In January 2025, Insight Meditation Society (IMS) and Spirit Rock will launch our first joint Teacher Training Program (TTP) since 2016. After a year of intensive planning and a rigorous selection process, 23 candidates were chosen in June to join the four-year program, which trains lay practitioners to lead retreats and teach Dharma across the U.S. and beyond.
John Martin, co-chair of the Spirit Rock Guiding Teachers Council, says, “I am especially pleased that this is a joint Spirit Rock/Insight Meditation Society teacher training. This will be the first jointly led teacher training in 10 years.”
The TTP, co-led by six teachers—DaRa Williams, Rebecca Bradshaw, and Shelly Graf from IMS, and Tuere Sala, Tempel Smith, and John Martin from Spirit Rock—follows a nomination-only model. Candidates are selected by established IMS and Spirit Rock teachers, ensuring the program maintains the authenticity and integrity of the Theravāda tradition.
The selection process spans a year, involving nominations, applications, interviews, and final review by Guiding Teachers of both centers. This collaboration highlights our shared commitment to nurturing the next generation of Dharma teachers and keeping the tradition vibrant and alive.
Congratulations to the 2025–2028 trainees: Isabel Adon, Ronya Fakhoury Banks, Brett Bethke, Mario Castillo, Melanie Huitse Cherng, Lissa Edmond, Wynn Fricke, Nico Hase, Rae Houseman, Namu Kang, Gina LaRoche, Jean Leonard, Anthony “T” Maes, Justin Michelson, Eleni Monos, Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith, Margrit Pittman-Polletta, Fernmarie Rodriguez, Kate Siber, Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Adam Stonebraker, Peace Twesigye, and Brett Wheeler.
The trainees selected for the upcoming program represent a diverse group, encompassing a wide range of ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, ages, geographic locations, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Lead teacher Tuere Sala notes that assembling such a diverse cohort was relatively easy due to the rich diversity already present in the pool of nominated candidates. “How naturally we pulled this group together is a testament to how much effort has been put into diversity in prior years,” Tuere says, crediting the work of IMS and Spirit Rock in fostering inclusivity for yogis of all identities.
The upcoming TTP has a total cost of $755,000, which will be split equally between Spirit Rock and IMS, making each center responsible for $377,500. To fund its portion, Spirit Rock depends on donations from the broader Dharma community. Any contribution, large or small, will make a meaningful difference in sustaining this vital training program.