<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7bcb246 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"7bcb246\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c44e466 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c44e466\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7e48b55 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7e48b55\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Practice Leaders<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a700fb8 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"a700fb8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d801b22 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d801b22\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-614d62b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"614d62b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"686\" height=\"686\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Richard-Baer-photo.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-261\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Richard-Baer-photo.jpeg 686w, https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Richard-Baer-photo-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Richard-Baer-photo-150x150.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 686px) 100vw, 686px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-29598f3 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"29598f3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-7cf67ac3\"><strong>Richard Baer<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-26a25083\">Richard was introduced to the Buddhadharma and Vipassana meditation by Bhante Gunaratana in 1974. His primary practices\u00a0are insight and lovingkindness. He feels very strongly about the importance of sangha and cherishes the spiritual friendships he has made over the years. Richard\u2019s practice has been \u201con the cushion\u201d as well as at the bedsides of his patients during his many years as a hospice nurse. He is very grateful to be able to spend two months each year on retreat at the Forest Refuge. Now retired from nursing, Richard and his wife, Suzanne, serve the homeless and the hungry in their hometown of Holyoke, Massachusetts.<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-433fb6f e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"433fb6f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-935988d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"935988d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Devin-Ryder-art.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-262\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Devin-Ryder-art.jpg 625w, https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Devin-Ryder-art-293x300.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1cc2807 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1cc2807\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-df63ceae\"><strong>Devin Ryder<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-351440f8\">Devin was introduced to meditation in a yoga class in 1968. She began Vipassana (mindfulness) meditation in the early 1970s, when it began to become more known in the West. To supplement daily practice, she attended numerous courses and retreats with a variety of Vipassana, Tibetan, and other teachers. In 2021, she was certified to teach Mindfulness Meditation by revered teachers Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach and continues her studies with other teachers. She is interested in coaching new meditators, in neuroscience as it relates to meditation, in exploring the deep connections between art and meditation, and is always interested in fostering awareness.<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0f7857f e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0f7857f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ed4f2ec elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ed4f2ec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"113\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Great-white-Egret-113x150-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048 wp-image-263\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-004f9bb elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"004f9bb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-df63ceae\"><strong>Devin Ryder<\/strong><\/p><h5 class=\"gb-text gb-text-351440f8\">Devin was introduced to meditation in a yoga class in 1968. She began Vipassana (mindfulness) meditation in the early 1970s, when it began to become more known in the West. To supplement daily practice, she attended numerous courses and retreats with a variety of Vipassana, Tibetan, and other teachers. In 2021, she was certified to teach Mindfulness Meditation by revered teachers Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach and continues her studies with other teachers. She is interested in coaching new meditators, in neuroscience as it relates to meditation, in exploring the deep connections between art and meditation, and is always interested in fostering awareness.<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-de58aa1 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"de58aa1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f06148 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3f06148\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b456346 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b456346\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Donate<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-178c928 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"178c928\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Your donation supports the practice, teachings, and community of River Valley Insight. Through your generosity, we continue to cultivate mindfulness, compassion, and wisdom together. Thank you for supporting the Dharma.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4285d1d elementor-align-center e-transform elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"4285d1d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_transform_scale_effect_hover&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:0.95,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;_transform_scale_effect_hover_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;_transform_scale_effect_hover_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/index.php\/donate\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Donate Here!<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Guiding Teachers Kim Weeber Kim Weeber started practicing meditation in 1987 in the yoga tradition, with Self Realization Fellowship.\u00a0 Starting in 1988, she practiced Zen koans with Danan Henry, Roshi, of the Denver Zen Center.\u00a0 She also studied with Robert Aitken, Roshi, continuing Zen practice until 1997.\u00a0 Her Zen practice included sesshin, 6 week work [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-23","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23"}],"version-history":[{"count":91,"href":"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1406,"href":"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23\/revisions\/1406"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivervalleyinsight.emergestudio.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}