There are many different reasons we come into this practice. But for most of us, suffering is one of the key components that brings us here. Physical pain, mental suffering, pain in the body, difficult emotions. For me, hearing the first Noble Truth for the first time resonated deep inside—that there is suffering, that this is a universal condition, that I wasn’t alone in my suffering. That there is a cause—that this can be understood. That there is the potential to open to peace, to realize an end of suffering. And that the Buddha offered this path of practice that leads to the very end. Something deep inside of me resonated with that. I couldn’t explain it. But it was a calling to a deeper happiness, a deeper peace.
John Martin
Spirit Rock Residential Teacher
John Martin has been devoted to dharma practice since 2001. He serves as the Co-Chair of the Spirit Rock Guiding Teachers Council. John teaches Vipassana, Metta and LGBTQI-themed meditation retreats. He also teaches in dedicated practitioner programs and supports practitioners in bringing practice to daily life.