Meditation Teacher Training with David Nichtern in New York

Last week I started a great teacher training program with David Nichtern in New York, senior teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage of Chogyam Trungpa and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. It was a course with great spirit and the goal to teach meditation in a straight forward, secular way and to share the benefits of meditation with others. David is a knowledgable and kind teacher who does bring some good humor into his teachings.

We were able to deepen our knowledge of mindfulness and meditation techniques as well as the Buddhist dharma, and discussed the bridge between the traditional Buddhist approach and a more westernized, secular way of teaching meditation to people in Western societies to become more mindful, balanced and peaceful. This discussion was highly interesting and fruitful. David seems to be the perfect partner in this conversation being a Buddhist in New York. His view is very open, sincere but humorous. He believes all humans encounter problems and pain in their lives and need to deal with what is. Understanding that everything is impermanent and that we can strengthen our mind power through mindfulness, concentration and contemplation allows us to develop more acceptance of what is, a better friendship with ourselves and all beings and a certain easiness as things come and go.

David is a great inspiration to me and I m looking forward to continue my training with him this fall.